Art of the Northern Renaissance: Courts, Commerce and Devotion

by Stephanie Porras

In this lucid account, Stephanie Porras charts the fascinating story of art in northern Europe during the Renaissance period (ca. 1400–1570). She explains how artists and patrons from the regions north of the Alps – the Low Countries, France, England, Germany – responded to an era of rapid political, social, economic, and religious change, while redefining the status of art.

Porras discusses not only paintings by artists from Jan van Eyck to Pieter Bruegel the Elder, but also sculpture, architecture, prints, metalwork, embroidery, tapestry, and armor. Each chapter presents works from a roughly 20-year period and also focuses on a broad thematic issue, such as the flourishing of the print industry or the mobility of Northern artists and artworks. The author traces the influence of aristocratic courts as centers of artistic production and the rise of an urban merchant class, leading to the creation of new consumers and new art products.

This book offers a richly illustrated narrative that allows readers to understand the progression, variety, and key conceptual developments of Northern Renaissance art.

Genres: Art, Renaissance, Art History, Nonfiction, History

240 pages, Hardcover

Published February 20, 2018

Reviews

[Denise みか Hutchins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the textbook for my Northern Renaissance art history course. Having taken a different art history course with a different text last summer, I was really able to appreciate how good this book is! Of course, having to read it as homework meant there were still times when my eyes glossed over, but if I had been able to read this at a more leisurely pace, I'm sure I would have enjoyed it the whole way through. Chock full of interesting information and modern ideas, this is an art history text that I intend to keep in my library!

[Dmitry Semenovykh · Rating 4 out of 5]

К северному ренесансу относится все, кроме итальянского. И в целом его история кажется чуть более иниересной. Я бы описал книгу как обзорную, мне не хватало углубления в отдельные сюжеты, как, например, с Дюрером. Но в целом все хорошо, про избранные шедевры написано интересно.

[Kevin Christiansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice discussion of the development of Northern Renaissance art, with particular emphasis on the low countries and Holy Roman Empire/Germany.