The Secular Spirit: Life and Art at the End of the Middle Ages

by Timothy B. Husband, Jane Hayward, Carl F. Barnes

Although history’s extraordinary works of art and architecture are generally preserved, discussed, and revered, the objects of everyday life are, sadly, too often used and then discarded or forgotten. Treated more as artifacts than art, these ordinary objects are rarely singled out for scholarly examination, preservation, or public exhibition. Focusing on the rich variety of things made expressly for daily use in the period from 1300 to 1550, The Secular Life and Art at the End of the Middle Ages is an illuminating and exciting exception. Originally assembled as an exhibition at The Cloisters, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Secular Spirit discusses and illustrates over 300 articles, ranging from the most common of everyday equipment to glorious works of art. Chosen for their individual interest in terms of function, significance, and human appeal, these objects reflect the personal attitudes and needs of the people by whom and for whom they were made. The varied images, illustrations and accompanying text vividly depict individual life—not the Church, state, or other institutions usually associated with the era. The book is divided into eight major categories, exploring such topics as the household, personal dress, health, technology, learning, travel, commerce, games, and pastimes. Opening with an essay by an expert in the field, each section goes on to describe, in detail, the nature and character of the particular what they were, how they were used, and how each fits into the larger context. An extensive bibliography is also included for further reference. More than a catalogue or a pictorial history, this volume is a unique compilation of visual and textual material that adds new dimensions to the present understanding of the quality and impact of life and art in the late Middle Ages...

Genres: Medieval

287 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1975

About the author

Timothy B. Husband is a Curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He has worked in the Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters for over forty years.

He studied at the Fogg Museum as an undergraduate at Harvard, received his MA from the Institute of Fine Arts, and completed his doctoral coursework at Columbia. Focusing on the later Middle Ages, mostly in the German-speaking world, his interests include sculpture, tapestry, goldsmiths' work, ceramics, manuscripts, and stained glass in both the secular and ecclesiastical realms.

He has organized many exhibitions including The Treasury of Basel Cathedral (2001), The Medieval Housebook and the Art of Illumination (1999), The Luminous Image: Painted Glass Roundels in the Lowlands, 1480–1560 (1995), and The Wild Man: Medieval Myth and Symbolism (1980). His most recent publication is The Art of Illumination: The Limbourg Brothers and the Belles Heures of Jean de France, Duc de Berry.

Reviews

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent selection of items, with interesting mini-essays at the beginning of each chapter and clear and informative item descriptions. The photographs are mostly, unfortunately, in black and white, and not always clear. Still, this is a very worthwhile and fascinating book.