Medieval Art

by Veronica Sekules

Overview

This refreshing new look at Medieval art conveys a very real sense of the impact of art on everyday life in Europe from 1000 to 1500. It examines the importance of art in the expression and spread of knowledge and ideas, including notions of the heroism and justice of war, and the dominant view of Christianity.
Taking its starting point from issues of contemporary relevance, such as the environment, the identity of the artist, and the position of women, the book also highlights the attitudes and events specific to the sophisticated visual culture of the Middle Ages, and goes on to link this period to the Renaissance. The fascinating question of whether commercial and social activities between countries encouraged similar artistic taste and patronage, or contributed to the defining of cultural difference in Europe, is fully explored.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780192842411
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	07/19/2001
Series:	Oxford History of Art
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	9.36(w) x 6.66(h) x 0.56(d)

About the Author

Veronica Sekules is Head of Education at the Sainsbury Centre, University of East Anglia, and was formerly exhibitions and collections curator. Her original research interests were in the fields of sculpture and liturgical furnishings in England and Europe from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries. She has also written about the art patronage and consumption of art by medieval women, and continues to work on these themes. She has published regularly in the fields of visual arts and museum education and modern art.

Table of Contents

Introduction1. A Sense of Place2. Artists3. Art and Power in the Church 1000-12004. Design and devotion 1200-15005. Image and Learning6. War7. PleasuresNotesTimelineBibliographic EssayMuseums and WebsitesList of IllustrationsIndex

Editorial Reviews

"This is the ideal beginner's guide to five hundred years of European art. Medieval artists are no longer to be seen as anonymous drudges, but as engaged craftsmen, in tune with their patrons' tastes and audience expectations."—Miri Rubin, Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London

"This is a new look at medieval art for a new century, and a thorough rethinking of the way to present it. Organized thematically instead of chronologically, geographically, or by medium, it is sure to arouse the interest and sustain the attention of the reader."—Lucy Freeman Sandler, New York University

From the Publisher