Synopses & Reviews
The Northern Renaissance was a period of profound social and religious upheaval in Europe, with the rapid spread of humanism and the burgeoning Protestant Reformation sweeping the continent. Reflecting this momentous change is the glorious art of the period, which draws on the complex themes of religion, allegory, and classical myth and is further characterized by superb technical skill coupled with an interest in capturing likeness with almost psychological precision.
This sumptuously illustrated volume features works by German artists Albrecht Dand#252;rer and Hans Holbeinand#8212;two of the great masters of the Northern Renaissance. Working in a variety of media that included engravings, woodcuts, illuminated manuscripts, and oil paintings, Dand#252;rer and Holbein created landscapes, still lifes, and portraits of near-photographic realism, including Holbeinand#8217;s superlative drawings of members of Henry VIIIand#8217;s court. Examined here alongside a selection of works by other Northern Renaissance mastersand#8212;including Lucas Cranach, Franand#231;ois Clouet, Jan Gossaert, and Joos van Cleveand#8212;the works of Dand#252;rer, Cranach, and Holbein are shown to be a blend of techniques and ideals old and new.
Drawn from the Royal Collectionand#8217;s world-class paintings and drawings, The Northern Renaissance marks a major reexamination of works that have been little considered during the past forty years and offers a uniquely beautiful overview of a fascinating period in European art.
Review
and#8220;English caricaturist Thomas Rowlandson, who died in 1827, satirized the royal family, British aristocracy, and legions of politicians and social climbers. His colors are rich, his wit biting. Both are in ample supply in High Spirits: The Comic Art of Thomas Rowlandson.and#8221;
Review
andldquo;[A] lavish volume. . . . the quality of its reproductions is super, with huge blown-up details; it appears designed to reflect its royal origin, which is Queen Elizabethandrsquo;s unmatched collection of prints and drawings in Windsor Castle.andrdquo;
Review
and#8220;Stunning color reproductions. . . . This catalogue will be useful not only for its images and excellent supporting bibliography, but also for its brilliant overview of the political and social upheaval that occurred during the lifetime of the two great masters of the Northern Renaissanceand#8212;Albrecht Dand#252;rer and Hans Holbein the younger. Highly recommended.and#8221;
Synopsis
Portly squires and rake-thin curates. Jane Austen heroines and their gruesome chaperones. Dashing young officers and corrupt old politicians. The keenly observant caricatures by English cartoonist Thomas Rowlandson (1757andndash;1827) make clear his sharp eye for current affairs as well as for his appreciation of the humor in everyday life.
High Spirits brings together more than one hundred caricatures by Rowlandson, with subjects spanning the entire range of English society, including numerous satires of politics and well-known political figures. Full-color illustrations are accompanied by details drawn from new archival research on both the cartoons and their royal collectors, from George IV to Victoria and Albert.
Rowlandson is among the most important contributors to the countryandrsquo;s Golden Age of Caricature, and High Spirits will be a welcome addition to studies of his work.
About the Author
Kate Heard is curator of prints and drawings in the Royal Collection Trust and deputy editor of the
Journal of the History of Collections.
Lucy Whitaker is assistant surveyor of the Queenandrsquo;s Pictures and coauthor of
The Art of Italy in the Royal Collection: Renaissance and Baroque, also published by the Royal Collection Trust.
Table of Contents
Map: Northern Europe c.1500
Family Tree: Rulers of Northern Europe in the Renaissance
Northern Europe in the Age of Danduuml;rer and Holbein
1. The Netherlands
2. Albrecht Danduuml;rer
3. Art in the Holy Roman Empire
4. Hans Holbein the Younger
5. Art in France
Bibliography
Acknowledgements
Credits
Index