Art and Society in Italy 1350-1500 (Oxford History of Art)

About this book

The Italian Renaissance was a pivotal period in the history of Western culture during which artists such as Masaccio Donatello Fra Angelico and Leonardo created some of the worlds most influential and exciting works in a variety of artistic fields. Here Evelyn Welch presents a fresh picture of the Italian Renaissance by challenging traditional scholarship and placing emphasis on recreating the experience of contemporary Italians: the patrons who commissioned the works the members of the public who viewed them and the artists who produced them. Art and Society in Italy 1350-1500 dramatically revises the traditional story of the Renaissance and takes into account new issues that have greatly enriched our understanding of the period. From paintings and coins to sculptures and tapestries Welch examines the issues of materials workshop practices and artist-patron relationships and explores the ways in which visual imagery related to contemporary sexual social and political behavior.