A Cultural History of Objects in the Renaissance (The Cultural Histories Series)

A Cultural History of Objects in the Renaissance covers the period 1400 to 1600. The Renaissance was a cultural movement, a time of re-awakening when classical knowledge was rediscovered, leading to an efflorescence in philosophy, art, and literature. The period fostered an emerging sense of individualism across European cultures. This sense was expressed through a fascination with materiality and the natural world, and a growing attachment to things. The 6 volume set of the Cultural History of Objects examines how objects have been created, used, interpreted and set loose in the world over the last 2500 years. Over this time, the West has developed particular attitudes to the material world, at the centre of which is the idea of the object. The themes covered in each volume are objecthood; technology; economic objects; everyday objects; art; architecture; bodily objects; object worlds. James Symonds is Professor at the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Volume 3 in the Cultural History of Objects set. General Editors: Dan Hicks and William Whyte Cover 1 Contents 8 List of Illustrations 10 Series Preface 16 Introduction James Symonds 18 1 Objecthood Visa Immonen 50 2 Technology Surekha Davies 74 3 Economic Objects Martha C. Howell 96 4 Everyday Objects Peter Stallybrass 120 5 Art Jill Burke 142 6 Architecture Michael J. Waters 168 7 Bodily Objects Susan Gaylard 190 8 Object Worlds Andrew Morrall 212 Notes 235 Bibliography 249 Notes on Contributors 284 Index 287 "The aim of this book, as of all six volumes of A Cultural History of Objects is to offer an account of the increasing entanglement of humans and things, not simply assessing the changing extent of the entanglement but revealing important shifts in the nature of that entanglement"-- Provided by publisher