The Arts in The Middle Ages and at the Period of The Renaissance

(Illustrated With Nineteen Chromolithographic Prints By F. Kellerhoven And Upwards Of Four Hundred Engravings On Wood.)

Uniform Title:    Les arts au moyen âge et à l'époque de la renaissance. English


During the Middle Ages, Art generally followed the inspirations of that Christian spirit which presided at the formation of this new world. It arose to reproduce in an admirable manner the religious ideal. Only towards the end of that period it searched out for beauty of form, and began to find it when the Renaissance made its appearance: the Renaissance, that is, the intellectual revolution, which, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, restored among modern nations the sceptre to Literature and the Arts of antiquity. Then, with the Renaissance, the Arts changed their direction, and especially the principal Arts, those by which the genius of man expresses most forcibly his ideas and his feelings. Thus, in the Middle Ages, a new style of architecture is created that rapidly attained the highest degree of perfection, the ogival (later Gothic or flamboyant), of which we see the chefs-d’œuvre in our cathedrals: at the Renaissance, this was replaced by architecture derived from that of the Greeks and Romans, which also produced admirable works, but almost always less in harmony with the dignity and splendour of worship. 

The numerous illustrations that adorn the work will engage the eye, while the text will speak to the intelligence. The designs in chromolithography are executed by M. Kellerhoven, who for several years has made the art one of a high order, worthy to shine among the finest works of our greatest painters, as is proved by his “Chefs-d’œuvre of the Great Masters,” “Lives of the Saints,” and “Legend of St. Ursula.”



Contents
Furniture: household and ecclesiastical -- Tapestry -- Ceramic art -- Arms and armour -- Carriages and saddlery -- Gold and silver work -- Horology -- Musical instruments -- Playing-cards -- Glass-painting -- Fresco-painting -- Painting on wood, canvas, etc. -- Engraving -- Sculpture -- Architecture -- Parchment and paper -- Manuscripts -- Miniatures in manuscripts -- Bookbinding -- Printing.

Includes material on medieval and Renaissance furniture, tapestry, ceramic art, arms and armor, carriages, saddlery, goldwork, silverwork, horology (watchmaking), musical instruments, playing cards, glass-painting, fresco-painting, painting on wood, canvas, etc., engraving, sculpture, architecture, parchment, paper, manuscripts, miniatures, bookbinding, and printing.