The art of the poor : the aesthetic material culture of the lower classes in Europe, 1300-1600 / edited by Rembrandt Duits.

London ; New York : Bloomsbury Academic, 2020.

©2020

xvi, 292 pages : illustrations, maps ; 25 cm

"The history of art in the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance has generally been written as a story of elites: bankers, noblemen, kings, cardinals, and popes and their artistic interests and commissions. Recent decades have seen attempts to recast the story in terms of material culture, but the focus seems to remain on the upper strata of society. In his inclusive analysis of art from 1300 to 1600, Rembrandt Duits rectifies this. Bringing together thought-provoking ideas from art historians, historians, anthropologists and museum curators, The Art of the Poor examines the role of art in lower social classes of Europe and explores how this influences our understanding of medieval and early modern society. Introducing new themes and raising innovative research questions through a series of thematically grouped short case studies, this book gives impetus to a new field on the cusp of art history, social history, urban archaeology, and historical anthropology. In doing so, this important study helps us re-assess the very concept of 'art' and its function in society"-- Provided by publisher.

Online version: Art of the poor London ; New York : Bloomsbury Academic, 2020

English

June 03, 2021

Includes bibliographical references and index.