Engaging Symbols: Gender, Politics and Public Art in Fifteenth-century Florence Book + PRICE WATCH * Amazon pricing is not included in price watch

Engaging Symbols: Gender, Politics and Public Art in Fifteenth-century Florence Book

During the fifteenth century, Florence emerged as one of Europe's most important city-states. This fresh and insightful book investigates the fascinating intersection of art, politics, and gender in the public sphere of Florence at this time. Adrian W. B. Randolph identifies a pivotal moment in the history of public art when Florentines visually encoded political and social relations within gendered categories. Randolph shows how "engaging" political symbols were grounded in a revolutionary way in amorous discourses that drew on metaphors of affection, desire, courtship, betrothal, marriage, homo- and hetero-eroticism, and procreation. This book emphasizes the sculpture of Donatello and the Medici family's efforts to seek legitimacy through artistic patronage. To characterize the political function of art, however, the book also encompasses a broad array of media-including paintings by Botticelli, portrait medals, and especially engravings-and tracks a number of important political developments. During the course of the fifteenth century, as tensions grew between Florence's explicit republicanism and a waxing politics of personal charisma, art was employed to alleviate the uneasiness, Randolph argues. First an oligarchical government and then three generations of Medici rulers, recognizing the importance of political appearances, carefully crafted images of themselves, their city, and the consensual relation they imagined existing between the two. Randolph casts new light on these artistic practices to arrive at a new and convincing view of the connections among politics, gender, and art in quattrocento Florence.Read More

from£54.00 | RRP: £40.00
* Excludes Voucher Code Discount Also available Used from £46.97
  • 0300092121
  • 9780300092127
  • AWB Randolph
  • 16 April 2002
  • Yale University Press
  • Hardcover (Book)
  • 352
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. If you click through any of the links below and make a purchase we may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). Click here to learn more.

Would you like your name to appear with the review?

We will post your book review within a day or so as long as it meets our guidelines and terms and conditions. All reviews submitted become the licensed property of www.find-book.co.uk as written in our terms and conditions. None of your personal details will be passed on to any other third party.

All form fields are required.