The Matter of Art

Materials, Practices, Cultural Logics, C.1250–1750

Pamela H Smith editor Anne Dunlop editor Christy Anderson editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Manchester University Press

Published:4th Jan '16

Should be back in stock very soon

The Matter of Art cover

Materials carried the meaning of early modern art. Transformed and crafted from the matter of nature, art objects were the physical embodiment of both the inherent qualities of materials and the forces of culture that used, refined and produced them. The study of materials offers a new approach to this important period in the history of art, science and culture, linking the close study of painting, sculpture and architecture to much wider categories of the everyday and the exotic. Drawing on research and models from anthropology, material culture and the history of art, scholars in The matter of art explore topics as diverse as Inka stonework, gold in panel painting, cork platforms for shoes, and the Christian Eucharist.

'…shows the reader that engagement with the particularities of medium can lead to the richest of interpretations.'
Renaissance Quarterly

'The Matter of Art
is a volume of superb interdisciplinary criticism thoughtfully organized and presented in as compact and accessible form as could possibly be expected for all it achieves.'
Sixteenth Century Journal

ISBN: 9781784992828

Dimensions: 240mm x 170mm x 19mm

Weight: 576g

360 pages