Tapestry in the Renaissance: Art and Magnificence [Hardcover]

Mr. Thomas P. Campbell (Author), Tom Campbell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2002 | Series: Metropolitan Museum of Art Series

Tapestries - the art form of kings - were a principal element in the ostentatious magnificence used by powerful Renaissance rulers to broadcast their wealth and might. During the period between 1460 and 1560, courts and churches lavished vast sums on costly weavings in silk and gold thread from designs by leading artists. In this illustrated volume, contributors analyze some of these tapestries; examine the stylistic and technical development of tapestry production in the Low Countries, France and Italy during the Renaissance; and discuss the contribution that the medium made to the art, liturgy and propaganda of the day. The survey presents 45 surviving tapestries along with some 20 preparatory drawings and cartoon fragments. Featured are examples designed by Italian masters Raphael, Giulio Romano and Perino del Vaga. In addition, works by Netherlandish designers such as Bernaert van Orley and his followers are included, demonstrating how elements of the northern design tradition were fused with Italianate innovations, resulting in an extraordinarily rich aesthetic, ideally suited to the medium.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Often slighted by art historians, tapestries were actually the most widely commissioned figurative art form in Europe in the 1500s. In Tapestry in the Renaissance: Art and Magnificence, Thomas P. Campbell and other scholarly contributors survey the elaborate woven hangings produced primarily by Flemish workshops for the palaces and cathedrals of Italy and Northern Europe. The authors discuss the designers' careers, patrons' motives, symbolic meanings of the imagery, and stylistic features unique to the labor-intensive medium. Initially, the need to lessen skilled weavers' workloads led designers to arrange elaborately costumed figures in manageable rows. Raphael's cartoons (full-size drawings) for the monumental "Acts of the Apostles" tapestries, commissioned by Pope Leo X, moved the art form into a new era. Flemish designers incorporated Raphael's spatially persuasive treatment of the figure into sophisticated narratives full of anecdotal detail. The 250 color photographs, specially commissioned for this catalog for an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum in spring 2002, vividly illuminate the technical brilliance of these works. --Cathy Curtis

From Library Journal

Campbell and a knowledgeable team of contributors have written this informative study of European tapestries of the Renaissance. Concentrating on tapestries made for royal and papal collections in Italy, France, Brussels, and the Netherlands from 1460 to 1560, this catalog accompanies an immensely popular exhibit that ran this spring at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art, where Campbell is curator of textiles. The extensive essays fill a void in the literature by synthesizing scholarship published thus far only in journals and by providing a detailed examination of this important area of tapestry production. A generous selection of black-and-white and color photographs illustrates the points made in the text. Because the level of detail in the discussions and the sophistication of the language make the text most suitable for scholarly readers or those with some art historical background, this is recommended for large general collections and specialized libraries. Kathryn Wekselman, M.Ln., Cincinnati
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 600 pages
• Publisher: Metropolitan Museum of Art (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300093705
• ISBN-13: 978-0300093704
• Product Dimensions: 12.4 x 10.2 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #689,879 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly magnificient!, January 10, 2003

By 

Martha Johnson (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tapestry in the Renaissance: Art and Magnificence (Hardcover)

I had no idea how important a medium tapestry was prior to stumbling on the Met exhibition during a recent visit to NYC and then reading this book. I was amazed to learn the amount of money spent to produce (and purchase!) them, and how important the industry was to the economy of the time . Anyone who thinks of tapestries as beige, boring and historically insignificant is in for a surprise.

As for this book itself, the photography is stunning and lavish. Each time you look at one of these magnificent works you see something new--it's hard to believe that these are woven objects, the detail and color is so vivid...no wonder the NY Times listed it as a holiday gift buy. (I think they rated the accompanying exhibition one of the year's best too)

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible Work, January 22, 2003

By 

T. DaPrato "tomdee27" (Middletown, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tapestry in the Renaissance: Art and Magnificence (Hardcover)

Having marveled at the tapestry I purchased from Simply Tapestries, I went to the Museum of Modern Art to see their recent exhibit of Flemish tapestries. This book can almost act as a companion of this exhibit. I am amazed at the quality and quantity of the full color artwork. This book is a must for anyone who has purchased or intends to purchase a tapestry. The authors are obvious experts in their field. A wonderful art book of the highest quality. I learned so much about the history of these wonderful pieces of art.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best collection available, July 30, 2002

By 

Science Teacher "Earth/Space" (KY) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tapestry in the Renaissance: Art and Magnificence (Hardcover)

This collection depicting the tapestry exhibit recently held at the NY Met Museum is an indisputable gem. Entries are consise and thorough. Photographs are well done, some a bit too grey, but overall usable to all textile artists.
Well worth the price and a steal at Amazon's price.