Renaissance art in France : the invention of classicism

The Renaissance was a prolific period in French art history. As France broke free from the political upheaval of the fifteenth century, the monarchy was stronger than ever, and a true sense of national identity began to emerge. The seeds were sown for one of the most flourishing and innovative periods of art history the world has ever seen, in terms of architecture, sculpture, painting, and decorative arts such as tapestry, stained glass, and goldmithing. This was the age that saw the creation of the Louvre and the palaces of Fontainebleau and Chambord, and unparalleled masterpieces such as Benvenuto Cellini's saltcellar made for François I. The book showcases fine artists such as the court portrartist François Clouet, the sculptor Jean Goujon, the enigmatic artist-craftsman Jean Cousin, and the great Italian painters Primaticcio and Rosso who worked for the king at Fontainebleau.

This is the first English translation of a book welcomed by art historians Anne-Marie Sankovitch in Art Bulletin described the work as "a sustained and visually acute analysis... brilliant and ingenious... scholarship of the very highest order."