Rois, Aristocrates et Humanistes: Portraits de la Renaissance Francaise / Kings, Aristocrats and Humanists: Portraits from the French Renaissance

Paris / Saint-Remy-en-l'Eau: Editions Monelle Hayot, 2019. Hardcover. VG+. Light bumping around top edge of jacket.. Quarto. Hardcover. Glossy illustrated blue boards in matching jacket. 239 pages : color illustrations ; 31 cm. French and English. French portraiture holds a unique place in Renaissance art, having successfully integrated Italian and Northern influences and transcended them into a distinctive and elegant style. The painting or enamel was intended to reflect the personality of the patron, their social status, and even their political or religious affiliation. French portraiture thus followed codified rules established by the first great artists of the 16th century, Jean Perréal and Jean Clouet. It was primarily a courtly art form, its style, imposed by sovereigns and princes of the blood, being passed on to their entourage. By extension, wealthy merchants and humanists also sought to have their portraits painted to demonstrate their importance.