The Northern Renaissance

The Northern Renaissance was a period of rapid social, artistic and religious change. Increased cultural exchanges with Italy, the rise of humanism – aided by the growing presence of the printed book – and increasing challenges to the power of the Catholic Church are all reflected in the art of the period. This book discusses works by Albrecht Dürer and Hans Holbein the Younger – two of the greatest masters of the Northern Renaissance – together with paintings by many of their contemporaries, among them Lucas Cranach the Elder. The works examined encompass portraiture, religion and mythology, and were made by artists in the Netherlands, France, the Holy Roman Empire and England. The importance of the Royal Collection’s group of works by Hans Holbein in particular is celebrated, with his superlative drawings of members of the court of Henry VIII set alongside finished paintings of the same sitters. This rich survey also includes contemporary illuminated manuscripts and early printed books.