Art and Architecture in France, 1500-1700

Pelican History of Art

by Anthony Blunt

The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in France were an epoch of spectacular artistic activity, exemplified by the chateaux of the Loire valley, the palace of Versailles, the paintings of Poussin and Claude, and the sculpture of Coysevox, which echo the political and cultural importance of France and the "Sun King." Anthony Blunt presents major artists and their principal works chronologically, provides an overview of the main projects of the period and of the artistic personalities behind them, and clearly sets the historical context.

This new edition, of one of the classics of the Pelican History of Art series, has been revised and updated with color illustrations and a new bibliography.

Genres: Art, Art History, History, France, Architecture, Nonfiction

332 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1953

About the author

Known as Sir Anthony Blunt, KCVO, from 1956 to 1979, was a leading British art historian who in 1964, after being offered immunity from prosecution, confessed to having been a Soviet spy. A closely held secret for many years, his status was revealed publicly by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in November 1979, and he was stripped of his knighthood immediately thereafter.
Blunt was Professor of the History of Art at the University of London, director of the Courtauld Institute of Art, and Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures. He was exposed as a member of the Cambridge Five, a group of spies working for the Soviet Union from some time in the 1930s to at least the early 1950s.

Reviews

[Michael Finocchiaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

As my teacher at the Ecole du Louvre said, it took an Englishman to write a complete detailed history of French art and architecture from François I to Louis XVI, ironic but true! Anthony Blunt does an extraordinary job in giving the historical background to each period and then talking about architecture, painting and sculpture. It may seem strange - at least it did to me at first - to think of a Manierist style in architecture, but after reading the early chapters in this book, it does make sense. It is actually fascinating to see how quickly the styles in each medium changed from reign to reign as the Renaissance morphed into Baroque and Roccoco and how French artists and architects adapted their work accordingly. Also fascinating is how the atmosphere at court had such an impact on each period (particularly, of course, during the Sun King, but also during the previous periods as well.) We also read about the beginning of Academism and the great debate of dessin vs couleur which had such an overwhelming impact on French art leading to the astounding victory of color by the Impressionists at the end of the XIXe century.
A must read for art lovers!

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just a note to say that this book was published by Pelican, not Puffin. Puffin and are a part of the Penguin Publishing group specialising in books for children.

[Suki Bash]

its good