Exploration and Revelation: French Renaissance Studies in Honour of Colin Eisler

Under the aegis of discerning patrons such as Francis I, Henri II, and Catherine de’ Medici, France developed a rich artistic vocabulary dominated by elongated figures, inventive decorative motifs, and intriguing subject matter. The frequently ephemeral nature of artistic production during this period, along with losses engendered by time and events like the French Revolution, has meant that this is a period still flush with rewarding investigative possibilities. The volume’s contributors explore different aspects of the extant material record and how it was shaped, at times by radical changes in the social and political climate, focusing particularly on works of art in American collections, thus helping to widen the scope of research carried out in France. Several authors provide exciting new attributions, bringing greater understanding to the careers of artists such as Baptiste Pellerin and the two Cousin, père et fils. The enduring appeal of French Renaissance aesthetics is also explored here, attesting to the visual vibrancy of this distinctive period in France’s history.

"Exhaustively researched and impeccably written, this collection celebrates a scholar of unparalleled brilliance and generosity. In pathfinding essays drawing on art history, anthropology, and early modern culture, the authors honour at once the range and depth of Colin Eisler’s work on the Renaissance and its legacy here and now. The volume will be an enduring point of reference."
- Tom Conley, Harvard University

"This collection of high-quality articles dedicated to Colin Eisler is a welcomed contribution to scholarship on French Renaissance art. It will not only please his many admirers, but also contribute significantly to the study of both the major and the decorative arts of early modern France."
- Pierre Rosenberg, Musée du Louvre

"This collection exposes those of us unable to benefit directly from Professor Eisler’s teaching to a demonstration of what the mentorship of someone with such wide-ranging interests and a laser-like focus on good scholarship can produce."
- Sheila ffolliott, George Mason University

YASSANA CROIZAT-GLAZER is the founder of YCG Fine Art, and a columnist for A Women’s Thing. Prior to starting her company in 2017, she served as Assistant Curator in the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts Department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She received her Ph.D. in art history from NYU’s Institute of Fine Arts in 2007.

SARAH HARRIS WEISS holds degrees in art history from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University and law from New York University School of Law. She teaches at the Morgan Library and Museum.