New book Representations of Renaissance monarchy Francis I and the image-makers by Lisa Mansfield from the University of Adelaide.

About the book

Representations of Renaissance monarchy analyses the portraits and personal imagery of Francis I, one of the most frequently portrayed rulers of sixteenth-century Europe. The distinctive likeness of the Valois king was widely disseminated and perceived by his French subjects, and Tudor and Habsburg rivals abroad. Complementing studies on the representation of Henry VIII, this book makes a dynamic contribution to scholarship on the enterprise of royal image-making in early-modern Europe. The discussion not only highlights the inventiveness of the visual arts in Renaissance France but also alludes to the enduring politics of physical appearance and seductive power of the face and body in modern visual culture.

Coinciding with the five hundredth anniversary of Francis I’s accession, this book will appeal to scholars and students of medieval and Renaissance art, the history of portraiture or anyone interested in images of monarchy and the history of France.

Contents

Introduction
1. Profiling the Valois prince
2. Face-to-face with the king
3. The king’s fantastical body
4. Rethinking the representation and reception of Francis I’s portraits
Conclusion
Index

Lisa Mansfield is Lecturer in Art History at the University of Adelaide, Australia

More information on the Manchester University Press website:  http://www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9780719088711/