Early Modern Visual Allegory

The first book in over twenty-five years devoted solely to allegory and personification in art history this anthology complements current literary and cultural studies of allegory. The volume re-examines early modern allegorical imagery in light of crucial material contextual and methodological questions: how are allegories conceived; for whom; and for what purposes? Contributors consider a wide range of allegorical representations in the visual arts and material culture of both early modern Europe and the colonial New World 1400-1800. Essays included here examine paintings sculpture prints architecture and the spaces of public ritual while discussing the process and theory of interpretation formation of audiences reception history appropriation and censorship. A special focus on the medium of the body in visual allegory unites the volume's diverse materials and methods.