The Renaissance was a prolific period in

French art history. As France broke free from

the political upheaval of the fifteenth century,

the monarchy was stronger than ever, and a

true sense of national identity began to emerge.

The seeds were sown for one of the most flourishing

and innovative periods of art history the

world has ever seen, in terms of architecture,

sculpture, painting, and decorative arts such

as tapestry, stained glass, and goldmithing.

This was the age that saw the creation of the

Louvre and the palaces of Fontainebleau and

Chambord, and unparalleled masterpieces such

as Benvenuto Cellini's saltcellar made for

François I. The book showcases fine artists such

as the court portrartist François Clouet, the

sculptor Jean Goujon, the enigmatic artist-craftsman

Jean Cousin, and the great Italian

painters Primaticcio and Rosso who worked for

the king at Fontainebleau.

This is the first English translation of a book

welcomed by art historians Anne-Marie

Sankovitch in Art Bulletin described the work

as "a sustained and visually acute analysis...

brilliant and ingenious... scholarship of the very

highest order."