Jewels of the Renaissance

The fascination of jewels is rooted not only in their ability to please the eye but also in their power to express the range of human emotions and ambitions-love, friendship, religious devotion, superstition, dynastic pride Renaissance jewels are among the most alluring manifestations of an age that experienced the widening of horizons, from the Old World to the New. This spectacular volume overflows with luxurious imagery expressing the boundless creativity and spirit of the Age of the Renaissance. Bringing to the subject not only her specialised knowledge and historical discipline, author Yvonne Hackenbroch also displays a storyteller's passion in relating the tales of the jewels, the artists, and the patrons who commissioned them. With the kind permission of Dr. Hackenbroch's estate, Assouline has abridged Dr. Hackenbroch's original text to produce this spectacular volume, brimming with luxurious imagery expressing the overflowing creativity and boundless spirit of the Age of the Renaissance. AUTHOR: Yvonne Hackenbroch (1912-2012) was born in Frankfurt, Germany; she studied art history at the University of Munich, earning a doctorate in 1936. During and after the war she worked partly at the British Museum, and was part of the team that catalogued the Sutton Hoo treasure. In 1949 the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York invited her to become a curator specialising in Renaissance art. Her book Renaissance Jewellery, published in 1979, is considered the seminal work on the subject, extending her worldwide reputation as the leading expert in this field. Gonzague Saint Bris is a French writer, historian, journalist, and radio and television broadcaster who resides in his family chateau, Clos Luce at Amboise, where Leonardo da Vinci lived and died. Creator of events such as the Cabourg Romantic Film Festival in Normandy and the Forest of Books, a literature festival in the Loire Valley, Saint Bris has been awarded Chevalier of the Legion of Honor and Commander of Arts and Letters. His recent books include Louis XIV et le grand siecle (2012), Francois Ier et la Renaissance (2008), and Sur les pas de Leonard de Vinci (2006). 200 illustrations