The Fall of the Middle Ages
39.99 €
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The Fall of the Middle Ages
39.99 €
Johan Heisinga (1872-1945) was a Dutch historian and thinker, professor at Leiden University, who became widely known for his studies on the history of the late Middle Ages and early modern times (The Autumn of the Middle Ages, 1919; Erasmus, 1924), as well as for his work on the meaning of playful forms of culture (Homo Ludens, 1938).
Johan Heisinga's book The Autumn of the Middle Ages, first published in 1919, immediately attracted the attention of medievalists and soon acquired the status of one of the classic studies of cultural history. Heisinga's work offers a subtle and insightful analysis of the changes that marked the transitional period between the Middle Ages and the Modern Age. By examining the cultural forms that constituted an essential aspect of life in the fourteenth through fifteenth centuries, such as courtesies, faith, and chivalry, the Dutch historian shows how aloof and rigid these categories became as they tried to accommodate the accumulated contradictions of the age. "The Autumn of the Middle Ages" is still a hugely influential and widely read work, offering a compelling interpretation of a crucial period in European history. This book has inspired many researchers and paved the way for several scholarly fields: historical anthropology, the history of mentalities, and the history of everyday life. One of the undeniable merits of the book is its style. Johan Heisinga was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1939 for the figurative yet precise language used in this work. The book has been translated into all major European languages; Dmitry Silvestrov has prepared a revised and expanded version of his translation especially for this edition. To create a comprehensive and textured picture of the period, Johan Heisinga draws on a wide range of sources that includes not only literature but also art. The edition is richly illustrated with reproductions of medieval paintings, sculpture, engravings, and book graphics, allowing for a more complete visualization of the era.
Johan Heisinga's book The Autumn of the Middle Ages, first published in 1919, immediately attracted the attention of medievalists and soon acquired the status of one of the classic studies of cultural history. Heisinga's work offers a subtle and insightful analysis of the changes that marked the transitional period between the Middle Ages and the Modern Age. By examining the cultural forms that constituted an essential aspect of life in the fourteenth through fifteenth centuries, such as courtesies, faith, and chivalry, the Dutch historian shows how aloof and rigid these categories became as they tried to accommodate the accumulated contradictions of the age. "The Autumn of the Middle Ages" is still a hugely influential and widely read work, offering a compelling interpretation of a crucial period in European history. This book has inspired many researchers and paved the way for several scholarly fields: historical anthropology, the history of mentalities, and the history of everyday life. One of the undeniable merits of the book is its style. Johan Heisinga was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1939 for the figurative yet precise language used in this work. The book has been translated into all major European languages; Dmitry Silvestrov has prepared a revised and expanded version of his translation especially for this edition. To create a comprehensive and textured picture of the period, Johan Heisinga draws on a wide range of sources that includes not only literature but also art. The edition is richly illustrated with reproductions of medieval paintings, sculpture, engravings, and book graphics, allowing for a more complete visualization of the era.
See also:
- All books by the publisher
- All books by the author
- All books in the series Talks on culture