The world in play : luxury cards, 1430-1540
"In the 15th and 16th centuries, card playing was widely enjoyed at all levels of society. The cards in this engaging volume are unique works of art that illuminate the transition from late medieval to early modern Europe, a period of tumultuous social, artistic, economic, and religious change. Included in this publication are still- surviving luxury decks of hand-painted European playing cards, hand-colored woodblock cards, engraved cards, and tarot packs, all which illustrate diverse characters ranging from royals to commoners. This is the only study of its kind in English, and the only one in a generation in any language. The insightful narrative by Timothy B. Husband discusses the significance of playing cards in the secular art of the period and recounts the varied stories they tell. Colorful, often humorous, sometimes scatological, these cards provide a unique glimpse into the lives, attitudes, and customs of those who played with them."--Publisher's description
Print Book, English, 2015
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2015
Exhibition catalogues
135 pages : color illustrations ; 24 cm
9781588396082, 1588396088
923796117
Published in conjunction with an exhibition held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, January 20, 2015 - April 17, 2016