Book Series Burgundica, vol. 2

The Donor's Image

Gerard Loyet and the Votive Portraits of Charles the Bold

H. van der Velden

  • Pages: 388 p.
  • Size:180 x 250 mm
  • Language(s):English
  • Publication Year:2000

  • € 45,00 EXCL. VAT RETAIL PRICE
  • ISBN: 978-2-503-50722-4
  • Hardback
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  • ISBN: 978-2-503-55685-7
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All relevant documents illustrating the aesthetic preferences of the Burgundian nobility appear in this book, which discusses the votive protraits of Charles the Bold, as well as the circumstances surrounding the commission of Loyet´s sole surviving work - the Liège statuette.

Review(s)

"An appealing volume for the generalist and specialist alike, The Donor´s Image provides an analysis of the history, context, and iconography of one of the world´s most precious and fascinating objects..."     (N.E. Zinn in Historians of Netherlandish Art Newsletter, 19.1, 2002)

"En définitive, un ouvrage fondamental - le premier - sur une oeuvre majeure du patrimoine artistique médiéval!" (Maquet, Julien, in : Le Moyen Âge, CXI, 2005, p.168)

Summary

The references to Charles the Bold´s work, which are largely drawn from the accounts of the chambres des comptes at Lille and Brussels, amply illustrate the aesthetic preferences of the Burgundian nobility. All the relevant documents, most of which have not been published before, appear in appendix I. The second part of the book reviews the votive portraits of Charles the Bold. The circumstances surrounding the commission of the Liège statuette - Loyet´s sole surviving work - are discussed in detail, and all documents relating to the statuette are included in appendix II. In the second chapter of part II, the focus is on the statuette´s iconography, which is unique for a votive gift. Charles´s motives are further investigated in the final chapter of part II, which discusses the votive portraits that he donated to other shrines. In the third and final part, the attention shifts to votive gifts, and more specifically to the genre of votive portraits.