Art must be the faithful expression of a society, since it represents it by its works as it has created them -- undeniable witnesses of its spirit and manners for future generations. But it must be acknowledged that art is only the consequence of the ideas which it expresses; it is the fruit of civilization, not its origin. To understand the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, it is necessary to go back to the source of its art, and to know the life of our fathers; these are two inseparable things, which entwine one another, and become complete one by the other. - Preface.

A cultural history of the Middle Ages amd Renaissance Period, focussing on various aspects of public and private everyday life of society, such as hunting, games, guilds, costumes and many more, and their development from ancient times to Renaissance. Illustrated with over 400 images. "What an ardent struggle during that long period! and how full, too, of emotion is its picture! Society tends to reconstitute itself in every aspect." Originally published in 1876.

First published in 1876, Manners, Customs, and Dress during the Middle Ages and during the Renaissance Period offers a fascinating glimpse into the art and lifestyles of the people of the Middle Ages and Renaissance era. Complete with hundreds of illustrations from wooden engravings and more than a dozen replications of beautifully intricate chromolithographic prints, this resurrected classic is rich with history and retains its ancient appeal. As articulated in the Preface: “Art must be the faithful expression of a society, since it represents it by its works as it has created them . . . But it must be acknowledged that art is only the consequence of the ideas which is expresses; it is the fruit of civilization, not its origin.” This exploration of a cultural movement and the arts and behaviors of its people extends through chapters on the condition of persons and lands; privileges and rights; food and cookery; games and pastimes; commerce; taxes, money, and finance; secret tribunals; punishments; costumes; and more. Within these pages, experience the social and artistic revolution born through the Renaissance and told by a renowned historian of the period.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Excerpt from Manners, Customs, and Dress During the Middle Ages, and During the Renaissance Period And to accomplish the work we have undertaken, we are lucky to have the conscientious studies of our old associates in the great work of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance to assist us such as those of Emile Begin. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This work is a vivid and faithful description of the Manners and Customs of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. In writing this work, the author has practically depended on the prevailing art during the periods under study. Art tells us about the life of our ancestors. As such, the contemporary art and the Manners and Customs of the period are two inseparable things. Both entwine one another, and become complete one by the other. The reader will observe that the public and private customs offer a curious mixture of barbarism and civilization during the period under study. Barbarian, Roman, and Christian customs and character are mixed up in the same society, and very often in the same individuals. Apart from feudalism, the counter of dealers, fairs and markets, manufactures, commerce, industry and fashion and dress will attract the attention of the reader in this work. The author has taken great pains in reproducing by means of strict facsimiles the engraving and chromo-lithography pertaining to the Middle Ages, and the rarest engravings of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries as well as the most precious miniatures of the manuscripts preserved in principal libraries of Europe. This has not made it easier to understand the subject under study more intimately but has also added the beauty and value of the book. The detailed introduction by the Editor provides added and latest information about the subject under study. It is hoped that the book and the subject would be of greatest interest, not only to the man of science and students of European history, but to the common man of the world also. Besides, the way the book has been produced; it can be an excellent coffee table book.

A cultural history of the Middle Ages amd Renaissance Period, focussing on various aspects of public and private everyday life of society, such as hunting, games, guilds, costumes and many more.

If you are a Renaissance Faire enthusiast, this is a must have book; page after page of accurate historical data from the early Middle Ages through the late Renaissance. Clothes, recipes, architecture, agriculture, economics, weapons and attitudes, it's all here; Manners, Customs, and Dress During the Middle Ages, and During the Renaissance Period. A wonderful work on the Middle Ages and the Renaissance Period, this is a great reference book!