Van Dyck

Sir Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641) created the image of the doomed court of Charles I that we immediately recognize today: the King as melancholy warrior-knight, surrounded by courtiers. In Van Dyck, Charles saw the Venetian artist reborn. By tempting Van Dyck to London on terms that were unprecedented in the history of royal patronage, the King brought English painting, which had scarcely been touched by the Renaissance, into the mainstream of the European Baroque. The first serious, comprehensive survey of Van Dyck since 1900, this book deals with the social and political structure of early seventeenth-century Flanders, Italy, and England, as well as with the artistic background. It is a timely and important work, with over 230 illustrations, 37 of them in color. -- From publisher's description.