Thomas P. Campbell
Luxurious, beautiful, and portable, tapestry was the pre-eminent art form of the Tudor court. Henry VIII amassed an unrivaled collection over the course of his reign, and the author weaves the history of this magnificent collection into the life of its owner with an engaging narrative style. Now largely dispersed or destroyed, Henryâ€™s extensive inventory is here reassembled and reveals how, through tapestry, Henry identified himself with historic, religious, and mythological figures, putting England in dialogueâ€”and competitionâ€”with the leading courts of Early Modern Europe while promoting his own religious and political agendas at home. Campbellâ€™s original account sheds new light on Tudor political and artistic culture and the courtâ€™s response to Renaissance aesthetic ideals. Sumptuously illustrated with newly commissioned photographs, this stunning re-creation of Europeâ€™s greatest tapestry collection challenges the predominantly text-driven histories of the period and, ,offers a fascinating new perspective on the life of Henry VIII.
Henry VIII and the Art of Majesty: Tapestries at the Tudor Court