A queen who helped define the cultural landscape of her era.

A queen who helped define the cultural landscape of her era.

As duchess of Brittany [1491-1514] and twice queen of France [1491-98; 1498-1514], Anne de Bretagne set a benchmark by which to measure the status of female authority in Europe at the dawn of the Renaissance. Although at times a traditional political pawn, when men who ruled her life were involved in reshaping European alliances, Anne was directly or indirectly involved with the principal political and religious European leaders of her time and helped define the cultural landscape of her era.
Taking a variety of cross-disciplinary perspectives, these ten essays by art historians, literary specialists, historians, and political scientists contribute to the ongoing discussion ofAnne de Bretagne and seek to prompt further investigations into her cultural and political impact. At the same time, they offer insight of a broader nature into related areas of intellectual interest - patronage, the history of the book, the power and definition of queenship and the interpretation of politico-cultural documents and court spectacles - thereby confirming the extensive nature of Anne's legacy.

CYNTHIA J. BROWN is Professor of French at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Introduction - Cynthia J. Brown
The Book Trade in and beyond the Duchy of Brittany during the Reign of Anne de Bretagne - Diane E. Booton
The Printed Book in Brittany during the reign of Anne de Bretagne - Malcolm Walsby
Anthoine Vérard's Reframing of Christine de Pizan'sDoctrine for Anne de Bretagne - Lori J. Walters
Mentoring Noble Ladies: Antoine Dufour'sVies des femmes célèbres - Michelle Szkilnik
Penitence, Motherhood and Passion Devotion: Contextualizing Anne de Bretagne's Prayer Book, Chicago, Newberry Library, MS 83 - Elizabeth L'Estrange
Like Mother, Like Daughter: The Blurring of Royal Imagery in Books for Anne de Bretagne and Claude de France - Cynthia J. Brown
Claude de France: In her Mother's Likeness, A Queen with Symbolic Clout? - Kathleen Wilson-Chevalier
Revisiting Anne de Bretagne's Queenship: On Love and Bridles - Nicole Hochner
Anne de Bretagne: A Woman of State - Michel Nassiet
Order and Disorder in the Life and Death of Anne de Bretagne - Elizabeth A R Brown