Karel van Mander's 'Le livre des peintres' Published by Les Belles Lettres
Karel van Mander's 'Le livre des peintres' has been published by Les Belles Lettres. Written thirty years after Vasari's 'Lives of the Artists', the book extends the biographical model to Northern Europe. Van Mander, himself a painter, drew on personal knowledge and networks, including contacts at the courts of Vienna and Prague, lacking the powerful patronage that supported Vasari. The work prioritizes anecdote and perspective over historical objectivity, offering insights into the aesthetic concerns of the era. It combines art history with anthropology, as Van Mander investigated the artistic and cultural creation of his time while working as both painter and writer.
Key facts
- Karel van Mander wrote 'Le livre des peintres' thirty years after Vasari's death.
- The book extends Vasari's biographical approach to Flemish and Northern European artists.
- Van Mander lacked the powerful patrons that supported Vasari, such as the Duke of Florence.
- He relied on his own extensive network, reaching the courts of Vienna and Prague.
- The work is valued for its richness of viewpoints rather than historical objectivity.
- Van Mander was primarily a painter and knew some of the artists he wrote about.
- The narrative blends art history with anthropological observation.
- The book was published by Les Belles Lettres.
Entities
Artists
- Karel van Mander
- Giorgio Vasari
Institutions
- Les Belles Lettres
Locations
- Flanders
- Vienna
- Prague
- Florence
Sources
- artpress —