The Art of Medieval Falconry

(Hardback)

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Description

The art of falconry was one of the most fascinating aspects of medieval society. For medieval people falconry was not just about hunting, it encapsulated sovereignty, power and diplomacy. This book describes and assesses the visual culture of falconry, tracking how images, traditions and the falcons themselves spread throughout the medieval world, along with equipment such as hoods and lures. It shows how falconry was global from its very beginning: Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II hired falconers from far and wide to carry out his 'art of hunting with birds'. This beautifully illustrated account shows how different cultures influenced the visual culture of medieval falconry, both in the East and West.

Reviews

"Falconry has fascinated mankind for centuries as a global, aristocratic pleasure. The Art of Medieval Falconry is vividly dedicated to the cultural history of this form of hunting in the Middle Ages. Yannis Hadjinicolaou delves into how falcons have served, and continue to serve, as diplomatic gifts worldwide, looks at their depictions documenting the making of courtly self-images, and explores why the birds of prey themselves can certainly be regarded as flying ambassadors of political iconography."-- "Uwe Fleckner, Professor of Art History, University of Hamburg, and Director of the Advanced School of Art and Humanities, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou"

Author Bio

Yannis Hadjinicolaou is Assistant Professor at the Institute of Art History, University of Bonn. He has published widely on the art of the early modern period, including Thinking Bodies Shaping Hands: Handeling in Art and Theory of the Late Rembrandtists (2019).