In this study Peter Burke distances himself from the traditional interpretation of the Renaissance as essentially Italian, self-consciously modern and easily separable from the Middle Ages. He emphasises the survival of medieval traditions and the process of the creative adaptation of classical forms and values to their new cultural and social contexts in Italy and elsewhere in Europe. The story is carried down to the seventeenth century and the diffusion and disintegration of what had once been a coherent movement. Illustrated with black and white plates, this edition has been updated throughout to take account of recent scholarship, has a fully revised bibliography and will provide the student with a stimulating introduction to the subject.

Autorentext
Peter Burke ****is Professor Emeritus of Cultural History and Life Fellow of Emmanuel College at Cambridge University, UK. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and has published 26 books, and his work has so far been translated into 33 languages. His publications include History and Social Theory (1992, revised edition 2005) and an edited book, New Perspectives on Historical Writing (1991, revised edition 2000).

Inhalt
List of Plates.- Editor's Preface.- The Myth of the Renaissance.- Italy: Revival and Innovation.- The Renaissance Abroad: or the Uses of Italy.- The Disintegration of the Renaissance.- Conclusion.- Select Bibliography.- Index.