Nicholas Hilliard: Life of an Artist

Nicholas Hilliard's long and remarkable life (c. 1547–1619) is explored in this illustrated biography, from the West Country to the Elizabethan and Jacobean courts. It showcases new archival research and stunning images, many reproduced in color for the first time. Hilliard's portraits, including those of Elizabeth I, James I, and Mary, Queen of Scots, have shaped perceptions of key figures in British history.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 352 pages
\n Publication date: 01 February 2019
\n Publisher: Yale University Press
\n

This captivating illustrated biography delves into the remarkable life of Nicholas Hilliard (c. 1547–1619), spanning from his roots in the West Country to the vibrant courts of Elizabethan and Jacobean England. Through extensive archival research and a stunning array of images, many of which are reproduced in color for the first time, the book offers a fresh perspective on the artist's enduring legacy. Hilliard's portraits, some no larger than a watch-face, have profoundly shaped our understanding of the appearances and personalities of numerous key figures during one of the most thrilling and turbulent periods in British history. Among his illustrious sitters were Elizabeth I, James I, and Mary, Queen of Scots; renowned explorers Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh; and members of the emerging middle class, from which Hilliard himself hailed. His client list also included prominent figures from Continental Europe, such as the Medici, the Valois, the Habsburgs, and the Bourbons, who admired his artistic prowess. This definitive biography, published to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Hilliard's passing, serves as a tribute to one of Britain's most celebrated artists.

\n Weight: 1542g\n
Dimension: 287 x 205 x 31 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780300241426\n \n