Sacred Home in Renaissance Italy

How did religion colour daily life in the Italian Renaissance home? Peering into the privacy of family rites of passage -- childbirth, marriage, and death -- the authors expose patterns of piety that helped individuals to confront both the dangers and delights of everyday life, using such material objects as books, artworks, jewellery, and relics.

Format: Hardback
Length: 400 pages
Publication date: 19 July 2018
Publisher: Oxford University Press

The Sacred Home in Renaissance Italy delves into the profound and diverse devotional practices of the Italian household between 1450 and 1600, challenging the prevailing notion of the Renaissance as a secular era. Through a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach, this study uncovers the home as a vital center of spiritual renewal, shedding light on the myriad ways in which religion permeated daily life within the household. A meticulous examination of books, buildings, objects, spaces, images, and archival sources is conducted to shed new light on the various ways in which religion infused the joys and trials of domestic existence, ranging from childbirth and marriage to illness and death.

By expanding beyond the traditional focus on Venice, Florence, and Rome, The Sacred Home investigates the diverse practices of piety across the Italian peninsula, with a special emphasis on Naples, the Marche, and the Venetian mainland. It also delves into the experiences of artisanal and lower-status households, highlighting the role of gender and age as significant determinants of religious experiences. Through the recovery of lost voices and captivating narratives at the intersection of the divine and the everyday, The Sacred Home provides unprecedented insights into the spiritual lives of Renaissance Italians.

Weight: 926g
Dimension: 164 x 241 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198816553