ONLY $9.90 DELIVERY INFO

Close Notification

Your cart does not contain any items

Bernard Palissy and the Arts of the Earth

François Quiviger

$39.99

Hardback

Forthcoming
Pre-Order now

QTY:

English
Reaktion Books
01 November 2025
Bernard Palissy, a French Renaissance artisan philosopher, saw intelligence and consciousness across all forms of life

soils, plants, animals

rejecting human superiority long before modern environmentalism. Known for crafting ceramic ware, fountains and grottos for royal patrons, Palissy used his knowledge of earth and agriculture to develop a unique, sometimes controversial philosophy of nature. Unlike many of his peers, he celebrated animal wisdom over human hubris, a view resonant today. This new biography explores his work within the courtly world of his patrons and highlights Palissy's lasting influence on early modern artisan culture and our understanding of art, nature and intelligence.
By:  
Imprint:   Reaktion Books
Country of Publication:   United Kingdom
Dimensions:   Height: 216mm,  Width: 138mm, 
ISBN:   9781836390848
ISBN 10:   183639084X
Series:   Renaissance Lives
Pages:   184
Publication Date:  
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming

Francois Quiviger is a fellow of the Warburg Institute, University of London. His books include The Sensory World of Italian Renaissance Art (2010) and Leonardo da Vinci: Self, Art and Nature (2019), both published by Reaktion Books.

Reviews for Bernard Palissy and the Arts of the Earth

""Based on the sober modern estimates of the number of Palissy's extant ceramics and on his published treatises, Quiviger's account ably demonstrates the coherence of the French ceramist's views on creative nature with his artistic practice, which rhymes so well with many of today's philosophical and environmental concerns. Highly recommended.""--Peter Mason, author of 'Ulisse Aldrovandi: Naturalist and Collector' ""This is a marvellously rich yet concise account of the life and work of one of the most idiosyncratic figures of the French Renaissance. Quiviger makes palpable the distinctive philosophy that animated Palissy's experiments in the ceramic arts and that conditioned his unique contributions to the lavish court entertainments of his epoch.""--Andrea Frisch, University of Maryland


See Also