Description
Book SynopsisThis is the first new introduction to Anglo-Saxon art in twenty-five years and the first book to take account of the 2009 discovery of the Staffordshire Hoard—the largest cache of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver metalwork yet found.
Trade ReviewAccessible but authoritative.... By counterpointing stylistic development and long-term coherences in social and ideological context, the author conveys with nuance the complexities of the visual and material world, the multiple messages that it embodied, and the pulse of innovation, persistence and reinvention behind artistic development..... The book is well produced on high-quality paper and illustrated throughout with excellent color photography and interpretative line drawings.... This is, then, a lively and engaging distillation of a leading scholar's expertise which is likely—and deserves—to become a standard introduction for students, a handy point of reference for academics, and a must for anyone interested in the subject.
-- Christopher Scull * British Archaeology *
This beautifully illustrated book fulfills its author's stated aims [of providing] 'an accessible overview that covers the entire Anglo-Saxon period, placing it within a broader cultural and historical context, and incorporating the new discoveries and new thinking of recent years.'.
* Choice *
Webster has a smooth narrative voice as she describes imagery (e.g., zoomorphic carved decorations and the Bayeux Tapestry), cites literature (Beowulf), and explains the religious and secular importance of the era's styles. She skillfully recounts the influence of courts, churches, and conquests, and concludes with a reflection of Anglo-Saxon art's place in modern culture from the Celtic Revival to the politics of the antiquities trade. The rich images of exemplary items come from the British Museum and British Library collections.... An engaging, well-documented discussion of color, line, technique, material, themes, and influences (both political and ecclesiastical) with high-resolution color photographs of rare artifacts. A gem.
* Library Journal *
