Public Lecture: The Masters of the Dark Eyes in England
Professor Kathleen Kennedy, University of Bristol
Weston Library Lecture Theatre, Oxford
The Masters of the Dark Eyes in England and the invention of the Tudor court artist
This lecture re-examines the corpus of the Masters of the Dark Eyes in England and argues that their work played a part in the developing role of the King's Painter. In the Netherlands, the Masters of the Dark Eyes were premier decorators of luxurious books of hours. Their English patrons recast the Masters as courtly, Renaissance painters. Moreover, in England the Masters were sometimes primarily miniaturists, and other times valued instead for their border and initial art. Unrecognized before now, the Masters in England completed some commissions without any illustrations at all. Finally, the Masters of the Dark Eyes in England sometimes also partnered with English artists, a direct collaboration illuminating the topic at the heart of the North Sea Crossings: Anglo-Dutch Books and the Adventures of Reynard the Fox exhibition. In proving that Dutch artists could adapt to the wide-ranging artistic needs of the early Tudor court, the Masters of the Dark Eyes in England paved the way for more formal employment of the better-known Horenbout and Holbein.
The lecture will be followed by a drinks reception 6.15-7.15pm for those attending in-person. Attendees will be able to access the North Sea Crossings exhibition throughout the public event.
