A Feast for the Senses ─ Art and Experience in Medieval Europe

The late medieval world was marked by a culture of refinement and sophistication. The period’s media of choice—paintings, manuscripts, prints, tapestries, embroideries, ivory sculpture, metalwork, and enamels—speak volumes about the pleasures of sensory engagement. Art objects were touched, smelled, and heard, as well as seen.

This sumptuous new book brings together sacred and secular art to reveal the shared intellectual culture that governed perception in Europe in the 13th through the 16th centuries. A focused exploration of the performative and multifaceted nature of medieval art underscores its direct appeal to the senses, revealing the rich experiential world that informed its interpretation. Nine essays explore these themes through representations of religious practices, royal rituals, feasts and celebrations, music, and literature. Beautifully designed and produced, Senses contributes significantly to an emerging field in the history of art and showcases approximately 130 objects, each accompanied by a full description, provenance, and bibliography.

Martina Bagnoli is the director of the Estensi Gallery in Modena, Italy.