*A Waterstones Best Book of 2023* *A BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week* *A New York Times Editor's Pick* 'A total eye-opener, I loved it' Nuala McGovern 'You'll never look at Renaissance portraits in the same way' Maggie O'Farrell 'Terrific ... that rare thing, a serious history that is both accessible and entertaining' Literary Review Plunge into the intimate history of cosmetics, and discover how, for centuries, women have turned to make up as a rich source of creativity, community and resistance The Renaissance was an era obsessed with appearances. And beauty culture from the time has left traces that give us a window into an overlooked realm of history - revealing everything from sixteenth-century women's body anxieties to their sophisticated botanical and chemical knowledge. How to be a Renaissance Woman allows us to glimpse the world of the female artists, artisans and businesswomen carving out space for themselves, as well as those who gained power and influence in the cut-throat world of the court. In a vivid exploration of women's lives, Professor Jill Burke invites us to rediscover historical cosmetic recipes and unpack the origins of the beauty ideals that are still with us today. 'Taking a fresh, women-led perspective, Burke highlights a rich tapestry of female experience that encompasses everyone from artisans to aristocrats ... The everyday women mixing their own beauty products should rightly be considered chemists and botanists' The Times 'A fun, informative and occasionally sobering look at the lives of women across social strata ... The real shock of the book is not what's unfamiliar, it is how much of it seems to mirror today's obsessions and controversies' The New York Times

Beauty, make up, power: plunge into the intimate history of cosmetics

About the Author
Professor Jill Burke is Chair of Renaissance Visual and Material Cultures at the University of Edinburgh. She has published widely on the history of art, gender and the body. She is currently Principal Investigator of a Royal Society-funded project, Renaissance Goo, working with a soft-matter scientist to remake sixteenth-century cosmetic and skincare recipes. She was on the curatorial team of The Renaissance Nude exhibition at the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Royal Academy, London in 2018-19. Her first book, Changing Patrons, questions the motivations behind Italian Renaissance art patronage and her second, The Italian Renaissance Nude, was nominated as a Choice Outstanding Academic Title in 2019. jillburkerenaissance.com @profjill_burke

Reviews
A total eye-opener, I loved it -- Nuala McGovern, BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour
A lively and intriguing exploration of female life in the Renaissance, lifting the lid on anxieties and aspirations that will sound oddly familiar to any 21st century reader. You'll never look at Renaissance portraits in the same way -- Maggie O'Farrell
Terrific ... Drawing on early published beauty pamphlets, letters, poems, songs, diaries and recipe books, not to mention treatises by both men and women and the rich material of Renaissance art, [Burke] has emerged with enough knowledge to open her own Renaissance Body Shop ... The book is that rare thing, a serious history that is both accessible and entertaining - no more so than when it comes to the age-old debate as to whether women's commitment to beauty is a sign of weakness, a pandering to male desire or a form of empowerment * Literary Review *
Taking a fresh, women-led perspective, Burke highlights a rich tapestry of female experience that encompasses everyone from artisans to aristocrats ... the everyday women mixing their own beauty products should rightly be considered chemists and botanists. Successfully creating these cosmetics required knowledge of plants and their properties, as well as how to transform them via different techniques. Renaissance women had greater scientific knowledge and experience than they are often credited with * The Times *
Shapewear. Stretch mark remedies. Nose jobs. Eyebrow shaping. These things are not just preoccupations of ours, but also concerned the women of the Renaissance. Through paintings of the Italian Renaissance, Burke offers a fun, informative and occasionally sobering look at the lives of women across social strata ... The real shock of the book is not what's unfamiliar, it is how much of it seems to mirror today's obsessions and controversies ... Basically, nothing our Renaissance cousins did in the name of beauty would shock anyone on TikTok -- Editor's Pick * The New York Times *
If you think that pressures on women to look their best, either through chemical enhancements or using filters on Instagram, are a modern invention, then Jill Burke's new book is a timely reminder that our ancestors were undergoing the medieval equivalent 500 years ago ... Some of the most compelling parts of the book detail female solidarity and friendship in this visual society ... The book finishes with an amusing and engrossing section of real-life Renaissance beauty recipes for the brave to try - from the relatively innocuous honey and egg eye cream to a non-toxic version of the skin lightener that beauties used on their faces ... But there's a serious message behind the book: the tyranny of beauty ideals has been with us for centuries * Mail on Sunday *
An erudite, witty and engaging history of cosmetics and beauty ... lavishly illustrated and hugely entertaining -- Anna Carey * Irish Times *
Delightful * Washington Post *
Eye-opening ... a novel and immersive history * Publishers Weekly *



Book Information
ISBN 9781788166669
Author Jill Burke
Format Hardback
Page Count 336
Imprint Wellcome Collection
Publisher Profile Books Ltd
Weight(grams) 595g
Dimensions(mm) 236mm * 158mm * 38mm