Pierre Boaistuau (c. 1517-1566) and the employment of humanism in mid sixteenth-century France
This study examines the manifestations of French humanism in sixteenth-century intellectual culture, through an analysis, for the first time, of the entirety of the works of Pierre Boaistuau. An eminent French humanist writer, on whose life little information exists, Boaistuau emerges far more prolific than any previous study has hitherto recognised. Thus, on a first level, his case offers the opportunity for an exploration of the developments of French print culture at the time. In addition, careful examination of the contents of his widely circulated works sheds new light on the ways humanist themes and values were incorporated into contemporary literary production, and were used for different purposes which surpassed the mere celebration of ancient learning. Boaistuau employed seven genres in order to compile seven books of different natures, all of them however grafted onto a humanist framework. Associated with narrative fiction, Renaissance philosophy, political theory, the study of history, and natural philosophy, his works demonstrate how the classical past and the humanist values of virtue, erudition, and self-discipline were used in a variety of ways in mid sixteenth-century France: for promotion
Doukas, Georgios
B Philosophy (General) ; D History (General) ; DC France
Pierre Boaistuau (c. 1517-1566) and the employment of humanism in mid sixteenth-century France. This study examines the manifestations of French humanism in sixteenth-century intellectual culture, through an analysis, for the first time, of the entirety of the works of Pierre Boaistuau. An eminent French humanist writer, on whose life little information exists, Boaistuau emerges far more prolific than any previous study has hitherto recognised. Thus, on a first level, his case offers the opportunity for an exploration of the developments of French print culture at the time. In addition, careful examination of the contents of his widely circulated works sheds new light on the ways humanist themes and values were incorporated into contemporary literary production, and were used for different purposes which surpassed the mere celebration of ancient learning. Boaistuau employed seven genres in order to compile seven books of different natures, all of them however grafted onto a humanist framework. Associated with narrative fiction, Renaissance philosophy, political theory, the study of history, and natural philosophy, his works demonstrate how the classical past and the humanist values of virtue, erudition, and self-discipline were used in a variety of ways in mid sixteenth-century France: for promotion
employment humanism france study_examines manifestation french humanism sixteenth_century intellectual_culture analysis first_time entirety work eminent french humanist writer whose life little_information exists emerge far prolific previous_study hitherto recognise thus first level case offer_opportunity exploration development french print_culture time addition careful examination content widely circulate work shed_new_light way humanist theme value incorporate contemporary_literary production_use different purpose surpass mere celebration ancient learning employ genre order compile book different nature however onto humanist framework associated narrative fiction renaissance philosophy political_theory study history natural_philosophy work classical past humanist value virtue self discipline use variety_way france promotion