Researching a Novel with My Favorite

Renaissance Artists

By Tracy FalbeArt was an important part of my research when writing Werelord Thal: A Renaissance Werewolf Tale set in

1561 Bohemia.

The meticulous talent of the great masters of Renaissance Europe provided details about clothing,

ideals, the land, the economy, and their feelings.

Albrecht Dürer

This is my favorite Albrecht Durer self portrait because his hair is so awesomely rock-n-roll, the fur collar is glistening, and his slender fingers are vital. He distinguished himself for being internationally famous in his own life. His intricate woodcuts that captured and shaped popular sentiments were widely distributed via the new medium of printing, an enormously influential technology in the Renaissance.

Albrecht Dürer

Madonna and Child by Durer was a pen and water color done in 1503. The details of the landscape helped me imagine the homesteads and villages of the time.

Albrecht Dürer

The Revelation of St John: 4. The Four Riders of the Apocalypse is likely Durer’s most famous work. In this image I saw the mythology, the violent world, and the people’s resentment of authority.

Caravaggio

Bask in the indolent warmth of this dreamy portrait of Bacchus by Caravaggio, painted in 1595.

Caravaggio

The Musicians by the Italian master Caravaggio was painted around 1594 to 1595. Because only two of the four figures face the viewer, my curiosity is aroused to know what is going on in this intimate group.

Titian

Venus by Titian is a provocative painting of a nude young woman. Painted in 1538 for a Duke of Rovere this painting shows a young woman proudly displaying sexual desire. Look in the background at the matron telling the little girl what to do, but no one is telling the young woman what to do.

Pieter Bruegel the Elder

The Seven Deadly Sins by Pieter Bruegel the Elder shows a world where sinners are judged harshly and punished with overt inhumanity. Image from 1558.

Pieter Bruegel the Elder

Hunters in the Snow by Pieter Bruegel the Elder gives folk life an epic flair with this snowy landscape populated by common people. Note the people playing on the ice. Thankfully life was not all toil and damnation. Image from 1565.

Pieter Bruegel the Elder

In the Peasant Wedding by Pieter Bruegel the Elder the food, clothing, and furnishings of the Renaissance era are provided. Note the sheaves of grain on the wall. Image from 1566 to 1569.

Thal is wanted for Devil worship and shape shifting but still boldly walks the streets of 16th century Prague. Jesuits hunt him. Mercenaries fear him. Musicians sing his praise, and women are captivated by his alpha swagger.

Ebook & Paperback at http://www.falbepublishing.com/braveluck/werelord-thal.html

Werelord Thal: A Renaissance Werewolf Tale

by Tracy Falbe