Herfsttij der Middeleeuwen Studie over levens- en gedachtervormen der veertiende en vijftiende eeuw in Frankrijk en de Nederlanden

The work opens a thoughtful window onto the closing chapter of medieval Europe, treating the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries not as a quiet prelude to the Renaissance but as the waning “autumn” of a once‑vibrant civilization. By following the threads of daily life, artistic production, theological debate and literary expression, the author sketches how the familiar forms of thought and habit began to wither even as they nurtured the seeds of later change. The study balances rich detail—from the luminous panels of Jan van Eyck to the bustling courts of Burgundy—with a broader view of the cultural landscape that stretched across France and the Low Countries.

From the fervent quests for a more beautiful existence to the heroic dreams, the evolving ideas of love, and the stark imagery of death, each chapter offers a vivid tableau of medieval imagination. Interwoven with the insights of mystics such as Ruusbroec, Eckhart and Suso, the narrative captures the paradox of a world simultaneously decaying and seeding new possibilities, inviting listeners to hear the nuanced voices of a pivotal era.