Toward an Ecocritical History of Early Modern Art

Abstract This article outlines a methodological framework for the ecocritical practice of early modern art history. First, we describe an emerging field of ecocritical studies in early modern art history and contextualize that development within recent ecocritical turns in other disciplines of early modern studies and periods of art historical research. Then, through a quartet of case studies, we demonstrate four ecocritical approaches to practicing early modern art history. We thereby offer novel perspectives on how ecocritical methods can both transform the study of early modern art history and provide essential historical insights amidst our contemporary eco-crisis.