During the 15th and 16th centuries, northern European artists were shaped by rapid political, social, economic, and religious changes, causing their art to develop differently from that of their southern peers. In this lavishly illustrated history, Stephanie Porras discusses paintings by Jan van Eyck, Hans Holbein the Younger, and Pieter Bruegel the Elder, but also sculpture, architecture, prints, metalwork, embroidery, and armor. Each chapter presents works from a roughly 20-year period and also focuses on a broad thematic issue, like the flourishing of the print industry, the influence of aristocratic courts, and the rise of an urban merchant class.