BURCKHARDT, JACOB
Jacob Burckhardt, Professor of History at the University of Basel, Switzerland, was a remarkable scholar who had the rare gift of being able to combine vast knowledge with a vivid imagination and lively creativity. 'The Civilisation of the Renaissance in Italy', his major contribution to cultural history, was first published in 1860, and has long been recognised as a great work of literature as well as of history; its range, powerful style, and breadth of vision make it a classic introduction to the study of the Renaissance, and one that is still a source of inspiration.