The Waning of the Middle Ages

Focusing on the Late Middle Ages, the book presents an aesthetic interpretation of this historical period as one marked by pessimism and decadence. The author, Huizinga, offers a comprehensive study of life in fifteenth-century France and Burgundy, drawing from often-ignored aesthetic and philological sources. His work serves as a counterpoint to Jacob Burckhardt’s analysis of the Italian Renaissance, positioning Huizinga's insights as a significant contribution to the understanding of medieval culture and society.