Looking outward for confirmation of who they were and what defined them as "civilized," Europeans encountered the returning gaze of what we now call the East, in particular the attention of the powerful Ottoman Empire. Global Interests explores the historical interactions that arose from these encounters as it considers three less-examined art objects—portrait medals, tapestries, and equestrian art—from a fresh and stimulating perspective. As portable artifacts, these objects are particularly potent tools for exploring the cultural currents flowing between the Orient and Occident.

Global Interests offers a timely reconsideration of the development of European imperialism, focusing on the Habsburg Empire of Charles V. Lisa Jardine and Jerry Brotton analyze the impact this history continues to have on contemporary perceptions of European culture and ethnic identity. They also investigate the ways in which European culture came to define itself culturally and aesthetically during the century-long span of 1450 to 1550. Ultimately, their study offers a radical and wide-ranging reassessment of Renaissance art.

Lisa Jardine is director of the AHRB Research Centre for Editing Lives and Letters and professor of Renaissance Studies at Queen Mary, University of London. She is the author of many books, including On a Grander Scale: The Outstanding Life and Tumultuous Times of Sir Christopher Wren. Jerry Brotton is a lecturer in Renaissance Studies at Queen Mary, University of London. He is the author of Trading Territories: Mapping the Early Modern World, published by Reaktion Books.