Timothy McCall, "Making the Renaissance Man: Masculinity in the Courts of Renaissance Italy" (Reaktion Books, 2023)

Elite masculinity in 15th-century Italy functioned as a performative, fluid construct rather than a fixed ideal, serving as a vital instrument for maintaining political power. Noblemen utilized visual displays—including armor, hunting prowess, and the strategic flaunting of mistresses—to project virility and justify their authority. Adultery and the management of illegitimate children acted as essential tools for dynastic stability and diplomatic maneuvering. Art historian Timothy McCall analyzes these power dynamics through diverse sources, such as ambassadorial letters and portraiture, notably using Leonardo da Vinci’s *Lady with an Ermine* to examine the intersection of youth, eroticism, and status. By moving beyond modern, rigid categories of gender and sexuality, this study reveals how Renaissance rulers navigated precarious political landscapes through carefully curated performances of dominance, intimacy, and display.