Linda Proud
Encyclopedia
Linda Helena Proud is an English writer on cultural and philosophical themes, including The Botticelli Trilogy – three novels set in Renaissance Florence.
, Hertfordshire
, the only child of William Wilfred Proud and Sybil Grace Proud.
She studied Design and Exhibition at the College for Distributive Trades
.
Her career as a picture researcher in publishing, which began in the 1970s, was mostly as a freelance. She now teaches creative writing to students of Sarah Lawrence College
(Oxford programme) and acts as an editor for a major literary consultancy. She lectures frequently both on creative writing and the Renaissance
, and often leads study tours in Italy
. With her husband, David Smith, she founded Godstow Press in 2003 to publish creative literature with a philosophical content.
(1444–1510) led to study of the social and political history of the age of Lorenzo de’ Medici and, inspired by Mary Renault
, the idea of writing a historical novel. In 1974 she embarked on a programme of research into the period which took eleven years. The first draft of the novel was so unwieldy that she immediately split the story into three.
The historical character that Linda Proud connected with most powerfully was not Botticelli but the poet, Angelo Poliziano. Botticelli, however, is a consistent thread in all three novels, each of which is inspired by one of his mythological paintings: Primavera
, Pallas and the Centaur
, The Birth of Venus
.
A Tabernacle for the Sun deals with 1472–1478 and the Pazzi
Conspiracy. Pallas and the Centaur is set in the following two years, when the Medici
family and Florence were under severe threat. The final novel, The Rebirth of Venus
, covers the period of the exile of the Medici and the rise of Savonarola. Each book is narrated by a fictional character, Tommaso de’ Maffei, but almost every other character is historical. Linda Proud goes to extraordinary lengths to harmonise accuracy of detail with the power of story-telling, and her achievement in this is highly acclaimed by the academic community (‘A historical writer of genius’ – Dr Pamela Tudor-Craig
). The first book was originally published by Allison and Busby, but its reprint and the subsequent volumes are published by Godstow Press.
, Marguerite Yourcenar
and H.F.M. Prescott.
Biography
Linda Proud was born on 9 July 1949 in BroxbourneBroxbourne
Broxbourne is a commuter town in the Broxbourne borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England with a population of 13,298 in 2001.It is located 17.1 miles north north-east of Charing Cross in London and about a mile north of Wormley and south of Hoddesdon...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, the only child of William Wilfred Proud and Sybil Grace Proud.
She studied Design and Exhibition at the College for Distributive Trades
College for Distributive Trades
The College for Distributive Trades in London was merged with the London College of Printing in 1990 to form the London College of Printing and Distributive Trades, now known as the London College of Communication....
.
Her career as a picture researcher in publishing, which began in the 1970s, was mostly as a freelance. She now teaches creative writing to students of Sarah Lawrence College
Sarah Lawrence College
Sarah Lawrence College is a private liberal arts college in the United States, and a leader in progressive education since its founding in 1926. Located just 30 minutes north of Midtown Manhattan in southern Westchester County, New York, in the city of Yonkers, this coeducational college offers...
(Oxford programme) and acts as an editor for a major literary consultancy. She lectures frequently both on creative writing and the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
, and often leads study tours in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. With her husband, David Smith, she founded Godstow Press in 2003 to publish creative literature with a philosophical content.
The Botticelli Trilogy
An early interest in the work of Sandro BotticelliSandro Botticelli
Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi, better known as Sandro Botticelli was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance...
(1444–1510) led to study of the social and political history of the age of Lorenzo de’ Medici and, inspired by Mary Renault
Mary Renault
Mary Renault born Eileen Mary Challans, was an English writer best known for her historical novels set in Ancient Greece...
, the idea of writing a historical novel. In 1974 she embarked on a programme of research into the period which took eleven years. The first draft of the novel was so unwieldy that she immediately split the story into three.
The historical character that Linda Proud connected with most powerfully was not Botticelli but the poet, Angelo Poliziano. Botticelli, however, is a consistent thread in all three novels, each of which is inspired by one of his mythological paintings: Primavera
Primavera (painting)
Primavera, also known as Allegory of Spring, is a tempera panel painting by Italian Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli. Painted ca. 1482, the painting is described in Culture & Values as "[o]ne of the most popular paintings in Western art"...
, Pallas and the Centaur
Pallas and the Centaur
Pallas and the Centaur is a painting by the Italian Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli, circa 1482. It is housed in the Uffizi of Florence. The painting was discovered in 1895....
, The Birth of Venus
The Birth of Venus (Botticelli)
The Birth of Venus is a painting by Sandro Botticelli. It depicts the goddess Venus, having emerged from the sea as a fully grown woman, arriving at the sea-shore...
.
A Tabernacle for the Sun deals with 1472–1478 and the Pazzi
Pazzi
The Pazzi family were an ancient, noble Tuscan family who had given up their titles so that members could be elected to public office. Their main trade, during the 15th century was banking. They are linked to the "Pazzi conspiracy"—to assassinate Giuliano de' Medici and simultaneously attempt...
Conspiracy. Pallas and the Centaur is set in the following two years, when the Medici
Medici
The House of Medici or Famiglia de' Medici was a political dynasty, banking family and later royal house that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici in the Republic of Florence during the late 14th century. The family originated in the Mugello region of the Tuscan countryside,...
family and Florence were under severe threat. The final novel, The Rebirth of Venus
The Rebirth of Venus
The Rebirth of Venus is the seventh studio album by Australian indie pop musician Ben Lee, released on 10 February 2009 by New West Records....
, covers the period of the exile of the Medici and the rise of Savonarola. Each book is narrated by a fictional character, Tommaso de’ Maffei, but almost every other character is historical. Linda Proud goes to extraordinary lengths to harmonise accuracy of detail with the power of story-telling, and her achievement in this is highly acclaimed by the academic community (‘A historical writer of genius’ – Dr Pamela Tudor-Craig
Pamela Tudor-Craig
Pamela Tudor-Craig, Lady Wedgwood FSA is a British mediaeval art historian. Outside of academia she is best known for her contribution to the 1986 TV series The Secret Life of Paintings and its accompanying book of the same name with Richard Foster...
). The first book was originally published by Allison and Busby, but its reprint and the subsequent volumes are published by Godstow Press.
Influences
Linda Proud’s novels have been inspired by, and often compared to, the work of Mary RenaultMary Renault
Mary Renault born Eileen Mary Challans, was an English writer best known for her historical novels set in Ancient Greece...
, Marguerite Yourcenar
Marguerite Yourcenar
Marguerite Yourcenar was a Belgian-born French novelist and essayist. Winner of the Prix Femina and the Erasmus Prize, she was the first woman elected to the Académie française, in 1980, and the seventeenth person to occupy Seat 3.-Biography:Yourcenar was born Marguerite Antoinette Jeanne Marie...
and H.F.M. Prescott.