This is an excellent cultural history. Tim Blanning's book explores the architectural, literary, artistic and musical features of old regime Europe and elegantly sets them within the wider landscape of domestic politics, international rivalry and the challenges and opportunities posed to rulers and states by the rise of public opinion ... impressive in scope, beautifully written and full of the jibes and wry asides which make the relentlessly growing body of work by this author so enjoyable to read ...

• INTRODUCTION: THE CULTURE OF POWER AND THE POWER OF CULTURE ; Overture ; Representational Culture and the Public Sphere ; The Nation ; PART ONE: REPRESENTATIONAL CULTURE ; 1. Louis XIV and Versailles ; 2. The Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy ; 3. The Status of the Artist ; PART TWO: THE RISE OF THE PUBLIC SPHERE ; 4. Communications ; 5. Markets ; PART THREE: REVOLUTION ; 6. The Rise of the Nation ; 7. The British Way ; 8. The Cultural Origins of the French Revolution ; Conclusion ; Bibliography ; Index

This is an excellent cultural history. Tim Blanning's book explores the architectural, literary, artistic and musical features of old regime Europe and elegantly sets them within the wider landscape of domestic politics, international rivalry and the challenges and opportunities posed to rulers and states by the rise of public opinion ... impressive in scope, beautifully written and full of the jibes and wry asides which make the relentlessly growing body of work by this author so enjoyable to read ...

• INTRODUCTION: THE CULTURE OF POWER AND THE POWER OF CULTURE ; Overture ; Representational Culture and the Public Sphere ; The Nation ; PART ONE: REPRESENTATIONAL CULTURE ; 1. Louis XIV and Versailles ; 2. The Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy ; 3. The Status of the Artist ; PART TWO: THE RISE OF THE PUBLIC SPHERE ; 4. Communications ; 5. Markets ; PART THREE: REVOLUTION ; 6. The Rise of the Nation ; 7. The British Way ; 8. The Cultural Origins of the French Revolution ; Conclusion ; Bibliography ; Index

This is an excellent cultural history. Tim Blanning's book explores the architectural, literary, artistic and musical features of old regime Europe and elegantly sets them within the wider landscape of domestic politics, international rivalry and the challenges and opportunities posed to rulers and states by the rise of public opinion ... impressive in scope, beautifully written and full of the jibes and wry asides which make the relentlessly growing body of work by this author so enjoyable to read ...

• INTRODUCTION: THE CULTURE OF POWER AND THE POWER OF CULTURE ; Overture ; Representational Culture and the Public Sphere ; The Nation ; PART ONE: REPRESENTATIONAL CULTURE ; 1. Louis XIV and Versailles ; 2. The Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy ; 3. The Status of the Artist ; PART TWO: THE RISE OF THE PUBLIC SPHERE ; 4. Communications ; 5. Markets ; PART THREE: REVOLUTION ; 6. The Rise of the Nation ; 7. The British Way ; 8. The Cultural Origins of the French Revolution ; Conclusion ; Bibliography ; Index