Department Alumnus James Pilgrim Publishes New Book on Art and Ecology in Renaissance Italy

The Department is thrilled to announce that Dr. James Pilgrim (PhD 2020) has a new book forthcoming from the University of Chicago Press this August. Titled Pastoral’s End: Art, Ecology, and Catastrophe in Renaissance Italy, the publication provides a pioneering exploration of the intersection between visual culture and the environment during the early modern period.

In Pastoral’s End, Dr. Pilgrim focuses on the sixteenth-century artist Jacopo Bassano, celebrated for his immersive depictions of rural landscapes, herdsmen, and animals. Moving beyond traditional interpretations of bucolic art, Pilgrim introduces compelling new archival and visual evidence that connects Bassano’s artistic output to his active participation in the agricultural and environmental development of the Veneto region.

We congratulate Dr. Pilgrim on this exceptional scholarly achievement. Pastoral’s End: Art, Ecology, and Catastrophe in Renaissance Italy is set to be published in August 2026 and is currently available for pre-order through the University of Chicago Press website.