Reading Responses

What does the Brenk article address?

Brenk analyzes the Sainte-Chapelle in terms of King Louis IX's political goals enacted through art and aqusition.

According to the article and its introduction, how is Brenk’s research different from previous studies on the Sainte-Chapelle?

In this article, Brenk establishes King Louis IX’s intentional multifaceted design of the structure as it relates to his goal of cementing his power and the legitimacy of his rule. Brenk does this through an integrated analysis of different artistic mediums within the structure, which have previously been analyzed individually without a holistic understanding of the overall scheme.

How does the chapel’s use---think traffic patterns, placement of patrons within the
space---inform the meaning of the stories told in the windows?

The intermingling of biblical stories and apocryphal representations of kingship
and monarchy signal a greater intertwining of Louis IX’s reign and divine
deliverance and leadership. Salvation acts as a center point around which the
rest of the imagery revolves weaving together God’s plan with Louis as a leader
to both the French people and the Christian world.

How does the iconography (symbolism within a specific historic context, especially as
influenced by relevant written sources) of the Arc of the Covenant reflect contemporary
politics of Louis IX’s reign and the chapel’s particular use?

The lack of chronological representation of biblical stores supports the idea that
the choice of images were ordered and intended to act as spiritual surrogates for
Louis IX’s propagandized role as contemporary saint and devout leader. The
stories surrounding the Arc of the Covenant resonate with the theme of divine
construction, ordaining, and storage. Just as the Arc of the Covenant stores the
most sacred texts in the Christian faith, Sainte-Chapelle acted as a glorious
container for the crown of thorns. These images act as metaphors for Louis IX’s
desired reputation and purpose of the structure.

What does the Jordan article address?

The Jordan article addresses how to composition and form of the Esther and Judith windows relate to the structures of their respective stories and how they related to Blanche of Castille and Margaret of Provence's roles within the court.

How does Jordan characterize the Judith window’s design? (you can keep a running list of words if you’d like)

a. Circular
b. Simple
c. Old-fashioned armature
d. Readable / legible
e. Brisk paced narrative
f. Balanced
g. Red and blue

How does Jordan characterize the Esther windows?

a. Intricate
b. Quadrant-shaped panels
c. Densely packed
d. Visually dense
e. Slower narrative
f. Green, yellow, and white
g. Languorous pace

How do the Old Testament stories of Judith and Esther compare to one another?

Both stories detail the triumphs as women who delivered their peoples from destructions. However, Judith was an older, more refined widow while Esther was a “youthful queen” (340). Judith’s story takes place in the midst of war against a violent enemy while Esther maneuvers through political etiquette to find victory. Judith embraces the mantle of heroine without prompting and devises her plan to violently kill the Assyrian general Holofernes and Esther is forced into the role by a family member and constructs a lengthy ploy to gently abate the conflict.

What is Jordan’s thesis as explained on p. 341?

“I would argue that the distinctive narrative realizations of the two windows foreground the distinctive aspects of these two stories and, in particular, the distinctive approaches the two heroines take to execute their respective goals” (341)

How might medieval literary style/expectation impact the ways medieval viewers understood the Judith and Esther windows?

Literary models of the time often used modes of storytelling which mirrored the traits and characteristics of the characters. Viewers of this upper level, as literate members of the clergy and educated nobles and royals, would have identified these visual storytelling techniques.

How do the historic contexts of Blanche’s and Margaret’s lives suggest that the Judith and Esther narratives might be considered relevant exemplars for the queens?

As a woman who had lost her husband and was facing an array of enemies, Blanche of Castile’s bold actions in taking control before and during her son’s eligibility as king is remarkably strong move akin to the decisive actions of Judith. Alternatively Margaret of Provence, due to her familial relations with potentially threatening foreign powers made her a potential model for Esther’s deferential yet subversive political maneuvering and undermining.

What does the Borland article address?

The Borland article discusses the significance of the viewer's engagement with physical MSS as it creates a new level of meaning.

Would you define the defacement of the Life of St. Margaret figures Borland addresses
as vandalism? Why or why not?

After reading Borland’s argument, I must agree with her assessment of the
marks being forms of defacement. I was compelled by her comparative
argument wherein she references the smooth erasure of unwanted marks by trained scribes as unlike the marks seen in the Life of St. Margaret. Their harsh, disruptive, and untrained qualities make them seem more likely to be brash actions taken by a reader who was removed enough from its production to dismiss the cost and effort of its creation and motivated by distaste for the images as none of the words in specific are defaced in the same manner as crucial parts of the iconography are.

How did defacing the villains in the imagery, the way the medieval viewer did, subvert
the villains’ power/efficacy?

By removing their limbs, identifying characteristics, and tools for inflicting
violence, the defacer was able to aid St. Margaret in her struggle. The defacer
removed the power of the villains in such a way as to destroy their threatening
presence.

Would using a scribe’s knife to neatly remove these parts of the imagery have just as
effectively empowered Margaret? Why or why not?

It might not have since the intent would have been less visible to later viewers. The unskilled hacking of the parchment demonstrates the desire to not only erase but dismantle the image, and therefore the power, of the villains in the story.

How did the phenomenon of removing these images “impact medieval audiences and
involve them in the production of the images’ meanings”? (p. 109)

The study of phenomenology refers to the physical reaction evoked by visual or intellectual stimuli. By evoking a bodily response in the viewer, the materiality and meaning of the Life would have elevated the meaning to a greater level by rippling throughout the physical form of the viewers.

What does the Alexander article address?

Alexander discusses the role of Jean Duc de Berry's viewership in the construction of these images.

In what visual ways do the calendar pages and miniatures of peasants in the Duke de Berry’s Tres Riches Heure invert the medieval viewer’s expectations of the Occupations of the Months (438)?

Rather than incorporating the miniatures at the top of the calendar page
with the zodiac signs in the margins, Duke de Berry’s Très Riches Heure
dedicates full page scenes to the miniatures topped with arches of the
zodiac. This reallocation of layout immediately indicates to the viewer its
significance. Another alteration is in the consideration of the scene at
hand. Très Riches Heure forgoes the established traditions concerning
subject by aggregating difference scenes into a personalized hybrid.

Alexander argues that scenes of peasants either sexually exposed or
laboring in the field are not as innocent as previously thought. Although
precedent exists wherein nudity and sexuality are related with the spring,
which may be appropriate for a book following the passing of the
months, when connected with Duke de Berry’s harsh treatment of serfs
and workers they take on a new context of ‘contempt’ for the lower
classes.

In what ways are the “scenes constructs, and must not be seen, for all their ‘realism,’ as
neutral”(p. 438)?

Here, the author is warning against a thoughtless reading of these images. The artists and Duke involved, although perhaps unconsciously, are betraying their personal biases concerning class differences. To forget that these images are fabricated and not documentary would be to create an incomplete analysis of the piece.

Explain how images of architecture (especially defensive, military buildings) add to the
meanings of the miniatures.

The militaristic constructions in this Book of Hours act as a warning and a brag. Duke de Berry integrates these representations of military institutions to visually cement his capacity to ward off foreign and internal enemies who may try to stand against him. Alternatively, it also displays the vast holdings of himself and his extended family, illuding to their power and wealth within France

How does the “intersection” of class with gender change meanings for the duke as a viewer?

The contrast of laboring peasant women, frequently unclothed, and languorous women of the aristocrats create a juxtaposition of viewership attitudes. The aristocratic women with their elaborate garments and refined pastimes become a ‘cultured’ alternative to the uncouth behavior and sexual exposition of the peasant women. As the viewer, and patron, the Duke de Berry becomes both creator and beneficiary of this dichotomy. He may view these images with voyeuristic intention toward the unaware unclothed peasants and can remain satisfied with their lower standing in comparison to their aristocratic counterparts

What is the focus on Lewis' article?

Lewis discusses how gender influences the experience of the wound in Christ's side.

What is the focus of Sand's article?

Sand discusses how visual traditions surrounding vision, religion, and portraiture influence the portrait of Jean le Bon.

What visual traditions seem to be influencing this unique portraits?

The visual tradition of physiognomic verisimilitude” or rather the accentuation of notable facial features. In this case the “distinctive Valois nose” in addition to other aspects note an intentional depiction of his facial structure rather than depending on more symbolic imagery on clothing as identification.

Why do you think heraldic devices and clothing (as opposed to faces) were more instrumental in the Middle Ages in communicating identity (p. 60-1)?

Portraits of the era were made with the intention of identification related to prayer. Identification not dependent on personal relation or acquaintance with the person in question and their notable attributes becomes a mode for wider legibility as generations progress.

What does “seeing God” have to do with this new genre (p. 67-72)?

Here, Jean looks away from the viewer at something unknown and unintelligible. As is referenced in other profile pieces of the era which involve figures associated to spirituality, the figure looks away to a vision of God which is both too mysterious and great to be rendered by the human hand while also being accessible to the privileged person depicted in profile.
Although not reference in the reading, it may be worth noting the relevance of the “divine right of kings” and the justification of rule which came from a propagandized relationship between God and the reigning monarch of France in particular.

How does a figure’s positioning (frontal, profile, ¾ profile) build meaning for the medieval viewer?

Figures presented in the round do not commit to a single reading of a face, allowing certain features to be morphed into a more idealized public presentation of the figure which was made legible through an association with heraldic devices and clothing. Alternatively, the popularity of the ¾ profile makes frontal or profile images striking in contrast. It gives the image a new weight and importance. The profile view also references the visual vocabulary of roman emperors stamped in profile onto precious coins, an emblem of power and prestige.

Why has the “desiring gaze” often been gendered feminine, and how is it really gender fluid?

The desiring gaze has traditionally been enforced through physical touch and visual engagement between female figures in the spiritual and material worlds. In this way the image of Jean becomes a change in the tradition of connection between viewer and heavenly body.

What does the O'Hear article address?

The O'Hear article discusses the Angers Apocalypse Tapestry

What possible reasons can you identify that Louis of Anjou would have wanted a tapestry that focused on the Apocalypse of St. John’s Revelations?

The intention was possibly emblematic Louis of Anjou’s personal fears concerning judgement as per his non-pious lifestyle. This is seen in the emphasis on the salvation elements of the apocalypse. Alternatively, it may reflect the recent trauma of the Black Death still in living memory.

How do we see manuscript traditions informing monumental artwork in the form of this tapestry?

The Angers tapestry uses compositional and narrative elements akin to the Burckhardt-Wildt cuttings rather than other renditions of the Apocalypse. Both use the same pacing and framing to combine or divide certain stories in similar ways. Both the Burckhardt-Wildt cuttings and the Angers tapestry eschew the tradition of combining Rev. 8: 2 and Rev 8: 3-4.

We’ve been thinking a lot about visions and the visionary in this late medieval period of transition. How is St. John’s role as a visionary apparent (and important) in the organization and iconography of the tapestry?

St. John becomes a mode by which the viewer can understand the Angers tapestry/the Book of Revelation as a witnessed truth. John translates emotion and meaning to the viewer through his emotional response to his visions as well as his movement through the scenes. His movement from within the beyond a shelter in the scenes mirrors the development from damnation to salvation.

Why do you think Louis wanted the scepter with the fleur-de-lis included in such a ominous narrative? In what ways might the specific scenes with the scepter be highly informed by contemporary political contexts?

As the French royal coat of arms, the Fleur-de-lis becomes a symbol of France. Its integration into Angers highlights the elements of the story which act as an allegory for contemporary politics. Due to Anglo-French hostilities after the Hundred-Year’s War, the passing of the scepter with the fleur-de-lis on top to the Sea Beast may be an allusion to an English entity taking the scepter (including its significance as French identity/land) by force. Just as the English came from the sea to attack the French during
the Battle of Poitiers which resulted in a bitter loss for the French. Alternatively, the figures depicted in Angers as worshiping the two beasts with the scepter may be a reference to English collaborators on French soil during the war. In this way, Louis is creating a comparison of the English to monsters of the revelations and creators of evil while the French stand aligned with the forces of salvation.

What does the Rudy article address?

Rudy's article addresses the physical use and meaning of codices and rolls in the Medieval era.

What modes or types of physical interactions with books of hours can we trace through this article?

1. Touching / Rubbing
2. Kissing
3. Writing, adding prayers, details about the family…etc.
4. Addition of prints, sometimes “talismanic” images
5. Sewing in
1. curtains, to hide the image
2. ‘pilgrim’s badges’, or other types of badges such as vellum
roundels
6. Rubbing out/attacking as seen in one of Harley 2966’s torturers of Christ
7. Oiling certain images as is typical of relics

What do the patterns of use in these manuscripts suggest about their owners’ beliefs?

1. The visualization of wear and use over the years, when combined with
rules or guidelines surrounding potential protection from the divine
demonstrates the users’ belief in their apotropaic powers.
2. The integration of parchment wafers below images of receiving the body
of Christ demonstrates the owners’ engagement with the significance of
artistic rendering of figures as authentic and physical rather than simply
representations.

Which images were touched/venerated most ardently?

1. Images of Christ unclothed, where his body is exposed, received more
interaction than clothed images of Christ.
2. Specific elements of images or phrases such as written names of certain
characters or images representative of certain individuals, for example
the Lamb of God as the attribute of St. John the Baptist.
3. “iconic images of the body of Christ, as well as images of saints whose
very images might have been considered apotropaic”(30)

How might your answer above tie into what we know about the importance of vision and seeing the divine in the late Middle Ages?

These examples indicate the importance of visual representation as understood to be imbued with a part of the holy spirit/spirit of the Saints. Their constant touching and veneration indicated a reverence for images as having power beyond paper and ink. As more than a representation, they become a mode by which the laity can interact and look upon the holy and divine. This is particularly evident in the cases where curtains were sewn in so as to make their reveal all the more momentous and physically engaging.

Why do roles survive in lower quantities than codices today?

“The storage methods of post-medieval libraries favoured the codex.” (42)
Meaning that roles were not necessarily given ample specialized
containment and preservation, perhaps due to their home-made qualities in comparison to traditional MSS.

How were rolls or scrolls used (a little differently than books or codices) in
devotional contexts?

1. Rolls or scrolls had the ability to be wrapped around the body of the
person needing the talismanic healing or assistance.
2. Rolls could be simply held to imbue their spiritual benefits without
reading or physical veneration.

Touching, measuring, kissing images had real outcomes for the medieval faithful. Provide a couple of examples here.

1. Supposedly, venerations following certain rules would protect the faithful from certain dangers or fears. For example, there was a certain image of a man giving his final confession which, if prayed to in a certain way, would allow the faithful to stay alive until given the chance to confess a final time. This includes if the faithful’s head was cut off. Supposedly,
they would remain alive long enough to confess as the Virgin Mary once
gave someone the ability to do.
2. Another example is St Wilgefortis who would potentially provide relief
from unhappy marriages. She was most often venerated by women.