Claudia Quinta
29 April 2020   |    Women's Wednesday

We are back with another Women's Wednesday! Our guest this week is Claudia Quinta, a Roman woman who managed to single-handedly (and literally so!) save herself from false accusations and become a symbol of greatness…

Continue Reading
Blooming corner
24 April 2020   |    Floral Friday

Illumination from a Flemish Book of Hours, ms. Ludwig IX 9 (83.ML.105), f. 7r, after 1460, The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

Continue Reading
My Dear Daisy
17 April 2020   |    Floral Friday

"Mon cueur veult estre en ceste Margueryte", illumination from the manuscript "Petit Livre d'Amour" di Pierre Sala, ms. Stowe MS 955, f. 6r, ca. 1500, British Library, London. The Petit Livre d'Amour consists of a collection…

Continue Reading
Sempronia
15 April 2020   |    Women's Wednesday

Have you ever felt pressured to lie (or even to swear falsely) just to please someone in a much higher position? This situation, which may sound very modern, is probably as old as time itself:…

Continue Reading
Easter: the Three Marys at the Tomb
12 April 2020   |    Holy Stories

It is finally Easter! We celebrate the occasion with this delightful illumination depicting the meeting between the Three Marys, the followers of Jesus who had gone visit the by then empty tomb, and the Angel…

Continue Reading
Good Friday: the Burial of the Body
10 April 2020   |    Holy Stories

We continue the Easter Triduum by moving on to Good Friday. As the "apex" day of the Passion, the iconography of Good Friday is among the richest in scenes, events, and characters. In addition to…

Continue Reading
Maundy Thursday: the Last Supper
9 April 2020   |    Holy Stories

Maundy Thursday: for Christianity, this day marks the beginning of the so-called Paschal Triduum, the period of three days leading to Easter and thus recalling the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. This illumination portrays the…

Continue Reading
Primate Dance
3 April 2020   |    Floral Friday

"Ape", illumination from the manuscript "Grandes chroniques de France", ms. 05 (B. 244), c. 377v, ca. 1460, Bibliothèque Municipale, Châteauroux.

Continue Reading
Dripetrua
1 April 2020   |    Women's Wednesday

Wednesay after Wednesday, we have surely had our fair share of women renowed for their unique beauty. Isn't it time to lower our expectations? Our guest for this week's Women's Wednesday is Dripetrua (or Drypetina)…

Continue Reading
Stranger Songs
27 March 2020   |    Floral Friday

Illumination from a Book of Hours, use of Paris, ms. Beinecke MS 662, f. 21r, between 1450 and 1475, Beinecke Library, Yale University.

Continue Reading