Feminae: Medieval Women and Gender Index

Title: Mirror Case with Courtship Scenes
Creator:
Description: Set in a garden are (clockwise): a young man fondling a woman's face--a symbol of sexual dominance; a man kneeling before a woman who is about to crown him--another gesture rife with erotic overtones; a kneeling man appearing to welcome his impending crowning; and a man fondling a woman's downcast face. The woman holds a crown, somewhat reluctantly, but this man holds a falcon, yet another symbol of sexual voraciousness and dominance. Thus this work appears to present two couples: one in which the woman is sexually dominant and one in which the man plays the dominant role.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Rights: Public domain
Subject (See Also): Courtly Love Crowns Domination Falcons Gardens
Geographic Area: France
Century: 14
Date: ca. 1310-1320
Related Work:
Current Location: Paris, Musée du Louvre, MRR 197
Original Location:
Artistic Type (Category): Digital images; Sculptures
Artistic Type (Material/Technique): Ivory carvings
Donor:
Height/Width/Length(cm): 11.3/11.3/
Inscription:
Related Resources: