Feminae: Medieval Women and Gender Index


  • Record Number: 5547
  • Author(s)/Creator(s): Hamilton , Tracy Chapman
  • Contributor(s):
  • Title: Queenship and Kinship in the French "Bible moralisée": The Example of Blanche of Castile and Vienna ÖNB 2554 [The author argues that the manuscript was commissioned by Blanche possibly during the early period of her regency. The repeated images of childbirth and Sainte Église in the illuminations emphasize Blanche's particular rights as mother and authorized regent. Title note supplied by Feminae.].
  • Source: Capetian Women.  Edited by Kathleen Nolan.  Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.  Pages 177 - 208.
  • Description:
  • Article Type: Essay
  • Subject (See Also): Art History- Painting Bible Bibles Moralisees Blanche of Castile, Wife of Louis VIII, King of France Iconography Illumination of Manuscripts Manuscripts- Commission of Patronage- Artistic Queens Vernacular Language Women in Art
  • Award Note:
  • Geographic Area: France
  • Century: 13
  • Primary Evidence: Manuscript; Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, MS 2554. The author suggests that this "bible moralisée" was made for Blanche of Castile between 1215 and 1230. The many female images and the French vernacular text serve to connect the books owner as queen and
  • Illustrations: Seven Figures. Figure One Manuscript illumination pairing Rebecca giving birth to Esau and Jacob with Sainte Église producing good Christians and miscreants, "Bible moralisée" (Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek MS 2554, fol. 6r). Figure Two Manuscript illumination pairing Ruth concieving and giving birth to Obed with the baptism of Christian infants in the Holy Church, "Bible moralisée" (Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek MS 2554, fol. 34v). Figure Three Manuscipt illumination of the massacre of the Israelites in Egypt paired with the Massacre of the Innocents in Bethlehem (Vienna, Österreichisch Nationalbibliothek MS 2554, fol. 16r). Figure Four Manuscript illumination of Jacob clothing Joseph paired with Christ clothed in the womb of the Virgin (Vienna Österreichische Nationalbibliothek MS 2554, fol. 7r). Figure Five Manuscript illumination of the Israelites baking bread paired with the Annunciation and Conception of Christ in the womb of the Virgin (Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek MS 2554, fol. 27r). Figure Six Manuscript illumination of God making Moses's hand leprous and then healthy again paired with Sainte Église banishing the wicked and welcoming the repentant (Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek MS 2554, fol. 18r). Figure Seven Manuscript illumination of the Israelites receiving manna paired with Sainte Église as provider of God's word (Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek MS 2554, fol. 22r).
  • Table:
  • Abstract: Among the manuscripts made for Queen Blanche of Castile, a moralized bible in Vienna contains distinctive imagery that celebrates key aspects of Blanche's queenship and regency. [(c) Kathleen Nolan. Reprinted with permission of Palgrave Macmillan.]
  • Related Resources:
  • Author's Affiliation: Sweet Briar College
  • Conference Info: - , -
  • Year of Publication: 2003.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN/ISBN: 0312294484