Feminae: Medieval Women and Gender Index
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Title:
Arcita and Palemone Admire Emilia in Her Garden
Creator:
Description:
This image from a manuscript of Boccaccio's
Teseida
(1339-1340) depicts Emilia sitting within a walled garden and weaving a wreath of flowers for her hair while Arcita and Palemone admire her from their prison window. The
Teseid
relates the story of Theseus. Upon his victory in the Theban war, he captures the soldiers Arcita and Palemone and imprisons them at Athens. While imprisoned they both fall in love with beautiful Emilia, sister of Hippolyta, after hearing her singing from their window. This image, though secular in subject matter, recalls images of the Virgin within a walled garden--the
hortus conclusus
that symbolized her perpetual virginity. Emilia's flowing golden hair and sumptuous bue dress were often characteristic of portrayals of the Virgin. Even some of the flowers represented in this image oftened served as symbols of Mary's suffering (iris), her espousal by the Holy Spirit (columbine), or of Christ's Incarnation (rose).
Source:
Wikimedia Commons
Rights:
Public Domain
Subject
(See Also)
:
Classical Influences
Flowers
Gardens
House of Anjou
Geographic Area:
France
Century:
15
Date:
ca. 1460
Related Work:
Current Location:
Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Cod. 2617 Han, 53r
Original Location:
Artistic Type (Category):
Digital images; Manuscript Illuminations
Artistic Type (Material/Technique):
Vellum (parchment); Gold; Tempera
Donor:
Layman; Rene d'Anjou, Duke of Anjou, King of Naples (1409-1480) or Circle
Height/Width/Length(cm):
26.6 cm/20 cm/
Inscription:
Phebus montant auecques ses chevaulx tcnoit l'humble beste du ciel qui porta Europe, c'est à dire que le souleil entré estoit ou signe de thaurus
.
Related Resources: