Tapestry and gender : on the hero and heroine motifs and the construction of Burgundian identity
Medievalists and art historians have tended to regard tapestry as a ~minor~ or ~decorative~ art form and only recently have a few studies begun to shed new light on this complex medium. Despite these efforts, especially within the field of fifteenth-century Burgundian arts, little scholarly attention has been directed towards the study of tapestry and gender. The aim of this thesis is to investigate questions concerning the connection between Burgundian tapestry and the construction of gender identities. It begins by examining how the Neuf Preux and Neuf Preuses, two hero groups consisting of historical, scriptural, and legendary figures, were appropriated by the Burgundian court to transmit conceptions of ideology and political ambitions. Next, the iconographic and compositional programmes of tapestry examples depicting the Neuf Preux and the Swan Knight story, which is linked to one of the nine heroes, are examined to explore how concepts of good male leadership and justice were translated through hero figures and legends. The case studies that follow analyse hangings depicting Andromache and Hector as well as Esther and Ahasuerus, which show female characters in a variety of roles that demonstrate their
Westphal, Romina
Tapestry and gender : on the hero and heroine motifs and the construction of Burgundian identity. Medievalists and art historians have tended to regard tapestry as a ~minor~ or ~decorative~ art form and only recently have a few studies begun to shed new light on this complex medium. Despite these efforts, especially within the field of fifteenth-century Burgundian arts, little scholarly attention has been directed towards the study of tapestry and gender. The aim of this thesis is to investigate questions concerning the connection between Burgundian tapestry and the construction of gender identities. It begins by examining how the Neuf Preux and Neuf Preuses, two hero groups consisting of historical, scriptural, and legendary figures, were appropriated by the Burgundian court to transmit conceptions of ideology and political ambitions. Next, the iconographic and compositional programmes of tapestry examples depicting the Neuf Preux and the Swan Knight story, which is linked to one of the nine heroes, are examined to explore how concepts of good male leadership and justice were translated through hero figures and legends. The case studies that follow analyse hangings depicting Andromache and Hector as well as Esther and Ahasuerus, which show female characters in a variety of roles that demonstrate their
tapestry gender hero heroine motifs construction identity art_historian tend regard tapestry minor decorative art form recently study_begin shed_new_light complex medium despite effort especially within_field fifteenth_century art little scholarly attention_direct towards study tapestry gender aim_investigate question_concern connection tapestry construction_gender identity begin_examine hero group consist historical scriptural legendary figure appropriate court transmit conception ideology political ambition next iconographic compositional programme tapestry example depict knight story link hero examine explore concept good male leadership justice translate hero figure legends case_study follow analyse depict well show female_character variety role