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- Title
POLITICAL PARTISANSHIP IN THE TRISTAN FURNISHINGS.
- Authors
Berenson, Kathryn
- Abstract
The Iate-fourteenth-century Coperta Guicciardini in the National Museum of the Bargello, Florence, and The Tristan Quilt in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, are attributed to a southern Italian atelier. Together they present an illustrated version of an early episode in the legend of Tristan, one of King Arthur's Round Table knights. Although the furnishings' narrative imagery derives from Italian versions of Tristan romances, several scenes and details within scenes have no counterpart in these fourteenth-century manuscripts. Moreover, the furnishings assign heraldic arms to the hero, Tristan, and his enemy, Morold, that point to persons and states involved in late-fourteenth-century events on the Italian peninsula. Supplemental imagery in the furnishings unrelated to the traditional Tristan story also alludes to these events. Placed in context with concurrent literature, visual arts, and ongoing political and religious conflicts, the imagery stitched into the furnishings seems to modify Tristan's story in order to favor a partisan position concerning territorial claims within Italy. The patron who commissioned the furnishings apparently wished to express or reinforce support for his or her cause. This paper identifies possible patrons whose interests would be furthered by this support.
- Subjects
QUILTS; MEDIEVAL textiles; MEDIEVAL decorative arts; ITALIAN arts; TRISTAN (Legendary character) in art; TRISTAN (Legendary character) -- Romances; HISTORY
- Publication
Uncoverings, 2018, Vol 39, p9
- ISSN
0277-0628
- Publication type
Article