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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture

Steve,
One text in which Judith and Esther appear together -- a "visual" text -- is the Job portal on the north transept of Chartres Cathedral.  Surrounding a tympanum depicting Job on his dung hill, with the Judgement of Solomon below on the lintel, the first row of archivolts depict angels, the second archivolt has scenes of Samson and Gideon, the third archivolt has scenes of Judith and Esther, and the fourth archivolt has scenes of Tobit and Tobias.  This is the right portal, with the Coronation of the Virgin in the centre portal, and Christ's Nativity in the left portal.  This is complex iconography, which is sometimes related to the extended Last Judgement iconography of the south transept portals, but despite considerable work on it, the rationale for the programme is still not absolutely clear.
Is there anything else in the text you are working on that relates to this programme?
Jim

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From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious culture [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of McMichael, Steven J. [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: August 10, 2016 10:01 AM
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Subject: [M-R] Judith and Esther

medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Greetings to all!

I am working on Isabel of Villena’s Vita Christi text from the late fifteenth century. In her presentation on the Harrowing of Hell, she provides her readers chapters on Judith and Esther from the Old Testament.

My question concerns whether these two women appear in many other medieval texts and in what context?

What I have found so far is that Judith is a model for modesty (pudicitia), chastity and humility. Esther is a model of intercession and her enthronement as queen was seen as a prefigurement of the coronation of the Virgin Mary. Is there anything more that is said about them in the middle ages?

Thanks!

Steve

Steven J. McMichael, OFM Conv.
Theology Department
University of Saint Thomas
Saint Paul, MN USA


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