medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
> Dear Chris,
> I would be very grateful for your knitting references. I'm working on a
> monograph concerning female spirituality in late Medieval Germany and in one
> chapter I deal with "women's work"--especially the textile arts. I would be
> most grateful for help.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> June L. Mecham, Ph.D.
>
>
> Dr. Richard Rutt has several photos of "knitting Madonnas" in his _A History of
> Hand Knitting_ (Interweave Press) and a detailed discussion of knitting history
> as well. I'll be interested to hear what Lynn White had to say, since I think he
> was writing rather earlier and I haven't seen his article. There are other
> needle techniques that are easily confused with knitting unless the thread paths
> are carefully analyzed.
>
> I'll see what I can turn up in the way of other photos -- some are rather
> difficult to find, especially in color. I have quite a lot of knitting-history
> resources available for anyone interested -- apparently knitting was a "hot" new
> technology in 13th-14th century Western Europe. (It dates to perhaps the 8th or
> 10th century in the Middle East.) The knitting madonna paintings aren't
> necessarily accurate depictions of knitting, but they do show that knitting was
> known and was thought of as an appropriate activity for a woman at home. Some of
> the paintings also incorporate references to the instruments of the Passion,
> giving the knitting needles a rather more sinister significance ;)
>
>
>
> There is also an altarpiece by Zaortiga (IIRC) that shows the Virgin enthroned,
> surrounded by female saints busy with a variety of domestic tasks, including
> knitting and (what's even more rare) fingerloop braiding.
>
> (Wearing my "textile historian" hat....)
> ____________________________________________________________
> 0 Chris Laning
> |
I am wondering if the early knitting Virgins are in part influenced by the Byzantine spinning Virgins that were taken into Western are. They are based on the Protoevangelium story, but apparently the West early lost trace of what the red thing in her hand was, & turned it into a book. The Orthodox had the tradition of the Homeric queens, all of whom are shown spinning or weaving luxury fabrics, as well as the spinning Virgin who was also working on luxury fabric.
DW
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