Dear Sarah Randles,
(at least I hope that you are now on the list)
Something which you wrote recalled to me a blip which went bye on a
recent previous string on this list which I was not able to follow up on:
>.....As well as written literature, there is a large corpus of mostly >German
images showing the Virgin engaged in various textile work, >including
spinning, embroidery, weaving and knitting....
The knit I wish to pique is: "....weaving..." (?)
While I believe She is frequently shown at work with distaff or drop-spindle
(the most comon?), I know of no medieval representations of the Virgin
actually "*weaving*", i.e., standing (at a vertical loom) or sitting (at a
horizontal loom), *making cloth*.
The importance of this--aside from whatever kinkie exegetical overtones there
may be--has to do with the technological history of looms, which is something
of an interest of mine.
BTW, whilst I have you on the line (not too often can we on this list
pick the brains of a live textile historian), perhaps you could take a look at
the "Voile" of the Virgin preserved at Chartres and resurrect a dormant string
if there is anything which occurs to you?
http://www.angelfire.com/de/centrechartraine/images/Voile1.jpg
(A general view of the "unfolded" fabric, which appears to be a piece
less than two meters long by, perhaps, a third of a meter wide.)
http://www.angelfire.com/de/centrechartraine/images/Voile2.jpg
(A detail showing the nature of the weave.)
http://www.angelfire.com/de/centrechartraine/images/Voile3.jpg
(A detail showing a stylized bird-with-chalice ornament on(/in?) the
cloth "servant d'envelopee a la relique", i.e., a sort of pillow-case covering
for the relic itself (???).
In any case, thanks for your interesting post.
Best to all from here,
Christopher
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