Vasa Sacra or Non Sacra? The Aquila Beaker Bearing a Kabbalistic Inscription from the Medieval Hoard from Vinerea, Transylvania
Cristian Ioan POPA
Published in Music in Antiquity, Middle Ages & Renaissance
Keywords: Aquila symbol, Gothic Kabbalistic Inscription, Middle Ages, Silver Becker.
In the middle of the last century, a medieval treasure, made of gold and silver objects, was accidentally discovered in Transylvania on Vinerea (Cugir town). The hoard contained several precious metal objects and several hundred coins, out of which 396 are still preserved today, after a small part was stolen upon discovery. An extremely interesting item is the gold plated silver becker. On its surface was incised a ribbon that contains a text written in Gothic characters – nceirmoiahedrpma // indecmhpeoirsli. The text is most likely encrypted, making the message difficult to interpret. Towards the centre the ribbon is interrupted by the presence of a carefully incised aquila. The becker has analogies with similar items from Central Europe, datable around the year 1500. The aquila could be considered as a Christian symbol, in relation with Saint John’s (?) iconography.
Visio et amor Dei: Nicholas of Cusa (d. 1464) and John of the Cross (1542-1591)
Prof. Dr. Raúl Gutiérrez
Original title: Visio et Amor dei - Nicolás de Cusa y Juan de la Cruz
Published in Expressing the Divine: Language, Art and Mysticism
Keywords: John of the Cross, Knowledge of God, Modes of knowledge, Nicholas of Cusa, Self-Knowledge.
In the light of Nicholas of Cusa s idea that the diverse finite modes of understanding God are founded in the Absolute itself, and thus constitute modes by which the Absolute sees itself, the author interprets the distinction between the beginners , the advanced and the perfect as diverse modes of understanding oneself, God and the world, thus confirming that John of the Cross has a clear awareness of the mediating and constitutive function which the subject has with respect to reality.
Vision of Tnugdal. Harmony, Paradise and Salvation in Medieval Beyond
Adriana ZIERER, Solange Pereira OLIVEIRA
Original title: A Visão de Túndalo. Harmonia, Paraíso e Salvação no Além Medieval
Published in Monastic and Scholastic Philosophy in the Middle Ages
Keywords: Christianism., Imaginary Journey, Paradise, Salvation, Vision of Tnugdal.
Medieval Church spread various narratives of imaginary journeys which describe the environment reserved to the elected souls in post-mortem in the space of Heaven. Vision of Tnugdal, example of those narratives, from anonymous authorship, produced in the 12 th century, was translated to Portuguese in the 15th century and give us the symbolic description of Heaven in Medieval Beyond. In this text, the knight Tnugdal, guided by an angel, runs through the various the paths of Celestial Kingdom, divided in the Walls of Silver, Gold and Precious Stones, where are placed the faire souls who possess Christian virtues. To earn and enjoy the things that those spaces offered, the Catholic Church spread ideal models of behavior, since its conception, for the faithful ones achieve eternal salvation in Celestial Paradise.
What is, what is done and why exists? Lulians definitions in the Book of rational soul (1296)
Ricardo da Costa
Original title: O que é, de que é feita e porque existe? Definições lulianas no Livro da Alma Racional (1296)
Published in Ramon Llull (1232-1316): the cooperation among different cultures and the inter-religious dialogue
Study about the definition of what is soul in the Book of Alma Rational by Ramon Llull.
Women artists in the Middle Ages: constantly self-represented, consciously ignored
Sheila ADÁN LLEDÍN
Original title: Artistas en la Edad Media: constantemente autorrepresentadas, conscientemente ignoradas
Published in Mirabilia Journal 34
Keywords: Artist, Illuminating, Middle Ages, Misogyny, Sculptress, Woman.
Women in the medieval society were taught good manners in taking care of their homes, their children, pregnancy, or marriage. However, not a few of them made it to get rid of it and become writers, mystics, medics, doctors, sculptors, painters, powerful queens, and even crusaders and war soldiers. Despite many of them being silenced, many others left the anonymity behind. Courageous women who never meant to be forgotten and will be remembered in this work. It’s key to consider that due to the patriarchal system, as well as the medieval misogyny, only a few women were able to study and learn to read and write. The ones who succeeded belonged to wealthy families with high social standards, or to the Church, like the abbesses. The Renaissance will bring more women testimonies, signatures, and self-portraits. However, there are many relevant female artists before this period, and this work will focus on them. The article goes through the different Middle Ages artistic periods: from the Early (5th-10th century) to the High (11th-13th century) and finally the Late Middle Ages (14th-15th century).
Women as a source of aesthetic pleasure in late medieval India
Sara FERNÁNDEZ JUBÍN
Original title: La mujer como fuente de placer estético en la India tardomedieval
Published in
Keywords: India, Keśavdās, Orchā, Pravīṇ Rāy, Pātura, Woman.
The aim of this article is to spread the role played by those women belonging to the courtly and artistic sphere of late medieval India. Specifically, we will focus on the figure of the pātura, trying to claim a new definition and conception for this term, given its importance in the transmission of Indian dance and musical forms. Although we will start by mentioning a well-known case, further on we will focus our study on a particular pātura, Pravīṇ Rāy, an artist associated to the court of Orchā, the capital city of the ancient Bundelkhaṇḍ – nowadays in Madhya Pradeś. We will begin by outlining some of the legends for which it is popular in the region. Then we will turn to the facts provided by a primary source that is directly related with our protagonist – one of the works of the great poet Keśavdās –, which will allow us to conclude reaffirming the significance of the pāturas and revaluing the role of these artists.
Works of Art or Artisan? Some considerations about the figurative greek vases
José Francisco de Moura
Original title: Obras de Arte ou Artesanato? Algumas considerações sobre os vasos figurados gregos
Published in Mirabilia 1
Keywords: Ancient greece, Arkesilas, Art History, Black figure, Sparta, Vase.
The aim of his article is to expose and refleting about some aproaches in the greek vases.
Writing, legitimacy and memory: slogans and badges of Alfonso V the Magnanimous (1416-1458)
Gema Belia CAPILLA ALEDÓN
Original title: Escritura, legitimidad y memoria: lemas y divisas de Alfonso V el Magnánimo (1416-1458)
Published in
Keywords: Alphonsus V the Magnanimous, Badges, Crown of Aragon, Late Middle Ages, Slogans.
Alfonso V the Magnanimous, King of Aragon (1416-1458), due to his linking to the Neapolitan throne and his role in the European policy of the Quattrocento, built a speech of his image to represent himself to his contemporaries and to the posterity. His purpose was to prove his legitimacy as heir to Naples, to appear to his contemporaries as the new princeps sponsored by the Italian Humanism and to remain in memory like a virtuous Caesar. This speech was composed of numerous and varied pieces ranging from the field of numismatics to Sigillography passing through the tilework or epigraphy, to name a few, and among which stand out from those containing motes and symbols denoting some specific qualities of the sovereign. Therefore, the aim of this article is to analyze the use made by the king of this slogans and badges and to restore their chronological and symbolic place in the political and cultural program designed by the Magnanimous.
“A donzela que não podia ouvir falar de foder” e “Da mulher a quem arrancaram os colhões”: dois fabliaux e as questões do corpo e da condição feminina na Idade Média (sécs. XIII-XIV)
Ricardo da Costa and Nayhara Sepulcri
Published in The educacion and secular culture in the Middle Ages
Keywords: Fables - Middle Ages - Women's History - History of body.
Analysis of two fabliaux and the status of women in the Middle Ages.
“Checkmate to the time, the forms and the place…”. Meister Eckhart between flowing of time and stillness of Eternity
Matteo RASCHIETTI
Original title: “Xeque-mate ao tempo, às formas e ao lugar...”. Mestre Eckhart entre o fluir do tempo e o remanso da Eternidade
Published in The Time and the Eternity in the Ancient and Medieval World
Keywords: Eternity, Time, birth of logos, fullness, instant.
The conception of time in Eckhart’s reflection is a fundamental point that joins the thought of German Dominican: the metaphysic model of development of being overcomes the concepts of time and eternity, leading plurality into One, the duplex esse into unum esse, the temporal into timeless. The illustration of the main features of this rational path, here, is done starting from the poem Granum sinapis, which condenses the main themes of philosophicaltheological speculation of Thüringen, among of that there’s the issue of time.
