Episodes
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Our 50th podcast celebrates Les Enluminuresâs Ten Years in New York.
Join President and Founder Sandra Hindman and Helen Allen, Executive Director of New Yorkâs celebrated art fair The Winter Show, as they discuss all things New York-related. They explore the history of the New York gallery space, the anniversary exhibition âTimeless Treasures,â plans for the future, amongst much more.
The exhibition "Timeless Treasures: 10 Manuscripts to Celebrate 10 Years in New York" runs through December 21, 2022.
www.lesenluminures.com
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Join host Sandra Hindman and Sonja Drimmer on a special episode of the Les Enluminures podcast! Sandra and Sonja sit down to discuss her most recent article in Speculum âConnoisseurship, Art History and the Paleographical Impasse in Middle English Studies,â as well as her recent work on the ârollodex,â framing the relationship between hybrid parchment objects living between the roll and the codex.
Drimmer is an associate professor at U Mass Amherst specializing in medieval European art with expertise in illuminated manuscripts and early print. She received her BA from Brown University and PhD from Columbia University. Drimmerâs research is largely concerned with premodern notions of authorship and authority, the collaborative nature of artistic production, media theory, reproduction, and the aesthetics and material culture of politics. She maintains a strong interest in historiography and in particular how reproduction and restoration shape the reception of objects over time.
Publications and References for Sonja Drimmer:
Sonja Drimmer, The Art of Allusion: Illuminators and the Making of English Literature, 1403-1476 (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018)
Sonja Drimmer in Speculum âConnoisseurship, Art History and the Paleographical Impasse in Middle English Studiesâ 2022.
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With an effect like melted glass, enamel work creates stunning, colorful effects on sculptures, enlivening their surfaces. Today, we take a look at the history and various technical processes of enameling. Covering cloisonnĂ©, champlevĂ©, and enamel in ronde-bosse, we also examine works in the Les Enluminures collection which demonstrate these varied enameling techniques, including works by Castellani, Baroque rings, and Giulianoâs painted enamel.
Resources:
Les Enluminures Castellani Quatrefoil Brooch
Castellani Brooch at the British Museum
Heart-Shaped Pendant with Cherub by Guliano
Love Ring with Bow and Flowers
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Today we discuss the history of the Winter Show and philanthropic culture in the United States with Kristen Racaniello and Sandra Hindman. Tune in and discover the origins of the exhibition, the history of gifting in the USA, and hear about Sandraâs delightful journey to participating in the Winter Show. You can join us at the Winter Show in booth 1-11 starting today, Thursday March 31 to Sunday April 10. Regular hours begin at 12:00 but closing times vary. We hope to see you there!
Resources:
Les Enluminures at the Winter Show
The Winter Show Website
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Join our founder and host Sandra Hindman as she discusses the monstrous, marginalia and determining the center with Sherry Lindquist, co-author of Medieval Monsters: Terrors, Aliens, Wonders. This interview coincides with the topic of our Chicago gallery exhibition, âThe Margins of Medieval Art: Questioning the Center,â which is open through March 30th. What are Sandra and Sherryâs favorite monsters? What determines if an image or subject is âcentralâ to a manuscript folio or pushed to its borders? How does gender, sex, and âmonsterizingâ play a role in creating margins that frame, subvert, or support the center? Find out on this episode of the Les Enluminures podcast.
Resources:
Sherry C. M. Lindquist and Asa Simon Mittman: Medieval Monsters: Terrors, Aliens, Wonders
The Margins of Medieval Art: questioning the Center, Chicago
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Shocking as it may be a medieval bestseller was misery. That text, On the Misery of the Human Condition, is the subject of our podcast today. It was written by a soon-to-be Pope and remained wildly popular for five hundred years before mysteriously dropping out of favor. This text is filled with insights into the Medieval perspective through the meditations of Pope Innocent III, and our manuscript, TM557, is a classic example of the popularity of the Misery throughout time. It is an important historical record and a must-read text for anyone interested in medieval history and life.
Resources: TM 557, On the Misery of the Human Condition On the success of Latin texts in the Middle AgesRobert E. Lewis, ed. and tr., Lotario dei Segni (Pope Innocent III), De miseria condicionis humane, Athens, Georgia, 1978 John C. Moore, Pope Innocent III (1160/61-1216). To Root up and Plant, Leiden, 2003 John C. Moore, âInnocent IIIâs De miseria humanae conditionis: A Speculum curiae,â Catholic Historical Review 67 (1981), pp. 553-564.
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One of the most common, special objects that we have at Les Enluminures is the Book of Hours. Often, the Book of Hours is called the medieval âbestseller.â But what, exactly, does that mean? What determines if a book was âpopularâ or âbest-sellingâ in the medieval world? How can we possibly know what was made most frequently in the Middle Ages? Find out answers to these questions today on the Les Enluminures Podcast.
Resources:
On the success of Latin texts in the Middle Ages
http://fama.irht.cnrs.fr/en/en/more
Pascale Bourgain and Laura Light, Bestsellers, Primer 4, Les Enluminures, 2014.
Lerner, Robert E. âNew Light on âThe Mirror of Simple Souls.ââ Speculum 85, no. 1 (2010): 91â116.
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Today we explore the gap in time between historical events and the present. Between then and now is a gap that creates desire and longing for contact. Creative attempts to close that gap produced a series of ârevivalistâ movements in the nineteenth century. Through our current exhibition âIdeal Jewelsâ we discuss the rise of art jewelry, the Pre-Raphaelites, and how revival iconography connects with the present day. What did St. Augustine and Aristotle think about time? What materials did revival jewelers use to research their designs? How can we connect the Victorian era with the medieval period? Find out today on the Les Enluminures podcast.
Resources:
The Ideal Past: Revival Jewels
Carolyn Dinshaw, How Soon is Now?: Medieval Texts, Amature Readers, and the Queerness of Time
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Paper makers in Fabriano developed the use of wire-made signs as identifying marks in the Middle Ages. Today we call these impressions âwatermarksââ the papermakersâ logo and calling card. Find out more about the history and development of papermaking and watermarks in some of the oldest medieval paper mills and discover their use in identifying the provenance and production of medieval manuscripts and drawings.
Resources:Fabriano Paper in Library of Congress Collections
TM 1181: Carthusian Ordinarium for the Mass and Office
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In this discussion of our mid-fifteenth century copy of Guido da Colomnaâs Historia destructionis Troiae (History of the Destruction of Troy) we cover the history of the Sibylline Oracle, the Middle English copies of the Troiae, and the composition of our manuscript. We chat about the role of the scribe/author in creating the histories of Troy, why there is such a revival of interest in the Trojan war in the medieval period, and the interesting addition of the Sibylline text at the very end of the codex.
Resources: GUIDO DA COLOMNA, Historia destructionis Troiae (History of the Destruction of Troy); Extract from the Sibylline prophecies
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Today we will cover a fascinating early printing process, still in wide use todayââ stenciling! Beginning with the history of the stencil and moving into the use of stencils in choir books, this podcast will cover the basic processes of stenciling, discussing how they developed and were used in sacred and secular settings. From the Carthusians to Pablo Picasso, stencils have been used in art for centuries as pattern making tools that create beautiful, crisp images and lines.
Resources:
Eric Kindel, (2019) âStencil: a descriptive bibliography.â Ăditions Ă
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Choir Book with Selected Texts for the Mass and Office
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The new year is a time that has inspired gifting and exchange throughout history in recognition of new beginnings. Yet, the date of New years has moved around frequently as calendars have shifted and it has been celebrated in many different ways. Today, we take a look at some of the different celebrations that occurred in medieval Europe, ending with a quick look at an iconic moment of gifting painted in many Books of Hours: the Adoration of the Magi. What were medieval joyaux and what does Quasimodo have to do with new years celebrations? Find out today on the Les Enluminures podcast.
Resources:
Göldene Rössl
MinnekÀstchen Casket with Two Lovers
Thourotte Hours (BOH215)
Book of Hours by the Master of the Prayerbooks of 1500 (BOH205)
The Rise of the Black Magus in Western Art
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All around the world glittering decorations and lawn sculptures are appearing as December 25th draws near. Have you ever wondered why we associate twinkling lights, holly, or lawn sculptures with Christmas celebrations? Why are animals always included in depictions of the Nativity? Is there a reason the Virgin Mary is often depicted kneeling beside her son right after giving birth? Find out about medieval nativity illuminations, the history of the sculptural crĂšche and the origins of Christmas decorations today on the Les Enluminures podcast.
Resources:
Neapolitan CrĂšche, 18th century, Art Institute of Chicago
The Hours of Le Goux de La BerchĂšre (Use of Paris)
The Hours of Françoise de Foix
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Christmas season is upon us and as the day approaches, we will examine a few different, special types of images associated with the Virgin Mary and the infant Christ. Today we discuss the very first major illumination in the hours of the Virgin: the Annunciation. When did annunciation images become so popular? How can these images help us see some of the philosophical debates at the turn of the sixteenth century? A subject particularly concerned with vision, manifestation, and light, how can we see combinations of âRenaissanceâ and âGothicâ mentalities in the composition of Annunciation paintings? Find out today on the Les Enluminures podcast.
Resources:
Book of Hours (Use of Rome)
The Calcagni Hours (Use of Rome)
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Today we cover some important jewelry production basics: gemstone cutting or lapidary. Do you know the difference between a cabochon and a raw stone? Why do we continue to use cabochon stones today? And what inspired lapidarists to begin making those iconic, geometric planes we call âfacetsâ? Find out today on the Les Enluminures podcast.
Resources:
Byzantine Gemstone Ring set with an Amethyst
Renaissance Marriage Portrait Cameo Ring
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Fashion blossomed during the Renaissance with elaborate, fantastical costumes and luxurious jewelry. Today, we take a look at one type of wearable Renaissance artwork; the portrait pendant. What is a pendant? How was the Renaissance concept of fashion different from our own? And who made these luxurious objects?
Resources
Pendant with Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven
Metropolitan Museum of Art Commesso Pendant
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Winter is a time for holiday celebrations, family, and food. As the winter fast approaches in this last November episode we consider feasts and feasting. This was an important topic for medieval people that was frequently the subject of manuscript illumination. What is the origin of the term âfeast,â and who could host a feast? What makes âfeast daysâ so important to understanding medieval life? And why did Jesus turn water into wine? Find out today, on the Les Enluminures podcast.
Resources:How to cook a medieval feast: 11 recipes from the Middle Ages Hours of Guillaume II Molé (Use of Troyes)Thourotte Hours (use of Metz)
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Medieval measurement developed as a bodily reference tool, often relying on an objectâs relationship to the human body to determine its size, scale or weight. Today, measurement may seem like a natural part of our lives, but have you ever wondered how a unit of space or volume was developed? What made medieval measurement so different from the way we conceive of measurement today? And what made measurement sacred to medieval people?
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Short winter days are now upon us. Usually we donât consider the actual day to be shortened, however. There may be less daylight, but the measure of the day does not change throughout the year. Why is this? The transition between seasons often makes us more aware of time and the absurd ways we choose to apportion time during the day. Why do we structure our days around dates and increments instead of around feasts and labor? How were days and hours understood in the medieval period? Was time measured differently durring the Middle Ages in comparison to contemporary, âequalâ time standards? Find out today, and explore the illumination of a fabulous November calendar page from The Hours of Le Goux de La BerchĂšre.
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Objects survive long after their original owners have passed away, living an extensive, dramatic, and often colorful life as they pass from owner to owner. This social life is often referred to as an objectâs âbiography.â Join us today to explore object biography and the life of a special book of hours this week in the Les Enluminures podcast. We will explore the history of a previously unknown and unpublished book of hours. This manuscript is a discovery that comes to us from Lyonsâ Golden Age, one of the most important centers for culture and industry in Europe at the time of its production. The workshop of one of the most important illuminators in the city at the time - the Master of the Entry of Francis I - produced this manuscript which has lived a rather sheltered and prestigious life. Indeed in its rich history it belonged to the great Southern bibliophile, Charles de Baschi, Marquis dâAubaĂŻs who contributed its elegant binding and armorial bookplates.
Resources
Book of Hours by the Workshop of the Master of the Entry of Francis I.
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