Ambivalent Images of Authorship
Oen, Maria H. LU
(2019)
In Routledge Studies in Medieval Literature and Culture
p.113-137
- Abstract
- This chapter focuses on the question of Birgitta of Sweden’s and Catherine of Siena’s status as authors with emphasis on the visual representations of the two women in the manuscripts containing their texts. Images found in the earliest extant codices portray Birgitta in the act of writing—an extremely uncommon visual rendering of a female author in the medieval period—whereas Catherine is never depicted with a pen in her hand. This difference emerges as a paradox when contrasted with representations of the two women in their respective texts, where Birgitta is often put forward as a passive medium while Catherine explicitly is delineated as a writer with agency. The tension between texts and images serves as the point of departure for... (More)
- This chapter focuses on the question of Birgitta of Sweden’s and Catherine of Siena’s status as authors with emphasis on the visual representations of the two women in the manuscripts containing their texts. Images found in the earliest extant codices portray Birgitta in the act of writing—an extremely uncommon visual rendering of a female author in the medieval period—whereas Catherine is never depicted with a pen in her hand. This difference emerges as a paradox when contrasted with representations of the two women in their respective texts, where Birgitta is often put forward as a passive medium while Catherine explicitly is delineated as a writer with agency. The tension between texts and images serves as the point of departure for scrutinizing the role of the visual in shaping the authority of their works as well as notions of Birgitta and Catherine as authors in a time when female literary authority was still controversial. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/ca9f76c4-aa02-4d67-abbb-45bba9b7b8b6
- author
- Oen, Maria H.
LU
- publishing date
- 2019-10-10
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Heliga Birgitta, Katarina av Siena, författarroll, författarporträtt, medeltida handskrifter, Auktoritet
- host publication
- Sanctity and Female Authorship : Birgitta of Sweden & Catherine of Siena - Birgitta of Sweden & Catherine of Siena
- series title
- Routledge Studies in Medieval Literature and Culture
- editor
- Oen, Maria H. and Falkeid, Unn
- pages
- 113 - 137
- publisher
- Routledge
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85121165639
- ISBN
- 9780429351778
- 9781032087986
- 9780367368555
- DOI
- 10.4324/9780429351778-7
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- id
- ca9f76c4-aa02-4d67-abbb-45bba9b7b8b6
- date added to LUP
- 2024-02-14 12:41:24
- date last changed
- 2024-07-02 21:50:44
@inbook{ca9f76c4-aa02-4d67-abbb-45bba9b7b8b6,
abstract = {{This chapter focuses on the question of Birgitta of Sweden’s and Catherine of Siena’s status as authors with emphasis on the visual representations of the two women in the manuscripts containing their texts. Images found in the earliest extant codices portray Birgitta in the act of writing—an extremely uncommon visual rendering of a female author in the medieval period—whereas Catherine is never depicted with a pen in her hand. This difference emerges as a paradox when contrasted with representations of the two women in their respective texts, where Birgitta is often put forward as a passive medium while Catherine explicitly is delineated as a writer with agency. The tension between texts and images serves as the point of departure for scrutinizing the role of the visual in shaping the authority of their works as well as notions of Birgitta and Catherine as authors in a time when female literary authority was still controversial.}},
author = {{Oen, Maria H.}},
booktitle = {{Sanctity and Female Authorship : Birgitta of Sweden & Catherine of Siena}},
editor = {{Oen, Maria H. and Falkeid, Unn}},
isbn = {{9780429351778}},
keywords = {{Heliga Birgitta; Katarina av Siena; författarroll; författarporträtt; medeltida handskrifter; Auktoritet}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{10}},
pages = {{113--137}},
publisher = {{Routledge}},
series = {{Routledge Studies in Medieval Literature and Culture}},
title = {{Ambivalent Images of Authorship}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780429351778-7}},
doi = {{10.4324/9780429351778-7}},
year = {{2019}},
}