cambridge unive rsit y pre ss laura weigert frontmatter ... · pdf filefrench visual culture...

FRENCH VISUAL CULTURE AND THE MAKING

OF MEDIEVAL THEATER

This book revives what was unique, strange, and exciting about the varietyof performances that took place in the realms of the French kings andBurgundian dukes. Laura Weigert brings together a wealth of visual artifactsand practices to explore this tradition of late medieval performance locatednot in “theaters” but in churches, courts, and city streets and squares. Bystressing the theatricality rather than the realism of fifteenth-century visualculture and the spectacular rather than the devotional nature of its effects,she offers a new way of thinking about late medieval representation andspectatorship. She shows how images that ostensibly document medievalperformance instead revise its characteristic features to conform to a play-going experience that was associated with classical antiquity. This retro-spective vision of the late medieval performance tradition contributed to itsdemise in sixteenth-century France and promoted assumptions about medi-eval theater that continue to inform the contemporary disciplines of art andtheater history.

Laura Weigert is Associate Professor of Art History at Rutgers University.She is the recipient of grants from the American Philosophical Society, theNational Endowment for the Humanities, and the Humboldt Foundation,and she was a Samuel H. Kress Senior Fellow at the Center for AdvancedStudy in the Visual Arts and a Felix Gilbert Member at the Institute forAdvanced Study. Her publications include Weaving Sacred Stories: FrenchChoir Tapestries and the Performance of Clerical Identity (2004) and articles inArt History, the Oxford Art Journal, Gesta, Studies in Iconography, The ArtBulletin, Art Journal, and EMF: Studies in Early Modern France, as well as innumerous collections of essays.

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Cambridge University Press978-1-107-04047-2 - French Visual Culture and the Making of Medieval TheaterLaura WeigertFrontmatterMore information

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FRENCH VISUALCULTURE AND THEMAKING OF MEDIEVALTHEATER

LAURA WEIGERT






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© Laura Weigert 2015

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First published 2015

Printed in the United States of America

A catalog record for this publication is available from the British Library.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataWeigert, Laura.French visual culture and the making of medieval theater / Laura Weigert.

pages cmIncludes bibliographical references and index.isbn 978-1-107-04047-2 (Hardback)1. Theater in art. 2. Art and society–France–History–To 1500. 3. Art and society–France–History–16th century. 4. Theater and society–France–History–To 1500.5. Theater and society–France–History–16th century. 6. Performing arts–Social aspects–France–History–To 1500. 7. Performing arts–Social aspects–France–History–16th century.I. Title.N8252.W45 2015

700.944009031–dc23 2015018958

isbn 978-1-107-04047-2 Hardback

Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracyof URLs for external or third-party Internet Web sites referred to in this publicationand does not guarantee that any content on such Web sites is, or will remain,accurate or appropriate.

The Research Council of Rutgers University and a Millard Meiss grant from the College ArtAssociation contributed to the illustration of this book.

MMPublication of this book has been aided by a grant from the Millard Meiss Publication Fund ofthe College Art Association.






For Hector, Theo, and Fabien






CONTENTS

List of Illustrations page viii

Acknowledgments xviii

INTRODUCTION: FROM THEATRICALITYTO THEATER 1

1 “VOCAMUS PERSONAGIAS ” : THE ENLIVENEDFIGURES OF EPHEMERAL STAGINGS 26

2 “OUVREZ VOS YEUX ET REGARDEZ ” :ILLUMINATED PASSION PLAYS AND THECOMMEMORATION OF PERFORMANCE 74

3 “FAIRE SEMBLANT ” : MAKE-BELIEVE AND THEEXPERIENCE OF HEROIC BATTLES 125

4 “CY S ’ENSUIT LE MYSTÈRE ” : CREATING A SPECTATORAND A READER OF FRENCH PLAYS 161

5 “C ’ÉTAIT QU ’UN JEU INDUSTRIEUX ” : ARTIFICE ANDAUTHENTICITY IN THE DEVIL ’S PLAY 189

CONCLUSION: MYSTERIOUS ENDS, 1548–1577 219

Notes 227

Bibliography 260

Index 279

vii






LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

color plates

Color plates follow page xx.I View of Jerusalem, first cloth of a Vengeance set, Reims, Musée desBeaux-Arts (photo: C. Devleeschauwer, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Reims).

II Berlin, Kupferstichkabinett, MS 78 D 5, fol. 11 (photo: bpk,Berlin / Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen, Berlin / JörgP. Anders / Art Resource, NY).

III Berlin, Kupferstichkabinett, MS 78 D 5, fol. 59 (photo: bpk, Berlin /Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen, Berlin / Jörg P. Anders /Art Resource, NY).

IV Arras, Bibliothèque Municipale, MS 697, fols. 203 verso, 204, 205,and 206 verso (photo: author and Pascale Charron, with permissionof the Médiathèque d’Arras).

V Arras, Bibliothèque Municipale, MS 697, fols. 14 verso and 259(photo: author and Pascale Charron, with permission of theMédiathèque d’Arras).

VI The siege of Jerusalem, tapestry from a Vengeance set, Tournai,Musée de la Tapisserie et des Arts du Tissu (photo: IRPA-KIK, Brussels).

VII Penthesilea enters the battle, tapestry from a set of the story of Troy,London, Victoria and Albert Museum (photo: Victoria and AlbertMuseum, London).

VIII Hubert Cailleau, “Le theatre ou hourdement comme il estoit quandfut jouer le Mistere de la passion nostre Seigneur Jesus Christ anno 1547,”in Le Mistere par personnaiges de la vie, passion, mort, resurrection et assentionde nostre Seigneur Jesus Christ en 25 journées, Paris, BibliothèqueNationale de France, MS fr. Rothschild I-7-3, frontispiece(photo: BnF).

illustrations

1 Hubert Cailleau, “Le theatre ou hourdement comme il estoitquand fut jouer le Mistere de la passion nostre Seigneur JesusChrist anno 1547,” in Le Mistere par personnaiges de la vie, passion,mort, resurrection et assention de Nostre Seigneur Jesus Christ en 25

viii






journées, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS fr.Rothschild I-7-3, frontispiece (photo: BnF). page 2

2 Hubert Cailleau, detail of “Le theatre ou hourdement,” in LeMistere par personnaiges de la vie, passion, mort, resurrection et assentionde Nostre Seigneur Jesus Christ en 25 journées, Paris, BibliothèqueNationale de France, MS fr. Rothschild I-7-3, frontispiece(photo: BnF). 3

3 Jean Pucelle,Miracle of Theophilus, from Les Miracles de Nostre Dame,Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS N.A.F. 24541, fol. 8verso (photo: BnF). 15

4 The Roman theater and Terence giving his book to Calliopius,miniature from Terence, Comoediae, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationalede France, MS lat. 7907 A, fol. 2 verso (photo: BnF). 16

5 Theatrum, introductory woodcut for Terence, Comoediae (Lyon:Johann Trechsel, 1493), a4 verso, Washington, D.C., NationalGallery of Art, Department of Prints and Drawings (photo:National Gallery of Art). 17

6 Theatrum, introductory woodcut for Terence, Comoediae(Strasbourg: Johann Grüninger, 1496), frontispiece, HoughtonLibrary, Harvard University (photo: Inc. 473, Houghton Library,Harvard University). 19

7 Le Theatre, introductory woodcut for the Térence en François (Paris:Anthoine Vérard, 1496), frontispiece, Paris, Bibliothèque nationalede France, Réserve (photo: BnF). 20

8 Terence, Comoediae, title page with Guido Juvenalis in his study(Lyon: Johann Trechsel, 1493), Washington, D.C., NationalGallery of Art, Department of Prints and Drawings (photo:National Gallery of Art). 21

9 Jean Fouquet, The Martyrdom of Saint Apollonia, Livre d’Heuresd’Étienne Chevalier, Chantilly, Musée Condé, MS fr. 71, fol. 39(photo: RMN / Art Resource, NY). 24

10 Model presented at the Universal Exposition, Paris, 1878, Operade Paris, Palais Garnier (photo: BnF). 25

11 Visitors’ guide, International Exposition, Paris, 1937 (Le théâtre enFrance au moyen-âge: catalogue guide illustré [Paris: Éditions Denoël,1937], fig. 28, p. 10). 25

12 Berlin, Kupferstichkabinett, MS 78 D 5, fol. 4 (photo: JörgP. Anders, bpk, Berlin / Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen,Berlin / Art Resource, NY). 29



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ix







16 Berlin, Kupferstichkabinett, MS 78 D 5, fol. 32 (photo:Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen, Berlin). 33





21 Berlin, Kupferstichkabinett, MS 78 D 5, fol. 58 (photo: Volker-H.Schneider, bpk, Berlin / Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen,Berlin / Art Resource, NY). 38



24 Tournament, from Traittié de la forme et devis comme on fait lestournois, Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS fr. 2693,fols. 60 verso and 61 (photo: BnF). 41


26 Berlin, Kupferstichkabinett, MS 78 D 5, fol. 39 (photo:Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen, Berlin). 44

27 Remy du Puys, Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek,Cod. 2591, fol. 13 verso (photo: ÖsterreichischeNationalbibliothek). 47

28 Remy du Puys, Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek,Cod. 2591, fol. 16 (photo: Österreichische Nationalbibliothek). 48



x L IST OF ILLUSTRATIONS







32 Jan van Eyck, Altarpiece of the Holy Lamb, Ghent, the Cathedral ofSaint Bavo (photo: Scala / Art Resource, NY). 54

33 Troyes (?), Altarpiece of the Resurrection, Paris, Musée du Louvre(photo: RMN / Art Resource, NY). 55

34 Virgin of the Living Water, Paris, Musée du Louvre (photo: RMN /Art Resource). 56

35 Rogier van der Weyden, Saint Luke Painting the Virgin, Boston,Museum of Fine Arts (photo: [2015] Museum of Fine Arts,Boston). 57



38 Berlin, Kupferstichkabinett, MS 78 D 5, fol. 16 (photo: Volker-H.Schneider, bpk, Berlin / Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen,Berlin / Art Resource, NY). 64

39 Entrance of Isabeau of Bavaria into Paris, from Jean Froissart’sChroniques, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS fr. 2646,fol. 6 (photo: BnF). 65

40 Remy du Puys, Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek,Cod. 2591, fol. 8, detail (photo: ÖsterreichischeNationalbibliothek). 66

41 Berlin, Kupferstichkabinett, MS 78 D 5, fol. 11, detail (photo: JörgP. Anders, bpk, Berlin / Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen,Berlin / Art Resource, NY). 67

42 “La demoiselle montre à la mere antechriste son enfant nu,” in LeJour du Jugement, Besançon, Bibliothèque Municipale, MS 579,fol. 8 verso (photo: CNRS-IRHT © Bibliothèque municipale deBesançon, MS 579 fol. 8 verso). 75

43 Miracle d’un marchant et un juif, miracle #35, from the Miracles deNostre Dame, Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS fr.819–820, fol. 192 (photo: BnF). 75

44 Arnoul Gréban, Dieu le Père, in Mystère de la Passion par personnages,Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS fr. 815, fol. 1(photo: BnF). 76

45 Arras, Bibliothèque Municipale, MS 697, fol. 28 (photo: authorand Pascale Charron, with permission of the Médiathèqued’Arras). 76

46 Attributed to the Master of the View of Sainte-Gudule, Saint GéryPreaching, Paris, Musée du Louvre (photo: RMN / Erich Lessing /Art Resource, NY). 82

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xi






47 Arras, Bibliothèque Municipale, MS 697, fol. 174 verso (photo:author and Pascale Charron, with permission of the Médiathèqued’Arras). 83

48 Adoration of the Magi, Sens, Cathedral Treasure (photo: EmmanuelBerry / Centre des Monuments nationaux, Paris). 84














62 Arras, BibliothèqueMunicipale, MS 697, fol. 14 verso (photo: authorand Pascale Charron, with permission of the Médiathèque d’Arras). 100

xii L IST OF ILLUSTRATIONS












69 Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS fr. 12536, fol. 1verso–2 bis (photo: BnF). 107

70 Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS fr. Rothschild I-7-3,fol. 14 verso–15 recto (photo: BnF). 108

71 Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS fr. 12536, fol. 15 verso(photo: BnF). 109

72 Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS fr. Rothschild I-7-3,fol. 14 verso, detail (photo: BnF). 109

73 Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS fr. 12536, fol. 215verso–215 bis (photo: BnF). 110


75 Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS fr. Rothschild I-7-3,fols. 231 verso–232 (photo: BnF). 111

76 Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS fr. 12536, fol. 183(photo: BnF). 112



79 Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS fr. Rothschild I-7-3,fol. 281, detail (photo: BnF). 114

80 Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS fr. Rothschild I-7-3,fol. 163 (photo: BnF). 115



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xiii






83 Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS fr. 12536, fol. 102(photo: BnF). 116



86 Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS fr. 12536, fols. 2 ter–3(photo: BnF). 119


88 Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS fr. 12536, fols. 266verso–267 bis (photo: BnF). 120

89 Banquet of Charles V, Grandes Chroniques de France de Charles V,Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS fr. 2813, fol. 473 verso(photo: BnF). 127

90 Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, fol. 1, Chantilly, Musée Condé(photo: RMN / Art Resource, NY). 130

91 Renward Cysat, diagram for day 1 of the Lucerne Passion play, 1583(photo: ZHB Luzern Sondersammlung [Eigentum Korporation]). 133

92 Renward Cysat, diagram for day 2 of the Lucerne Passion play,1583 (photo: ZHB Luzern Sondersammlung [EigentumKorporation]). 134

93 Detail from tapestry fragments from a Vengeance set, New York,Metropolitan Museum of Art (photo: The Metropolitan Museumof Art, Rogers Fund, 1909 [09.172]). 136

94 Nero sends Vespasian and Titus to Judaea, tapestry from aVengeance set, Tournai, Musée d’Histoire et des Arts Décoratifs(photo: IRPA-KIK, Brussels). 137

95 The siege of Jerusalem, tapestry from a Vengeance set, Tournai,Musée de la Tapisserie et des Arts du Tissu (photo: IRPA-KIK,Brussels). 138

96 Detail from tapestry fragments of a Vengeance set, New York,Metropolitan Museum of Art (photo: The Metropolitan Museumof Art, Rogers Fund, 1909 [09.172]). 139

97 Nero sends Vespasian to Judaea, tapestry from a Vengeance set,Lyon, Musée des Tissus (photo: Lyon, Musée des Tissus, Basset). 140

98 Attributed to the Master of Mary of Burgundy, predella of thedestruction of Jerusalem, Ghent, Museum of Fine Arts (photo:IRPA-KIK). 140

99 Attributed to the Master of Mary of Burgundy, detail of thepredella of the destruction of Jerusalem, Ghent, Museum of FineArts (photo: IRPA-KIK). 141

100 Hector prepares for battle, tapestry from a set of the story of Troy,Zamora, Cathedral Museum (photo: Photoaisa / CathedralMuseum, Zamora). 141

xiv L IST OF ILLUSTRATIONS






101 The death of Achilles, detail of a tapestry from a set of the story ofTroy, Zamora, Cathedral Museum (photo: Photoaisa / CathedralMuseum, Zamora). 142

102 Penthesilea enters the battle, tapestry from a set of the story ofTroy, London, Victoria and Albert Museum (photo: Victoria andAlbert Museum, London). 143

103 The fall of Troy, tapestry from a set of the story of Troy, Zamora,CathedralMuseum (photo: Photoaisa /CathedralMuseum,Zamora). 143

104 The death of Achilles (from the Trojan War series), tapestry from aset of the story of Troy, Zamora, Cathedral Museum (photo:Photoaisa / Cathedral Museum, Zamora). 144

105 The death of Troilus, detail of a tapestry from a set of the story ofTroy, Zamora, Cathedral Museum (photo: Photoaisa / CathedralMuseum, Zamora). 144

106 Caesar crosses the Rubicon and the Battle of Thessalonia, thirdtapestry from The Deeds of Julius Caesar set, Bern, HistorischesMuseum (photo: Bernisches Historisches Museum, Bern). 145

107 The war against Gondebaud and Alaric, detail of the secondtapestry of the Story of Clovis set, Reims, Musée du Tau (photo:Pascal Lemaître / Centre des Monuments nationaux, Paris). 145

108 Detail of Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, fol. 1, Chantilly, MuséeCondé (photo: RMN / Art Resource, NY). 146

109 Jean Perréal, miniature in Le Trépas de l’hermine regrettée, Paris, PetitPalais, MS 665, fol. 5 verso, Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville deParis (photo: Petit Palais / Roger-Viollet). 151

110 Detail from tapestry fragments from a Vengeance set, New York,Metropolitan Museum of Art (photo: The Metropolitan Museumof Art, Rogers Fund, 1909 [09.172]). 155

111 Detail of the siege of Jerusalem, tapestry from a Vengeance set,Tournai, Musée de la Tapisserie et des Arts du Tissu (photo:IRPA-KIK, Brussels). 156

112 The siege of Jerusalem, tapestry from a Vengeance set, Venice,Foundation Cini (photo: Foundation Cini). 157

113 Detail of the siege of Jerusalem, tapestry from a Vengeance set,Venice, Foundation Cini (photo: Foundation Cini). 157

114 Detail of the siege of Jerusalem, tapestry from a Vengeance set,Venice, Foundation Cini (photo: Foundation Cini). 158

115 View of Jerusalem, first cloth of a Vengeance set, Reims, Muséedes Beaux-Arts (photo: C. Devleeschauwer, Musée desBeaux-Arts, Reims). 162

116 View of Jerusalem, detail of the first cloth of a Vengeance set,Reims, Musée des Beaux-Arts (photo: C. Devleeschauwer, Muséedes Beaux-Arts, Reims). 164

117 Titus attacks Jerusalem, fourth cloth of a Vengeance set, Reims,Musée des Beaux-Arts (photo: C. Devleeschauwer, Musée desBeaux-Arts, Reims). 166

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xv






118 The siege of Jerusalem, fifth cloth of a Vengeance set, Reims,Musée des Beaux-Arts (photo: C. Devleeschauwer, Musée desBeaux-Arts, Reims). 167

119 The invasion of Jerusalem, sixth cloth of a Vengeance set, Reims,Musée des Beaux-Arts (photo: C. Dragomirescu, with permissionof the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Reims). 168

120 The sale and expulsion of the Jews, seventh cloth of a Vengeanceset, Reims, Musée des Beaux-Arts (photo: C. Devleeschauwer,Musée des Beaux-Arts, Reims). 169

121 The story of Vespasian, second cloth of a Vengeance set, Reims,Musée des Beaux-Arts (photo: C. Devleeschauwer, Musée desBeaux-Arts, Reims). 170

122 The story of Pilate, third cloth of a Vengeance set, Reims, Muséedes Beaux-Arts (photo: C. Devleeschauwer, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Reims). 171

123 Loyset Liédet, Caiaphas and Judas plot, miniature from theVengeance Nostre Seigneur, Bruges, 1467, London, BL MSAdditional 89066/1 (formerly Chatsworth, Library of the Duke ofDevonshire, MS 48.B.), fol. 4 (photo: Collection of the Duke ofDevonshire, Chatsworth). 176

124 Dedicatory portrait of Vérard’s 1491 edition of the Vengeance NostreSeigneur , Bibliothèque nationale de France, Réserve, Yf 72, A.i.(photo: BnF). 179

125 The Story of Judith, Reims, Musée des Beaux-Arts (photo:C. Devleeschauwer, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Reims). 184

126 Panel from the Credo, Reims, Musée des Beaux-Arts (photo:C. Devleeschauwer, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Reims). 185

127 The Last Supper and the entrance into Jerusalem, first cloth of aPassion series, Reims, Musée des Beaux-Arts (photo: Musée desBeaux-Arts de la Ville de Reims). 186

128 Miracle of Laon, woodcut print included in Recueil de textes etdocuments concernant le miracle de Laon 1565–1566, 1570-71, Paris,Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS lat. 3224, page 44(photo: BnF). 190

129 Le Miracle que Jesus Christ au s. sacrement ha consummé a Laon cesteannée 1566, au vif representé, et escript en cinq langues, Paris,Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève, D 8o 11 058, Réserve (photo:Bibliothèque Ste-Geneviève, Paris [cliché N. Boutros]). 194

130 Miracle of Laon, broadsheet (Paris: Nicolas Chesnau, 1578),Washington, D.C., Folger Library (photo: Folger Library,Washington, D.C.). 195

131 Detail of Miracle of Laon, broadsheet (Paris: Nicolas Chesnau,1578), Washington, D.C., Folger Library (photo: Folger Library,Washington, D.C.). 199


xvi L IST OF ILLUSTRATIONS









136 The Mass of Saint Gregory, woodcut print, Paris, ca. 1490,Rosenwald Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.(photo: Washington, D.C., National Gallery of Art). 207

137 The Mass of Saint Gregory, Nuremberg, GermanischesNationalmuseum (photo: Germanisches Nationalmuseum,Nürnberg). 208

138 Rogier van der Weyden and his workshop, Seven Sacramentsaltarpiece, Antwerp, Royal Museum of Fine Arts (photo: ErichLessing / Art Resource). 210

139 Detail of the third tapestry of The Life of Saint Martin set,Montpézat-de-Quercy, Collegiate Church of Saint-Martin(photo: Jean-François Peiré, Drac-Midi-Pyrénées). 212

140 Fifth tapestry of The Life of Saint Martin set, Montpézat-de-Quercy,Collegiate Church of Saint-Martin (photo: Jean-François Peiré,Drac-Midi-Pyrénées). 213

141 Theatre, from Le second Livre de perspective de Sebastian SerlioBolognois, mis en langue franchoise par Iehan Martin, secretaire demonseigneur reverendissime cardinal de Lenoncourt, avec privilege du Roy(Paris: Jean Barbé, 1545), fol. 64, Washington, D.C., Library ofCongress (photo: Courtesy of the Rare Book Division of theLibrary of Congress, Washington, D.C.). 223

142 Stage for Comedy, from Le second Livre de perspective de Sebastian SerlioBolognois, mis en langue franchoise par Iehan Martin, secretaire demonseigneur reverendissime cardinal de Lenoncourt, avec privilege du Roy(Paris: Jean Barbé, 1545), fol. 67 verso, Washington, D.C., Libraryof Congress (photo: Courtesy of the Rare Book Division of theLibrary of Congress, Washington, D.C.). 224

143 Diagram for a Theater, from Le second Livre de perspective de SebastianSerlio Bolognois, mis en langue franchoise par Iehan Martin, secretaire demonseigneur reverendissime cardinal de Lenoncourt, avec privilege du Roy(Paris: Jean Barbé, 1545), fol. 66 verso, Princeton, NJ, MarquandLibrary Rare Books Collection, Princeton University (photo:Marquand Library Rare Books, Princeton University). 225

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xvii






ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My first debt of gratitude goes to the Institute for Advanced Study, whereI began and completed this book. Thanks to Caroline Bynum and Yve-AlainBois, for the initial invitation, and to Marcia Tucker, Kirstie Venanzi, NancyKriegner, and the library staff, for their kindness and a quiet carrel at which towrite at the end. Katherine Zieman, Celia Chazelle, Sarah McPhee, MarieAnne Polo de Beaulieu, Mechthild Fend, Michael Braddick, Karen Harvey,the late Oleg Grabar, and Marilyn and Irving Lavin helped get the topic off theground that first year; at the final stretch, Heinrich van Staden and ChristopherJones were daily reminders that scholarship is not just a job.

During the time in between, I was lucky to receive the support of otherinstitutions: the American Philosophical Society, the Center for AdvancedStudy in the Visual Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, andRutgers University. Princeton University made available its extraordinarycollection of books. My research would not have been possible without theassistance of curators, librarians, and researchers at the Bibliothèque nationalede France (BnF), particularly, François Avril, Marie-Pierre Lafitte, and NicolasPetit, as well as those at the municipal libraries of Laon, Douai, and Arras.I owe a special thanks to the chairs of the Art History Department at Rutgers –Archer St. Clair Harvey and Catherine Puglisi – and to the humanities deans –Ann Fabian and Jimmy Swenson – for recognizing that research is also part ofmy job.

Conversations with many colleagues and friends over the years helpedgenerate and refine the ideas presented in this book. My thanks go out to allthose who shared bibliographies or their knowledge, invited me to speak,or simply nodded to confirm that I was headed in the right direction:Pamela Sheingorn, Susannah Crowder, Whitney Davis, Elisabeth Dysse-gaard, David Areford, Elizabeth Brown, Andrea von Hülsen Esch, PeterArnade, Elina Gertsman, Paul Binski, Claire Sponsler, Valentin Groebner,Etienne Jollet, Kathleen Ashley, Alex Nagel, Jean-Claude Schmitt, Peterand Linda Parshall, Dominique van Wijnberghe, Theresa Coletti, BonnieWheeler, Mark Cruse, Nina Rowe, Joyce Coleman, François Cornilliat,Ana Pairet, Robert Clark, Carol Symes, Nino Zchomelidse, GiovanniFreni, Gerda Panofsky, Abby McGehee, Thomas Lentes, Tanja Michalsky,

xviii






Klara Benesovska, Elly Truitt, Marie Bouhaïk-Gironès, VéroniqueDominguez, Sarah McHam, Benjamin Paul, Andres Zervigon, SusanSidlauskas, Sarah Brett-Smith, Susan Solomon, Christoph Wagner, DagmarEichberger, Wim Blockmans, and Lofton Durham. I also thank those whohelped keep my scholarship alive at Reed – James Van Dyke, David Sachs,Ariadna Garcia-Bryce, and William Diebold – and those who enlivened mytime at the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts: Elizabeth Sears,Daniela Bode, Carmen Bambach, Beatrice Kitzinger, Shira Brisman, JasonLaFountain, Marden Fitzpatrick Nichols, Mary Beard, Julia Burke, PeterLukehart, and Elizabeth Cropper.

Special thanks are due to Jody Enders, for her inspirational publicationson medieval French theater; to Henry Turner, for insisting that I contributethe essay “Stage” to his volume; to Kathryn Smith, for years of conversa-tions, advice, and careful editing; to Susan Boynton, for always making mefeel like a medievalist but still helping me with Latin; to Carolyn Rouse, forencouraging me to take my time; to Alexandra Heerdt, for the basics;to Carla Yanni, for stepping in at the right moment; to the memoryof Graham Runnalls, in recognition of his scholarly legacy and model ofcollaboration; to James Marrow, for generously sharing a “scoop”; toPascale Charron, for many hours spent pouring over the Arras manuscript;to Christopher Wood, whose comments and enthusiasm energized theproject at several key junctures; to Anne D. Hedeman, for her confidencein my work from the start, and for a stimulating conversation with herstudents at the University of Kansas; to my students in two Rutgersseminars: Brenna Graham, Alexandra Venizelos, Allison Perlman, SimonChemama, Catherine Kupiek, and Kira Maye; to Corneliu Dragomirescu,Ljuba Milanovic, and Isabel Bartolome, for their research assistance; toCharles Reeve, for his editorial wisdom; to Beatrice Rehl, who assuredme that people would read a book on fifteenth-century art even if it wasn’tonly about panel painting; to Larry Silver, for telling me it was ready; andto the two anonymous readers, whose encouraging and critical commentsarmed me for the long process of revision.

My final thanks go to a few people who were directly involved in theevolution of this project. Helen Solterer read an entire draft and asked the rightquestions during long walks in Paris. Annual conversations and frequent e-mailexchanges with Mario Longtin helped shape many of the ideas behind thisbook; I apologize to him for retaining the term “theatricality.” Sarah Betzer’swisdom, encouragement, and practicality got the book on track; her friendshiphas helped me through each stage toward its completion. My parents’ contri-bution to my scholarship goes way back, but more recently I am grateful to myfather for his initial skepticism, which inspired me to reformulate the questionand come up with what I hope he will consider to be a more elegant proof,

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xix






and to my mother for weekly dinners in Washington and for saving my earlyforays into the Middle Ages.

I dedicate this book to Theo, Hector, and Fabien Capeilleres. Time spentworking on it took me away from them. Hector and Theo did not have achoice; Fabien did. I thank him for the one he made.

xx ACKNOWLEDGMENTS






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