Women and the Law in Early America

Meanings and Functions of the Ruler's Image in the Mediterranean World (11th – 15th Centuries)

“…For instance, the murals at Quṣayr 'Amra -probably made on the initiative of Prince al-Walid in the late 730s or early 740s when power was in the hands of his uncle Hishamdisplay the prince in the glory of his longed-for throne, as a member of the ruling family (Figure. 0.2), and in the act of being honoured by prominent foreign 34 The topic has been investigated intensively in recent years, see esp. the detailed overview by: Stefan Heidemann, " Bacci different visual codes could be exploited as alternative strategies for evoking power, depending on many factors, including local tradition, the ruler's personality, and the court's cultural, political, and religious orientation.…”

“…One example is in the castle chapel of Znojmo, as part of the famous Romanesque wall paintings dated to the relics of Saint Simeon is duly reflected in mural cycles based on his vita, which appear in special chapels adjacent to the katholika at Studenica and Sopoćani. 34 The cult of Saint Simeon Nemanja gave rise to well-considered dynastic imagery intended to strengthen the legitimacy of his heirs, characterized by the prominent placement of the holy ancestor among his dynastic descendants. 35 This imagery initially took a horizontally oriented form characteristic of all the other 13th-century examples of this iconographic type and gradually developed into colossal genealogies whose structure was based on the iconography of the Tree of Jesse.36 These images are magnificent not only in their monumentality but also in their formal variety and nuances of meaning.…”

“…Surely, Tino must have been aware of the artistic accomplishment of his fellow Tuscan, especially given that he had competed with him artistically in other works. 34 Yet, a dating of the frescoes to after 1319 would be unlikely, as Assisi was in the hands of the Ghibelline faction between 1319 and 1322, during which any attempts to glorify the Angevin cause would have been deemed hostile.37 Simone's paintings in the Elizabeth Chapel offer an important comparison to the portrait of Robert of Anjou in the Saint Louis Altarpiece. The Elizabeth Chapel is situated in the North-eastern corner of the transept; there, the scale of the fresco was limited both by a small passage in the east wall (leading to the Magdalen Chapel) and by a large opening in the north wall (leading to the chapel of Saint Nicholas).38 Simone's frescoes cover only the lower section of the two walls, the space above being decorated with Passion scenes by Pietro Lorenzetti.39…”

“…Owing to the various political vicissitudes that characterized the reign of Frederick iii, the royal title changed over the years. 34 The seal probably had to adapt itself to these alterations. Nevertheless, due to the small number of items preserved, it is not possible to verify whether there were changes in the iconography or whether the seal-type with the royal image was used for all 41 years of his reign.…”

“…First was the vizir who was transformed into a female figure, the queen, as first documented around the end of the 10th century in the Versus de scachis, a composition in verse that preserves the oldest transcription of the figures and rules of the game in the Latin language. 34 This historical context, alongside more pointed stylistic reasons, calls into question the identification and dating of a chess piece35 in the collection of the Cabinet of Medals and Antiquities (BnF inv. 55.307)36 as well as insistent attempts to associate it with the Charlemagne set.…”