We are back with another Women's Wednesday! Our guest this week is Claudia Quinta, a Roman woman who managed to single-handedly (and literally so!) save herself from false accusations and become a symbol of greatness…

Illumination from a Flemish Book of Hours, ms. Ludwig IX 9 (83.ML.105), f. 7r, after 1460, The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

"Mon cueur veult estre en ceste Margueryte", illumination from the manuscript "Petit Livre d'Amour" di Pierre Sala, ms. Stowe MS 955, f. 6r, ca. 1500, British Library, London. The Petit Livre d'Amour consists of a collection…

Have you ever felt pressured to lie (or even to swear falsely) just to please someone in a much higher position? This situation, which may sound very modern, is probably as old as time itself:…

It is finally Easter! We celebrate the occasion with this delightful illumination depicting the meeting between the Three Marys, the followers of Jesus who had gone visit the by then empty tomb, and the Angel…

We continue the Easter Triduum by moving on to Good Friday. As the "apex" day of the Passion, the iconography of Good Friday is among the richest in scenes, events, and characters. In addition to…

Maundy Thursday: for Christianity, this day marks the beginning of the so-called Paschal Triduum, the period of three days leading to Easter and thus recalling the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. This illumination portrays the…

"Ape", illumination from the manuscript "Grandes chroniques de France", ms. 05 (B. 244), c. 377v, ca. 1460, Bibliothèque Municipale, Châteauroux.

Wednesay after Wednesday, we have surely had our fair share of women renowed for their unique beauty. Isn't it time to lower our expectations? Our guest for this week's Women's Wednesday is Dripetrua (or Drypetina)…

Illumination from a Book of Hours, use of Paris, ms. Beinecke MS 662, f. 21r, between 1450 and 1475, Beinecke Library, Yale University.