From the Material to the Mystical in Late Medieval Piety: The Vernacular Transmission of Gertrude of Helfta's Visions

Author:   Racha Kirakosian (Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany)
Publisher:   Cambridge University Press
ISBN:  

9781108841238


Pages:   350
Publication Date:   30 September 2021
Format:   Hardback
Availability:   In stock   Availability explained
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From the Material to the Mystical in Late Medieval Piety: The Vernacular Transmission of Gertrude of Helfta's Visions


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Overview

The German mystic Gertrude the Great of Helfta (c.1256–1301) is a globally venerated saint who is still central to the Sacred Heart Devotion. Her visions were first recorded in Latin, and they inspired generations of readers in processes of creative rewriting. The vernacular copies of these redactions challenge the long-standing idea that translations do not bear the same literary or historical weight as the originals upon which they are based. In this study, Racha Kirakosian argues that manuscript transmission reveals how redactors serve as cultural agents. Examining the late medieval vernacular copies of Gertrude's visions, she demonstrates how redactors recast textual materials, reflected changes in piety, and generated new forms of devotional practices. She also shows how these texts served as a bridge between material culture, in the form of textiles and book illumination, and mysticism. Kirakosian's multi-faceted study is an important contribution to current debates on medieval manuscript culture, authorship, and translation as objects of study in their own right.

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Author:   Racha Kirakosian (Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany)
Publisher:   Cambridge University Press
Imprint:   Cambridge University Press
Dimensions:   Width: 18.20cm , Height: 2.50cm , Length: 25.80cm
Weight:   0.960kg
ISBN:  

9781108841238


ISBN 10:   1108841236
Pages:   350
Publication Date:   30 September 2021
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In stock   Availability explained
We have confirmation that this item is in stock with the supplier. It will be ordered in for you and dispatched immediately.

Table of Contents

1. The Helfta scriptorium; 2. Redactions within a dynamic textuality; 3. Manuscript transmission history; 4. The book's self-reflectivity; 5. The scriptorial heart; 6. Imaginary textiles; Final remarks; Bibliography; Appendix; Index.

Reviews

'In exploring the Latin and vernacular production and reception of Gertrud von Helfta's Legatus divinae pietatis, Racha Kirakosian is redefining late medieval authorship and the value of each redaction within the landscape of late medieval piety. Her book offers innovative and always exciting discoveries as she unpacks the vital transmission of Gertrud's Legatus combining the scribal nature of late medieval piety with the textile culture of religious communities. Groundbreaking research, brilliantly written, a scholarly masterpiece!' Hans-Jocher Schiewer, University of Freiburg


Author Information

Racha Kirakosian is Professor of Medieval German at the Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg. She previously taught at Harvard University and the University of Oxford. A scholar of historical linguistics, medieval spirituality and church history, she is the author of Die Vita der Christina von Hane: Untersuchung und Edition (2017).

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