Contenu du sommaire : Le Moyen Age 2017/3-4

Solitude in pragmatic documents: The case of Late Medieval Montpellier
History of solitude is a field of research that has not received much attention in medieval studies. Most of the work focuses on religious history, while solitary lay people have been studied in a fragmented manner, without offering an overview of the solitaries' experiences of solitude. Centred on the example of late medieval Montpellier, this article reflects on the different meanings of “solitude” (i.e. the fact of being alone, social isolation, the feeling and desire of loneliness), and on the ways in which they intersected and were connected to each other. The triptych alone/isolation/loneliness is significant as it enables the study of solitude as a demographic fact, a social situation and an emotional experience. The first section of the article, based on wills and fiscal sources, aims to evaluate the ratio of solitary persons in the city, its chronological variances, and the demographic profile of individuals. The second section looks at social isolation, social status and social interactions. The last section of the article, grounded in cases study, investigates solitude as an emotion and a feeling, and is based on case study.

Heraldry in the domestic space
Coats of arms were a ubiquitous aspect of medieval culture, to be found in many different shapes and forms in the most public as well as in the most private spaces. Focusing on the German-speaking region from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century, this article specifically analyses the use of heraldry in the domestic sphere and questions the meaning of coats of arms in this context, the development of heraldic representations over time, and what can be learned from these changes. The study starts with a general assessment of coats of arms, their signification, their functionality as a means of communication, and their place in the domestic universe. On this basis, it considers different examples of heraldic wall paintings in secular domestic spaces in further detail. The study reveals a surprisingly chronological homogeneity in various parts of the German-speaking area, as well as a large diversity of materials and techniques being utilised in this region. In contrast to former beliefs, this study emphasises that the use of heraldry in the domestic space was not exclusively a matter of nobility and courtly culture, but rather that it was to be found most in an urban context among wealthy citizens and patricians. It ends with a new interpretation of the diversification in style and themes from the fourteenth century onwards and outlines new directions for further research by highlighting the importance of intermediality and cultural context in the understanding of these heraldic arrangements.

Three Women, Two Towns, One Minstrel. The Fabliaux in Two Parts by Watriquet de Couvin
The Hainaut poet and minstrel Watriquet de Couvin, who was active from 1319 to 1329, wrote among other compositions two fabliaux that, along with those of his contemporary Jean de Condé, were among the last in the genre. These have had very mixed fortunes. Whereas the first, Trois Dames de Paris, has long been, even very recently, the focus of critical attention, the second, Trois Chanoinesses de Cologne, has barely aroused interest. The fabliaux depict, within a similar urban setting, a trio of female characters who indulge in gratifying their senses. Both works appear successively in one manuscript (Paris, Ars. 3525), the only one to have preserved them, and seem to call for a joint reading, which is the subject of this article.

Spiritual vision in physical space and the power of performative language in the Life of Christina of HaneMedieval mystical texts are concerned with authenticating the stories they contain. Especially when they are written in a hagiographical tone, validating the ineffable through language becomes essential for the proof of sanctity. The retelling of mystical moments evolving in a visionary space reserved to the mystic, poses particular challenges for the mystical account which is read in a collective environment. The mystical Life of Christina of Hane serves as a case study for illustrating the relationship between the personal realm of the visionary and the communal physical space. Mapping between inner and outer perceptions as experienced by the Premonstratensian nun, the mystical text establishes analogies which translate non-figurative concepts – such as the mystical rapture – into corporeal manifestations. Despite claims to its apophatic nature, language plays a key role in the communication of the mystical moment: figures featuring in Christina's visions perform speech acts, which bridge the gap between the visionary and the corporeal.