Humanities & Classics 1002
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Renaissance Forum
Humanities & Classics 1002 |
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*Warning: The following information is taken from my art history professor, so
if it is wrong, it could be from my regurgitation or from the source.*
Yesterday in art history, my professor was discussing the painting "Marriage of
Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride" by Jan van Eyck. (It can be found on page 48
in our Renaissance book, if anyone cares.) Anyway, my professor was telling us
the change of marriage between the Medieval and Renaissance times. Back in the
Medieval times people could get married alone, without documentation or
witnesses. A marriage was legal as long as three things ocurred:
1) A physical gesture (like hand holding)
2) An exchange of a gift (like a ring)
3) An exchange of words (like vows)
When these three things were performed the couple was considered married. This
caused confusion in those days because people could be duped into marriage
easily. Therefore, the Renaissance brought about marriage documentation and
witnesses represented in the before mentioned painting.
Well, hearing this made me think of The Name of the Rose. In "the scene", two
of these things occur. A physical gesture (ummmm, well that's easy to pick out)
and An exchange of a gift (well, that hog-heart works, even though he didn't
give it to her but she thought he did,) the only thing that doesn't happen is an
exchange of words. I guess it is a good thing that they didn't talk, or that
could have ruined his monkish plans.
I just thought that was an interesting comparison. Thanks for r