Images of leprosy : disease, religion, and politics in European art / Christine M. Boeckl.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Boeckl, Christine M., 1933- author.

Series:

Early modern studies series ; Volume 7.

Early modern studies ; Volume 7

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Art, European--Themes, motives.

Art, European.

Leprosy in art.

Physical Description:

xiii, 234 p. : ill.

Other Title:

Disease, religion, and politics in European art

Place of Publication:

Kirksville, Missouri : Truman State University Press, [2011]

Language Note:

English

Summary:

From biblical times to the onset of the Black Death in the fourteenth century, leprosy was considered the worst human affliction, both medically and socially. Only fifty years ago, leprosy, or Hansen’s disease, was an incurable infectious illness, and it still remains a grave global concern. Recently, leprosy has generated attention in scholarly fields from medical science to the visual arts. This interdisciplinary art-historical survey on lepra and its visualization in sculpture, murals, stained glass, and other media provides new information on the history of art, medicine, religion, and European society. Christine M. Boeckl maintains that the various terrifying aspects of the disease dominated the visual narratives of historic and legendary figures stricken with leprosy. For rulers, beggars, saints, and sinners, the metaphor of leprosy becomes the background against which their captivating stories are projected.

Contents:

Introduction : an ancient disease in European images

Leprosy worldwide and the state of modern research

Historiography of Hansen's disease in Europe

Societal responses to leprosy in Europe

Development of the leprosy iconography

Christ healing a leper in Christological cycles : the political significance of imperial and royal commissions, ca. 800-1200

Patron saints of leprosy and their images in religious and political contexts, ca. 1200-1800

Diversity in leprosy subjects : Biblical themes and increasing secularization, ca. 1450-1750

Conclusions : images of leprosy as a European cultural phenomenon

Appendix A : sources related to leprosy images

Appendix B : the most prominent saints associated with leprosy.

Notes:

Erscheint: März 2011.

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1-61248-030-6

OCLC:

818734140