For more on this artwork and other works featured in the exhibition, see the Exhibition Catalogue at: http://www.grag.com.au/userfiles/file/4569%20GW%20BOT%20-%20Catalogue_v12.pdf
]]>This linocut print, Mother and Child (1985), by artist G. W. Bot depicts a Madonna and child scene in which the frame is occupied almost exclusively by a Virgin Mary figure holding a child. Although held by a private collector, the piece was exhibited in a number of regional Australian art galleries between 2010 and 2013 as part of a touring exhibition of G. W. Bot’s work – The Long Paddock: A 30 Year Survey – developed by the Goulburn Regional Art Gallery and curated by Peter Haynes. Bot’s inspiration for this work derives from the status of the Madonna and Child as a powerful Christian icon, especially in medieval religious art. During an interview conducted for the educational resource kit accompanying the exhibition, G. W Bot acknowledged this medieval influence: ‘I’ve also found inspiration in the medieval icon painters – I’ve always been fascinated by the question of how to encode spirituality in the visual arts’ (see: http://www.grag.com.au/userfiles/file/GW%20BOT%20Education%20Kit.pdf).
For more on this artwork and other works featured in the exhibition, see the Exhibition Catalogue at: http://www.grag.com.au/userfiles/file/4569%20GW%20BOT%20-%20Catalogue_v12.pdf
Such exhibitions are a rare opportunity for Australians to interact with real artefacts from the medieval period. Along with modern appropriations they often help to form people’s perceptions of the medieval era.
For more on the exhibition see http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/event/love-and-devotion-persia-and-beyond]]>This photograph shows banners advertising the ‘Love and Devotions: from Persia and beyond’ exhibition at the State Library of Victoria. The banners form an image taken from a Persian manuscript. The exhibition features Persian manuscripts from the thirteenth to eighteenth centuries, along with manuscripts from Europe, Ottoman Turkey, and Mughal India. The majority of manuscripts on display are from the Bodleian Libraries of the University of Oxford.
Such exhibitions are a rare opportunity for Australians to interact with real artefacts from the medieval period. Along with modern appropriations they often help to form people’s perceptions of the medieval era.
For more on the exhibition see http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/event/love-and-devotion-persia-and-beyondDue to the immense popularity of the Harry Potter series it is likely to be the first place that many people encounter medievalism and the medieval.
For more on the exhibition see http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/harrypotter/overview.php]]>One of two photographs associated with Harry Potter: The Exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney from November 19, 2011 – March 18, 2012. This photograph shows the Ford Anglia that was enchanted so that it could fly. The car appeared in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Although set in a magical version of the contemporary world, the Harry Potter books and films feature strong medieval influences. For example Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is situated in a castle complete with a Great Hall, and in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone the characters play with a replica of the twelfth-century Lewis Island chess set and later play a life-sized version of chess with pieces based on medieval knights. The philosopher’s stone itself was sought by alchemists during the middle ages. Medieval-style characters include witches, wizards, giants, goblins, dragons, a basilisk, a hippogriff, trolls, pixies, and unicorns.
Due to the immense popularity of the Harry Potter series it is likely to be the first place that many people encounter medievalism and the medieval.
For more on the exhibition see http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/harrypotter/overview.phpDue to the immense popularity of the Harry Potter series it is likely to be the first place that many people encounter medievalism and the medieval.
For more on the exhibition see http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/harrypotter/overview.php]]>One of two photographs associated with Harry Potter: The Exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney from November 19, 2011 – March 18, 2012. This photograph shows a poster advertising the exhibition. Although set in a magical version of the contemporary world, the Harry Potter books and films feature strong medieval influences. For example Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is situated in a castle, in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone the characters play with a replica of the twelfth-century Lewis Island chess set and later play a life-sized version of chess with pieces based on medieval knights. The philosopher’s stone itself was sought by alchemists during the middle ages. Medieval-style characters include witches, wizards, giants, goblins, dragons, and unicorns.
Due to the immense popularity of the Harry Potter series it is likely to be the first place that many people encounter medievalism and the medieval.
For more on the exhibition see http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/harrypotter/overview.phpFor an example of recreation guild banners from 1909 in York see http://www.theyorkcompany.co.uk/find_out_more/page020104.php
]]>An illustration of a street parade in Collins Street, Melbourne, drawn from the perspective of the Treasury Buildings. Crowds of spectators line the street to watch as a procession of horse-drawn floats and trade banners are paraded along Collins Street as part of the Centennial International Exhibition. The Exhibition was held at the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens in 1888.Trade banners have a medieval predecessor in the banners used by guilds (an association of craftsmen in the same trade), with each guild having a banner to show their trade. Some historians consider trade unions to be the successors of medieval guilds.
For an example of recreation guild banners from 1909 in York see http://www.theyorkcompany.co.uk/find_out_more/page020104.php