Even long-revered historical figures don’t escape the attention of manuscript illuminators, as seen in an illustration of Alexander the Great, whose life served as a model of both good and bad leadership for medieval rulers. The artist reveals his own biases by writing that “in order to avoid a bad example,” he changed the gender of Alexander’s influential male lover to a female seductress. The assumed sway Alexander’s paramour had over political decisions was intended to illustrate Alexander’s immoral behavior, according to medieval mores.
An image of the mythological heroine Ariadne leaning over her writing desk, penning a letter to her faithless lover, Theseus, provides insight into the way women wielded power in the medieval world. Ariadne had helped Theseus escape almost certain death, only to be abandoned. This poignant image illustrates a translation of the Roman author Ovid’s text Heroides (Heroines), a series of imagined letters from legendary women of antiquity to the men who wronged them. Owned by Anne of Brittany (1477–1514), queen of France, the manuscript offers a tantalizing view of the literary tastes of an influential medieval woman who was interested in injustices against women. The manuscript was acquired by the Getty this year, and this exhibition marks its first display to the public in its 500-year history.
The exhibition includes numerous examples of seemingly benevolent rulers who actually had tyrannical aims, the struggle between secular and religious ruling parties, and the tortures that await those who are reckless and cruel in their quest for power.
“Four curators in the Manuscripts Department came together to conceive this exhibition, originally planned to coincide with the U.S. national elections in the fall of 2020,” says Elizabeth Morrison, senior curator of manuscripts. “The pandemic delayed the exhibition, but its themes seem even more relevant now, in a world shaken by events of the past year.”
Power, Justice, and Tyranny in the Middle Ages will be on view when the Getty Center reopens May 25. It is curated by Kristen Collins, Larisa Grollemond, Bryan Keene, and Elizabeth Morrison. You can also view a presentation of the exhibition online on Google Arts and Culture.