Abstract

Focusing on the confluence of mirrors, manners, and ars dictaminis in the late Middle Ages, I argue that thirteenth-century civic engagement organized itself as a decorous spectacle: a well-mannered, highly codified visual performance that reflected and reinforced the structure of medieval Europe's stratified society. Marked by display, courtesy, and participation, decorous spectacle evolved from a groundswell of cultural factors including the emergence of mirror-making technologies, politesse, and, especially, ars dictaminis. Exploring this groundswell provides a way to understand the evolution of late Medieval decorous spectacle and a template for understanding the nature of civic engagement in any era.

Journal
Rhetoric Review
Published
2009-03-16
DOI
10.1080/07350190902739945
Open Access
Closed

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (1)

  1. Rhetoric Review

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Also cites 8 works outside this index ↓
  1. Senses of Touch: Human Dignity and Deformity from Michelangelo to Calvin
  2. 10.1093/cq/47.1.74
  3. 10.1525/rh.2001.19.2.135
  4. Chaos Bound: Orderly Disorder in Contemporary Literature and Science
  5. 10.1525/rh.2001.19.2.249
  6. 10.1017/CBO9780511470356
  7. 10.2307/1838944
  8. 10.1525/rh.2001.19.2.225
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