This dissertation explores how modern physiological studies and cognitive theory can yield new readings of medieval art objects in the form of embodied responses by medieval viewers. Cognitive theory is useful for understanding the dynamics, or interactivity, between medieval viewers and objects. The mechanics of cognitive reception occur at a physiological level; thus, integrating studies of how the human brain visually processes art objects allows us to understand reception as an embodied response. This dissertation uses cognitive theory as a methodology to investigate three bodies of artwork: thirteenth-century Apocalypse manuscripts, secular ivory mirror cases from fourteenth-century France, and select folios from the fourteenth-century cleric Opicinus de Canistris. The paper not only assesses the value of cognitive theory in understanding the reception of medieval art but also predicts potential audiences, rather than universal ones, for each body of work. In Chapter 2, I investigate how medieval viewers may have perceived images of the Dead Whore of Babylon from thirteenth-century Apocalypses. The depiction of the Whore as a woman instead of a city in Revelation 19 is limited to a few manuscripts. Contrary to scholarship that suggests that this image of the Whore would disengage a medieval audience, I argue that medieval viewers may have had a sympathetic or empathetic response to the Whore's image. I cite scientific studies involving the human brain's response to body position and eye contact as evidence of an embodied response in this chapter. An empathetic response could potentially override the totally negative characterization of the Whore in the text of Revelation. In Chapter 3, I argue that viewers would have had individual, variable embodied responses to the male and female figures on secular ivory mirror cases. The narrative reference of these objects is highly ambiguous, so I suggest that viewers would have assessed the dynamic between male and female figures based upon their degree of eye contact or lack thereof. Scholarship discusses the relationship between these men and women based upon a theoretical assessment of 'the gaze," while I apply scientific studies to uncover its physiological implications. Here, cognitive theory allows us to understand the mechanics behind reception and the highly individual interpretations by medieval viewers. Chapter 4 investigates the role of text and textual schemata as navigational devices that encourage embodied responses in medieval viewers. The textual and visual components of fol. 24r are too complex to speculate about the general medieval reception of the image, so I construct a hypothetical cognitive map for a limited audience comprising learned men. Scientific studies demonstrate that motor neurons allow a viewer to conceive of Opicinus's work as an artistic device that could lead to a spiritual embodied response. I conclude that, when properly applied, scientific studies and cognitive theory are useful tools for understanding the physiological aspects of the reception of medieval art objects by medieval audiences. Each type of art object demands different studies and applications of cognitive theory. In addition, the embodied responses of medieval viewers are always hypothetical because an individual viewer's cognitive map, or unique understanding of the world, always mediates the brain's physiological responses. Despite the fact that embodied responses are ultimately subjective, physiological and cognitive studies allow art historians to hypothesize about medieval reception in new terms. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Art History in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2014. / April 10, 2014. / Includes bibliographical references. / Paula Gerson, Professor Directing Dissertation; Irene Zanini-Cordi, University Representative; Lynn Jones, Committee Member; Lauren Weingarden, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_253632 |
| Contributors | Pawelchak, Nadia A. (authoraut), Gerson, Paula (professor directing dissertation), Zanini-Cordi, Irene (university representative), Jones, Lynn (committee member), Weingarden, Lauren (committee member), Department of Art History (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
Page generated in 1.3385 seconds