Publisher's Synopsis
'Divine Mirrors', the catalogue for an exhibition of Marian iconography, examines the relation between sacred imagery and secular identity through a unique selection of paintings, sculpture, rare books, and works on paper. Il Pintoricchio, Mantegna, Durer, Munch, and Leger are among the artists represented; also included in the exhibition are a rare duecento panel painting, illuminated Books of Hours, and a specially commissioned artwork exploring the intersection of sacred imagery and secular identity. An essay by project director Melissa Katz focuses on artistic themes treaded in terms of 'resonance with ordinary women'. A guest essay by Robert Orsi, noted author and Professor of Religious Studies, Indiana University, examines the response of Americans to religious art in museums. Rounding out the text are brief interpretive essays by faculty members covering such topics as Marian iconography in Greco-Roman tradition, European religious practices in non-Western cultures, and envisioning the Virgin's voice in musical composition. The book should appeal both to a general audience and to scholars in religious and art history and women's studies.;It also should have a life span well beyond that of teh typical exhibition catalogue.
