Reviews : "Ambiguous locks : an iconology of hair in medieval art and literature"

Reviews "Ambiguous locks : an iconology of hair in medieval art and literature," by Roberta Milliken (McFarland, 2012). It is always interesting to learn what inspired scholars to embark on a particular line of inquiry that leads untimately to a publication. In Milliken's case, she sa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Speculum 2016-07, Vol.91 (3), p.825-826
Main Author: Easton, Martha
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Reviews "Ambiguous locks : an iconology of hair in medieval art and literature," by Roberta Milliken (McFarland, 2012). It is always interesting to learn what inspired scholars to embark on a particular line of inquiry that leads untimately to a publication. In Milliken's case, she saw a depiction of a naked Mary Magdalene floating in the air, surrounded by her luxurious flowing locks. Although she was never able to reconstruct the source of that image, she became intrigued by the way that hair functions as a cultural signifier, particularly for women, in the art and literature of the Middle Ages and beyond, from the fourth century to 1525. The result is this book. [Revised Publication Abstract]
ISSN:0038-7134