Christine de PizanBy: Miriam McCallion

Brief Life & Times

Born 1364, died 1431Moved from Italy to France with her father, Tommaso da Pizano, so he could serve the royal court of Charles V.Married Etienne de Castel where they had 3 kids.After 10 years de Castel passed away leaving de Pizan to support her mother and children, alone.Her solution: to live by her pen.Known books:The Tale of the Rose: 1402The Treasure of the City of Ladies: 1405The Poem of Joan of Arc: 1429

Christine de Pizan

First woman in Europe to make a living from writing.

Pizan explored the status of women within society and critiqued them in literature.

The Book of the City of Ladies was one of the first feminist texts.

In The Book of the City of Ladies, Pizan defends women by collecting a wide array of famous females throughout history.

These women are "housed" in the City of Ladies, which is actually Christine's book.

As Christine builds her city, she uses each famous woman as a building block for not only the walls and houses of the city, but also as building blocks for her argument.

Each woman added to the city adds to Christine's argument towards women as valued participants in society.

The Book of the City of LadiesYear: 1404-1405 Early Renaissance Artist: Master of the Cites des DamesType: PaintingSize: Miniature (found in text)Location: National Library of FranceTranslated to English in 1521

Within the image: The metaphorical figures of Reason, Justice, and Rectitude enter into a conversation with Christine and invite her to build a city for famous women of the past and virtuous women of all times in a world made for men.

Reason

“Because it is my role to light their way to the true path and to teach both men and women to acknowledge their flaws and weaknesses, you see me here holding up a shining mirror like a sceptre in my right hand. You can be sure that whoever looks into this mirror, no matter who they may be, will see themselves as they truly are, such is its great power.” page 786

Rectitude & Justice

Rectitude: carries a ruler to measure good and bad.

Justice: Carries gold representing the reward that awaits the faithful and determines each persons rightful portion.

Christine de Pizan’s attire● Blues - Renaissance

o Light blue represented a young marriageable woman.

o In England, blue was the traditional color of servitude. Servants or members of a City company were

to wear bright blue or gray Renaissance clothing.

o Indigo or deep blue means chastity in the sacred sphere.

o “. . . turquoise was a sure sign of jealousy . . .”

● Blues - Medieval

o In the late Middle Ages, blue replaced royal purple in the mantle of the Virgin Mary and robes and

heraldry (especially in France).

o A lover wears blue for fidelity (late Middle Ages).

o By the 1300s, peasants owned blue Medieval clothing due to woad dye being readily available.

o Early Middle Ages, blue was associated with darkness, evil. Later blue was associated with light

● Could also represent sadness or the Bourgeoisie (middle) class

Book Link

http://www.wdl.org/en/item/4391/

http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b6000102v/f14.image pg 2r

Thank you.