Pomp and piety
Three Royal medieval patrons
29 September 2021, 10:15 am
Digby Hall, Sherborne
Kings, queens and princes were influential patrons during the Middle Ages, paying for, and sometimes directing the production of, a wide variety of sumptuous commissions that included buildings and books, jewellery, reliqueries and tombs. A trio of Royal French medieval Patrons, whose lives span the 12th to the 15th centuries, provides an opportunity to explore the issues associated with medieval patronage, and the relationships forged between patrons and their craftsmen.

Lecturer: Sally Dormer
Lecturer and tutor for the Early Medieval Year Course at V&A. Dean of ‘European Studies’ for 2 US Universities. Freelance lecturer for The Art Fund. Study tours, cruises and tour groups. BA (History) University of Durham; PhD (Medieval Manuscript illumination) and MA (Medieval History of Art) Courtauld Institute
Programme for the day
Timings are approximate
10:15 Arrival and Greeting
Please be seated by 10:25
10:30 Lecture 1

Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine
Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine (d1204) wife of Louis VII of France and then Henry II of England, inherited and commissioned, ground-breaking works of ar
11:30 Coffee break
11:50 Lecture 2

Dowager Queen Jeanne d`Evreux
Dowager Queen Jeanne d`Evreux (d. 1371), flourished as a rare example of an autonomous female patron after the death of her husband King Charles IV
13:00 Luncheon
14:00 Lecture 3

Jean Duc de Berry
Jean Duc de Berry (d. 1415), a younger brother of King Charles V, one of the most prolific medieval collectors and connoisseurs. Three inventories of his possessions, together with surviving objects, reveal his discerning taste
15:00 Questions and Answers
15:15 approx Closure and departure