-
The Queen’s Not Mad, She’s Machiavellian
The hit HBO series Game of Thrones has captured the imagination and seized the attention of viewers around the world, and as the show progresses through its final season — only one episode remains! — loyal fans continue to voice a multitude of opinions on, and condemnations of, the eight-season narrative arc as it hurtles towards conclusion. Season 8, Episode 5, “The Bells,” (aired 12 May 2019) seems to have left many fans frustrated, if not confused and even angry, about the choices made by the aspiring ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, Daenerys Targaryen, as she nearly single-handedly sacked King’s…
-
“Life, Love, and the Literary: Cultural Power and Prestige in Renaissance Marriage Chests”
In September 2018, I was asked by the Chazen Museum of Art to give a talk in honor of their exhibit, “Life, Love, and Marriage in Renaissance Italy.” From the Chazen website: “Organized by the Museo Stibbert and Contemporanea Progetti in Florence, Italy, the Chazen Museum of Art will host an exhibition of Italian wedding chests, also known as cassoni. To explore the social and practical functions of these important objects, the exhibition will include related domestic items such as maiolica wares, fabric, and architectural decorations, in addition to panel paintings and intact chests made in Italy from the 14th…
