Historiated Initial

1464
This historiated initial depicts the wedding of the hero of the Roman de Gillion de Trazegnies. This tale follows the chivalric exploits of Gillion as he travels on pilgrimage and eventually dies in battle.
J. Paul Getty Museum

Connection to Website Themes

Spousal Power Dyanmics: In the tale, Gillion marries Marie as a love match. The depiction in this historiated initial follows typical placement of the bride, the groom, the officiant, and the wedding parties. Marie grasps the folds of her dress in order to reveal another layer of finery. This perhaps indicates that she brings wealth to the marriage and therefore some additional power in the dynamic between the spouses. After their marriage, the couple fails to have children, a fact blamed on Marie, and Gillion leaves to go on pilgrimage. Gillion later believes Marie has died and ends up marrying the daughter of the Egyptian sultan. Gillion possesses the lion share of agency in this tale as Marie waits at home for him to return, with allusions to Penelope in the Odyssey.

Community Social Norms: The marriage scene reflects the public quality of the ceremony, with witnesses arrayed in striking similarity to other representations such as the royal wedding of Henry V to Catherine of Valois.

Church and State: The authority of the Church gets placed in the center, implying that the typical marriage occurs with an ecclesiastical authority officiating. By including a design on Gillion’s tunic that might represent heraldic colors and patterns, the artist might hint of the power of the State. Otherwise, the state lacks a presence in this representation of marriage.

What is Love: The tale explains that Gillion and Marie marry out of love. In this historiated initial, the bride and groom each glance downward, toward their conjoined hands. The faces of all appear content, with slight smiles and nothing that might indicate a frown or scowl.