Premodern History and Art through the Prism of Gender in East-Central Europe

Premodern History and Art through the Prism of Gender in East-Central Europe is a representative collection of current Czech research in premodern history and art history, using gender as a tool of analysis. The common denominators of the texts collected in this volume are the art history of the premodern period, gender perspectives, and, to a certain degree, the Czech milieu. The book is divided into four parts, based on area of interest, time frame, and research perspective. The first part sheds light on the state of research in the field of women's history-along with the implementation of the concept of gender-and highlights a certain paradigmatic conservatism of Czech art historiography. The second gathers contributions that analyze visual sources of Czech origin. The third includes texts that analyze gender issues on the level of literary representation. The final part presents two case studies that involve analysis of the premodern West European source base. Rywiková and Malaníková present this volume as an innovative way to introduce this specific segment of Central European art history to a broader audience in global academia.

Michaela Antonín Malaníková is assistant professor of medieval history at Palacký University Olomouc.
Daniela Rywiková is assistant professor of art history at the University of Ostrava.

List of Figures
Part I: Women and Gender in Czech Medieval History
Foreword: Gender Trouble in Czech Medieval History Scholarship
Milena Bartlová
Introduction: Premodern History and Art through the Prism of Gender
Michaela Antonín Malaníková and Daniela Rywiková
Chapter 1: Women's History and Gender History as Part of Czech Medieval Studies
Michaela Antonín Malaníková
Part II: Gender Identity through the Prism of Visual Arts
Chapter 2: Medieval Art in the Czech Lands through the Prism of Gender: The Visual Culture of Royal Nunneries in Medieval Bohemia and Moravia
Daniela Rywiková
Chapter 3: Kunigunde - ' Bartered Bride' and 'Bride of Christ'
Jennifer Vlcek Shurr
Chapter 4: Gender in Czech Secular Art of the Late Middle Ages
Jan Dienstbier
Part III: Gendering the Medieval Literature
Chapter 5: Women as Men and Men as Women? Gender Roles in Anglo-Saxon Literature Reversed
Tereza Kalousková
Chapter 6: Gendered Body Politics and the Construction of Czech Historical Memory
Vera S