Christus und die Minnende Seele: An Analysis of Circulation, Text, and Iconography

The late medieval verse dialogue Christus und die minnende Seele portrays the journey of the soul as the bride of Christ toward mystical union in a series of 20-24 individual scenes. This study provides for the first time a comprehensive examination of all manuscripts and prints containing the work, dating from the late 14th through the mid-16th centuries. This paleographic investigation not only makes it possible to determine the geographic, chronological and social distribution of the work, but also helps to complete the picture of both the intended and actual reception of Christus und die minnende Seele and its illustrations. In addition, the context in which the text is embedded in manuscripts reveals the late medieval approach to broader and often controversial themes, such as mysticism and the role of visual images in religious life and practice. The final chapter provides a thorough analysis of the structure and content of the illustrated broadsheet. A comparison of the earlier broadsheets with a later version shows clearly how attitudes toward bridal mysticism were transformed during the 15th century to reflect the skepticism of the reform clergy. English and German text.