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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Female scribes through history
« on: February 23, 2019, 07:07:06 AM »
Dear flourishers, I've started a bit of research regarding female scribes / calligraphers in the past. In premodern times most female scribes in Europe were to be found in convents they also needed scribes, and men were not allowed, so some nuns (mostly those coming from nobler families, but also craftsmen's or merchant's daughters, as far as my research tells me) learnt not only reading but also writing and illumination.
I'd be delighted for more names feel free to post more links! Sorry, some of my finds are only available in German. For some scribes there is very little information, if someone is able to dig out more, I'd find it very interesting!
For a start, look at that cheerful nun! This is a page from a book written and illuminated (probably) by Elsbeth Stagel around 1440. It is from a »Schwesternbuch« (= book of sisters), describing religious experiences of devine grace from the sisters in the convent of Tφss (Switzerland). They were Dominican sisters. Elsbeth carries the typical tools with that also male scribes were usually shown quill and pen knife:
Elsbeth Stagel (Switzerland, 14. Century)
More about sister-books in general:
Sister-books (Germany, Switzerland, Middle Ages)
And some other scribes:
Regula von Lichtenthal (Germany, 15. Century)
Dorothea Schermann (Germany, 16. Century)
Ida of Nivelles (Belgium, 13. Century according to the German Wikipedia entry, she was also a scribe and illuminator)
Nuns from the scriptorium of the Klarissenkloster Sankt Clara (Germany, 14. Century)
Just a mention in a list of graves:
Irtyu (Egypt, 600 to 300 before Christ)
The old Egyptians also had a goddess of writing:
Sehat, Old Egypt
In this (German) article about one of Mohamed's wifes, Hafsa bint Umar, a female scribe is mentioned that teached Hafsa writing and reading:
Schifāʾ bint ʿAbdallāh al-ʿAdawīya (Saudi Arabia, 7. Century)
Christine de Pizan, one of the earliest known female authors, was also a skilled scribe:
Christine de Pizan (France, 15. Century)
She worked with another female artist, who must have been an outstanding illuminator:
Anastasia (France, 15. Century)
Sorry, bit of a not so pretty picture, but this is evidence of another female illuminator from medieval times the evidence being teeth with dental plaque containing lapislazuli pigments: she must have licked her brush (I got that link from the newsletter of British master calligrapher Patricia Lovett):
Unknown artist (Germany, around the year 1000)
Then Maria Strick, a Dutch scribe, teacher and head mistress her husband actually engraved her work! Thanks to @sybillevz for telling me about her:
Maria Strick (Netherlands, 17. Century) and a bit about her life.
I'm sure there are more and I'll keep digging if I have time would be interested also about women writers in Asia maybe also in monastery settings? Also I think I read somewhere about a famous female Turkish calligrapher (Arabic calligraphy), but I couldn't find her name with a quick search. There was also another Swiss scribe, who was not a nun, and who was nearly publishing a copy book, but then had to look after a sick family member and apparently nothing came from the plans. She must have been very talented, but it seems I forgot to bookmark the link and can't find out more now.
Have a nice weekend everyone!
I'd be delighted for more names feel free to post more links! Sorry, some of my finds are only available in German. For some scribes there is very little information, if someone is able to dig out more, I'd find it very interesting!
For a start, look at that cheerful nun! This is a page from a book written and illuminated (probably) by Elsbeth Stagel around 1440. It is from a »Schwesternbuch« (= book of sisters), describing religious experiences of devine grace from the sisters in the convent of Tφss (Switzerland). They were Dominican sisters. Elsbeth carries the typical tools with that also male scribes were usually shown quill and pen knife:
Elsbeth Stagel (Switzerland, 14. Century)
More about sister-books in general:
Sister-books (Germany, Switzerland, Middle Ages)
And some other scribes:
Regula von Lichtenthal (Germany, 15. Century)
Dorothea Schermann (Germany, 16. Century)
Ida of Nivelles (Belgium, 13. Century according to the German Wikipedia entry, she was also a scribe and illuminator)
Nuns from the scriptorium of the Klarissenkloster Sankt Clara (Germany, 14. Century)
Just a mention in a list of graves:
Irtyu (Egypt, 600 to 300 before Christ)
The old Egyptians also had a goddess of writing:
Sehat, Old Egypt
In this (German) article about one of Mohamed's wifes, Hafsa bint Umar, a female scribe is mentioned that teached Hafsa writing and reading:
Schifāʾ bint ʿAbdallāh al-ʿAdawīya (Saudi Arabia, 7. Century)
Christine de Pizan, one of the earliest known female authors, was also a skilled scribe:
Christine de Pizan (France, 15. Century)
She worked with another female artist, who must have been an outstanding illuminator:
Anastasia (France, 15. Century)
Sorry, bit of a not so pretty picture, but this is evidence of another female illuminator from medieval times the evidence being teeth with dental plaque containing lapislazuli pigments: she must have licked her brush (I got that link from the newsletter of British master calligrapher Patricia Lovett):
Unknown artist (Germany, around the year 1000)
Then Maria Strick, a Dutch scribe, teacher and head mistress her husband actually engraved her work! Thanks to @sybillevz for telling me about her:
Maria Strick (Netherlands, 17. Century) and a bit about her life.
I'm sure there are more and I'll keep digging if I have time would be interested also about women writers in Asia maybe also in monastery settings? Also I think I read somewhere about a famous female Turkish calligrapher (Arabic calligraphy), but I couldn't find her name with a quick search. There was also another Swiss scribe, who was not a nun, and who was nearly publishing a copy book, but then had to look after a sick family member and apparently nothing came from the plans. She must have been very talented, but it seems I forgot to bookmark the link and can't find out more now.
Have a nice weekend everyone!
!
. The workshops are usually held in German, but if there are English speaking participants (as is the case sometimes) I'll teach in English too 
)
(and that was before Christmas)! It sticks to other sheets and is also sticky to the touch.