[Minerva Discovering the Art of Wool Work] · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: [Minerva Discovering the Art of Wool Work]
Subject: Minerva; Pallas; Wool Work; Weaving; Roman Mythology; Greek Mythology; Important Women
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Ancient Greece; Attica
Description: The goddess Minerva (also known as “Pallas”) is depicted on the left side of the illustration with a distaff under her left arm as she spins wool between her fingers. Her right hand is holding the spindle. This illustration depicts wool work as Minerva is known to have discovered the art of wool work and weaving. There is another person in the illustration sitting on a bench as they soften out their wool with an iron comb. There is no indication as to who this person is, however, they could be symbolic of Minerva teaching the world on how to weave wool.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Illuminator)
Type: Text; Illumination
Identifier: mta:11980
Language: frm
Source Name: De la louenge et vertu des nobles et cleres dames [Of praise and virtue of the noble and clergy women]
Parent Collection: 1493 Paris; 1493 Paris
Image: mta_11980_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Minerva; Pallas; Wool Work; Weaving; Roman Mythology; Greek Mythology; Important Women