My object is a Renaissance birth tray.
Research Questions:
1.)What does it say about a society to have a massive object commissioned for a specific purpose, and then never have it used?
2.)Why is all the imagery on the tray secular instead of religious?
3.)Who are the people pictured on the tray? Why are they there? Why might it be Significant?
4.)Were birthing trays a new thing in the Renaissance? And if so why did this particular age give birth to such a strange tradition?
There are a few things you might want to consider:
Specifically, http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/08/eustc/ho_1995.7.htm
This is the site of your object and according to it, part of the title of this tray is the Triumph of Fame. If you read through, it tells you that Fame is the winged woman in the center and the men are pledging allegiance to her. Who is she? Goddess, angel, etc.? Why are people pledging allegiance to her?
In more general terms though, maybe you could consider how “often” it was used. In other words, were birth trays really common, did most people have them? If they weren’t actually being used for births, what were they used as? Decoratively hung somewhere in the house? Used as a tray to serve food?
Your questions are really good though, i just think that maybe you can add a little bit more. 🙂
My object is a Renaissance birth tray.
Research Questions:
1.)What does it say about a society to have a massive object commissioned for a specific purpose, and then never have it used?
2.)Why is all the imagery on the tray secular instead of religious?
3.)Who are the people pictured on the tray? Why are they there? Why might it be Significant?
4.)Were birthing trays a new thing in the Renaissance? And if so why did this particular age give birth to such a strange tradition?
There are a few things you might want to consider:
Specifically, http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/08/eustc/ho_1995.7.htm
This is the site of your object and according to it, part of the title of this tray is the Triumph of Fame. If you read through, it tells you that Fame is the winged woman in the center and the men are pledging allegiance to her. Who is she? Goddess, angel, etc.? Why are people pledging allegiance to her?
In more general terms though, maybe you could consider how “often” it was used. In other words, were birth trays really common, did most people have them? If they weren’t actually being used for births, what were they used as? Decoratively hung somewhere in the house? Used as a tray to serve food?
Your questions are really good though, i just think that maybe you can add a little bit more. 🙂