Mimetic bodies: repetition, replication, and simulation in the marriage charter of Empress Theophanu
Eliza Garrison
As an object and as a collection of text images, the marriage charter Empress Theophanu (Wolfenbüttel, Niedersächsisches Staatsarchiv, 6 Urk 11) relies on replication, repetition, doubling to reinforce meanings relayed in its enhance function legal document. This article argues that charter’s remarkable illusionism functioned kind visual rhetoric was entirely tune with terms golden stretches across surface. Such powerful coalescence between image especially well suited visualization propagation imperial authority, it girded expectations Theophanu’s obedience at political, social, physical levels. Framed name foreground God-the-craftsman’s creation humankind originary mimetic act, becomes template for order Ottonian court. The thus call Otto II internalize both biblical Platonic models interest preserving perpetuating Saxon line, which was, time presentation, but ten years young. In explicating various ways images hinge themes repetition this will make case political stakes mimesis.
Word & Image