The Right Hand's Cunning: Craftsmanship and the Demand for Art in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages
Anne Cutler
Si oblitus fuero tui, Jerusalem, oblivioni detur dextera mea. When Jerome commented on Ps. 136(137).5, he interpreted the passage allegorically. Sitting in exile by waters of Babylon, Israelites had hung their harps willows and, a foreign land, would not sing songs Zion. Yet they refused to forget origin, preferring, as King James's translators put it, that right hand her cunning. observes this is always whose work remembers Lord.1 clearly, early fifth century, idea manual dexterity become trope, figure some higher argument. Augustine compares lower gods, reduced performing menial tasks administration universe, workers silversmiths' quarter through many hands vessel passes before it finished, even if could have been perfected any skilled member team.2 Slightly more pragmatically, Justinian's Digest mentions piece silver plate, brought approval client's house uascularius but then inadvertently destroyed, an instance actionable under laws contract.3 It shadow cast such translations plane my topic: artifacts own and diversity, way were made, significance for cultures which part tend be obscured when are treated either similes time or undifferentiated output artisans social situation, rather than production, object modern scrutiny. The legal economic status craftsmen4 has investigated body literature so vast there no need rehearse its conclusions here.5 But worth remarking results otherwise invaluable inquiry
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