The University of Pittsburgh Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program
presents
PAMELA SHEINGORN
(Professor Emerita of History, City University of New York)
"Was Jesus' Foster-Father a Martyr?
Constructing the Death of Joseph the Carpenter"
Thursday, March 27th at 4:00
The University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning, Room 501
The death of Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary and foster-father of
Jesus, goes without mention in canonical texts, leaving a gap that
intrigued some medieval writers and artists. This paper examines their
attempts to complete the shape of Joseph's life, especially the
construction of Joseph as a martyr.
Pamela Sheingorn is Professor Emerita of History at Baruch College and
Professor Emerita of History and Theatre at The Graduate Center, both part
of the City University of New York. She specializes in the European
Middle Ages, especially in visual, cultural, and women's history. Her
research areas include hagiography, drama, and visual culture. Her most
recent books include: Myth, Montage, and the Visible in Late Medieval
Manuscript Culture: Christine de Pizan's Epistre Othea (2003, co-authored
with Marilynn Desmond), and Writing Faith: Text, Sign, and History in the
Miracles of Sainte Foy (1999, co-authored with Kathleen Ashley). Her
current research projects focus on representations of the late medieval
family, medieval masculinities, a cultural history of Joseph the
Carpenter, and illuminations in medieval drama manuscripts.
An open reception will follow the talk, which is generously co-sponsored
by the Department of Religious Studies and the Department of History.
Questions? Please contact MRST Director Jennifer Waldron
(jwaldron@pitt.edu)
