CushionQuest redux

[ellid]

I just received the rental agreement on my apartment in Florence. Tomorrow it gets faxed out to the rental company.

My God. I'm actually doing it!

Comments

[tx-cronopio.livejournal.com]

So, for recent friends, what's up? How long are you staying? Why are you going? What does Cushion Quest mean? Inquiring minds want to know!

[rufinia.livejournal.com]

YAY! Good for you!

[ellid.livejournal.com]

What I'm doing - see the little image in my icon? That's the oldest known piece of intact European patchwork, a little funerary cushion from a 1477 tomb in Impruneta, just south of Florence. I am going to Florence for a week in January to study the cushion, and then present my findings at the Kalamazoo International Medieval Studies Congress in May 2008.

I'm calling this CushionQuest 2008 because, as much as I'm looking forward to seeing Italy and as much art and culture as there is in Florence, I'm essentially spending a lot of money and taking a week to look at a pillow. A very special and rare pillow, but a pillow.

Yes. I'm insane....

[ellid.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm simultaneously exhilarated and terrified, which means it's the right thing.

[thinkinabstract.livejournal.com]

Wow, I am so envious right now. Your assignment sounds interesting; no, really! You're going to study a rare and centuries-old artifact (it doesn't matter if it's a pillow). I'm a uni student, and I've often flirted with the idea of studying archaeology and classical history just for the benefit of being allowed to examine cultural items from foreign lands, or from antiquity. So I'm psyched for you. Also - you'll be staying in Florence, Italy!! What an opportunity! Lucky, lucky you. I hope you enjoy yourself.

[rwday.livejournal.com]

That's so exciting! And the apartment looks great, so much nicer than a hotel.

[a-c-fiorucci.livejournal.com]

That's so cool! I saw a black and white picture in a book at MIT a couple of years ago and have been very curious ever since. (Unfortunately totally lacking in brain cells to do more than that, though.) Especially since it is exactly in my persona time and place.

I hope you have safe travels, successful researches, and a very good paper!

(Here from Peregrine's flist.)

[ellid.livejournal.com]

Do you remember what book mentioned the cushion? I know there are pictures of 17th century patchwork cushions from Saxony in Schnuppe von Gwinner's book on patchwork, but I found out about the Impruneta cushion on-line. Thanks!

[danabren.livejournal.com]

Yay!

[tx-cronopio.livejournal.com]

I think it's WONDERFUL! What a great adventure! GO, you!

[chazpure.livejournal.com]

SQUEE! How exciting! :D

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

Awesome!

[a-c-fiorucci.livejournal.com]

Renaissance Florence: The Age of Lorenzo de' Medici 1449-1492, edited by Cristina Acidini Luchinat. Publisher: Charta. ISBN 88-86158-45-9.

Rotch Library (MIT) N6915.R46 1993

P. 68 is mostly covered by a picture (apparently in color, since my B&W photocopy of the page has some attempts at colors writtin in) with the caption: Tuscan Workshop
Cushion
before 1477
Wool and silk; 26 x 26.5 x 27 x 29 cm, h. 2.5 cm
Imprunetta, Museo del Tesoro della Basilica di Santa Maria

While poking around on the internet this evening, Charta apparently has copies of this book for ~25 euros. It was apparently originally in Italian, and is a series of shorter essays with lots of pretty pictures. I have only been in the MIT libraries once, several years ago, so I don't remember anything else in it. But maybe UMASS or some other college out your way has it too?

[ellid.livejournal.com]

Smith doesn't have it, damn it, but now I'm going to do my best to get that book...:)

And what a tiny little thing! It's only about a foot square, and about an inch thick. That makes the patchwork even more amazing...

[a-c-fiorucci.livejournal.com]

I remember thinking at the time that it would be such a neat way to use up all those little scraps of fabric from favorite clothes, or something, as a reminder.

I am soOO curious to see what you find out!!