5 - The Image of the Master

Summary

Images of discussion and debate associated with the arts of rhetoric and dialectic provide a tantalising suggestion of educational practices in the twelfth century, yet they are not, and were not intended to be, representations of real classrooms. Similarly although the twelfth century saw a significant increase in the representation of identifiable twelfthcentury authors, many of whom were also noted teachers, in copies of their works, these images were in no sense accurate portraits. Instead images of writers indicate interest in the authorship of works and a desire to celebrate particular scholars. The quality of the imagery varies from simple sketches to expensive painted and gilded images. Strikingly, however, not all teachers lauded in texts in this period may be seen in images in copies of their works. In addition whilst the controversy and competition between masters so characteristic of teaching in this period was a spur to produce high-quality copies of certain texts with images of their creators, it has not always resulted in lavish copies surviving in modern collections. Thus it seems that masters needed resources to ensure that copies of their works were decorated, or supporters, particularly after their deaths, to promote their work. Paris was an important centre of both teaching and manuscript production, and images of masters associated with the city demonstrate a range of attempts to depict these figures in copies of their texts.

The rise of the contemporary teacher as a figure worthy of celebration, who joined a tradition of learned masters, can be seen in the image of Dialectic surrounded by disputing figures now in Darmstadt (Universitatsund Landesbibliothek MS 2282, fol. 1v) (Fig. 28). Western manuscripts typically read from left to right and top to bottom. Following this pattern, Plato and Artistotle at the top of the image are succeeded by Socrates and a figure labelled magister Adam at the bottom, with Adam placed last. Although Adam's appearance and dress are very similar to those of his companions, his position at the end of the sequence, together with the use of the title magister (or master), which here is not applied to the other figures, serves to identify him as a medieval author, probably Adam of the Petit Pont, who taught on the Petit Pont in Paris.