The orthodox imagination: the role of imagery in expressions of Eucharistic piety in late medieval York

This thesis is an interdisciplinary investigation into the role of imagery in expressions of Eucharistic piety in late medieval York and Yorkshire, covering the period 1350 to 1546. Focusing on an area where an orthodox religious climate prevailed provides a counterpoint to the many studies of Lollardy in England. Since the Eucharist permeated every aspect of medieval religion and culture this study concentrates, where possible, on local sources to investigate the use of imagery in four specific areas of Eucharistic piety. The main area of investigation concerns whether the forms of imagery related to devotions to the Eucharist were themselves Eucharistic in form. A subsidiary question is whether these forms of imagery showed any signs of development. Previous related literature frequently focuses on depictions of the bloodied Body of Christ, sometimes with particular references to altarpieces, or else to the feast of Corpus Christi. It has also tended to focus on continental examples of material forms of imagery. This study privileges English primary sources to examine both textual and material forms of imagery. Very few previous studies that relate to this subject centre on the local sources discussed here and none appear to address the specific questions asked in this investigation. By privileging the question of how imagery was used in both textual and material sources associated with a specific locale, this thesis offers a new interpretation of the role of imagery in expressions of Eucharistic piety.