Abstract

Exploring The Europeans, Washington Square, and The Spoils of Poynton, this article demonstrates James's evocation of medieval annunciation iconography and argues that James's annunciation scenes allegorize the dynamic intrasubjective relationships that constitute the self. Noting the historical shift of the Virgin's occupation from needlework to reading, the article analyses the Wentworth sisters as comparably differentiated models of subjectivity. Gertrude, a reader, models the self as a book: a dematerialized interior plenitude lodged within an outer body. Charlotte, a textile artist, models the self as a form of embroidery: an expressive surface structure coterminous with the exterior organ of the skin.

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