Christine de Pizan's 657th Birthday

Google Dooles 15.09.2021 13:15  Date: September 11, 2021 Today’s Doodle celebrates the 657th birthday of Italian writer and poet Christine de Pizan. She is considered the first woman in Europe to support herself solely by writing professionally. Christine de Pizan was born in the Republic of Venice on this day in 1364. She spent her childhood exploring libraries in the court of France’s King Charles V, where her father served as court astrologer. Armed with a pen and her love of literature, she began writing romantic ballads in 1393. This early foray into wordsmithing enraptured several powerful patrons, including King Charles VI. De Pizan is best known today for her role in a medieval literary feud that rivals any modern celebrity drama. It began in the early 1400s with heated debates regarding the popular poem “The Romance of the Rose.” De Pizan denounced the work’s treatment of women and struck back in 1405 with one of her most famous works, “The Book of the City of Ladies.” In it, she incorporated stories that highlighted the leadership and wisdom of important women from history and mythology. She released the sequel, “The Treasure of the City of Ladies,” later that year, completing the series now considered to be among the earliest feminist literature. Throughout her career, de Pizan published 10 volumes of poetry, many of which were “complaints,” the term for medieval protest poems and songs against vice or injustice. Today, de Pizan is among the 1,038 influential women represented in Judy Chicago’s iconic 1970s art installation “The Dinner Party” on display at the Brooklyn Museum. Happy Birthday, Christine de Pizan! Location: , , , , Tags: , , , , ,