Courtier’s Mirror: Cultivating Elite Identity in Thomasin von Zerclaere’s Welscher Gast

**Delve into Medieval Courtly Life with *A Courtier's Mirror: Cultivating Elite Identity in Thomasin von Zerclaere's Welscher Gast*** Uncover the fascinating world of medieval German court society through Kathryn Starkey's groundbreaking study, *A Courtier's Mirror*. This illuminating work shines a spotlight on Thomasin von Zerclaere's *Welscher Gast* (The Italian Guest), a widely popular epic-length didactic poem that served as a practical guide to social conduct and etiquette for the aspiring elite. This first edition, published by the University of Notre Dame Press, provides a unique window into the values, aspirations, and evolving identities of the medieval aristocracy. Starkey's *A Courtier's Mirror* goes beyond a simple textual analysis, meticulously examining the interplay between word and image in the *Welscher Gast*. With twenty-five known redactions produced over two and a half centuries, the poem enjoyed remarkable longevity, signifying its enduring relevance to successive generations. Starkey expertly demonstrates how the poem functioned as a multifaceted tool, offering not only instruction on proper behavior but also affirming existing social hierarchies and shaping a distinct sense of elite identity. Unlike earlier scholarship, this book provides an unprecedented, book-length exploration in English. Starkey offers a comprehensive framework for understanding the *Welscher Gast* and its intricate image cycle, revealing how courtly behaviors were effectively communicated and reinforced through visual representation. The book delves into the rich manuscript reception of the poem, tracing its evolution and adaptation across different social contexts. Through careful analysis of select redactions, including a close examination of the remarkable 1340 Gotha manuscript, Starkey reveals how the poem's illumination program underwent significant transformations, reflecting the changing concerns and aspirations of its audience. The Gotha redaction, with its redesigned and expanded image cycle, emerges as a particularly compelling example of how the *Welscher Gast* was strategically adapted to convey evolving models of courtly behavior. Starkey places this manuscript within its precise historical context, convincingly arguing for its central place in the poem's reception history. She demonstrates how the *Welscher Gast* participated in the construction of secular identity as the intended audience grew from rural ministerial families to urban burghers. *A Courtier's Mirror* argues that the *Welscher Gast* played a crucial role in the construction of elite secular identity for an audience eager to distinguish itself socially and assert its independence from ecclesiastical influence. By analyzing the subtle yet significant revisions made to the poem's formatting and illustration programs, Starkey unveils the deliberate intent behind these changes, highlighting the poem's dynamic engagement with its audience. The book is enhanced by extensive appendices, providing valuable resources for further research. A stunning collection of color illustrations showcases the beauty and complexity of the Gotha manuscript, as well as carefully selected images from other key manuscripts, bringing the *Welscher Gast* to life for modern readers. The color images are a crucial feature of this work. *A Courtier's Mirror* is an indispensable resource for scholars and students of medieval studies, art history, manuscript illustration, and the history of the book. It offers a fresh perspective on a significant work of medieval literature and provides valuable insights into the cultural and social dynamics of courtly life. This is a must-have for any serious academic library.