The St. Albans Psalter: A Book for Christina of Markyate by Jane Geddes (review)

REVIEWS 227 Law” to the “a fantasy of nation-building based on direct father-to-son seminal transmission” (64) could productively be applied to Henry V. Similarly, Freccero ’s exploration of the alterity of the “haunting” voice could help to produce a more subtle critique of The Mirror for Magistrates. Further, Freccero’s observation that “cannibalism is in some sense haunting’s double, its evil twin” (87) could be used to reinvigorate readings of The Tempest. In short, this a theoretical work which clarifies, advances, and enriches the possibilities of early modern research. MICHAEL SAENGER, English, Southwestern University Jane Geddes, The St. Albans Psalter: A Book for Christina of Markyate (London: The British Library 2005) 136 pp., ill. Jane Geddes has written an informative and beautifully decorated book about the St. Albans Psalter. The Psalter is a remarkable artifact that dates to the midtwelfth century. It remained at the nunnery of Markyate for 400 years, and during the English Civil War it found its way to a community of Benedictine exiles in Hildesheim, Germany. Geddes begins her book with the premise that the Psalter holds a great deal of interest for medieval scholars not only for its beautiful illustrations but for the fascinating personalities that surrounded its creation, namely Christina, abbess of Markyate, and Geoffrey de Gorham, abbot of St. Albans. In Part I, she introduces these two vibrant characters and their relationship. She bases her accounts on the vita of Christina, BL Cotton MS Tiberius E. i., the Lives of the Abbots of St. Albans, and several letters relating to St. Albans. She relies upon the edited vita by C. H. Talbot and also considers Henrietta Leyser’s and Samuel Fanous’s recent collection of critical essays that examine Christina. Christina is one of the most dynamic figures of medieval England. She was born ca. 1096–1098 to Anglo-Saxon parents. Although as a young girl she had vowed to become a nun, her parents insisted that she enter into an advantageous marriage. She endured multiple trials in defense of her virginity before settling at Markyate and gathering a group of likeminded women, including her sister Margaret, around her. Geoffrey, who became abbot of St. Albans in 1119, offered material and financial support to the fledgling nunnery. While Geoffrey aided other local female houses, he enjoyed an emotionally and spiritually intimate relationship with Christina. She referred to him as her “Beloved,” and appeared to him in dreams and visions. Geddes contends that the Psalter was a testament to the strength of their relationship. In Part I, Geddes considers the structure of the Psalter and the style of its images . The Psalter contains a number of texts. Preceding the Psalms themselves are a calendar, a series of pictures that illustrate the life and Passion of the Christ, an Old French vita of St. Alexis, and several letters and other nonliturgical works. The Psalms themselves are decorated with 215 historiated initials. The Psalter concludes with images of St. Alban’s martyrdom and of King David as a musician. Geddes carefully considers the style of the chief artist, known as the Alexis master, and his remarkable ability “to express scriptural metaphors as visible subjects.” His bold colors and Romanesque designs depart from the lighter Anglo-Saxon style then popular in England. She looked briefly at his other works, including the Prayers and Meditations of St. Albans, Verdun, Bibliothèque Municipale, MS 70. Geddes also explores his artistic REVIEWS 228 influences, which she describes as a medley of Anglo-Saxon, Ottonian, and Byzantine sources. She next turns to the stories, prayers, and images themselves . Such a diverse grouping of texts has raised multiple questions about who chose them and for what purposes. Geddes interprets the collection of texts and images in light of Geoffrey and Christina’s interests. In Part II, Geddes examined the relationship between Geoffrey, Christina and the Psalter. She begins with the famous initial to Psalm 105, an image that portrays Christina acting as an intercessor between Christ and four monks, one of whom may represent Geoffrey. Why would a portrait of the recipient appear only in the center of the Psalter? Geddes argues the Psalter was already in production...