Crossing Boundaries: Images of Christina of Markyate in the St. Albans Psalter

Abstract

The St. Albans Psalter is an English illuminated manuscript dating back to the twelfth  century. The psalter has been connected to Christina of Markyate, a twelfth-century anchoress,  for whom the work appears to have been made. Many images in the St. Albans Psalter depict the biblical figure Mary Magdalene, who is seen interacting with the boundaries of the colourful illustration. This article will study the images of Mary Magdalene in the St. Albans Psalter and will seek to re-evaluate her spiritual relationship with the twelfth-century recluse Christina of Markyate. Although the connection between Christina and Mary Magdelene has been recognized and reassessed, this study offers a contemporary outlook on the visual iconography, suggesting that this relationship is, in fact, far closer than previously demonstrated. By analyzing images in which the hand of Mary Magdalene crosses illustrated boundaries, this study will demonstrate the connection between these instances and Christina’s isolation within the boundaries of her anchoritic hold.