Illustration for Romance About The Faithful Friendship Of Amis And Amil 

Artuš Scheiner made this illustration for a romance about faithful friendship in the late 19th or early 20th century. It’s a scene of courtly love and entertainment set in an idealized medieval past. The composition and style of the illustration create meaning through cultural references and historical associations. Note the costumes, for example: they evoke a romanticized vision of the middle ages which was popular at the time this artwork was made. It’s a world of troubadours, noble ladies, and faithful knights. The medieval revival in Bohemia was closely tied to Czech nationalism, and so this artwork is a kind of visual statement. It self-consciously looks back to a historical moment of Bohemian independence. As historians, we can use resources such as period literature, fashion plates, and political tracts to understand this illustration better. By understanding the social and institutional contexts, we can begin to understand its meaning more fully.