This post is part of a blog series revealing the table of contents of upcoming Issue Nineteen. As is our custom, we’ll be discussing one article per weekday in order to give you a taste of what is to come.
The subscription window that includes Issue Nineteen is open now.
To get Issue Nineteen when it ships in early September, you can sign up for a subscription here. If you aren’t sure about your subscription status, you can reach out to Grace at info@mortiseandtenonmag.com. Keep in mind though, if you are set to auto-renew, you never have to worry about getting the next issue of Mortise & Tenon. Issue Eighteen is coming your way soon!
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Courtesy: Kulturhistorisk Museum.
Lara Reisigl Domeneghetti – “The Tylldal Chair’s Ongoing Journey”
“Not far from the banks of the Glomma River, in the remote church of Tylldal, stood a chair unlike any other in Norway.” So begins carver and author Lara Reisigl Domeneghetti in her fascinating story of the Tylldal chair – a piece dated to the mid-12th century that offers tantalizing hints and clues about not only the practices of period woodworkers, but also of the cultural transitions that took place in medieval Europe.
In Issue Nineteen, Domeneghetti documents this stunning chair that served an ecclesiastical function in the early Christian church in Norway. The ornate symbolism carved into the panels and elements tells the story of a culture in transition from pre-Christian to Christian belief systems, with intertwined figures from both traditions. The design of the chair suggests an intended portability, a noted difference from most cathedra (bishop’s seats) of the day. But how does portability and pagan imagery play into the larger story of this chair?
Through careful research and skillful work reproducing the chair, Domenghetti offers possible answers to these and other questions. She invites the reader along, discussing tools, joinery, woods, and the broader cultural context from which this historical piece emerged. The chair has been on a journey for centuries as the world changes around it, and that journey continues on.
Subscribe now to reserve your copy of Issue Nineteen.