The Life of Umiliana de' Cerchi (1219-1246)

FAIN: FT-56398-08

Anne Mary Schuchman
New York University (New York, NY 10012-1019)

I am requesting a Summer Stipend from the NEH in order to complete revisions leading to the publication of a book-length monograph on the life and cult of the Florentine mystic and laywoman Umiliana de' Cerchi (1219-1246). This study offers the first complete translation of Umiliana's Life into English as well as an edition of its 14th-century manuscript source. These are supplemented by four chapters of commentary that analyze the original Life, its permutations over the centuries, visual images of Umiliana, and her 1694 beatification process. Revisions to be made include the addition of more historical context, an updated bibliography, and refinements to the translation for readability. While this examination of Umiliana's representations adds to the growing scholarship in medieval women, it also ultimately addresses broader questions regarding the nature of narrative, biography, and the textual and visual representation of human lives.