The Fabric of War

This Element reveals flags as numinous objects and symbols of personhood in the tumultuous first global age.

This Element, The Fabric of War, explores the history of flags and banners in Renaissance Europe, analyzing their cultural, ideological, and artistic significance. It examines banners not just as symbols, but as vibrant, dynamic textiles that energized armies, celebrated victory, and motivated action.The Fabric of War traces the rich history of flags and banners in Renaissance Europe through a critical analysis of the cultural, ideological, material, and artistic histories of these complex and ubiquitous objects. It examines banners as numinous textiles that animated and adorned battle, energized and embellished armies, constructed and celebrated victory. Though flags are often investigated as mere symbols to be deciphered – as heraldic code revealing identity – they were vibrant and charismatic textiles whose mutability, movement, and multivalency constituted their appeal and salience. Banners propelled their viewers not only to decipher or identify, but to act.