With the new season of Game of Thrones in full swing, there’s a renewed interest in Castles and Dragons. We’ve had many years of these themes in pop culture – from the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings – to Harry Potter and How to Train Your Dragon. Fans of Dungeons and Dragons carry on with their weekly D&D game nights (as seen on The Big Bang), and little kids have a renewed fascination with the Disneyland Castle.
While in Nantes in France a couple weeks ago, I took a day to visit the historic Chateau, (Palace) built in the 13th Century. Inside was a museum with the history of Nantes, including its years at the center of the African slave trade. Nantes was the first slave port in France, providing more than 42% of the departures of slave ships between 1707 and 1793. Slave ships traveled from Nantes to the American Colonies. I had no idea…so wandering through the centuries of history in the Chateau eventually brought me to this straightforward presentation of a dark chapter.
Anne of Brittany was born in 1477 at this chateau, and was the only woman to be crowned Queen of France twice. She was reputed to be one of Europe’s richest women and was one of Brittany’s most famous heroines.
Castles and Dragons represent the Fantasy Genre which is attractive to many of us because it represents a way to escape the chaos of modern life. Game of Thrones…I don’t know…seems to mirror the chaos of modern life. However we are also drawn to the wisdom and power of Gandalf and Galadriel and Dumbledore. Even the tales of King Arthur and Merlin continue to thrive in new versions of these ancient legends. Stories of the Hero’s Quest, or the Heroine’s Quest, can speak to our desires to overcome slim odds in fighting our own demons and dragons, or the chaos outside our doors.
Hmm, maybe those historic fiction nerds are not so nerdy after all…?
sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana and Paul
*The collage above features a photo taken of the Nantes Chateau, with fabrics in stock now at eQuilter.com
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Luana’s Travel Calendar:
May 16-19 – Quilt Market
May 24-25 – Dairy Barn – Quilt National Opening – Athens OH
June 11-15 – Quilt Canada Ottawa – (lecture Fri 6/14)
July 18-22 – Sacred Threads & Not Fade Away (VA & DC)
eQuilter Classroom:
June 1 – Charity Sewing Group – RSVP
June 27-30 – Jane Tenorio-Coscarelli – Altar Quilts & Embellished Garments Workshops
July 11-14, 2019 – Cindy Lohbeck – Shibori, Ice-Dyeing and Ombre Dyeing Workshops
Oct 8-10 – Jacqueline de Jonge – eQuilter Classroom
