One of the stars of MEMS can be seen on television, again. Dr Emily Guerry is a medieval art historian and former Co-Director of the Centre who is sought after for her expertise in early Gothic art and holy relics. Following her appearances on the BBC, she is now to be seen on Netflix, on the series ‘Mysteries of Faith’.
Emily’s present research focuses on the relic of the Crown of Thorns. In various publications, she retraces its history in Jerusalem, Constantinople, Venice, and Paris, where she examines the intricate Gothic design of the Sainte-Chapelle, constructed to house the Crown for the king of France. In this Netflix documentary, she shares the story of why the relic came to Paris and how it became the most sacred item in the kingdom of France as animators bring to life her new publication on the relic’s journey across the Mediterranean.
What makes her performance all the more impressive is that she was recording while nine months pregnant! Emily commented: ‘It was such fun being on TV again (and while pregnant), and I felt very supported by the October Films / Netflix crew throughout the experience. It was especially exciting to see my research illustrated so beautifully on screen (and translated into dozens of languages too).’