Distribution of widow's inheritance

Charles G. Nelson
Professor, German Russian and Asian Languages and Literatures

Madeline H. Caviness
Mary Richardson Professor, Art and Art History

Group II: Distribution of widow's inheritance
Landrecht I, 20, 2

Oldenburg 16r

Dresden 9r

Dresden 9v

Wolfenbüttel 15r

Wolfenbüttel 15v

See the label above entitled "Oldenburg Sachsenspiegel" for an explanation of the law and the illustrations. It remains to be pointed out that a comparison with Dresden and Wolfenbüttel continues to give the impression that women fare better in Oldenburg. The monumentality, the imposing dwelling--the text mentions only a "building,"--and the expansive courtyard create an ambience lacking in the others. The fence in Dresden has become an imposing wall, and the building has acquired a watchman. The animals and the shears (O register 2, W register 1, omitted in D) stand for the widow's Morning Gift and her gerade (small domestic household items identified in Group VII). Since Wolfenbüttel is essentially a copy of Dresden, the Wolfenbüttel illustrator seems to know that the animals and shears belong.

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