Spectrum of Desire: Love, Sex, and Gender in the Middle Ages

by Melanie Holcomb, Bryan Keene (contributor), Clovis Maillet (contributor)

144 pages, Paperback

Published October 14, 2025

About the author

Melanie Holcomb is curator in the Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters, The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Reviews

[Christien]

Gives a good overview of queer medieval art history in general, even if it stays a bit on the surface sometimes.

[sofia]

This collection of essays and art analysis does a great job delving into medieval sexuality and gender. It's short (and in turn, sometimes cursory), but everything presented is incredibly interesting. I want more. I support queering the narrative, and it's message still bears universality. It reminds us that for everyone there truly is no defense against desire.

[Anna C]

Queering the Middle Ages!

[Patti Morgan]

The only drawback to this exhibition catalogue is that I was not able to visit the exhibit.
I wish I was able to see the art and artifacts in person - I believe it would have assisted me with some content in it.

It did shed light on the norms and mores of the Middle Ages and the ambiguity of gender and sexual roles.

I recommend this book to those interested in the time period and how love, gender, and sex has changed "or not" since then.

[Jessica]

Desire can -- and sometimes must -- create its own time.