Medievalism in Manuscripts
March 06, 2026
We appear to be living in a moment of “medievalism.” From Netflix’s extremely loose adaptation of the Decameron, to Chapell Roan’s armor-clad stage craft, to Labubu’s folkloric inspiration, and the popularity of manuscripts in video games, imaginary medieval aesthetics seem to be everywhere at the moment. Medievalist Megan Cook explains that “medievalism refers to any kind of post-medieval recreation, [or] imaginative engagement with the Middle Ages.” Roan’s costumes and Labubus might be examples of what Cook even calls “dirtbag medievalism,” but it turns out that medievalism has enjoyed regular cycles of popularity since almost the Middle Ages itself and in culture from highest to low.
