Radford art professor dives into princess culture in public radio interview

Radford University Professor of Art Carlee Bradbury recently spoke about the history and misconceptions of princess culture in an interview with the public radio program "With Good Reason."

Bradbury, an art historian, spoke to show host Alison Quantz about a variety of topics that are prominent in the professor's research into the princess realm, including the commonalities between Sleeping Beauty and real medieval princesses; the perceived dangers of spinning wheels; and books of hours, or prayer books for a princess.

Bradbury's interview appears in the "With Good Reason" show titled "I'm Just a Girl" and is airing on the program's affiliate stations through Friday, Oct. 10. The show also can be heard on the "With Good Reason " website or your favorite podcast app.

Bradbury's research focuses on the Middle Ages, concentrating on gender, book culture, textiles and monsters. In her conversation with Quantz, Bradbury said princess culture "goes way back," and explained that medieval princesses were far wiser than how they are often portrayed in modern storytelling.

"If Sleeping Beauty, for example, had been more historically accurate, she would have been extremely savvy; she probably would have known how to spin on a spinning wheel," Bradbury explained. "She probably would have approached the spinning wheel and said, 'This isn't going to hurt me, Maleficent. Pick another day.'"

The "With Good Reason" radio program is produced by Virginia Humanities for the Virginia Higher Education Broadcasting Consortium, which comprises all of Virginia's public colleges and universities.

The award-winning program is heard by an estimated 100,000 people each week on public radio stations in 33 states, including Virginia and Washington, D.C. Thousands more download the episodes via iTunes.