Thank you. — R.P.
Dear R.P.: Sometimes the information that filters down to us is just incorrect — and this can be very vexing.
The main problem with the central figure in this beautiful brass rubbing is that she is not Rebecca De Mornay, who is an American television and movie actress best known for her roles in "Risky Business" (with Tom Cruise), "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle," "The Trip to Bountiful" and "Backdraft." Instead, it is the image of Sister Marguerite de Scornay, who was elected Abbess of Nievelles in 1443. The abbey itself was founded about A.
D. 639 (or 640 according to one source), with the first abbess being Gertrude, the daughter of Itta and Pippin of Landen. The location was the town of Nievelles, which is located in central Belgium.
Interestingly, the abbess was the ruler of Nievelles and had the right of justice and the making of coinage. The particular image in today's question is sometimes called "Abbess Marguerite (or Margaret) De Scornay and the Dragon" and is the upper third of a large Flemish brass plate that was damaged by bombs in 1940. This particular image is only a fraction of a much larger original that depicts Marguerite being presented to the Virgin Mary and the Christ child by St.
Margaret, Marguerite's patron saint. The symbols of the four Evangelists appear in the corners, and there is a dragon at St. Margaret's feet.
Originally, the background of the brass was enameled red and the heraldry was detailed in enamel colors and gilt. Un.