medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
----- Original Message -----
>Is there some reason I'm not grasping for identifying
these cloaked figures as monks? I would not have made
the connection had you not identified them as such.
Well, as I said in my original query, Erich and Merlini (among others?
I don't know...) identified this figure as the devil trying to fool Christ
by disguising himself as a monk.
>Is it possible these temptors are just wearing cloaks?
I think that Luther identifying the image as a devilish monk allows us
to agree with Erich/Merlini
>If indeed this is the devil depicted in disguise, that
is a fairly common medieval practice.
Of course, the devil is polymorphic
>I particularly like the message conveyed by the Eve-faced serpent in the
Garden of Eden.
Some months ago there was a discussion on this iconography (I can't
remember if it was in this list), and Professor Frances Gussenhoven quoted
the possible source for this motif: "Elegit etiam quoddam genus serpentis,
ut ait Beda, virginem vultum habens, quia similia similibus applaudunt" (P.
Comestor, _Historia Scholastica_, 21). (see now. J. I. Gonzalez Montaņes,
_Drama e iconografia en el arte medieval peninsular (siglos XI-XV), Ph.
Diss., Madrid, 2002)
What I am trying to find is a source for the monk motif (maybe some
play?). Erich states
that this iconography appeared in the 14th century, but I think there are
earlier examples.
Thanks for your comments,
Best Regards
Carlos
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