medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Chris Daniell <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Mu guess is that the bones are undergoing trial by fire - ie they are being
tested for their holiness.
>I read the picture as - top centre - hermit receiving alms (probably the
bones are that of a hermit) Then zig-zagging down - burial of holy person,
rediscovery of the tomb, testing the bones by fire, bottom right the group are
pronuncing on the verdict or overseeing the procedure
>http://www.kfki.hu/~arthp/art/g/geertgen/bones.jpg
happily unemcumbered by any actual knowledge of this painting (which strikes
me as being very good), this sounds like a definite possibility, to me.
the burial scene in the upper left is reminescent of a Burial of Christ (but,
then, all burial scenes look alike, more or less), complete with a Joseph of
Aramathia figure directing things.
and in the upper right, a procession comes out of the city gate to greet the
newly-found (and tested) relics (being held within a white cloth by the
clerics who "discovered" them, in the lower left.
from the exotic headgear of some of the fellows in the lower right scene, i'd
say that it's possible that these events (which were surely not contemporary
with the painting) took place somewhere in the East.
also of possible significance is the lack of any pointed arches in the
architecture of the city and the rather "romanesque" look of that large tower
--Flemish painting frequently "dated" events by using pre-gothic architectural
forms.
note also that the black-cloaked figures in the "discovery" group (middle
left) all have a Maltese cross on their cloaks, as do all the black-cloaked
figures in the procession (upper right).
some "inventio" and "translatio" of a saint/hermit associated with the early
history of the Order, perhaps?
c
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