medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
From: Diana Wright <[log in to unmask]>
> I need some help as seeing this as the BVM.
http://www.geocities.com/cdesastre20008/DSCN4210.JPG
well, mostly it's a matter of it being a familiar "Sedes Sapientia" type,
frontal, axial.
otherwise it's just some lady (wearing a dress), with a cruciform halo,
holding a Christ child on her lap.
Zarnecki suggests an influence from the "Throne of Wisdom" wooden sculptures
of the French Auvergne, but i think that there's no need to go that far afield
--surely there were thousands of examples in England, most all of which have
not survived.
>Ears poking out?
it's a Cultural thing.
kinky.
the English have always been Big on Ears.
just look at the present Prince Charlie.
>The chin?
and weak chins.
> The right hand looks like it is held to represent the Trinity, thumb holding
down 1st finger so only 3 stick up.
yes, that's what i was "reading" at first, and called it a very unusual
_mudra_.
but Zarnecki's color plate is much clearer and you can see that she is holding
a round, coin-like (or broach-like) object between her thumb and her bent-down
index finger.
not unusual for her to hold something like that, i think.
>I don't see a small round object.
if you enlarge the image to its full size (put the cursor on it and then click
on the little "arrows" icon which appears in the lower right corner), you can
"read" the fingers that way, if you try hard and really, really want to.
Faith Before Reason.
Zarnecki also mentions the unusual "mandorala" behind the Virgin and suggests
that it is the back of the throne she is seated on (some kind of
wickerwork??).
but i don't know whether i can swallow that one --though, taken together with
the *very* unusual cruciform halo she's got (alas, mostly cropped out in
Carlos' .jpg), there may be some intent on the pious sculptor's part to
conflate throne and mandorla to enhance Our Lady's stature.
the church was dedicated to the BVM.
c
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
|