medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Hi, Tom,
Greek and Roman statues certainly were painted -- bright colors, too.
All colors had meaning. So did the number of stripes on a garment. (1
senior apprentice; 2 journeyman; 3 master.) Black was for law; I have
to suppress a giggle when I see a lawyer in court with his three
black stripes on his black sleeves. Master of Law, indeed!
White (as I think every one knows) meant purity. Also, when they
talked about the colors of music, they meant it. David as "The"
Psalmist usually has four pairs (grand master) of red and yellow
stripes on his sleeves in illustrations -- Red was F and Yellow was
C. And, of course, there's always the colorful Boethius MSS (not to
mention the rainbow display of the robes of a Doctor of Music... can
blind you in the sunlight -- many are made of satin.)
I have to get back to work,
Thanks for a fun thread.
Rochelle
>medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
>Ancient Greek & Roman states were painted too. I read somewhere
>that Lord Duveen had traces of paint removed from the Elgin Marbes
>to make them fit aesthetic ideas more rooted in German scholarship
>of the 19th century than actual Greek tastes.
>Something to remember too is that there were certain colors attached
>to nobility. A paper I attended at Leeds this past summer noted
>that early law codes treated red and green as colors belonging to
>the nobility.
>That may explain why my councils and synods told the clergy not to
>wear those colors on the street.
>
>Tom Izbicki
>
>George FERZOCO wrote:
>>medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>>
>>Thanks very much to everyone who has contributed answers and ideas
>>in reaction to my original query.
>>
>>Given that a great many statues and churches, were painted in the
>>Middle Ages, I think that Christopher's comment re Amiens having
>>been 'breathtakingly bad in its garishness' is more a comment on
>>one aspect of our modern-day 'refined' taste than on tastes
>>prevalent in the medieval period.
>>
>>Some of us spend a lifetime studying works of medieval art or
>>architecture as we see them today, moved largely because we think
>>they are beautiful; it is very important that thanks to sites like
>>the one on Amiens cathedral that John shared with us, we can see
>>better the real medieval aesthetic.
>>
>>And if it be considered garish, so be it; but let it be known to
>>us, whatever it be.
>>
>>Thanks again to all who have shared their information and opinions
>>-- much appreciated!
>>
>>George
>>
>>--
>>George FERZOCO
>>[log in to unmask]
>>
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