medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>From: "Cormack, Margaret Jean" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: tiny statues of saints
> I wonder if anyone knows of studies, exhibitions,
etc. of
>small (5 cm. or 2 inch tall) statuettes of saints,
which were mass->produced in the low countries (and
probably elsewhere) in the late >Middle Ages (and
perhaps earlier?) It has occurred to me that I have
>no idea of the context for such items. Extrapolating
backwards from >the present day, I can imagine that
people may have carried them >around as amulets, or
perhaps kept them in their rooms for purposes >of
devotion or protection; it seems unlikely that they
would have >been found on altars in churches or
chapels (except perhaps for >extremely poor ones, as
the case I am considering may have been). I >did
wonder, however, whether one might make an offering of
such a >small image of the saint to the saint who had
responded to a vow (in >which case one might find lots
of them in a single location, as ex->votos.) Does
anyone know of any studies of such objects?=20
>Thanks in advance,
I don't know about the medieval, but these things are
still made. I have a St James which I brought back
from Compostela, santon-sized and terminally cute with
his pilgrim hat and staff. That is one possible
function-- an image bought at the saint's own shrine
must surely have extra properties, and anyway it makes
a nice souvenir. I brought several back for friends...
Pat
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