medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
I believe someone already mentioned an allegorical alternative, and that actually fits with one of the classical "models" for the Christian image of an angel, namely a winged personification of Victory, which, in distinction to angels per se, was usually female. This would also fit both the neo-classically inclined tastes of the 18th century, and the immediate context, i.e. victory over death. Winged female victory figures, in fact, often figured in Roman funerary imagery. Much more recent is the skeleton used as a personification of death, which dates back only to the "macabre" 14th or 15th century. The topos of trampling to signify victory, however, can probably be traced back more or less directly to Prudentius' Psychomachia.
Cheers,
Jim
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From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious culture [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of John Briggs [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: February 2, 2015 9:49 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [M-R] Female Angels?
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
I apologise in advance that this is not medieval, but it does relate
to the perennial question "When did angels become female?" (My
provisional answer is in the 19th century, but after the
Pre-Raphaelites.) It is usually assumed that angels are sexless (or at
least pre-pubertal) and male-gendered. I am therefore puzzled by a
marble monument in Sherborne church, Gloucestershire, to James Lenox
Dutton (d.1776) and his wife, sculpted by Richard Westmacott the Elder
in 1791, where a winged female figure is treading (possibly
inadvertently) on an angry-looking skeleton in front of an urn and a
bas-relief medallion depicting the deceased. This is usually described
as "An Angel trampling on Death" - but the figure has one breast
exposed, which is rather unangelic, and if male would indicate
gynecomastia. I think the figure must be an allegorical
personification, but can't decide what is depicted. Could it be Fame,
Victory, History, Life or Love?
--
John Briggs
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