In respect to the observation of the change in style of the depiction of
the Madonna and Child in paintings dated 1200-1700, the same kind of changes
can be seen in the chancel crosses in the village churches in Denmark.
Briefly, in the Romanesque period, the figure of Christ is somewhat
elongated, and formal. The loincloth falls to the knees. In the Gothic the
figure is more realistic, showing stress. From the Transitional Period to
the Late Gothic, the loincloth became shorter and shorter. In the
Renaissance and Baroque Periods, the figure became idealized and "beautiful"
. In these styles the loincloth became even briefer, barely covering the
genitals. In addition, the end of the loincloth became decorative, shown in
the shape and form of a fabric caught in a breeze. In at least one
representation, these ends became about 2-3 three feet long, suspended by
wires from the bar of the cross.
Pictures of these roods can be seen in Danmarks kirker , published by the
National Museum in Copenhagen. This publication is available at Princeton,
Columbia, the New York Public Library and several other university libraries
in the US and Canada.
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