According to Professor Timmers, Christelijke symboliek en iconografie (Haarlem 1981) the dragon in the bible stands for the abominable error of heathendom. During the middle ages it became a symbol of evil in general and is identified with the devil. So as a religious symbol it is wholly bad. Byzantium as well as Celtic Britain, however, use the dragon/wyvern as symbols of power, usually in the shape of battle standards, which IMO goes back to Roman ensigns. Christ is AFAIK never identifies with dragons, except for trampling one under one foot, while the other tramples a lion. So what these wyverns are doing on the façade of a Swiss church beats me. Maybe they just fill up the spaces next to the arch, just like they do in manuscripts.
Henk
Van: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious culture [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Namens Paul Chandler
Verzonden: maandag 20 december 2010 12:09
Aan: [log in to unmask]
Onderwerp: Re: [M-R] saints of the day 20. December
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
In that case, Henk, would the wyverns here stand for the royal power of Christ, who is depicted enthroned in majesty in the tympanum below? Or are they devil- or hell-symbols designed to call the last Judgment to mind? I can't recall seeing another composition quite like this portal. -- Paul
On 20 December 2010 20:26, Henk <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Looks 11th c to me. Yes, they are wyverns: two-legged dragons. But according to Rodney Dennys the four-legged dragon only appears around 1400 and only then the difference needed a new name, which only got introduced during the 16th c. The name wyvre or wyver was used before that however; it already appears as a name for serpents in early 14th c rolls of arms. Basically dragons were seen als evil creataures, but they also stood for royal or imperial power.
Henk
Van: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious culture [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Namens Paul Chandler
Verzonden: maandag 20 december 2010 10:50
Aan: [log in to unmask]
Onderwerp: Re: [M-R] saints of the day 20. December
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Beautiful colouring on this portal, John:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Saint-Ursanne_Kirche_Suedportal.jpg
Is there any way of knowing how old the painting is? I'm also wondering about the symbolism of the wyverns (is that what they are?) in their position in the iconographical scheme of this portal. Are they good critters or bad? -- Paul
--
Paul Chandler, O.Carm.
Holy Spirit Seminary | PO Box 18 (487 Earnshaw Road) | Banyo Qld 4014 | Australia
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