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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture

I would say that they're atlantes (pl. of "atlas"), i.e. male figures holding up either the heavens (as in the ancient mythological figure Atlas) or, in architecture, some structural or other members.  Some medieval examples from architectural ornament:

a) on this capital from Mozac:
b) on the trumeau of the south portal at Beaulieu:
c) on this capital in the église Saint-Révérien in Saint-Révérien (Nièvre):

In the iconography of Christian scripture they're often converted into angels, as in
aa) the cupola mosaic of the basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna:
bb) the Ascension fresco in St. Sophia in Ohrid:
cc) the central mosaic in the Ascension cupola in San Marco in Venice:
dd) the underside of the architrave on the Porta dei Principi of the cathedral of Modena:
http://www.mumbleduepunti.it/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Porta_dei_principi.jpg

But here the author is pagan and the context is secular, so classical figures are more appropriate.

Best,
John Dillon

From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious culture <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Richard Legault <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 2016 2:03 PM
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Subject: [M-R] Shouldering the Cosmos
 
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture

Can anyone say or hazard a guess as to who or what the four giant male figures might be or represent in the image linked below? Does the text provide any clues? Do two look tonsured? The short 'skirts' and bare knees don't seem very monkish to me. Has the fellow in the top right had his tattooed forearms inked over?

Commentarii in Somnium Scipionis by Macrobius Ambrosius Theodosius (copied by anonymous scribe, Parchment, 50 ff.; 23.9 × 14 cm; ca. 1150, Southern France ?) The Cosmos, the earth in the centre, surrounded by the seven planets within the zodiacal signs, carried on the shoulders of four giant male figures (Barker-Benfield no. 1) Copenhagen, Det Kongelige Bibliotek, ms. NKS 218 4°, Folio 25 recto.

See: http://base.kb.dk/manus_pub/cv/manus/ManusPage.xsql?nnoc=manus_pub&p_ManusId=33&p_PageNo=25%20recto&p_Lang=alt

Richard J Legault
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