On Tue, 28 Nov 2000, Nancy Bishop wrote:
> The questions that come to my mind are those of setting and audience. By any
> chance were these she-devils in in monasteries?
First of all, thanks for all those who are replying (and keep them coming,
if you have either examples or ideas). Secondly, as far as I know, the
image of the she-devil appears first on Cathedral facades (there is one at
Amiens that dates to about 1230). They appear in two different guises,
though obviously from the same referent. One is the fall with she-serpent
in tree, and the other is beneath Mary's feet, and the two are of course
the same. As to Tom Izbicki's question, I do not know of any examples of
the she-serpent under the Virgin of the Immaculate conception, but that is
by no means meant to suggest that it did not happen. I am particularly
interested in the early examples (13th c). Apparantly, for those of you
who yourself want to follow up, there is a fairly recent article by Nona
Flores (thanks for pointing me to her) in a book of essays (1996) on
animals in the MIddle Ages, which ILL will presently procure for me. And
further ideas, rumination, musings, or other help on this topic gratefully
welcome. Thanks again to everybody.
cecilia gaposchkin
ucb/dartmouth history
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