medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
From: "Goskar T." <[log in to unmask]>
> Unrelated though not completely disconnected to my work on the symbolism of
peacocks and chalices is what griffons meant to people of the early Middle
Ages in particular. I assume some of the ancient importance continued in some
way, then to take on its role as a symbol of Christ in his double form, half
divine, half man.
i'd be *very* careful ascribing such a "meaning" to a hybrid beast, unless
there were a context which might make that something of an assured certainty
(and i can't, off hand, think of any such context).
knowing virtually nothing about it, i can confidently state that Beastial
Studies (or whatever the subject might be termed) isn't often --but should be
always-- subject to a careful and disciplined reading of a wide variety of
sources, combined with the *consistent* application of a carefully worked out
methodology.
seems to me that there are so many factors which come into play regarding
these more exotic subjects that a "definitive" reading of their "meaning"
might be just about impossible --e.g., the architectural/liturgical context
within the building, any given representation's role in an overall
iconographic program, even a "simple" love of the Exotic, even the "pagan"
Exotic.
a case in point might be St. Bernard's railing against the presence of
"monsters" [what are his words?] in monastic contexts --as i recall, there is
no hint of there being any excuse being allowed for any iconographic "program"
there, just a blanket condemnation of suchlike subject matter in **monastic**
contexts. for Professional reasons, one might perhaps say.
exceptions, of course, are the beasties who appear in the context of Labors of
the Months/Zodiac programs.
the idea of the two peacocks/birds (of whatever type) drinking from the
chalice being associated with marriage is an interesting one --at least (and
perhaps only) as far as the Chartres example goes.
as i mentioned before, it is found in the "narthex" (i put that last in quotes
because there is --no longer-- an eastern wall to this space, though there
once might have been) of the cathedral:
http://tinyurl.com/5ds84y
http://images.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/i/image/image-idx?q1=FCAi2001;rgn1=chartres_dn;sid=d59fb6f5770ac4d56578f971d125b245;size=20;c=chartres;lasttype=simple;view=entry;lastview=thumbnail;subview=detail;cc=chartres;entryid=x-fcai1e200100;viewid=FCAI1E200100.TIF;start=1;resnum=4
http://tinyurl.com/55ejnp
i have a dim memory of the custom being that the "bans" for a marriage were
"published" at the front of churches (at least village churches, at least in
the later m.a.) and, if there were some kind of ceremony attached to this
action, perhaps some kind of iconographic statement at that place would be
appropriate.
however, this would (presumably) not explain the appearance of the motif in
other areas of churches.
nor would it tell us what we are to make of the nearby (just around the corner
of this great tower pier) capital depicting a centaur with a bow saving a
maiden from a be-sworded goat-demon,
http://tinyurl.com/6ytc47
http://images.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/i/image/image-idx?view=entry;cc=chartres;entryid=x-FCSVI1001200
is this simple Male Chauvinism?
or a hint of Marital Strife which the Happy Couple might have to look forward
to?
c
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
|