medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
I can't answer the original question about chrism and salt, but I
think I can answer Christopher's additional question:
from memory, there's a chain and (sort of) pulley so the cover can be
lifted.
Ufford is an amazing church - somehow the locals "persuaded" William
Dowsing, who was commissioned to destroy papist images in East Anglian
churches in the 1640s (following the Civil War), to leave many of the
images unharmed.
The font cover itself dates from about 1450. It is 18 feet tall,
richly carved with pinnacles and niches containing images of saints.
On the top is a pelican, pecking at her breast. Even Dowsing
commented on the font cover: ‘There is a glorious cover over the
font, like a pope’s triple crown, with a peilican at the top, picking
her breast, all gilt over with gold.’ Yet despite this obvious
connexion with papism, ‘the hand of the would-be destroyer seems to
have paused. The cover was spared (so the iconoclast probably went to
Heaven after all)’. I am quoting from the church guide which is
justifiably proud of the treasures of the church. It seems that those
tending the church in the seventeenth century were equally proud:
Dowsing’s original orders to destroy the images of the church were not
carried out, and when Dowsing returned in August of 1644 he was denied
entry by the churchwardens, constable and sexton. He finally got in
and destroyed some of the remaining images - but much remains
including the magnificent font cover.
Cate
On 5 Dec 2012, at 16:37, Christopher Crockett wrote:
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
> culture
>
> a friend sent this to the Medart list, but i doubt if any of the Art
> Hysterians over there will be able to answer it.
>
> a Professional seems to be needed for that.
>
>
> btw, there are some very, very nice other photos of that loverly
> village
> church on the flickr site
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/pikerslanefarm/3971638442/
>
> i'm curious: how was this "cover" removed in order to get at the
> Holy Water?
>
> or, is that an Art Hysterical question...
>
> c
>
> ------ Original Message ------
> Received: Wed, 05 Dec 2012 10:58:02 AM EST
> From: Sarah Blick <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [MEDART] a sacramental question tangential to art
>
> Hello,
>
> I have a sacramental question that is sort of tangential to art, but I
> thought some folks on this list might be able to answer it.
>
> In late medieval England, what was the difference between the water
> used in
> the baptismal font and that set out in the stoup? Does the water in
> the
> font always contain some chrism, but that in the stoup doesn't? What
> role
> does the salt play? Is it added to the water or just given to the
> child?
>
> I have been reading a lot and I am somewhat overwhelmed at the
> information
> and am finding it difficult to separate out the basics. Any help
> would be
> much appreciated!
>
> The artwork to which this question pertains is English late medieval
> font
> covers made to secure the water in baptismal fonts such as the rightly
> famous cover at Ufford in Suffolk.
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/pikerslanefarm/3971638442/
>
> Thanks!
>
> Sarah
>
> Sarah Blick
> Art History, Kenyon College
> Gambier, OH 43022 USA
> [log in to unmask]
> http://peregrinations.kenyon.edu
>
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Cate Gunn
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www.categunn.com
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