Corpus Medieval Misericord France: 1 - Hardcover

Block

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 2503512399 ISBN 13: 9782503512396

Publisher: Brepols N.V., 2003

Synopsis

The Corpus of Medieval Misericords (XIII-XXVI) consists of five volumes; the first four focus on the misericords and related choir stall carvings in specific regions of Europe. The fifth includes an extensive iconographic index of themes common to various countries as well as themes that are unique to a single country. Volume I of this series, Medieval Misericords in France, covers approximately 300 churches that still contain gothic misericords with carved figures and narratives inspired by oral traditions suh as proverbs and folk tales, as well as by manuscript marginalia, romanesque capitals, illustrated bibles, engravings, playing cards... A vast portrayal of medieval life - rural activities, urban occupations, conjugal relationships, monastic life -- is displayed in these carvings under the seats of choir stalls along with costumes of the times, town and collegiate architecture, mechanical devices. Puns and rebuses are often intertwined with these themes to produce comic and, to twenty-first century eyes, mysterious puzzles. The global view of misericord carvings, generally ignored in studies of medieval art, is here presented as a multidisciplinary basis for further research by sociologists, historians, archeologists and other medieval scholars. Following volumes include misericords in Iberia, Flemish and borthen Europe, Great Britain.

About this title

Synopsis

Block (emerita, City University of New York), following 30 years of patient research, presents an impressive catalogue of 3287 examples of historiated misericords in France. The catalogue documents the carvings under these small mobile choir seats, which are hinged so they can be raised to provide standing space, revealing the carving beneath. Bloc

Edition details

• Publisher: Brepols N.V.
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 2503512399
• ISBN 13: 9782503512396
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 452