I Have Something Good to Say about Religion

[xSilverPhinx]

The West wall of Deerhurst, Gloucestershire.  Dates to well before 800.  The arches of the side-aisles were put in around 1300.

The incredible sense of sheer age weighs down on you in these places.

Quite the heritage. Art or no, that sense of continuity throughout time is really something amazing in its own right.

I agree with Crow, it doesn't have to be of a Christian religious nature (let's not forget who the main patrons of art were in the middle ages before saying that artists were necessarily inspired to do religious artwork...many will find the inspiration to pain or sculpt whatever their patrons want them too).

What about places such as Stonehenge, for instance? 

[Crow]

(...many will find the inspiration to pain or sculpt whatever their patrons want them too).

The period of architecture that Old Git likes (Romanesque) is notorious for featuring sculptures of pagan gods such as the green man. Usually in the periods of change the style stays the same and new elements get incorporated, catholic art is a prime example; its basically taking the art of what was popular in Rome which itself was a version of art from Ancient Greece but incorporating elements that was found in Christian art before the catholic church was properly formed, the styles foundation is from the pantheon of Aphrodite (venus) and Zeus (Jupiter).

[xSilverPhinx]

Kind of ironic too that after the renaissance Ancient Greek and Roman ideas of anthropocentrism were reincorporated into art, religious included. No signs of medieval artists really bothering about that...

[Sandra Craft]

The period of architecture that Old Git likes (Romanesque) is notorious for featuring sculptures of pagan gods such as the green man.

I was looking for sheila-na-gigs (I think that's what they're called) in the arch of the door, but my eyesights not good enough to pick anything out.

[OldGit]

The period of architecture that Old Git likes (Romanesque) is notorious for featuring sculptures of pagan gods such as the green man.

I was looking for sheila-na-gigs (I think that's what they're called) in the arch of the door, but my eyesights not good enough to pick anything out.

Here's a Sheela na gig from the corbel table of that same church (none on the door, sorry!):




There's a lovely green man at the right-hand end of the arch on the Kilpeck doorway picture.

NB, Crow, the green man didn't by any means die out after the Romanesque period.  Here's a 15th century one on a Misericord at Ludlow:

[Crow]

NB, Crow, the green man didn't by any means die out after the Romanesque period.  Here's a 15th century one on a Misericord at Ludlow:

The Romanesque period just has more examples that's all.

The old folklore existed for donkeys years even whilst Christianity was so strong, just look at the murder of Bridget Cleary in 1895. In almost every case the folklore has been absorbed into the church, It's also what people usually still celebrate at various times of the year that are attributed to Christianity in the UK, they really are pagan and have no christian meaning at all.

[Sandra Craft]

Here's a Sheela na gig from the corbel table of that same church (none on the door, sorry!):


There's a lovely green man at the right-hand end of the arch on the Kilpeck doorway picture.

The persistence of old religions thru the new ones supposedly replacing them always amazes me.  I don't know why -- humans are such creatures of habit that it would make more sense that it's inevitable.

[OldGit]

The Romanesque period just has more examples that's all.

You're quite right.  In general, the use of grotesques dies right out at the end of the Norman period, but the green man goes on and on.  Seems to be the Reformation that killed it.

Great coincidence: I was in Brecon this morning and had a look in the cathedral.  Guess what's on the font (ca. 1100)?



Now I've seen many a font with grotesques and I've seen many a green man, but this is the first time I've ever seen both together.

[Harmonie]

I agree. The art is gorgeous. I also love the ancient churches and cathedrals. It's most likely just that I have an strange fascination with the architectural styles of Europe from the 1700s and before. I just can't leave out churches and cathedrals because I don't like the organization associated with them. They are some of the most beautiful (architecturally, of course!) structures ever created, if you ask me.

On a very closely related note, I also have found myself fascinated with Renaissance choral music. It was written directly for the church, and even with words from the Bible. I'm not sure if this particular piece is sacred, but either way it is very powerful stuff (and I do very frequently listen to pieces that I know are sacred).

[OldGit]

Agreed on both counts - the architecture and the music.

Mrs Git and I are what they call 'church crawlers' - we're lovers of mediaeval architecture, and of the specimens one can go and look at, almost all are churches.  As Crow spotted, the Romanesque is our favourite, especially the few bits left from before the Norman Conquest.  We've done many courses on church architecture and have friends on the Diocesan structures team.

I just can't leave out churches and cathedrals because I don't like the organization associated with them. They are some of the most beautiful (architecturally, of course!) structures ever created, if you ask me.

Exactly.

I don't claim any expertise in the music, but I love Byrd and Tallis and suchlike.  Yes, IMO Spem In Alium counts as sacred music, BTW.