Photos, videos and docs of Martin M. Miles, with the keywords: "romain"

Chalon-sur-Saône - Cathedral

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 13:02:18 +0000

This capital in the cathedral is totally different in style compared to the previous one, that I connected to Autun. This seems to be much older - and primitive. It depicts a "master of the beasts" - feeding two gigantic chimeras.

Autun - Cathédrale Saint-Lazare

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:37:30 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

There had been a church here earlier, that was just too small, when Autun became a centre of pilgrimage, after relics of St. Lazarus were kept here since about 970. Just like Vezelay, only 90kms north, where the relics of St. Lazarus´ sister St. Maria Magdalena were kept at that time. So in 1120, it was decided to construct this larger and more suitable cathedral. At that time this construction was influenced by Cluny III, that was a little older. After severe damage during the Hundred Years' War, rebuilding and remodelling the romanesque structure started. The central nave never changed - and the many carved capitals.

Some of these works were taken down, during the renovation by Viollet-le-Duc and are now shown in the "Salle Capitulaire", where it is interesting to see the carvings at eye level.

This carved capital depicts the Ark, being boarded by Noah´s extended family - and all the animals, that should be saved from the flood. Noah (seen in the top window) has placed the Ark on top of a wooded mountain, so there would be a little more time before the waves would carry the Ark away. Two animals look out of the central window. The Ark seems to be a woven or braided house- or basketlike boat. The carving is very symmetrical. The ark is very small, same like the mountain, but as symbols, they are clearly recognisable.

Wissembourg - Saint-Ulrich d'Altenstadt

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 13:42:55 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The former village Altenstadt is now part of Wissembourg. The church St. Ulrich is on the graveyard, a place that was fortified in medieval times. The church was built over the ruins of a roman temple and was dedicated to Martin from Tour originally.
The building was constructed during the 11th century. The tower, with some nice blind arcades, was added 100 years later. Dating back about a thousand years, makes the little church to one of the oldest existing in the Alsace.

Wissembourg - Saint-Ulrich d'Altenstadt

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 13:56:10 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The village Altenstadt is now part of Wissembourg. The church St. Ulrich was built over the ruins of a roman temple. The building was constructed during the 11th/12th century, is one of the oldest existing churches in the Alsace. Here, seen from the back, one major change is visible. The original church ended at the fifth window, but was enlarged later. The sacristy in front of the semicircular choir was added within the 20th century.

Wissembourg - Saint-Ulrich d'Altenstadt

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 23:00:56 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The church St. Ulrich in Altenstadt (now part of Wissembourg) was built over the ruins of a roman temple within the 11th/12th century.

Here the portal with it´s tympanon and lintel. The tympanon depicts an "Agnus Dei" carved into a yellowish stone.

The reddish lintel below is rough, but very delicate. There are seven medaillons. The hand of God in the middle, two sheep ( = Peter and Paul) on the sides. Followed by complex symmetrical floral ornaments and kind of carolingian knots - on both sides. All seven medaillons are embedded into a floral layout. Robert Will in "Alsace romane" (Zodiaque) describes this as a kind of carved "embroidery". Well, actually he believes that the "master" of this carving was a coptic (!) embroidery.

The inscription on top of the lintel is cryptic. Before entering this church Luithard, abbot in Wissembourg 1002 - 1023, should be asked, - but this church never belonged to the abbey. It was a parish church from the very beginning.

Wissembourg - Saint-Ulrich d'Altenstadt

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 23:51:13 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The church St. Ulrich in Altenstadt (now part of Wissembourg) was built over the ruins of a roman temple within the 11th/12th century.

Standing in the the central nave, looking towards the choir. This is a classical basilica, with a higher nave - and two lower aisles on the sides, separated by rectangular pillars. The church was never vaulted, but has a flat wooden ceiling, which got just renewed. The choir, added in the 15th century,
has a gothic vault.

Sélestat - Sainte-Foy

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 17:32:55 +0000

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Sélestat - Sainte-Foy

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 17:17:06 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Sélestat - Sainte-Foy

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 14:49:48 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Sélestat was probably not more than a village, when Charlemagne stayed here over Christmas 775. Strange enough, that nowadays Sélestat claims to be the place of origin of the christmas-tree, based on an invoice from 1521. All this has nothing to do with Sainte Foy seen here.

The "Église Sainte-Foy de Sélestat" was built in only 10 years between 1170 and 1180, succeeding an earlier ("Holy Sepulcre")church from around 1085 built by Hildegard von Egisheim. Of this church only the rectangular crypt (and some carvings) remained. Hildegard´s grandson Frederick I Barbarossa funded the construction of the new church, that was the center of a benedictine monastery, affiliated to the abbey St. Foy in Conques.

The western facade (westwork), seen here, was (is?) disputed. The whole building had undergone a major reconstruction, as it was changed a lot in the 17th century. It got rebuilt to the romanesque layout within the 19th century. The two high towers dominating the facade today may in medieval times not have existed in this way.

Well, I had been here just 3 months before, but now, I had new literature and the light had changed. So I took many photos again. Here is the link to the older photo:

www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/4930539570/

Sélestat - Sainte-Foy

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 17:41:25 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Sélestat - Sainte-Foy

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:46:28 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The "Église Sainte-Foy de Sélestat" was built in only 10 years between 1170 and 1180, succeeding an earlier ("Holy Sepulcre")church from around 1085 built by Hildegard von Egisheim. Of this church only the crypt and some carvings remained. Hildegard´s famous grandson Frederick I Barbarossa funded the construction of this new church, that was the center of a benedictine monastery, affiliated to the abbey St. Foy in Conques.

Outside all around the main and the right apse runs a lombard band with carved capitals, Under the roofs here are corbels. I had taken (and uploaded) some photos of these capitals already three months ago, but there are more...

A very untypical "master of the beasts". The man is on his knees, the lower legs bend to the sides (don´t try that!). He holds two chimares (or dragons) with his hands. The giant chimares have snake-like bodies and a lion-like heads. Though the seem to have his lower legs in their mouths, the chimares seem to grin. The master, who controls them, seems to be very stoic.

Sélestat - Sainte-Foy

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 23:06:03 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The "Église Sainte-Foy de Sélestat" was built in only 10 years between 1170 and 1180, succeeding an earlier ("Holy Sepulcre")church from around 1085 built by Hildegard von Egisheim. Of this church only the rectangular crypt (and some carvings) remained. Hildegard´s famous grandson Frederick I Barbarossa funded the construction of this new church, that was the center of a benedictine monastery, affiliated to the abbey St. Foy in Conques.

Between 1615 and 1767 Sainte-Foy was a Jesuit college. The jesuits prefered the baroque style and so changed a lot in and around the building. Most of that was erased during the reconstruction in the 1890s. All the carvings on the south side are from this baroque time.

Here is a pig. Probably a pretty realistic one. Three hundred years ago, pigs looked different. These pigs were smaller, less fat and had longer legs and a much longer tail.

Rosheim - Saints-Pierre-et-Paul

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:44:43 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Rosheim - Saints-Pierre-et-Paul

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 11:22:27 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Rosheim - Saints-Pierre-et-Paul

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 20:11:55 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Rosheim - Saints-Pierre-et-Paul

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 10:18:35 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

he construction of the "Église Saints-Pierre-et-Paul" started around 1150. The church is known for the carvings. Though some of these got damaged during the French Revolution, most of them are still in place. Size and the quality of some of them is really breathtaking.

Up on the roof, there is a group of man-eating lions. The giant lions look all the same, but the men all slightly differ. It looks, like all men cower in front of the lions and wait, to get bitten in their heads. The sculpture "freezes" exactly the moment, before the very first bite. The moment, before the suffering. These "pairs" of men and lions are placed on the corners of the gables. On top of the gabel stands an eagle. There - on the very top - is no suffering. There is triumph, symbolized by the eagle. -

Here the victim has no beard, nor is it naked. It wears a long pleated kind of shirt - and may depict a woman. It is standing on his toes. The lion´s claws are already in the shoulder.

Rosheim - Saints-Pierre-et-Paul

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 00:14:22 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The construction of the "Église Saints-Pierre-et-Paul" started around 1150. The church is known for the carvings. Though some of these got damaged during the French Revolution, most of them are still in place. Size and the quality of some of them is really breathtaking.

Up on the roof, there is a group of man-eating lions. The giant lions all lokk the same, but the men all slightly differ. It looks, like all men cower in front of the lions and wait, to get bitten in their heads. The sculpture "freezes" exactly the moment, before the very first bite. The moment, before the suffering. These "pairs" of men and lions are placed on the corners of the gables. On top of the gabel stands an eagle. There - on the very top - is no suffering. There is triumph, symbolized by the eagle.

Here the has a long beard.

Rosheim - Saints-Pierre-et-Paul

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 17:52:41 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The construction of the "Église Saints-Pierre-et-Paul", using the local pinkish sandstone, started around 1150. The gothic-style crossing tower was added around 1300. The basilica-sytle church has the classical layout of a latin cross and is known for the carvings. Though some of these got damaged during the French Revolution, most of them are still in place.

Size and the quality of some of them is really breathtaking. The architecture of this church is sometimes compared with a medieaval reliquary-shrine - and there are analogies indeed, but I see parallels as well to churches in the Lombardy.

When in 1622 a troop of mercenaries led by Peter von Mansfeld burnt down the whole village of Rosheim, this building was the only one, that survived. A legends tell, that it was defended by angels.

-

On the left the chin-pullers, seen before. Thanks to Paula I found this links about medieval beard-pullers.

www.beyond-the-pale.org.uk/beardpullers.htm

Anthony Weir has the theory, that beard-pulling is a metaphor of masturbation. Wel, could be...
If Mr. Weir is right, it may be interesting the the carving of the two chin-pullers is placed prominently on the corner - and the chin-pullers are via the arcade connected to more male heads. All have the same physiognomy, the same expression - and the same moustache. That is worth another thought. When all men here look the same - then all men may be the same sinners.

.. and on the other side of the church is a very nice mermaid!

www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/5388244363/

Rosheim - Saints-Pierre-et-Paul

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 22:14:37 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The construction of the "Église Saints-Pierre-et-Paul", using the local pinkish sandstone, started around 1150. The gothic-style crossing tower was added around 1300. The basilica-sytle church has the classical layout of a latin cross and is known for the carvings. Though some of these got damaged during the French Revolution, most of them are still in place.

Size and the quality of some of them is really breathtaking. The architecture of this church is sometimes compared with a medieaval reliquary-shrine - and there are analogies indeed, but I see parallels as well to churches in the Lombardy.

When in 1622 a troop of mercenaries led by Peter von Mansfeld burnt down the whole village of Rosheim, this building was the only one, that survived. A legends tell, that it was defended by angels.

-

I wrote this when I uploaded photos I took in in autumn 2010. Now in spring 2011 I just had to return to Rosheim - and the see same church again under a different light. This time I had more time and so I found some details I had not seen before.

-

There is a certain type of male couples in medieval art, called "beardpullers" as that is what they normally do. These two gentlemen, having parted their long hair nicely down the middle, wear elegant moustaches, so the "traditional" beard-pulling is not possible for them. So they become "chin-pullers".
The head of the right person is larger. They seem very static. The pulling seems to be a ritual or are they just waiting patiently in this specific gesture for the carver to finish his work. I am sure, that there is a certain meaning in beard- or chin-pulling, but so far I have no clue.

Rosheim - Saints-Pierre-et-Paul

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 10:50:15 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The construction of the "Église Saints-Pierre-et-Paul", using the local pinkish sandstone, started around 1150. The gothic-style crossing tower was added around 1300. The basilica-sytle church has the classical layout of a latin cross and is known for the carvings. Though some of these got damaged during the French Revolution, most of them are still in place.

Size and the quality of some of them is really breathtaking. The architecture of this church is sometimes compared with a medieaval reliquary-shrine - and there are analogies indeed, but I see parallels as well to churches in the Lombardy.

When in 1622 a troop of mercenaries led by Peter von Mansfeld burnt down the whole village of Rosheim, this building was the only one, that survived. A legends tell, that it was defended by angels.

-

Another carving from the outside walls. Mythological centaurs are a composite race of creatures, part human and part horse. Normally.

Here the artist combined more parts. The upper body is human, the front of the lower body originates from a horse - the rear part from a snake. ending in a tail that bears leafs.
Running around for this guy, balancing on only two feet, must have been quite a challenge.