Love this, Maura! I love Gawain and the Green Knight so appreciate this new-to-me tale. Funnily enough, my post this week is on similar themes - death, memento mori, the cuddliness of Halloween - although from a much sillier perspective!
Thanks George! Of course, it's an Irish story so we must have the tripling of action. 🌀🌀🌀
I love Gawain too, and would like to just talk about that at some point. I had about three (😆) different subjects I could have gone with this time so it was a hard one to pull together properly.
Saints who are depicted carrying their severed heads are collectively known as cephalophores. But mediaeval iconographers never came to a consensus on whether their halos should be shown over their heads (which are being carried), where their heads should have been, or both. St Denis, the patron saint of France, is a top cephalophore.
Hi Eliot, I was in a quandary about what to focus on this time because cephalophores are so interesting and there was a newsletter worth of material just in that. The question of halo placement is a genuine conundrum. I think over the head is best, but it would look eerie suspended over the empty shoulders!
I’m inclined to agree, though the depiction of St Denis on Notre Dame has halo where the head would have been and mitre on the severed and carried head, which is… one approach.
I see the logic: each 'space' gets an item! I can just imagine a committee being tasked with settling this issue and having long heated ecclesiastical debates on the matter.
Love this, Maura! I love Gawain and the Green Knight so appreciate this new-to-me tale. Funnily enough, my post this week is on similar themes - death, memento mori, the cuddliness of Halloween - although from a much sillier perspective!
Thanks George! Of course, it's an Irish story so we must have the tripling of action. 🌀🌀🌀
I love Gawain too, and would like to just talk about that at some point. I had about three (😆) different subjects I could have gone with this time so it was a hard one to pull together properly.
Well it came together great! Three is the magic number ;)
Saints who are depicted carrying their severed heads are collectively known as cephalophores. But mediaeval iconographers never came to a consensus on whether their halos should be shown over their heads (which are being carried), where their heads should have been, or both. St Denis, the patron saint of France, is a top cephalophore.
Hi Eliot, I was in a quandary about what to focus on this time because cephalophores are so interesting and there was a newsletter worth of material just in that. The question of halo placement is a genuine conundrum. I think over the head is best, but it would look eerie suspended over the empty shoulders!
All respect to St Denis!
I’m inclined to agree, though the depiction of St Denis on Notre Dame has halo where the head would have been and mitre on the severed and carried head, which is… one approach.
I see the logic: each 'space' gets an item! I can just imagine a committee being tasked with settling this issue and having long heated ecclesiastical debates on the matter.
“Brother Anselm, you’re doing stumps this week. Brother Augustine, you take halos.”
Greatly enjoyed this, Maura - not least because I read it just after making a life-size floating ghost carrying its own head! :D
Thanks Sarah, and I hope I get to see pictures of the headless ghost!