engleski

Layers and meanings of materialities: evidence from monumental crosses

The present paper sets out to explore the response to devotional objects that were “mixed” in regard to their mediums, that is, that were both painted, sculpted, and contained prominent lettering as well as painted textiles. By scrutinising a number of twelfth- and thirteenth- century works of monumental size, mostly crosses, my intention is to grasp the various potencies of their constituent “parts”: the devotional resonance of rimmed verses, the implications of relief works in the late medieval art, and to reflect upon the liturgical connotations of the textiles. Aim that is more general is to understand the hierarchy of mediums and materials in certain forms of devotional art (crucifixes in particular), more prominently the use of precious materials in creating the most venerable images. In trying to answer these questions, one can not only understand better the “materialites” of these objects, but as well gain new insight in devotional practices they instigated. The paper will thus argue that the varietas of the “middling” objects that will be analysed was foremost a strategy of imbuing them with various liturgical and devotional meanings.

monumental crosses ; inscriptions ; painted panel ; medieval devotion to crosses ; prayers

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