Symbolism of Medieval Art

Le Dragon présenté comme métaphore des démons intérieurs partage en fait cette interprétation symbolique avec tous les autres monstres imaginés au Moyen Âge, et il est indissociable d’eux.  Néanmoins il occupe à cet égard une place privilégiée, comme nous tenterons de le démontrer ici.

The study aims to provide a historical review of the onset and modification of a new philological discipline of an integrative type, i.e. cognitive poetics, also known as cognitive stylistics in some research. Scientific novelty lies in taking a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach to the interpretation of the term “poetics” (which is currently being analysed in the cognitive light); the science, as has been verified, follows
in the footsteps of Aristotelian poetics, borrows certain tenets from the Russian Formalism school of thought and Structural Linguistics and achieves relative completion in the works of cognitive poeticians M. Freeman, P. Stockwell, J. Gavins, E. Semino and others at the turn of the century. As a result, it has been found that cognitive poeticians endeavour to conceive of the cognitive mechanisms that precede the formation
of a literary text by the author, alongside the study of possible cognitive phenomena that, arguably, predefine the perception and interpretation of a given literary piece by another cognising mind, that of a reader.

Résumé

Dans un premier temps, le présent article rappelle que la représentation mentale de concepts moraux sous forme d’hybrides procède d’une conception (néo-)platonicienne d’après laquelle la horde des passions transforme l’âme en une sorte de monstre « dont chaque portion animale symbolise en quelque sorte l’abandon à une forme du mal » (Plat., Rép. IX, 588c).  Il rappelle ensuite brièvement comment ce concept fut christianisé, ce qui eut notamment comme conséquence de faire des monstres d’évidentes métaphores des démons intérieurs, outre des incarnations sataniques et des images de vices. Ensuite, il s’attache davantage à la figure du dragon/serpent (DRACO/SERPENS), à travers notamment l’analyse du décor d’un curieux bas-relief roman encastré dans l’église de Massasco (Ligurie) l’associant à une sirène (SERENA) portant une croix et à un griffon (GRIFUS) – scène figurée qui semble bien constituer l’illustration plastique d’une exhortation morale, comme déjà suggéré dans un de mes articles paru dans les Cahiers de Civilisation Médiévale, 17, 3, 1984, p. 247-250 (« Exorcisme symbolique et quête de l’égalité d’âme sur un bas-relief roman de Ligurie »). Enfin, grâce à d’autres études de cas liés à notre thématique, on arrive à la conclusion que le dragon est surtout présenté comme un symbole d’orgueil et de luxure à vaincre, dans ce type de contexte.

A cura di Caterina Mordeglia.
Il rapporto tra uomo e animale è cruciale per tutte le culture.
Il mondo antico ha attuato un’identificazione, per antitesi o similarità,
della figura umana con quella animale, attraverso una polisemica rete di simboli e allegorie. Richiamandosi all’uguaglianza creaturale propria della concezione biblica, il Medioevo tenderà a cristallizzare un immaginario collettivo simbolico legato al mondo animale destinato a perdurare fino al mondo moderno.
Questo volume raccoglie i contributi di studiosi e rappresentanti
del mondo della cultura, dalla letteratura alla storia dell’arte, e dello
spettacolo in una prospettiva multidisciplinare. Partendo dall’Antichità
classica si giunge, attraverso il Medioevo latino e il Rinascimento,
alla letteratura fiabesca e romanzesca europea tra Sei e Novecento,
al melodramma e alla canzone italiana e straniera, in un
dialogo ininterrotto con topi, lupi, uccelli e altri animali “parlanti”.

Lion and Dragon
In the Spring 2001, an object found at Huseby, Østfold, was delivered to UKM; a strap end buckle in two parts; the upper consisting of a miniature sculpture of a lion, the lower a
dragon, biting onto a crossbar at the lion’s feet. The find has an almost identical parallel from Balke, Oppland. Neither of the two finds is complete, but one can reconstruct their original design and function. The buckles are vertical and may have been used as bandolier buckles, or perhaps to close a small casket. The decorative function has been primary.
So far the only possible parallels have come from Hamar, Hedmark. There are two pieces, both consisting of only the lower part of the buckle. The asymmetry of the strap-end mountings, combined with the miniature lions, date the finds to about 1200 AD. Their closest parallels, although differing in both size and material, are found on stave church portals such as Vinje, Telemark, dated by runic
inscriptions to the last decades of the 12th century.
The social context is in all cases an indication of the upper classes. Both Huseby and Balke are sites of early private stone churches, and Hamar was an episcopal seat since 1152-53.

The cloister of Santa Sofia in Benevento is one of the most renowned examples of Romanesque art of XII century in Campania. His fundamental feature is the originality, because they do not have news in Italy of cloisters decorated as that of Santa Sofia, front to this dates. In this article focussed on the hermeneutic search for stories told on pulvini of the cloister of Santa Sofia, a single iconographic theme is examined in detail: the fightings. Struggle scenes have been uniforms in three categories (bestial fightings, equestrian fightings, man fightings against beasts) and are taken by a rich photographic outfit.