Universals in apotropaic symbolism : a behavioral and comparative approach to some medieval sculptures

Author

Sütterlin, Christa

Document type

Article (journal)

Language

English

Source

Leonardo. 1989, Num. 1, Vol. 22, 65-74, 8 ill.

ISSN

0024-094X

Abstract (en)

Takes a cross-cultural, comparative approach to interpret the "grotesque" sculptures on medieval churches in Europe. Most of these sculptures are concerned with 'making faces': sticking out the tongue, showing the teeth, displaying the beard, presenting the buttocks or genitals, et al. Describes pre-Christian and primitive examples of these same motifs, concluding that all are ritualized forms of a common pattern in human behavior.

Subject (en)

• General history of art -- 300-1400 -- Sculpture
• Sculpture
• Medieval
• 1100-1400
• Iconography
• Biology
• Primitive art
• Human behavior
• Diffusion
• Grotesques
• Comparison
• Representation

Subject (fr)

• Histoire générale de l'art -- 300-1400 -- Sculpture
• Sculpture
• Moyen Age
• 1100-1400
• Iconographie
• Biologie
• Primitif (art)
• Comportement humain
• Diffusion
• Grotesques
• Comparaison
• Représentation

Origin

DatabaseBHA (Inist-CNRS/GRI)

Identifier19911001-00459936

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