|
Paradoxplace Abbey and Cathedral Photo Page Links Paradoxplace Medieval Christian Church Page Links
Mermaids (fr: Sirène; it: Serena)
FRANCE - SPAIN - ITALY - BRITAIN
|
|
|
Paradoxplace Pages about Medieval Christian Church Architecture, Art and History
NATIVITY IMAGES ANNUNCIATION IMAGES ADAM AND EVE IMAGES MAGI IMAGES
|
|
|
MERMAIDS IN BRITAIN
|
|
|
A temptress high up on the tower of St Peter, Lenton (Linconshire) - the "church of Angels"
|
|
|
photo © Günter Endres
The works ! Bicaudal beauty with comb and mirror and asymmetric hair (not seen that before!), her powers neutered by a nose job. She is to be found at Cartmel Priory Church in Lancashire.
|
|
|
Mermen guard the corners of the font of the Church of Saint George, Anstey (Hertfordshire)
|
|
|
A weathered little mermaid from the tympanum of the richly decorated South Door of the church of Saint Nicholas, Barfreston (Kent).
|
|
|
Link to lots more photos from the Flickr Sirena bicaudata group
|
|
|
This 560 year old mermaid holds a mirror in her right hand, and would earlier have been holding a comb in her left (like her French sister lower down in the page).
St Laurence, Ludlow (Shropshire) - Misericord 1430 - 1450
|
|
|
This mermaid in a roof boss in Sherborne Abbey has hung on to her mirror, comb and nipples (the advantages of being well well out of reach).
|
|
|
MERMAIDS IN FRANCE
|
|
|
St-Pierre Bessuéjouls (near Espalion)
link to more photos of the little pilgrims' chapel download as free desktop
|
|
|
St-Pierre de la Bouïsse, St-Côme-d'Olt (Lot (Olt) Valley)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Photo © Holly Hayes, Sacred Destinations
A mermaid helps with the fishing - priory church of Notre Dame de Cunault, in western Loire country between Angers and Saumur.
|
|
|
Link to another photo of the mermaid capital at Cunault - the photo is one of a large collection put together by Julianna Lees' on her Picasa Web photo pages - she also has a site devoted to green men
|
|
|
photo © Tina Negus
This handsome merman also lives around Saumur - in Candes Saint Martin
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basilique St-Julien-de-Brioude
|
|
|
A mermaid keystone in a cloister arch at Notre Dame Cathedral, Le-Puy-en-Velay - looks a bit like apprentice work from a 1800's rebuild, but the two little capital fellas nearby are more like the real Romanesque thing!
|
|
|
Postcard Photo
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notre Dame de Villefranche-de-Rouergue - one of a rare set of in-situ (and unmonstered) misericords in France.
|
|
|
|
|
|
IN SPAIN
|
|
|
Puerta de las Platerias - Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
In the archivolts in the Puerta de las Platerias there is a a sad little fish carrying mermaid who seems to have been arrowed by the dashing Sagittarius on the opposite side of the archivolts. |
|
|
|
|
|
Postcard Photo
A centaur-mermaid with another Spanish Sagittarius in the upper level of the old cloisters of Santo Domingo de Silos
|
|
|
IN ITALY
|
|
|
Photo © Robert Veel - Academy Travel
An eagle holding a two bodied one headed something, a mermaid (topped by a greenish man) and lots of spectators - S Pietro in Ciel d'Oro, Pavia. Fascinating to know who the spectator heads were modelled on - the only other sculptured representation like this we have seen is in Monte Sant'Angelo in Puglia.
A paradox expedition to the Romanesque Po Valley churches grows more likely by the photo !
|
|
|
Photo © Julianna Lees
A sister mermaid and landman on a door capital in S Pietro in Ciel d'Oro, Pavia
|
|
|
Photo © Robert Veel - Academy Travel
A mermaids' capital in Santa Croce, Parma - in the centre the Luxuria serpents are moving in
|
|
|
Photo © Holly Hayes, Sacred Destinations
Byzantine floor mosaic (c500), Cattedrale di Pesaro (le Marche)
photo from Flickr by Fioresoleil, who is a stunning photographer
A similarly spiky tailed lady can be found in the church of San Giovanni Evangelista, Ravenna.
|
|
|
A pair of mermaids doing a bit of head butting in San Quirico Val d'Orcia
|
|
|
Large floor mosaic (c1150), Cattedrale di Santa Maria Annunciata, Otranto (Puglia)
|
|
|
whilst sea people abound in the surrounds of the Cathedral's West Door
|
|
|
Whilst bicaudalism is all the go in Italy, this is the only one we have ever seen with a modestly crossed tail - she's over 800 years old, still a virgin, and you'll find her in Trani Cathedral.
|
|
|
For other Paradoxplace links visit the home page
All original material on this site © Adrian Fletcher 2000-2013. The contents may not be hotlinked, or reproduced without permission.
|
|
