Saturday 9 April 2016

Cluny, farinier, part 5 of 8 (The Virtues and/or The Liberal Arts)

The farinier (granary, or literary flower barn) on the premises of the former abbey of Cluny contains a permanent display of 8 capials from the choir of Cluny III.

North side
Click here for the fIfth album of a series of eight. This capital is called "The Virtues and/or The Free Arts".
Each of the four sides show a human figure in an almond shaped mandorla.
North side : the inscription refers to Summer.

West side
West side : the inscription refers to Spring, however, the fact that the woman carries a book seems to contradict the inscription.
South side : the inscription refers to prudence, however, the person stands for Grammar chastising his pupil.

South side
East side : the painted inscription (disappeared) referred again to prudence, but the figure wears a coat of mail and used to carry a lance; this is more likely a depiction of Force or Rhetoric.

South side (left) en East side (right)

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