Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: hunting dog

San Gemini was probably founded by people having abandoned the Roman settlement of Carsulae, now an archeological area, about 5kms north. The "Regesto di Farfa" from 1036 is the first document that mentions the city as well as the "Abbey of San Nicolò". The abbey was built on older foundations in the 11th century and has undergone numerous alterations and restoration works through the centuries. It is privately owned, but fortunately a friendly gentleman unlocked the doors for us. Mille grazie! The portal to the abbey´s church is the by far most important carving here. What you see here is actually a (pretty good) copy, as the original was sold in 1939 to some antique dealers - and then was aquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is on display today. This is detail of the doorway´s left side. Three hunting dogs chase a boar. The dog (on top) wearing the collar is seen in a strange perspective - from above. Here is what the Metropolitan Museum writes about "This doorway is an example of the reuse of materials during the life of a single medieval church. All of the marble used to make the doorway originally came from the ruins of nearby Roman buildings. Displaying an array of styles and techniques, the principal elements were carved at different times in the eleventh century. The lions were possibly made for another location and then inserted in the portal. The whole was assembled for the church one to two centuries later. The animal imagery used in decorating the portal may refer to medieval bestiaries, books that combined descriptions of animal life with legend, thereby investing the animals depicted here with symbolic significance." Here is the website: www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/468207

A small community of Canons in Chauvigny was founded by the Seigneurs de Chauvigny around 1025. Bishop Isembert I of Poitiers (+ 1047) was a Seigneur de Chauvigny, as well as his sucessor. The erection of the Collegiate church started end of the 11th century. It took about a century to complete the structure. The church was in the center of the heavily fortified stronghold, that has a long history of sieges, lootings, captures and recaptures. The "Cité Médiéval" was in ruins end of the 18th century. Mid 19th century the restauration process started. Since then the interior of Saint-Pierre has this distinctive colour-scheme of white and red. The church is known for the capitals, that are in deed extraordinary. The chaos starts! When the hunting dogs lose their instinct - and attack themselves, nothing is sure any longer. The bearded guy above is - puzzled and horrified!