Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: wolf´s school

The first cathedral here was consecrated by St. Zeno around 380 AD. This was replaced by a larger building already two centuries later. An earthquake and/or fire destroyed that structure. The basilica that got rebuilt was destroyed by the earthquake in 1117, that wrecked so many buildings in Veneto and Lombardy. The present "Cattedrale Santa Maria Matricolare" was built in 1117-38, but many renovations were made later. The two storied porch, of the cathedral´s façade, is embellished with sculptures, works of the sculptor Nicholaus (Niccolo), who as well worked at San Zeno in Verona, in Ferrara and Piacenza. Lots of interesting details can be found on the façade, many themed around music and hunting. This one is different. A wolf, dressed as a monk, holding a book. The wolf may be an alumnus of the wolf-schools, that occasionally could be found in medieval times (eg. in Saint-Ursanne and Freiburg).

"Saint-Pierre d'Aulnay" is a church outside of Aulnay, in the center of an old graveyard. The setting has not changed for centuries. For the pilgrims of the 12th century this church was a major halt - and it still is for all the tourists... A predecessing church „Saint-Pierre-de-la-Tour“ had been here, that, when the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella got more and more popular, was obviously to small, as Aulnay was conveniently situated between Poitiers and Saintes on the Via Turonensis. A new, larger church was needed, so the place was handed over to the chapter of the cathedral in Poitiers. The canons then probably planned this church, that was erected from about 1130/1140 on. "Saint-Pierre d'Aulnay" is a gem of the "style saintongeais". For Peter Strafford ("Romanesque Churches Of France") this is "one of the best examples of late Romanesque architecture in what used to be Aquitaine". Saint-Pierre´s "South Porch" is what attracts busloads of tourists to stop in Aulnay. And they are right.The "South Porch" is mindblowing. The most outer archivolt is the most spectacular one. So far the icons were somehow in an expectable "christian tradition" (Elders, Saints), but here mythical beasts and fantastic hybrid creatures come to life. Some of these chimerae probably derive from medieval Bestiary, while others seem to come straight from a drug related nightmare. In the center is a sheep, luxuriously dressed like a bishop or abbot and a wolf (dog) holding a book. While the sheep is standing in a (relaxed) upright postion, the dog seems to be in a move. He bares his teeth - and it looks like he is going to tear the book apart. The is an icon from a "wolf´s school", but the schools I saw so far (Freiburg, St, Ursainne) employed monks as teachers. Sheep entered the schools only as a temptation and distraction for the wolfs. Here the sheep plays a totally different role.

Saint-Ursanne is named after Ursicinus, an iro-scottish disciple of famous St. Kolumban, the missionary of Bavaria. Ursinicus lived as a hermit here in the valley of the Doubs. After Ursinicus´ death, St. Wandrille (aka Wandregisel) founded a convent at his tomb. This was recorded first time in 849 as "..cella in honorem Sancti Ursicini.." The convent probably merged in a newly founded Benedictian abbey within the 11th century, that a century later was converted to a collegiate of the Prince-Bishopric of Basel. The collegiate church was erected 1200/1400 and integrates some parts of the former abbey church. The structure got severely damaged by the Basel earthquake of 1356. The tower collapsed. It took about a century to repair the ruined church. The collegiate got secularised in 1803, when the village belonged to France. Since the Congress of Vienna the area is part of Canton of Bern - and the former collegiate church now is the parish church of the town. The southern portal, erected around 1200, is clearly inspired by the iconography of Basel Cathedral´s Gallus Pforte (60kms) and the portal of the Nikolaus-chapel inside the Freiburg Muenster (120kms). I had seen a photo of these three capitals on the right side of the portal. These capitals let me do the detour to Switzerland. To the left eagles, not very unique. In the center a breastfeeding mermaid (with legs!). She is flanked by two maids, a fish is whispering into her ear. To the right a "wolf´s school", where a monk teaches an uninterested wolf to read. These two icons are very rare - and have parallels in Basel and Freiburg. I will upload a close up of the mernmaid next.