Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: adorante

Saint-Genès, erected in the 11th and 12th century, was the church of the priory Saint-Etienne, dependent from the important Abbaye Notre-Dame in Déols. This abbey, now in ruins, had been founded in 917 and developed into one of the most powerful regional institutions. It was one of the first in the Cluniac network. Odo of Cluny (+ 942) was abbot of three monasteries: Cluny, Massy and Deols. This is important, as Saint-Genès has architectural parralells to Cluny II and Cluny III. The building got severely damaged, when Louis VII (aka "Louis le Jeune", 1. husband of Eleanor of Aquitaine) burnt down the town in 1152 during a feud with Abbo II de Déols, a supporter of Henri Plantagenêt (aka Henry II, "Curtmantle", 2. husband of Eleanor of Aquitaine). In 1569 the Huguenots set fire here - and many restorations followed that. During the French Revolution the bell tower was destroyed and the church became a "Temple of Reason". The carvings inside were created by (at least) two different workshops. The rough ones are at least a century older, than the elaborated ones. The left capital may depict a person praying ("adorante"). It looks even more archaic than the right one. Again seen here is the "enormous tongue" icon. The person seems to have two tongues.

"Santa Maria Assunta e San Bartolomeo" is the last remaining structure of an abbey, founded in 986 by Benectian monks from Montcassino. In 1008 the church of the abbey was consecrated by Elemperto, Bishop of Arezzo. In Camaldoli, only about six kilometers west another abbey was founded in 1012 by Saint Romuald, a Benedictine hermit. The rise of the order of the (still existing) Camaldolese created conflicts between the two convents, that lasted for centuries. The parish church of today is the result of numerous alterations, but the interior is still Romanesque. Under the risen choir is a crypt. This crypt, renovated in the early 20th century, is for sure the oldest part of the church. It surely existed around 1000, but it is claimed, that it existed already in the 6th century and was built over a Roman temple. A person arms up in the gesture of orant and a row of knots and circles, near the niche, where probably the relics were stored.

"San Pietro del Crocifisso", isolated in the pastoral countryside near Bulzi, is known under three (!) names. the second is "San Pietro delle Immagini", the third "San Pietro di Simbranos" may be Sardinian. The suffix "del Crocifisso" (and probably as well "delle Immagini") refers to a large polychrome wooden group of the "Deposition from the Cross", that was once kept here. The building was constructed in two phases, at the end of the 11th and the early 13th century. Some scholars claim, that it once was the center of a monastery of which most traces are lost. The church was under reconstruction and partly hidden behind a scaffolding in June 2014. Over the door is a large, bearded person in adorante gesture. He wears a cap. A mitra? He is flanked by two small as well bearded men. An abbot and two monks?

The largest structure in the hamlet of Covet is the church Santa Maria de Covet, a gem of romanesque art in Catalonia. The church, once part of an Augustinian priory, is surprisingly large for that tiny hamlet (pop. ~ 20), but during medieval times this must have been a busier place than it is today. The church (Latin cross plan) is dated 1150/1160 and it is believed, that it was built upon the foundations of an older Visigoth church. These two capitals are on the left side of the portal. They are masterly carved - and full of details. There are to lion-riders, who even dare to tear the mouths of the lions wide open. On the right capital are two male persons, behind the foliage, in an adorante gesture. Very individually sculpted human heads inbetween, while a small monkey-head in the right corner. BTW - none of the heads seen here is decorated with the jug-ears just seen.