Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: luxuria

Offenburg was first mentioned in 1148 and was declared a Free Imperial City by 1240. During the 9-Years-War the town suffered under the French occupation of Offenburg. In 1689 Offenburg was set on fire and completely destroyed except for the Capuchin monastery and two other houses. The "Offenburger Programm" which consisted of thirteen demands "in the name of the people of Baden", was put forward here on 12 September 1847. This was the first known demand for democracy in Germany, demanding basic and human rights as well as freedom of the press. It was one of the triggers that started the 1848-Revolution in Southern Germany. After the Catholic parish in Offenburg had grown to about 12.000 parishioners end of the 19th century, the planning for a second Catholic church started. The erection of the Neo-Romanesque Dreifaltigkeitskirche ("Holy Trinity"), designed by Johannes Schroth, started in 1904. It got consecrated already 2 years later. It is 60m long and has a capacity of 1.300. The church has very interesting capitals. Here are two "modernized" icons, that can often be found in medieval churches. To the left is an old "Miser", to the right a very young "Luxuria".

One of the first printed records about this gate stated in 1859 "Of all old monuments in the Rhine valley, none as mysterious as the portal (...) near the church in Remagen". The Pfarrhoftor (= Gateway to the parish close) still is enigmatic. It may have been erected for a nearby monastery, that centered around an St. Apollinaris shrine, it may have been in deed a gate to a parish close. Actually it known since the 17th century, when parts of it were found, walled in between the rectory and the encircling wall. The parts were recovered and like pieces of a puzzle joined together. Though the cope stone was lost, the large arch was easy to reconstruct. Wether the smaller side portal originally was left or right is unclear. The 22 carved reliefs here have triggered more than a dozend different theories. I will quote some. The carving style was not appreciated by the art-historians. Already Wilhelm Bode ("Geschichte der Deutschen Plastik") wrote in 1887 that the carver was "without any artistic ambition". For me this portal has parallels in Linden and Goegging. All three portals are roughly carved - and enigmatic, blending christian, pagan and ancient icons. The only point, that is undisputed is, that the portal was erected in the second half of the 12th century. It may be, that the reliefs, seen here, are just single icons, that are not interconnected to a certain "iconographic program". This is claimed by Paul Clement (1938), Georg Dehio (1933) and Josef Minn (1942). In 1947 Albert M. Koeniger published the results of his research, interpreting the reliefs as icons of eight (!) deadly sins as described by Bishop Burchard of Worms (965-1025), author of a canon law collection (aka "Decretum Burchardi"). A sow and three piglets According to Albert M. Koeniger, the sow stands for lust ("luxuria") and the three piglets for the three sins connected to lust. The following relief depicts the merman with the net, seen already, framing the arch with the paddling mermaid to the left. This ends the large semicircle.

The Pieve di San Pietro a Gropina is located on a hill in the hamlet Gropina, that meanwhile belongs to Loro Ciuffenna. A chapel existed here already in the 4th century. Soon after Charlemagne had donated the area to the Nonantola Abbey, Benedictian monks erected a church here end of the 8th century. The church of today was probably built within the 12th century. At that time this was one of the wealthiest parish church with the diocese, having about 30 depending churches. The nave is flanked by pillars, that all have sculpted capitals. The capitals of left and right side differ in style. Within some decades at least two workshops have worked here. Maybe even more. This capital is as well attribute this to "Wiligelmo da Modena" (aka "Gulielmo da Modena", "Guglielmo da Modena") - or a workshop by some scholars. Wiligelmo (active ~ 1099 - 1120) was a sculptor who was influenced by the Romanesque style of Southern France. I do see parallels... Sexuality is quite a theme in this church (see the pulpit)! One of the Luxuriae in detail.

A diocese of Dolia (the ancient name of Dolianova) existed from 1089 until 1503, when it was merged into the archdiocese of Cagliari. The "Cattedrale di San Pantaleo", the bishop's seat of the former diocese, was erected within the 12th and the 13th century. It got consecrated in 1289. The church was built in Pisan-Romanesque style. The apse, as well as the sides, the bell tower and the façade are decorated with pilasters and Lombard bands featuring numerous different sculptured motifs. As soft, local sandstones were used, most carvings are very weathered. The artists did not create very elaborate carvings, but they were very imaginative. For a while I saw a "Luxuria" here, but the lady (?) seems to dance with the snakes.

The church of the former Priory Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Benoît is now the parish church of the village. I had visited Perrecy-les-Forges some years ago - and this time the church was indeed open! Charles Martel, grandfather of Charlemagne and leader of the frankish armee in the Battle of Tours (732), gave the Perrecey estate to his brother Childebrand as a gift to thank him for defeating the Sarascens in the valleys of the Rhone and the Saône in 732. Childebrands heirs bequeated it to the abbey of "Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire". First monks settled here 880/885. Some parts of the westwork may date back to the 9th century. 1020/1030 a romanesque basilica was constructed, one arm of the transept collapsed in 1095 - but got reconstructed soon after. 1120/1130 the narthex was added, which is a unique masterpiece. Though obviously the priory run out of funds and so the second tower was never completed. Over the next centuries more chapels were added. The monastery burnt down in 1500 and got dissolved in 1776 by a royal order. All existing buildings but the church got demolished after the French Revolution. The church lost its crossing tower. The spectacular narthex with the wonderful carvings survived all wars and revolutions.

A church dedicated to Saint Peter, recorded in Pavia in 604, was renovated by Liutprand, the King of the Lombards (who is buried here) between 720 and 725. The Romanesque church was consecrated by Pope Innocent II in 1132. "San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro" is the resting place for the relics of Augustine of Hippo ("Saint Augustine") known as a very important early Christian theologian and philosopher, whose writings influenced the development of Western Christianity and Western philosophy. He died in 430 in Northern Africa, where he was buried. When Huneric, King of the Arian Vandals, expelled the Catholic bishops, the body was removed to Cagliari (Sardinia). Liutprand´s uncle Peter, the bishop of Pavia, then transferred the remains - and deposited in this church about 720. Since 1327 the Augustinians guard the tomb, though the remains at that time were lost until workers digging in the crypt discovered a marble box containing numerous bones. It was claimed, that the name "Augustine" was written in the box with charcoal. When the Augustinians had to take refuge in Milan in 1700, they carried the relics with them. The church fell into disrepair and was used as a magazine under the Napoleonic occupation. It was finally reconstructed in the late 19th century and reconsecrated in 1896 when the relics of Augustine and the shrine were once again reinstalled. Columns and archivolts of the portal are very elaborately carved. The capitals of the left side depict a griffon, lions and another strange animmal. All around a luxuria.

When Riwallon le Roux returned from the Holy Land to Dinan after the First Crusade, he immediately started to build this church in 1132. There is no proof about this, but the first written document from 1131 noted down, that Riwallon´s nephew Alain de Dinan transfers the ownership of this church to the Abbey of Saint-Jacut (20kms north). Following this, the Basilica of Saint-Sauveur was part of a priory, dependent from the abbey. The facade of the Basilique Saint-Sauveur dates back to the 12th century. Most carvings are very weathered. Here is a Luxuria.

The Catedral de Santa Maria in Tudela was erected late 12th century on the place, where the Great Mosque of Tudela (9th c.) had stood before. The cathedral is really large (65m x 52m) but unfortunately was closed, so I could not see the well known cloister. I was very impressed by the late-Romanesque "Puerta del Juicio". The slightly pointed portal, created wirthin the 13th century, has eight archivolts and 122 different icons. Here on the right side an insight view into hell. Demons and devils at work.

The late afternoon sun shines on "Sainte-Croix", the church of the former "Abbatiale Sainte-Croix". The abbey was founded in Merovingian times just south of Bordeaux. The exact year is unknown, but it was mentioned already in 679. The abbey was destroyed by the Saracens around 730 and rebuilt at the end of the century . During the 9th century the Normans raided the area and the abbey got devastated again. Local nobility supported the rebuilding of the abbey by donations and privileges. The abbey church, built in eleventh/twelfth century, got renovated and rebuilt during the 19th century by Paul Abadie, later known as the architect of "Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre" and strongly influenced by Viollet-le-Duc. His works (eg Saint-Front, Périgueux, St. Pierre, Angoulême) are disputed today, as he "re-created" structures and added details. There are two blind arches flanking the central entrance. Here are the archivolts over the right blind arch. While on the left side five misers are plagued by devils, as avarice is a deathly sin, here are five luxuriae tortured by the devils. These ladies are symbols of lust, another deathly sin. Here is a close up.

The late afternoon sun shines on "Sainte-Croix", the church of the former "Abbatiale Sainte-Croix". The abbey was founded in Merovingian times just south of Bordeaux. The exact year is unknown, but it was mentioned already in 679. The abbey was destroyed by the Saracens around 730 and rebuilt at the end of the century . During the 9th century the Normans raided the area and the abbey got devastated again. Local nobility supported the rebuilding of the abbey by donations and privileges. The abbey church, built in eleventh/twelfth century, got renovated and rebuilt during the 19th century by Paul Abadie, later known as the architect of "Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre" and strongly influenced by Viollet-le-Duc. His works (eg Saint-Front, Périgueux, St. Pierre, Angoulême) are disputed today, as he "re-created" structures and added details. There are two blind arches flanking the central entrance. Here are the archivolts over the right blind arch. While on the left side five misers are plagued by devils, as avarice is a deathly sin, here are five luxuriae tortured by the devils. These ladies are symbols of lust, another deathly sin.

Notre-Dame de Surgères was erected in the center of a large castle in the 12th century. The fortification, founded in the 9th century as a motte, when the area was raided by the Vikings, then guarded the border of the historical province of Aunis once. When the church was built a small town had developed around the defence already. Later a small priory and a "hopital" existed, as this was a halt on the Via Turonensis. The pilgrims had a lot to gape here, the facade is stunning 23 meters wide. Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry II of England in 1152, so the area changed hands and was ruled by the House of Plantagenet. During the Hundred Years' War Surgères experienced a long period of decline. Louis XI´s troops conquered the town in 1472 and the fortifications got destructed. During that time Notre Dame lost the tower and large parts of the nave, but not the facade! Six blind arches once flanked the door, five arches above them on "the second floor". There are more than 100 capitals and corbels all over the facade. This seems to be a medieval encyclopedia. The luxuria has lost her head. All frustrated vandals over the centuries were provoked by luxuriae, symbolizing sinful lust.

Gédouin and Ebo, Seigneurs of Parthenay, invited the monks from "La Chaise-Dieu" in the Auvergne (some 500kms south east), to establish a priory here in 1092. The parish church, that had existed here already before, got replaced then by the church seen now in the early 11th century. Despite the monks roots in the Auvergne the facade is done in the style, common to the area, so they obviously employed master builders with regional experiences. Meanwhile the priory is out of existence since centuries. The church and the remaining buildings are privately owned, but the church is not locked! Merci beaucoup! The western facade has some nicely carved details, one is this "luxuria" in a very extreme position. Under a string of cat's heads the woman is tortured by two lions (and two toads or snakes).

This was an important place already in pre-Roman times, known to Strabo as the city of "Orgialla". A bishopric existed already in 527, when the Bishop of Urgell attended a council in Toledo. The bishopric here was (and still) is an important one, even the name "La Seu d'Urgell" translates to See of Urgell, and still today the Bishop of Urgell is co-prince of Andorra (The other co-prince is the French president. We will "meet" Mr. Hollande later). The Cathedral of Santa Maria dates back to the 12th century. It had three predecessors. One of these older cathedrals was consecrated in 839 by Bishop Sisebut in the presence of Sunifred I, father of Wilfred the Hairy (aka Guifré el Pilós), whome we had met so often in Catalonia. Bishop Otto of Urgell (1095-1122) initiated the present cathedral, planned and built by the architect (a term unknown in that time) "Raimundus Lambardus", but the building remained unfinished for quite a while, due to fights between the diocese and the Count Roger I of Foix, who prefered the Albingensian "heresy". In 1195 La Seu d'Urgell was sieged and looted - and at that time the present cathedral was used as a fortress. Of course over the next centuries many parts were added and remodelled. Josep Puig i Cadafalch, actually an architect connected to the "Modernista", led the reconstruction of the whole complex from 1918 on. The northern portal of the Cathedral of Santa Maria is "just" a side door, but it has some extraordenary capitals. Here are the three capitals of the left side. On the left is a lion devouring an animal. The hind legs of that animal still stick out of the lion´s mouth. This is similar to carvings from Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa. A strange beast with a humanoid face is in the center, here a head sticks out of the mouth. the creature has a large, nicely combed mane. On the right is (another) Luxuria - exactly in the same position as the Luxuria/mermaid on the right side of the portal, but very different. Here only the top part of the body can be seen - and another parallel - as well two persons look over Luxuria´s shoulders.

This was an important place already in pre-Roman times, known to Strabo as the city of "Orgialla". A bishopric existed already in 527, when the Bishop of Urgell attended a council in Toledo. The bishopric here was (and still) is an important one, even the name "La Seu d'Urgell" translates to See of Urgell, and still today the Bishop of Urgell is co-prince of Andorra (The other co-prince is the French president. We will "meet" Mr. Hollande later). The Cathedral of Santa Maria dates back to the 12th century. It had three predecessors. One of these older cathedrals was consecrated in 839 by Bishop Sisebut in the presence of Sunifred I, father of Wilfred the Hairy (aka Guifré el Pilós), whome we had met so often in Catalonia. Bishop Otto of Urgell (1095-1122) initiated the present cathedral, planned and built by the architect (a term unknown in that time) "Raimundus Lambardus", but the building remained unfinished for quite a while, due to fights between the diocese and the Count Roger I of Foix, who prefered the Albingensian "heresy". In 1195 La Seu d'Urgell was sieged and looted - and at that time the present cathedral was used as a fortress. Of course over the next centuries many parts were added and remodelled. Josep Puig i Cadafalch, actually an architect connected to the "Modernista", led the reconstruction of the whole complex from 1918 on. The northern portal of the Cathedral of Santa Maria is "just" a side door, but it has some extraordenary capitals. So here is the lady, we just met on the previous shot, again. A strange and rare combination of a mermaid and a Luxuria. Both stand for sexual lust, but so far I had never seen them combined. The two snakes have round heads - and eyes! The mermaid/Luxuria, with the typical long hair, has a rather stoic face. She does not seem interested in any kind of communication.

A church existed here before the Moors conquest the iberian peninsula. This church was converted into a mosque in 717. The Franks reconquered Girona in 785 under Charlemagne, and the church was reconsecrated in 908. Bishop Roger (son of Roger I of Carcassonne) started a reconstruction in 1015. A new church and a cloister were built in romanesque style until 1064. The two towers were completed in 1117. The cloister was completed already 1064 and most parts are still in the original condition. Like the cloister of Sant Pere de Galligants (less than 500 meters north), the arches of the four galleries are supported by twin columns. But - this cloister is about one century older. Here is a different style of carving, actually here are more than just one artistic style. There are very different themes and topics themes depicted here. Scenes from the bible, dignitaries, people at work, hunting scenes, birds... I know, that the quality of this shot is just awful, but as it is not allowed to take photos, I did not have time... A Luxuria beside playing twins with curly hair. The twins look pretty "baroque". Or is the left tiwn stabbing his brother?

This was an important place already in pre-Roman times, known to Strabo as the city of "Orgialla". A bishopric existed already in 527, when the Bishop of Urgell attended a council in Toledo. The bishopric here was (and still) is an important one, even the name "La Seu d'Urgell" translates to See of Urgell, and still today the Bishop of Urgell is co-prince of Andorra (The other co-prince is the French president. We will "meet" Mr. Hollande later). The Cathedral of Santa Maria dates back to the 12th century. It had three predecessors. One of these older cathedrals was consecrated in 839 by Bishop Sisebut in the presence of Sunifred I, father of Wilfred the Hairy (aka Guifré el Pilós), whome we had met so often in Catalonia. Bishop Otto of Urgell (1095-1122) initiated the present cathedral, planned and built by the architect (a term unknown in that time) "Raimundus Lambardus", but the building remained unfinished for quite a while, due to fights between the diocese and the Count Roger I of Foix, who prefered the Albingensian "heresy". In 1195 La Seu d'Urgell was sieged and looted - and at that time the present cathedral was used as a fortress. Of course over the next centuries many parts were added and remodelled. Josep Puig i Cadafalch, actually an architect connected to the "Modernista", led the reconstruction of the whole complex from 1918 on. The northern portal of the Cathedral of Santa Maria is "just" a side door, but it has some extraordenary capitals. Here are the three capitals of the right side. There is (left) a mixture of mermaid - and luxuria. First time that I found these two icons combined. I will upload a better shot of this lady next. At first I had the impression, that the person in the center might be a wildman or woodwose, as the object is is holding looks like a club, but he is too well dressed. He might rather be a warrior. To the right is a person leaning over some foliage . while two persons stand behind him, looking over his shoulders.