In the Basilica of Saint Mary Magdalene in Vézelay, many column capitals are decorated with depictions of Christian stories. The representation shown in this picture visualizes the story of the Mystic Mill. It depicts two figures. One pours grain into a mill, and the other collects the processed flour in a bag. The image is unique in Romanesque sculpture and does not seem to depict any known biblical story. However, a stained glass window in the Abbey of Saint-Denis (France), created around 1140, identifies the figures in this representation as Moses and Saint Paul. This identification helps understand the image as an allegory of the transformation of the Old Laws from the Old Testament to the New Laws of the New Testament. The cross within the mill-wheel symbolizes the transformation process of the mill and Christ's journey to the cross.
Sculpture
Cathedrals and Churches, Medieval Internet hubs focused on Storytelling
Interior of Église Saint-Martin, Saint-Valery-sur-Somme (France).
Cathedrals and churches, adorned with statues of saints and imagery, functioned as medieval equivalents of internet sites, seamlessly connecting individuals to a vast network of stories and teachings. Just as one navigates through web pages, visitors to cathedrals could explore the narratives depicted in sculptures, paintings, and stained glass windows. Each saint or image served as a portal to a distinct storyline, offering moral lessons, accounts of miraculous deeds, and examples of piety. Pilgrims and worshippers had the opportunity to access this treasury of tales, fostering a connection with the spiritual and cultural legacy of their community. In essence, cathedrals served as pivotal centers of information and inspiration, granting entry to a rich reservoir of religious and moral wisdom, much akin to browsing the web for knowledge and enlightenment.
Altarpiece by Juan de Valmaseda (1524), Cathedral of León (Spain)
Roman "Head", Museo Nacional de Arte Romano, Merida (Spain)
Sculpture of the head of a Roman man. - Museo Nacional de Arte Romano, Merida.
For two millennia, his gaze holds fast, A Roman's likeness, sculpted to last. Through epochs of change, his eyes still gleam, A portrait of time, a silent dream. In marble, he stands, a frozen glance, Across centuries, his form enchants. From ancient days to modern sight, His presence bridges time with might. Though ages pass, his essence endures, A testament to art's timeless allure.
