Rosheim - Église Saints-Pierre-et-Paul

The construction of the "Église Saints-Pierre-et-Paul" started around 1150. The basilica-style church has the classical layout of a latin cross and is known for the carvings.

Size and the quality of some of them are really breathtaking.

There are different artistic styles here. I seems like four master-carvers were given a chance, to show their talents and so they used this as a showcase.

This is the most strangest and most cryptic corbel I found. It is interesting, as in the middle is a scale model of a pillar from the nave. The model is a little simplified, but as the capitals here are very specific, it can only be one of the pillars here. So the corbel is a kind of "mirror" under the vault, reflecting what is happening down below.

In front of that pillar are two persons, holding hands.

The figures have very long arms - and the gesture of "holding hands" forms the letter "W". Below this "W" are the other arms (forming a inverted "V") - and I cannot find out, what they are grabbing. Maybe each others knee.

Are these persons dancing? Then the left one would probably be female. Are they wrestling? Or is this another form of "beardpulling" - without beards? In this case both would be male. - And whatever it may be - could that happen down in the nave?

From the style this corbel differs greatly from others inside Saints-Pierre-et-Pau, artisticly and thematically. This corbel tells a story - and the story has to do with very long arms/hands...


Sorry for the bad quality of the photo..