Medieval Exhibitionists

Vicofertile, located at the old Via Francigena, is meanwhile is a small suburb of the City of Parma. A church probably existed in Vicofertile already within the 9th century, but the church mentioned in a document from 1039 was smaller than the church seen here. Excavations found the foundations about 50cms under the floor of San Geminiano. Today´s church was erected around 1200. The roof burned down in 1325, but got rebuilt soon after. The church got modified a couple of times, but a a restoration undertaken in the early 20th century got rid of all interior Baroque additions. The capitals were probably created 1220/1230 - and all six are somehow enigmatic. Seen here is a strange bestiary of animals (left and right) and in the center a male exhibitionist presenting his enormous genital.

A small, Romanesque church, erected in the 12th century, got too small during the time of the Renaissance. It had a wonderful carved facade - and got saved! A second nave was built beside it - and the new facade was constructed "around" the old one, so both styles now are under joined one gable. The church got renovated in the 1990s. Following the "style saintonge", there are three arches on the ground and second tier of five arches. Above these are eleven carved corbels (some of them seem new), supporting a small roof. Some of these corbels seem to be brandnew. They were probably added during the restoration in the 1990s. This mouth-puller is one. It may be pretty explicit, but similar corbels have been produced during the 12th century (eg nearby "Saint-Martin-d'Ary"). What is my proof is the garter, I am pretty sure, that these kind of stockings was still unknown in medieval times.

Saint-Pierre, parish church of Champagnolles (pop. 500), got erected on the floorplan of a Latin Cross in the second half of the 12th century. To enrich the floorplan, semicircular absidioles were added in the east. The builders did not invest much artistic creativity into the portal or the interior, as only some rough capitals can be found there. They obviously concentrated on the rich decoration of eastern walls of Saint-Pierre. All around the apses are dozends of carved mystic and fantastic corbels and capitals. Actually this church is known for "rude carvings. This "megaphallus" is one of them, hidden in the dark corner and guarded by a neighbouring owl. The protected position saved the corbel from weathering.

Saint-Pierre, parish church of Champagnolles (pop. 500), got erected on the floorplan of a Latin Cross in the second half of the 12th century. To enrich the floorplan, semicircular absidioles were added in the east. The builders did not invest much artistic creativity into the portal or the interior, as only some rough capitals can be found there. They obviously concentrated on the rich decoration of eastern walls of Saint-Pierre. All around the apses are dozends of carved mystic and fantastic corbels and capitals. Actually this church is known for "rude carvings. This "megaphallus", playing a pan flute, is one of them, hidden in the dark corner. The protected position saved the corbel from weathering.

Saint-Pierre, parish church of Champagnolles (pop. 500), got erected on the floorplan of a Latin Cross in the second half of the 12th century. To enrich the floorplan, semicircular absidioles were added in the east. The builders did not invest much artistic creativity into the portal or the interior, as only some rough capitals can be found there. They obviously concentrated on the rich decoration of eastern walls of Saint-Pierre. All around the apses are dozends of carved mystic and fantastic corbels and capitals. Actually this church is known for "rude" carvings. Here is another "megaphallus", that is a bit clumsy and much more weathered then the guy on the previous upload.

Saint-Pierre, parish church of Champagnolles (pop. 500), got erected on the floorplan of a Latin Cross in the second half of the 12th century. To enrich the floorplan, semicircular absidioles were added in the east. The builders did not invest much artistic creativity into the portal or the interior, as only some rough capitals can be found there. They obviously concentrated on the rich decoration of eastern walls of Saint-Pierre. All around the apses are dozends of carved mystic and fantastic corbels and capitals. Actually this church is known for "rude" carvings. Somewhere else I would not be convinced, to see another (very) weathered "megaphallus", but here are just so many, that I am sure, that this corbel once depicted another "megaphallic man".

Saint-Pierre, parish church of Champagnolles (pop. 500), got erected on the floorplan of a Latin Cross in the second half of the 12th century. To enrich the floorplan, semicircular absidioles were added in the east. The builders did not invest much artistic creativity into the portal or the interior, as only some rough capitals can be found there. They obviously concentrated on the rich decoration of eastern walls of Saint-Pierre. All around the apses are dozends of carved mystic and fantastic corbels and capitals. Actually this church is known for "rude" carvings. This may be just an exhibitionist, but I had the idea, it could be a flatulist. So I checked Wikipedia about it and found: "The professional farters of medieval Ireland were called braigetori. They are listed together with other performers and musicians in the 12th century Tech Midchúarda..." Here is the Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatulist

Early morning in Montils is not the very best time of the day, to take a photgraph of the parish church Saint-Sulpice. The portal is in shadow and all the doors are locked. So the visitor can not not enter and will not see the crypt. The church was built during the 12th century, but got remodeled over the century a couple of times. The bell tower was added to the structure in the 15th, the facade got a "make up" in the 16th century. There are some remarkable corbels here. This exhibitionist has very much in common with the flatulist in Champagnolles (22kms southwest), but this one is blindfolded, or his eyes hidden behind a kind of hood. The nostrils could well be from an ape.

Melle was known already during Roman times, when silver and lead were mined here. The silver mines were exploited over hundreds of years, got forgotten and "rediscovered" in the 19th century. Today they are a tourist attraction. Melle was wealthy and the pilgrims, walking the Via Turonensis, passed through Melle on their way to Santiago, what brought even more money into town. Churches were erected during the heydays of the pilgrimage. Three (!) Romanesque churches can still be found here. Melle must have been a large building site within the 12th century, with hundreds of construction worker and dozends of carvers. Saint-Savinien is the oldest of the three Romanesque churches in Melle. It is as well the most austere church and the only one erected within the city walls in two stages in the 11th and the 12th century. After the French Revolution, the building was used as a prison - upto 1926. Throughoutfully renovated in the 1960s, it serves for cultural events like concerts and exhibitions nowadays. The western facade has some interesting, very rough, archaic carvings, what is a surprise. Master carvers worked on many places not far away (eg Aulnay), later even in Melle. . Here the foliage-frieze is perfect, while the corbels and the eldery exhibitionist in the background are a comparably simple.

This church, dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, was a real surprise to me. The single nave structure was probably erected within the 12th century. It was built in a "walking distance" off the pilgrim routes (like "San Pedro de Echano"), as the hamlet Artaiz is just about 10kms north of the "Camino Aragonés". San Martin will have been for sure a stopover for pilgrims, who had visited the tomb of Saint Martin of Tours, following the "Via Turonensis". The masterly composed and carved portal of Saint Martin is extraordinary in the specific iconography, that in parts may reflect the relations to the Islamic neighbours (Reconquista). Here is a script by German arthistorian Hedda Finke about this subject. art.unt.edu/medieval-symposium/presenter.php?year=2009&am... Between the seven corbels under the portal´s roof are six reliefs. This one is the only without a bible-theme. It depicts a fight between to knights, that may be the martial game of jousting, that was popular especially in England and Germany with the nobility upto the 16th century. The two knights are obviously quite experienced, as the won their spurs already. On the exhibitionist (?) seen before, on the right a christian warrior, armed with shield and lance.

When the erection of Saint-Pierre started within the 11th century, the place belonged to the "Jumièges Abbey", one of the most important abbeys in Northern France at that time. The brickwork of oldest walls of Saint-Pierre are done in "opus spicatum" ("herringbone-pattern"), A long row of corbels is under the roof. Here is a weathered, but explicit female exhibitionist.

When the erection of Saint-Pierre started within the 11th century, the place belonged to the "Jumièges Abbey", one of the most important abbeys in Northern France at that time. The brickwork of oldest walls of Saint-Pierre are done in "opus spicatum" ("herringbone-pattern"), A long row of corbels is under the roof. There was a weathered, single female exhibitionist seen on the pervious uplöoad. Neighbouring to the lady is a nude couple.

Evening light on "Saint-Marcouf", the parish church of Saint-Marcouf, a small village near the Utah Beach, the westernmost of the landing beaches during the D-Day invasion of Normandy. The church was erected within the 11th century, but got enlarged and altered about 200 years later. The church is dedicated to Saint Marcouf, a Bayeux-born missionary, who founded the abbey of de Nanteuil (aka "Nantus"), that existed upto about 1500 on a small island just off the coast and named today "Îles Saint-Marcouf". The Saint died on the island in 588. During medieval times Saint Marcouf was best known for the healing of scrofula. There are many corbels under the roof Saint-Marcouf. For a while a saw a "megaphallus" here, as I had found a couple of medieval exhibitionist already in the Bretagne. But meanwhile I see a running person, covered with lichens.

"Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul" is not mentioned in any written document before the 13th century. Most historians agree, that the church was built not earlier than in the first half of the 12th century. About a century later, the Romanesque transept and choir got demolished - and replaced by the large Gothic structure, seen here. The tower was erected within the 13th century. The church was added to the list of "monuments historique" already in 1862, but the restoration process started end of the 19th century. The church was added to the list of "monuments historique" already in 1862, but the restoration process started end of the 19th century. Of course a church like this needs perpetual care. The walls of the nave are well conserved. They are decorated between the corbels with very unusual reliefs. These carvings were well protected under the roof and are not weathered. Some of them are fantastic and very mysterious. The corbels depicts a fork-beard and an insulting contortionist or flexible exhibitionist. The relief depicts an evil, frightening devil, holding a horned goat´s head to hide his genitals. (??)

"Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul" is not mentioned in any written document before the 13th century. Most historians agree, that the church was built not earlier than in the first half of the 12th century. About a century later, the Romanesque transept and choir got demolished - and replaced by the large Gothic structure, seen here. The tower was erected within the 13th century. The church was added to the list of "monuments historique" already in 1862, but the restoration process started end of the 19th century. The church was added to the list of "monuments historique" already in 1862, but the restoration process started end of the 19th century. Of course a church like this needs perpetual care. The walls of the nave are well conserved. They are decorated between the corbels with very unusual reliefs. These carvings were well protected under the roof and are not weathered. Some of them are fantastic and very mysterious. The devil looks like an identical twin of the creature just seen (previous upload), but this demon is not shy and does not hide his genitals. He has no "human" feet, but claws, that hold a little baby. Maybe a poor soul. The short legged guy on the corbel has a pair of very strange arms.

Radegonde (aka "Radegund", "Radegundis") was a princess, born in Thuringia around 520. She was married to Chlothar I but left her husband and founded the convent "Sainte-Marie-Hors-les-Murs" in Poitiers around 552. The nunnery was the first and became the most important in the Frankish Empire. After having received a fragment of the "True Cross" from the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, the name of the abbey changed to "Abbaye Sainte-Croix". In 587 Radegonde was buried here. The first church was erected over her tomb. Radegonde´s remains were exhumed in 1012 for public veneration, what triggered a major pilgrimage to Poitiers. After a major fire, the church was rebuilt. The church of today, constructed from the 11th to 12th centuries, was built in a combination of Romanesque and Gothic styles. Sculptured corbels line both sides of the nave. This lady is - by far - the most explicit medieval female exhibitionist I ever found. The was an abbey church! A nunnery! The only comparable sculptures I know are in Normandy, Ireland and England. Most famous is probably the Sheela-na-Gig from Kilpeck in England.

In the center of Modena, where the Duomo di Modena (aka "Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta e San Geminiano") is placed, churches have existed since the 5th century. After the burial site of Modena's patron Saint Geminianus, a former bishop (+397), was dicovered here, the existing cathedral seemed to small. The first stone laying for the cathedral of today took place in May 1099, strongly supported by Matilde di Canossa (aka "Matilda of Tuscany"). First architect was Master Lanfranco, descibed as "maestro ingenio clarus [...] doctus et aptus". The Duomo di Modena was consecrated in 1184, but the building process continued. It was finally completed in 1322. Many renowned sculptors have worked here. Many of the works, that once embellished the outside wall of the cathedral have suffered from weathering. They have been replaced by copies. The original carvings can now be seen in the "Lapidarium" of the Museo del Duomo, neighbouring the cathedral. It is very intersting to see them from a close distance. A disturbing exhibitionist in a very explicit pose. This sculpture is attributed to the "Master of the Metopes", who may habe been a student an follower of Wiligelmo. Scholars see influences of the 12th century art in Burgundy in his works.

The single nave church was erected within the 12th century. The church got damaged during the Wars of Religions, when the bell tower, that stood above the choir, was completely destroyed. The facade has some extraordinary carvings. There are 23 roughly carved horse's heads. There are complex capitals - and above - a row of very fanciful corbels. I will uploud a few photos. An exhibitionist displaying his anus. Is this the "moon"? If this is an early kind of "mooning", he would express disrespect. At least two incidents are known from medieval times. - In 1204 during the siege of Constantinople the Greeks exposed their bare buttocks to the Crusaders after they repulsed them from the walls. - In 1346 during the Battle of Crécy Norman soldiers "exposed their backsides to the English archers and many of them paid a high price for doing so".