Xata's photos

In many ancient pre-Catholic traditions we find the serpent as guardian of sacred places. A troubling figure of Romanesque iconography, it possesses the versatility of its distant antecedents in the sacred art of ancient civilizations. It is not impossible that in Romanesque art it has retained its symbolism of the verticalization of the human and its unholy claim to divine privileges. It is also a symbol of wisdom, of superior wisdom received from one or more gods. At the time of Romanesque art, Celtic traditions were still alive and the artists who decorated the churches perpetuated this knowledge in cryptic form through symbols so that future generations could interpret them. A form of fighting against the compulsory catholicization and the obliteration of the religions that preceded it. ++++ Dans beaucoup d'anciennes traditions pré-catholiques nous trouvons le serpent comme gardien des lieux sacrés. Figure troublante de l'iconographie Romane, il possède la polyvalence de ses lointains antécédents de l'art sacré des anciennes civilisations. Il n'est pas impossibl qu'en art Roman il ait conservé son symbolisme de verticalization de l'humain et sa revendication impie de privilèges divins. Il est aussi symbole de sagesse, d'une sagesse supérieure reçue d'un ou des dieux. À l'époque de l'art Roman les traditions celtiques étaient encore vivaces et les artistes qui décoraient les églises ont fait perdurer cette connaissance de forme cryptique à travers des symboles pour que les générations futures puissent les interpréter. Une forme de lutter contre la catholicization obligatoire et l'effacement des religions qui l'ont précédé.

PIPs ABOVE

PIPs ABOVE

PIPs ABOVE

Some of you know Dante, my old friend (sheep vertebra in his previous life). Now to fragile to go around with me but still ok to be a model as long as he stays home ! For more of him... just click on his album : www.ipernity.com/doc/xata/album/1186924 I wanted to go out at night and play with a torch on a tree and starry sky in long exposure mode... but the wind was too strong that I did not want to risk camera on a long exposure with all dust blown. So fortunately I had already taken this one with Dante, just in case I could not do what I had planned for the challenge!

PIPS ABOVE

PIPs ABOVE

PIPs ABOVE Al pie del Canigó encontramos el monasterio de Sant Miquel de Cuixà que, junto con Ripoll, fue un poderoso centro religioso, político y cultural durante la Edad Media. El nacimiento del monasterio data del año 879, y es fruto de una desgracia: después que una riada destruyera la abadía de Sant Andreu d’Eixalada, los monjes supervivientes se instalaron en un pequeño cenobio dedicado a San Germán y dirigido por el padre Protasio. A raíz de estos hechos y gracias a la protección de los condes de Cerdanya y Conflent, esta pequeña celda se convertiría en el monasterio de Sant Miquel y Sant Germà de Cuixà, uno de los más poderosos de la época. El siglo X fue el de la consolidación del monasterio: sus tierras, dominios e iglesias que de ellos dependían crecieron de forma espectacular. En el 956, Garí reconstruyó la iglesia de Sant Miquel, levantada pocos años antes por el conde Sunifred. La llegada del abad Oliba, introductor del románico lombardo en Cataluña, supuso una revolución arquitectónica del monasterio. Oliba añadió dos pasillos, tres absidiolas y levantó un cimborio que se sostiene con columnas de mármol rosa y capiteles de mármol blanco. También edificó la cripta de la Natividad o del Pesebre de planta circular, la capilla de la Trinidad y dos campanarios lombardos a ambos lados del crucero (actualmente solo queda uno). El claustro se empezó a construir durante el siglo XII por orden del abad Gregorio. Hecho con mármol rosado y una espectacular decoración escultórica, era uno de los más grandes de los condados catalanes. Actualmente, para seguir la pista a algunos de sus capiteles tenemos que viajar hasta Nueva York, en el museo The Cloisters. Sant Miquel de Cuixà tiene el honor de ser considerado el lugar de nacimiento de la lengua catalana. Posiblemente, del escritorio de Cuixà salió la célebre Canción de Santa Fe, un poema hagiográfico que se considera uno de los ejemplos literarios más antiguos en una lengua romance, aunque se discute si se trata de lengua occitana o catalana. Link: patrimoni.gencat.cat/es/coleccion/monasterio-de-sant-miquel-de-cuixa ++++ At the foot of the Canigó we find the monastery of Sant Miquel de Cuixà which, together with Ripoll, was a powerful religious, political and cultural centre during the Middle Ages. The birth of the monastery dates back to 879, and is the result of a misfortune: after a flood destroyed the abbey of Sant Andreu d'Eixalada, the surviving monks settled in a small monastery dedicated to Saint Germain and directed by Father Protasio. As a result of these events and thanks to the protection of the Counts of Cerdanya and Conflent, this small cell would become the monastery of Sant Miquel and Sant Germà de Cuixà, one of the most powerful monasteries of the time. The 10th century saw the consolidation of the monastery: its lands, domains and churches that depended on them grew spectacularly. In 956, Garí rebuilt the church of Sant Miquel, built a few years earlier by Count Sunifred. The arrival of Abbot Oliba, who introduced the Lombard Romanesque style to Catalonia, brought about an architectural revolution in the monastery. Oliba added two corridors, three apses and built a dome supported by pink marble columns and white marble capitals. He also built the crypt of the Nativity or the Manger with a circular floor plan, the Trinity chapel and two Lombard bell towers on both sides of the transept (only one remains today). Construction of the cloister began during the 12th century by order of Abbot Gregory. Made of pink marble and spectacular sculptural decoration, it was one of the largest in the Catalan counties. Nowadays, in order to follow some of its capitals we have to travel to New York, in The Cloisters museum. Sant Miquel de Cuixà has the honour of being considered the birthplace of the Catalan language. It is possible that from Cuixà's desk came the famous Song of Santa Fe, a hagiographic poem that is considered to be one of the oldest literary examples in a Romance language, although it is disputed whether it is the Occitan or Catalan language. Translated with www.deepl.com/Translator (free version)

PIP ABOVE

PIP ABOVE

GOOD NIGHT IP BUDDIES !

And a strong curry scent I love!