The Middle Ages inherited the character of the siren from antiquity. Its meaning and image changed over time and depending on context, in visual depictions and in the pages written. For the Fathers of the Church and the commentators of early Christianity, this mythical creature was a symbol of lust and deception and this was its prevailing message. However, the Middle Ages also inherit more positive interpretations of the siren than those developed in the Homeric vein. Regarding its appearance, it appeared both as a woman-fish and a woman-bird, and as a hybrid between these two forms. The first description of such creatures as fish-women can be read in the “Liber monstrorum”, a text composed in the 7th-8th centuries. In this work it is stated that the mermaids are "marinae puellae", that they have the body of young girls up to the navel and scaly fish tails and deceive the sailors with their beautiful appearance. But medieval art does not always depict them as fascinating marine creatures.This contribution will consider some medieval representations of the siren to discuss the relationship between image and text, image and meaning, image and people.
La sirena nell’arte medievale: pulcherrima virgo?, 2019-11.
La sirena nell’arte medievale: pulcherrima virgo?
Moretti, Simona
2019-11-01
Abstract
The Middle Ages inherited the character of the siren from antiquity. Its meaning and image changed over time and depending on context, in visual depictions and in the pages written. For the Fathers of the Church and the commentators of early Christianity, this mythical creature was a symbol of lust and deception and this was its prevailing message. However, the Middle Ages also inherit more positive interpretations of the siren than those developed in the Homeric vein. Regarding its appearance, it appeared both as a woman-fish and a woman-bird, and as a hybrid between these two forms. The first description of such creatures as fish-women can be read in the “Liber monstrorum”, a text composed in the 7th-8th centuries. In this work it is stated that the mermaids are "marinae puellae", that they have the body of young girls up to the navel and scaly fish tails and deceive the sailors with their beautiful appearance. But medieval art does not always depict them as fascinating marine creatures.This contribution will consider some medieval representations of the siren to discuss the relationship between image and text, image and meaning, image and people.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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