Images of Lust: Sexual Carvings on Medieval Churches

Front Cover
Routledge, 2013 M04 15 - 168 pages
Sexually explicit sculptures may be found on a number of medieval churches in France and Spain. This fascinating study examines the origins and purposes of these sculptures, viewing them not as magical fertility symbols, nor even as idols of ancient pre-Christian religions, but as serious works that dealt with the sexual customs and salvation of medieval folk, and thus gave support to the Church's moral teachings.
 

Contents

Introduction
7
1 Sheelanagig
11
2 Ugly as sin
23
3 The Romanesque background
31
4 The entertainers
40
5 Mermaids centaurs and other hybrid monsters
48
6 La femme aux serpents lhomme aux serpents and lavare
58
7 Disgust for the flesh
80
9 Rude gestures and ruder postures
100
10 More female exhibitionists
111
11 The distribution of sexual carvings
123
12 Exhibitionists and folklore
145
Epilogue
151
Bibliography
155
Gazetteer
160
Index
165

8 More priapic figures
91

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About the author (2013)

James Jerman, after retiring from the School of Education at Leicester University, continues to be a part-time tutor in local history in the Department of Adult Education. Anthony Weir is a freelance photographer and artist and travelled widely in Europe to draw illustrations and take photographs for this book.

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