Saint Judas. Apostle and Martyr (Studies in the Humanities: Literature-Politics-Society) [Hardcover]

Kathryn Eberle Wildgen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 22, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0820448745 | ISBN-13: 978-0820448749

Between 1125 and 1135, it is generally agreed, a sculptor of genius usually referred to as Gislebertus carved a tympanum and a series of capitals for the cathedral dedicated to Saint Lazarus at Autun. The capital depicting the suicide of Judas is unique in the Romanesque repertoire both for its beauty of technique and for its execution of subject matter. The iconography is at once baffling and rich in possibilities of interpretation, which extend far beyond a simple image of a hanged man. One of the possibilities explored is that this is an image of a man realizing in extremis that he could and should have been remembered throughout history as Saint Judas, Apostle and Martyr, rather than as the paradigmatic traitor. There are objects in the image that demand-and receive-explanations, albeit tentative: the protuberance on Judas' back; the "strap" from which he is hanging; the position of his hands and feet. The interpretation is set firmly in its historical period, but the image is also discussed as an object whose significance transcends the time and the place in which it was conceived and produced.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Peter Lang Publishing (May 22, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0820448745
• ISBN-13: 978-0820448749
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,100,846 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #91 in Books > Arts & Photography > Schools, Periods & Styles > Romanesque

More About the Author

As recovering college professors, my husband and I enjoy travel, reading and writing. We split the year between the bayous of Louisiana and the Rocky Mountains of Arizona. Novels, written and in the writing, are set in these two locales. Now that the "publish or perish" pressure is off, I've turned to fiction and hope to have several novels to add to the scholarly books already available on Amazon.com. My first completed novel is "fractal," a Southern Gothic novel of chaotic suspense. Our AZ home is eighty miles from Grand Canyon and we enjoy going there, sometimes just for lunch. We also relish visits from family and friends. Please visit my website at http://fractalthenovel.com. There you will find a link to a Shutterfly album of images of the places of fractal. I also invite you to visit our travel photo blog at http://wildgen.shutterfly.com. Finally if you wish to friend me on Facebook, please do so. Thanks for visiting.