- Hardcover: 64 pages
- Publisher: Aurum Press Ltd; text and photography by Mike Harding... edition (23 Jun 1998)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1854105620
- ISBN-13: 978-1854105622
- Product Dimensions: 15.4 x 14.8 x 1.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
346,171 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #39 in Books > History > Archaeology > By Period > Biblical
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Product Description
Product Description
Mike Harding presents a selection of the mos t fascinating manifestations of green men, gargoyles, miseri cords and stained glass in this series. He explains the back ground and meaning behind each subject in text and illustrat ions. '
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Misericords are the wooden rests which are in many ancient abbey choir stalls. They are often decorated with small carvings which depict mythical beasts or daily scenes (rarely religious scenes). Mike Harding has made a detailed study of these. The books has many close-up photographs, and a consice but witty commentary on each.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
This is a lovely little book which ably guides both newcomers and enthusiasts through the hidden world of misericords. Harding's witty and light commentary accompanies his photographs of these tremendous masterworks of woodcarving and keeps the tone of the book accessible and engaging. On the negative side, I did find some of the photographs a touch on the dark side and the book a tad brief for its price. It is, however, a wonderful little guide which I am glad to have in my collection!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
world turned upside down
17 Mar 2006
This is a beautiful little book packed with information about those little-known, intriguing works of art known as misericords, or "mercy seats". Found in medieval churches with a connection to a monastic community, where monks had to devote long hours to worship many times a day, misericords can't be seen unless you tip the seat upward to see the bottom (no pun intended). Apparently the wood carver was given rather free rein to use his imagination, because more than a few of them are rather racy! Mike Harding presents a lovely series of pictures, ranging from animals to plants to flowers to people to objects. Fascinating to read and simply to look at.
Under Bishops' Bums
12 Feb 2002
Simply put, a misericord is a bracket attached to the underside of a hinged seat in a church stall against which a standing person may lean. From the eleventh to the fifteenth centuries, these under-seat ledges became masterpieces of the woodcarver's art. In England and Ireland carvers made their misericords with an artistic difference, adding supporters -- small, often round carvings that flank the main image.
In this beautifully photographed and elegantly written little book, Mike Harding introduces us into the world of the rarely seen misericords and their supporters. We learn that misericords are not just carvings, but celebrations of legends, folklore, the lives and traditions of common people, bibles, bestiaries, or books of hours carved in wood. Or as the author puts it in an opening poem, "These homespun Winter's Tales/under the bums of Bishops,/worlds upside down, and turned to give/release to rheumatic monks." And ending with the splendid rhetorical question: "Did Bishops' bums have eyes to read?"
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