A Polysemic Interpretation of the West Façade of Saint-Martin-de-Besse: Time, Space, and Chiasmus Carved in Stone
This article explores the sculptural programme of the west portal of Saint-Martin-de-Besse, which places Penance and the Eucharist sacraments at the centre of its polysemic narratives, forming chiastic sequences. Concerned with the fall of humankind and the history of redemption, the portal of Besse...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/2/152 |
| _version_ | 1797476867389784064 |
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| author | Anna-Maria Moubayed |
| author_facet | Anna-Maria Moubayed |
| author_sort | Anna-Maria Moubayed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article explores the sculptural programme of the west portal of Saint-Martin-de-Besse, which places Penance and the Eucharist sacraments at the centre of its polysemic narratives, forming chiastic sequences. Concerned with the fall of humankind and the history of redemption, the portal of Besse presents a series of enigmatic figures from the Old and New Testaments, along with an early Christian figure, Saint Eustace. In this article, I first present a brief historical overview of the church and its surroundings and then proceed with an iconographical survey of its portal. I argue that the series of sculpted narrative vignettes forming the west façade of Besse are polysemic as they carry multiple meanings. Focusing on salvation through (re)conversion, where the liturgical sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist are fundamental, these polysemic narratives form and perform four distinct chiasmus interchanges involving the Garden of Eden, where time and space are in constant dialogue. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:09:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1e6ebc80aa684d8f9c340fcf72eee96f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:09:51Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-1e6ebc80aa684d8f9c340fcf72eee96f2023-11-23T21:51:56ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442022-02-0113215210.3390/rel13020152A Polysemic Interpretation of the West Façade of Saint-Martin-de-Besse: Time, Space, and Chiasmus Carved in StoneAnna-Maria Moubayed0Religion and Civil Society Research Group, Institute for Culture and Society, University of Navarra, 31009 Pamplona, SpainThis article explores the sculptural programme of the west portal of Saint-Martin-de-Besse, which places Penance and the Eucharist sacraments at the centre of its polysemic narratives, forming chiastic sequences. Concerned with the fall of humankind and the history of redemption, the portal of Besse presents a series of enigmatic figures from the Old and New Testaments, along with an early Christian figure, Saint Eustace. In this article, I first present a brief historical overview of the church and its surroundings and then proceed with an iconographical survey of its portal. I argue that the series of sculpted narrative vignettes forming the west façade of Besse are polysemic as they carry multiple meanings. Focusing on salvation through (re)conversion, where the liturgical sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist are fundamental, these polysemic narratives form and perform four distinct chiasmus interchanges involving the Garden of Eden, where time and space are in constant dialogue.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/2/152EveRomanesque sculpturetimespaceliturgyoriginal sin |
| spellingShingle | Anna-Maria Moubayed A Polysemic Interpretation of the West Façade of Saint-Martin-de-Besse: Time, Space, and Chiasmus Carved in Stone Religions Eve Romanesque sculpture time space liturgy original sin |
| title | A Polysemic Interpretation of the West Façade of Saint-Martin-de-Besse: Time, Space, and Chiasmus Carved in Stone |
| title_full | A Polysemic Interpretation of the West Façade of Saint-Martin-de-Besse: Time, Space, and Chiasmus Carved in Stone |
| title_fullStr | A Polysemic Interpretation of the West Façade of Saint-Martin-de-Besse: Time, Space, and Chiasmus Carved in Stone |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Polysemic Interpretation of the West Façade of Saint-Martin-de-Besse: Time, Space, and Chiasmus Carved in Stone |
| title_short | A Polysemic Interpretation of the West Façade of Saint-Martin-de-Besse: Time, Space, and Chiasmus Carved in Stone |
| title_sort | polysemic interpretation of the west facade of saint martin de besse time space and chiasmus carved in stone |
| topic | Eve Romanesque sculpture time space liturgy original sin |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/2/152 |
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