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Art reviews by Zephyros

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On the facade of the Cologne Town Hall there is a statue of Bishop Konrad von Hochstaden. The severity of his ecclesiastical figure is barely surprising; it’s what’s under the pedestal that leaves you stunned.
t's a so-called Kallendresser or a Kölner Spiegel, a figure that relieves itself into the drainpipe/displaying their bare backside while peeking through between the legs - like the one in the OP. These were common in Cologne since medieval times and their true meaning has since been forgotten but the most common interpretation is that they're somewhat of a political statement or a mocking of prominent figures by the respective house-owners. Think of it as writing "Fuck you mayor! I shit on your politics!" on your wall.

The figure engaged in an obscene autofellatio is to be reconnected to the classic medieval marginalia, which often included grotesque and bizarre situations placed “in the margin” of the main work — which could be a book, a fresco, a painting or, as in this case, a sculptural complex.
Given that such figures appear on a good number of churches, mainly in France, Spain and Germany, there has been much speculation as to what their purpose and meaning might have been: these were not just echoes of pagan fertility symbols, but complex allegories of salvation, as this book explains (and if you read French, there’s another good one exclusively dedicated to Brittany). Beyond all conjectures, it is clear that the distinction between the sacred and the profane in the Middle Ages was not as clear and unambiguous as we would be led to believe.
The Archbishop of Cologne was a Prince Elector, one of the seven most powerful figures in the Holy Roman Empire, but they had trouble holding the city and (centuries later) they were expelled and had to set up residence outside the city, and were not allowed to enter the city at all. But still called themselves Archbishops of Cologne. The city answered only to the Emperor.
Supposedly many noblemen were considered to fill Raspe’s shoes, but the anti-king crown fell to the young Count William of Holland. In April of 1248, Holland sieged Aachen, the place where German kings were traditionally crowned. It took six months for Aachen to fall, but when it did, it was the Archbishop of Cologne, not the Pope, who placed the crown on William’s head.

Konrad von Hochstaden’s faithful service to Pope Innocent was reward with the position of Apostolic legate in Germany, but Hochstaden reached higher. He secretly encouraged the people of Mainz to ask the pope to make him their new archbishop. This would make Konrad a double-prince elector since the Archbishop of Mainz also gets to vote on who becomes king. The pope gently denied Konrad the position, which caused Konrad to turn against the pope. The apostolic legation was taken from Konrad. Konrad turned from King William of Holland, as well and used every means necessary to dethrone him. He probably would have succeeded if William hadn’t died first.

After the death of King William, it was time for Konrad to find another king. His vote fell to Richard of Cornwall, brother to King Henry III of England. In trade for his support, Konrad was gifted full imperial authority over his principalities and the right to name bishops in Richard’s stead. Konrad von Hochstaden died four years later. Ironically, his remains lie in the Cathedral of the city where he was most hated: Cologne.


More info?
https://www.theapricity.com/forum/s...-Konrad-von-Hochstaden-13th-Century-Kingmaker

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konrad_von_Hochstaden

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Not something you necessarily expect to see on a cathedral. :D Konrad was rather flexible, it seems to imply.
 
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A silver-footed maiden was bathing, letting the water fall on the golden apples of her breasts, with flesh like curdled milk. Her rounded buttocks, their flesh more fluid than water, gyrated back and forth. Her outspread hand covered the swelling Eurotas – not all of it, but as much as it could. (tr. William Roger Paton, revised by Michael A. Tueller)
Just found the thread. The poetry and pictures are wonderful. However, I would suggest that this picture seems to be at the Alhambra in Granada, Moorish Spain.
 
Just found the thread. The poetry and pictures are wonderful. However, I would suggest that this picture seems to be at the Alhambra in Granada, Moorish Spain.
The artist is the Greek orientalist, Theodoros Rallis, who worked in France as Théodore Jacques Ralli.
His paintings are pleasantly sensuous, here's one with a hint of crux

Theodore Ralli.jpg
 
The artist is the Greek orientalist, Theodoros Rallis, who worked in France as Théodore Jacques Ralli.
His paintings are pleasantly sensuous, here's one with a hint of crux

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Beautiful. How do you know all these things, Eul? Or should I call you Countess Elizabeth Báthory? (see Coffee Shop today)
 
The artist is the Greek orientalist, Theodoros Rallis, who worked in France as Théodore Jacques Ralli.
Theodoros Rallis Tutt'Art@ (72).jpg
One of his works. Reminds me of a family trip to Morocco five years ago, when a snake handler put a large snake like that on my wife's shoulders. Unfortunately she was not bare-breasted at the time!
 
How do you know all these things, Eul?
Just Google image search (I think you have to be on Chrome to use it)
without the wonders of Google, my world would be so much smaller -
 
Or should I call you Countess Elizabeth Báthory? (see Coffee Shop today)

Oh yes, I missed that among all the speculation on the causes of the crash,
and your lengthy disquisition on Paine - the RIghts of Man man -
that rather upstaged pain and the wrongs of women.

http://www.cruxforums.com/xf/threads/the-coffee-shop.779/post-424412

The difference between me and that dreadful countess,
is that I've no wish to inflict such torments on others,
just to experience them for myself!

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One of his works. Reminds me of a family trip to Morocco five years ago, when a snake handler put a large snake like that on my wife's shoulders. Unfortunately she was not bare-breasted at the time!
What wicked thoughts were passing through your mind then?

"Come, thou
mortal wretch,
With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate
Of life at once untie: poor venomous fool
Be angry, and dispatch..."?
 
Paul Delvaux, inspirated by Giorgio de Chirico

His paintings turn into dreamlike visions, in which almost all the elements seem to refer to that original trauma or, better, to that original epiphany. The strange non-places which the figures inhabit seem to be suspended halfway between De Chirico‘s metaphysical landscapes and the fake neoclassical sceneries used in fairgrounds; his paintings are populated with sleeping venuses and female nudes, showing a cold and hieratic eroticism, and dozens of skeletons; the train station will become another of Delvaux’s obsessions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Delvaux


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Giorgio de Chirico

His paintings turn into dreamlike visions, in which almost all the elements seem to refer to that original trauma or, better, to that original epiphany. The strange non-places which the figures inhabit seem to be suspended halfway between De Chirico‘s metaphysical landscapes and the fake neoclassical sceneries used in fairgrounds; his paintings are populated with sleeping venuses and female nudes, showing a cold and hieratic eroticism, and dozens of skeletons; the train station will become another of Delvaux’s obsessions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Delvaux


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A new one interesting discovery and art review for us.
 
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