Crouching Crossbowmen in Early Twelfth-Century Sculpture: A Nasty, Brutish, and Short(-Lived) Iconography
Therese Martin
Around the turn of twelfth century, a new iconography arose in northern Spanish and southern French lands. The sculpted image naked crossbowman, crouching to arm his weapon, flourished briefly then vanished within few decades. crossbow was just coming into common usage at this time; with little training, it could be wielded by peasants or women defeat mounted knights thus had potential destabilize social structures. I analyze display Romanesque crossbowman understand heretofore unexamined iconography, investigating reasons behind its initial conception, layered content, rapid disappearance. Even more than textual references crossbows that have come down us, contend visual analysis, together an understanding specific historical context encompassed short life enables us decipher multiple meanings image.
Gesta|DIGITAL.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC))