Introduction: The Jew, the Cathedral, and the Medieval City
Nina Rowe
In the second quarter of thirteenth century, images a beautiful and benighted Judaism began to appear on cathedral facades across northern Europe. sculpted decorative programs most ambitious ecclesiastical building projects age, Synagogue, personified as comely lady, was paired with likewise feminine personification Church. Known Ecclesia Synagoga, these personae became hinge figures within monumental ensembles that dominated public space at city centers in French kingdom German empire. These urban milieux were sites lively economic social exchange, where local Christian burghers, traveling merchants, mendicant clerics, visiting pilgrims, itinerant artists, insurgent preachers, Jewish men women traded, argued, observed, engaged one another course daily life. Poised above motley populace conveying triumph defeat. On facades, typically is shown crowned holding battle standard chalice. contrast, blindfolded drooping; she holds broken staff dropping tablets law. The Synagoga bedecked exteriors stood stark contrast real Jews living streets heart Europe's cities High Middle Ages. While Ashkenazic communities twelfth centuries strong contributors still-celebrated flowering intellectual, spiritual, life, consistently represented sculpture an incapacitated downtrodden figure.
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