The Atlants of Semur-en-Brionnais: Romanesque Transformations of Antique Motifs and the Battle against Heresy
Gil Fishhof
The lintel of the west portal church Saint-Hilaire in Semur-en-Brionnais presents a rare depiction Saint Hilary Poitiers and his battle against heretic Pope Leo. Adjacent to are sculpted two images atlants, presenting unique combination motifs associating them with vice luxuria. article contends that Semur atlants play meaningful role program its preoccupation struggle Church heresy. thus studied as an example strategies visual polemics heretics practiced by church. These compared contemporary textual polemics, order discern both similarities divergences. Furthermore, claims these reveal profound understanding antique traditions divergent meanings motif atlant. They exemplify transformations atlant medieval art serve here study diverse ways which classical were adapted into Middle Ages.
Viator