This article is about the church ornament. For the weapon, see Misericorde (weapon).
For the piece of church furniture known as the mercy seat that is used for repentance, see Mourner's bench.
A misericord (sometimes named mercy seat, like the biblical object) is a small wooden structure formed on the underside of a folding seat in a church which, when the seat is folded up, is intended to act as a shelf to support a person in a partially standing position during long periods of prayer.[1]
Misericord from the church of Saint-Prix in Noizay (Indre-et-Loire, France), depicting an angelWith the seat lifted (as at left), the misericord provides a ledge to support the user
Prayers in the early medieval church at the daily divine offices (i.e. Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, and Compline) were said standing with uplifted hands. The old or infirm could use crutches or, as time went on, a misericordia (literally "pity of the heart" to create an act of mercy). For these times of required standing, seating was constructed so that the seats could be turned up. However, the undersides sometimes had a small shelf, a misericord, allowing the user to lean against it, slightly reducing their discomfort. Like most other medieval woodwork in churches, they were usually skillfully carved and often show detailed scenes, despite being hidden underneath the seats, especially in the choir stalls of the choir around the altar.
Historyedit
The earliest mention of the misericord dates to the 11th century. Surviving misericords in English churches date from the start of the 13th century right up until the 21st century, although after the beginning of the 17th century they are viewed as modern copies with little or no historical importance. Remnant's 1969 catalogue dismisses everything after that date as "modern", rarely even affording it a description, but there are many wonderful carvings from the Victorian era, and even the modern day. The earliest set of misericords can be found in the choir stalls of Exeter Cathedral and date from the middle of the 13th century.[2] Slightly earlier individual examples are present at Christchurch Priory and St Mary the Virgin, Hemingbrough.[2] The vast majority of English misericords date from the 14th and 15th centuries and are curiously most often depictions of secular or pagan images and scenes, entirely at odds with the Christian iconography and aesthetic that surround them.
Many stalls with misericords were once part of monastic or collegiate churches, but under the Reformation many were either destroyed or broken up to be dispersed amongst parish churches. Those that survived were further depleted by 17th-century iconoclasts and Victorian reformers. One set at Chester was destroyed by Dean Howson because he deemed it improper, although 43 of the original medieval scenes remain. The woodcarvers came from Lincoln in the late 14th century and moved on to Westminster Hall when they had finished the choir, three years later. It is said [by whom?] that it was the apprentices who were allowed to carve the seats, while the masters did the more impressive works.
Eastern Orthodox Useedit
Misericords are found to this day on kathismata, the choir stalls used by Eastern Orthodox monastics. These tend to be much simpler than their Western counterparts, usually being a simple strip of rounded wood with little or no ornamentation. Their use is very common in the Greek Orthodox Church, though Russian Orthodox monasteries tend not to have individual choir stalls, but simple benches for the brethren to sit on. Orthodox Christians stand throughout the long divine services, rather than sit or kneel, though some seating is provided for the elderly and infirm. Whereas Greek monks will tend to lean in their stalls during the services, Russian monks usually stand upright.
Misericord (room)edit
A distinct (but related) use of the word is to denote a room in a medieval Benedictine monastery where some part of the community would eat on any given day. The Rule of Saint Benedict included strict rules on the food allowed for monks in the refectory: for example, it provided for a complete ban on the meat of four-legged animals except for the sick. In a late medieval monastery, a schedule would send half of all monks to dine in the refectory, and the other half to the misericord, where the Rule of Saint Benedict was not in effect and they could indulge in meat. At Westminster Abbey, the misericord was constructed sometime between 1230 and 1270.[3]
Cultural impactedit
As the 'hidden' position and 'vernacular' iconography of misericords have prompted them to be seen as a subversive art-form, they have re-appeared as motifs in modern art and literature [4]
^"Inside the church: What do you need to know?". BBC iWonder. BBC. Retrieved 2016-07-18.
^ ab"Misericord". vam.ac.uk. Victoria and Albert Museum. 13 February 2007. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
^Living and dying in England, 1100–1540: the monastic experience, Barbara F. Harvey, 1993, pp. 38–41
^Misericords for Ninevah, Mike Freeman, Poetry Nation Review, pp 24–25, 2009).
Remnant, G. L. (1969). Misericords in Great Britain; with an essay on their iconography by Mary D. Anderson. (re-issue 1998). Oxford University Press. ISBN0-19-817164-1
Further readingedit
Elaine C. Block, Corpus of Medieval Misericords in France: XIII – XVI century. (2003) ISBN2-503-51239-9
Elaine C. Block, Corpus of Medieval Misericords Iberia: Portugal – Spain XIII-XVI. (2004) ISBN2-503-51499-5
Elaine C. Block, Corpus of Medieval Misericords: Belgium (B) – Netherlands (NL). (2010) ISBN978-2-503-51600-4
Elaine C. Block, Misericords in the Rhineland. (1996) ISBN1-883300-06-1
Michael Camille, Image on the Edge: The Margins of Medieval Art. (1992) ISBN978-0-674-443624
Paul Hardwick, English Medieval Misericords: the margins of meaning. (2011) ISBN1-84383-659-9
Dorothy and Henry Kraus, The Gothic Choirstalls of Spain. (1986) ISBN0-7102-0294-6
Dorothy and Henry Kraus, The Hidden World of Misericords. (1975) ISBN0-8076-0804-1
Fernando López-Ríos Fernández, Arte y medicina en las misericordias de los coros españoles (1991) ISBN84-7846-064-0
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Misericords.
A Handbook of Medieval Misericords
Misericords of the world – Photos, descriptions and histories of thousands of misericords.
Luuk Houven: CORPUS OF BRITISH MISERICORDS
April 12, 2024
misericord, this, article, about, church, ornament, weapon, weapon, piece, church, furniture, known, mercy, seat, that, used, repentance, mourner, bench, misericord, sometimes, named, mercy, seat, like, biblical, object, small, wooden, structure, formed, under. This article is about the church ornament For the weapon see Misericorde weapon For the piece of church furniture known as the mercy seat that is used for repentance see Mourner s bench A misericord sometimes named mercy seat like the biblical object is a small wooden structure formed on the underside of a folding seat in a church which when the seat is folded up is intended to act as a shelf to support a person in a partially standing position during long periods of prayer 1 Misericord from the church of Saint Prix in Noizay Indre et Loire France depicting an angelWith the seat lifted as at left the misericord provides a ledge to support the user Contents 1 Origins 2 History 3 Eastern Orthodox Use 4 Misericord room 5 Cultural impact 6 Gallery 7 See also 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External linksOrigins editPrayers in the early medieval church at the daily divine offices i e Matins Lauds Prime Terce Sext None Vespers and Compline were said standing with uplifted hands The old or infirm could use crutches or as time went on a misericordia literally pity of the heart to create an act of mercy For these times of required standing seating was constructed so that the seats could be turned up However the undersides sometimes had a small shelf a misericord allowing the user to lean against it slightly reducing their discomfort Like most other medieval woodwork in churches they were usually skillfully carved and often show detailed scenes despite being hidden underneath the seats especially in the choir stalls of the choir around the altar History editThe earliest mention of the misericord dates to the 11th century Surviving misericords in English churches date from the start of the 13th century right up until the 21st century although after the beginning of the 17th century they are viewed as modern copies with little or no historical importance Remnant s 1969 catalogue dismisses everything after that date as modern rarely even affording it a description but there are many wonderful carvings from the Victorian era and even the modern day The earliest set of misericords can be found in the choir stalls of Exeter Cathedral and date from the middle of the 13th century 2 Slightly earlier individual examples are present at Christchurch Priory and St Mary the Virgin Hemingbrough 2 The vast majority of English misericords date from the 14th and 15th centuries and are curiously most often depictions of secular or pagan images and scenes entirely at odds with the Christian iconography and aesthetic that surround them Many stalls with misericords were once part of monastic or collegiate churches but under the Reformation many were either destroyed or broken up to be dispersed amongst parish churches Those that survived were further depleted by 17th century iconoclasts and Victorian reformers One set at Chester was destroyed by Dean Howson because he deemed it improper although 43 of the original medieval scenes remain The woodcarvers came from Lincoln in the late 14th century and moved on to Westminster Hall when they had finished the choir three years later It is said by whom that it was the apprentices who were allowed to carve the seats while the masters did the more impressive works Eastern Orthodox Use editMisericords are found to this day on kathismata the choir stalls used by Eastern Orthodox monastics These tend to be much simpler than their Western counterparts usually being a simple strip of rounded wood with little or no ornamentation Their use is very common in the Greek Orthodox Church though Russian Orthodox monasteries tend not to have individual choir stalls but simple benches for the brethren to sit on Orthodox Christians stand throughout the long divine services rather than sit or kneel though some seating is provided for the elderly and infirm Whereas Greek monks will tend to lean in their stalls during the services Russian monks usually stand upright Misericord room editA distinct but related use of the word is to denote a room in a medieval Benedictine monastery where some part of the community would eat on any given day The Rule of Saint Benedict included strict rules on the food allowed for monks in the refectory for example it provided for a complete ban on the meat of four legged animals except for the sick In a late medieval monastery a schedule would send half of all monks to dine in the refectory and the other half to the misericord where the Rule of Saint Benedict was not in effect and they could indulge in meat At Westminster Abbey the misericord was constructed sometime between 1230 and 1270 3 Cultural impact editAs the hidden position and vernacular iconography of misericords have prompted them to be seen as a subversive art form they have re appeared as motifs in modern art and literature 4 Gallery edit nbsp St Botolph s Church Boston Lincolnshire a school master thrashing a pupil nbsp A simple bracket like misericord Bechtolsheim Germany nbsp Magdalen College Oxford a swan flanked by foliate supporters nbsp St Mary s Church Edlesborough Buckinghamshire showing an amphisbaena nbsp Detail of a misericord from St Laurence Church Ludlow Shropshire showing a Green Man nbsp A triple faced Green Man Cartmel Priory Cumbria nbsp A Wyvern at Great Malvern Priory Worcestershire nbsp Beverley Minster East Yorkshire Wild men and wyverns nbsp 13th century misericord St Hadelin Abbey church Hastiere par dela Belgium a feudal lord nbsp St Marcel Villabe France Samson and Delilah nbsp Les Andelys Eure France mermaid symbol of vanity nbsp Choir stalls in the church of St Pierre Coutances France with the seats down nbsp Exhibitionist subjects from Treguier cathedral Brittany France nbsp Ulm minster Germany a harpy nbsp St Orso Aosta Italy a camel nbsp Leon cathedral Spain catching a cat nbsp A misericord in Ripon Cathedral allegedly the inspiration for the griffin and rabbit hole in Lewis Carroll s Alice in Wonderland See also edit nbsp Christianity portalMourner s bench Prie dieuReferences edit Inside the church What do you need to know BBC iWonder BBC Retrieved 2016 07 18 a b Misericord vam ac uk Victoria and Albert Museum 13 February 2007 Retrieved 6 September 2023 Living and dying in England 1100 1540 the monastic experience Barbara F Harvey 1993 pp 38 41 Misericords for Ninevah Mike Freeman Poetry Nation Review pp 24 25 2009 Remnant G L 1969 Misericords in Great Britain with an essay on their iconography by Mary D Anderson re issue 1998 Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 817164 1Further reading editElaine C Block Corpus of Medieval Misericords in France XIII XVI century 2003 ISBN 2 503 51239 9 Elaine C Block Corpus of Medieval Misericords Iberia Portugal Spain XIII XVI 2004 ISBN 2 503 51499 5 Elaine C Block Corpus of Medieval Misericords Belgium B Netherlands NL 2010 ISBN 978 2 503 51600 4 Elaine C Block Misericords in the Rhineland 1996 ISBN 1 883300 06 1 Michael Camille Image on the Edge The Margins of Medieval Art 1992 ISBN 978 0 674 443624 Christa Grossinger The World Upside Down English misericords 1997 ISBN 1 872501 98 2 Paul Hardwick English Medieval Misericords the margins of meaning 2011 ISBN 1 84383 659 9 Dorothy and Henry Kraus The Gothic Choirstalls of Spain 1986 ISBN 0 7102 0294 6 Dorothy and Henry Kraus The Hidden World of Misericords 1975 ISBN 0 8076 0804 1 Fernando Lopez Rios Fernandez Arte y medicina en las misericordias de los coros espanoles 1991 ISBN 84 7846 064 0External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Misericords A Handbook of Medieval Misericords Misericords of the world Photos descriptions and histories of thousands of misericords Luuk Houven CORPUS OF BRITISH MISERICORDS Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Misericord amp oldid 1200526310, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
