As I wrote in my previous blog post, the last two additions to the Medieval Monuments series (the shrouded husband and wife) constitute a diptych. The next two pieces will also form a pair.
I now move on from the 'shrouded' type of monument, back to depictions of the deceased as they were known in life. In this case, I have chosen the monument for Danish king Eric Menved and queen Ingeborg, who both died in 1319. It can be found in the Cathedral of Ringstead, Denmark (right).
Carving is now underway for Queen Ingeborg (left).
Of note are the elegantly expressive hands of the queen, who is holding a book in one and a staff in the other. The evocation of Byzantine iconography in this detail leads me to wonder if the craftsman derived some inspiration therefrom. When this pair is complete, I plan to add two more pieces to the Medieval Monuments series. After that, I will move on to interpreting the visions of polymath and Doctor of the Church, St Hildegard of Bingen.
While the current group comprises pieces of uniform dimensions, the next will involve more flexibility and variety in the types and sizes of wood. It will also involve more interpretation on my part, as I will be using both manuscript illuminations as well as the texts themselves as my references.