Another whiff of Cologne

Romanesque church of St Caecilia, Cologne. Now the Schnuetgen Museum of Medieval Art

ermany has a tradition of carved religious statuary unbroken from the early middle ages, so was not surprised that this art form dominated the lovely Schuetgen Museum in Cologne: it is a private collection, donated to the city, and perfectly housed in Romanesque church building. I had the place almost to myself, and could walk round all the exhibits and examine them from near and far to my heart's content, only slightly inhibited by the hovering of the museum guardian who, having no one else to keep an eye on, and presumably having long since exhausted the novelty of the exhibits, trailed me round like my own personal minder. I remarked hintfully that he must find the work very dull but he shrugged and said, "Ein Job ist ein Job".

Looking over the photographs I took, I feel provoked to get on the soapbox for one of my rants. Will somebody please tell me how in the world we got from this:-

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A 12th C  carved wooden corpus (polychrome, but paint now eroded) in Schnuetgen Museum Cologne.

- to this? - And this?

The local talent

People, have we all gone blind? Is this a proper focus for prayer and meditation? Why are we confronted every Sunday by this kind of ubiquitous glassy-eyed tat? Is it because The Committee would rather buy something out of a supplier's catalogue than risk dealing with a real live artist?  There are people who make a living out of restoring these plaster statues - it shouldn't be allowed! When I am dictator of the world we will consign all the hideous pious paraphernalia to the cemetery and commssion some real artists. Even if it's not world class it will surely be more honest and expressive than what we've got now. There is a Facebook Group entitled "I'm fed up with bad church music". I propose  a sister act entitled "We're sick of tacky church art",

I have worked myself up into such a passion now that I can only append, without further invidious comparison, a sample of the other magnificent Christian art on display at the Schnutgen Museum.

Carved ivory liturgical comb of St Heribert, 9th century. I must find out what a liturgical comb was for.

Other side of comb with crucifixion scene

A single page from the St Alban's Psalter. Now how did that get here?

Byzantine ivory diptych, c. 810

Stained glass marginalia

Polychrome wood carving. Calm and still as a pillar

An example of some of the charming small statuary

Grieving Mother of God from a crucifixion scene. Such a harrowing expression but so restrained.

Detail of magnificent enamel work reliquary.

A colloquy of saints

A whole gallery of late medieval polychrome wood carved saints. Germany maintains this tradition of linden carving.