This site requires Javascript to be turned on. Please enable Javascript and reload the page.

Bringing the Holy Land Home: The Crusades, Chertsey Abbey, and the Reconstruction of a Medieval Masterpiece

Spandrel with Griffin in a Roundel

This page is referenced by:

Spandrel with a Griffin in a Roundel (HUAM 1949.47.71) By Reuben Reyes '22

What makes this object unique?

In Romanesque architecture, the triangular spaces between arches - known as spandrels - were often adorned with decorative elements. Carved into the center of this spandrel is a griffin, a mythical beast with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. Across Mediterranean cultures, the griffin is a mark of nobility, and in Christian cultures it could be used as a representation of Christ. Griffins in roundels were also regularly depicted on silks made in the eastern Mediterranean by both Byzantine and Islamic craftsmen. The object was found in Vézelay - an important gathering site for French Crusaders - and to some, the sculpted image of a griffin in a roundel might have suggested the exotic textile productions of the Holy Land.
How was this made? By Reuben Reyes '23

This object is made entirely of limestone. While stone can be salvaged and reused from torn down buildings, new stones are extracted by quarrymen from mines. Limestone was the building stone of choice, since it was a very strong piece of rock that was not easily damaged. High skilled laborers such as stone-cutters and stone masons would be at the cathedral construction sites to cut specific shapes and carve designs into the limestone. Stonemasonry was not an easy trade, since making elaborately detailed sculptures using a mallet and chisel was an extremely time consuming task that required precision and attention-to-detail. The roundel, with its very intricate designs and 'drill-like' work in the border indicates that a very skilled stone mason worked on this piece.

Here is a video on how stone masons carved out their sculptures:

In addition to the very distinct limestone materiality is the surprising unknown detail of polychromy. There is evidence of paint in the griffin's eye and near the wing, suggesting that the roundel was a dazzling vermilion in color. This 'splash' of color was another hint of Romanesque influence, as Roman architecture often had a combination of colored marbles and metals that would work together to illuminate the piece. Additionally, early Byzantine architecture favored general polchromacity, which gave the objects light-bearing qualities that would create effects of glitter and brilliance. This technique was most likely replicated in the roundel to not only pay homage to early Byzantine architecture but to illuminate the griffin as though it were a divine being.
Where was this produced? By Reuben Reyes '23

The Spandrel with a Griffin in a Roundel has its roots traced back to Vézelay, France. Certain technical elements, such as the color of the stone and the rustication of the uncarved surface are similar to the work at the Vézelay Abbey. There is some dispute if this object is from Cluny, France due to the similarities it shares with certain fragments found at the Cluny Abbey. For instance, the animal at the center of our object is identical to one on the series of façade reliefs at Cluny, and the design of the roundel (border of acanthus leaves and rings) resembles a similar rope-like frame around another animal in one of the Cluny plaques. However, the design and execution of this piece are more intricate than those of the Cluniac reliefs, suggesting that this object has different origins from those pieces.

The Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene, otherwise known as the Vézelay Abbey, was built in the mid eleventh century when a rumor spread that it held the relics of St. Mary Magdalene, a follower of Jesus who was witness to his crucifixion and resurrection. The city experienced an increase in inhabitants, and by the twelfth century the population reached close to ten thousand. The Vézelay Abbey was built to accommodate this new influx of people. It was in the year 1146 that St. Bernard would preach the Second Crusade before King Louis VII and thousands of people gathered at the Abbey, and years later in 1190 several Crusader leaders would meet in the Abbey to leave for the Third Crusade. The Abbey has become one of the most important surviving monuments of the Romanesque period, known for the sheer amount of artistic expression displayed amongst the architectural elements found within it. Not only was the Abbey a place for French Crusaders to build up their religious fervor before venturing off into the Holy Land, but it was a place for immaculate Romanesque architecture that displayed tributes to Byzantine textiles and silks.
When was this made? By Reuben Reyes '23
The Spandrel with a Griffin in a Roundel was created in France during the twelfth century, specifically between the years 1125-1150. From the eleventh to fifteenth centuries, France emerged as one of the most powerful and prosperous Christian kingdoms, as it expanded its rule well beyond the capital in Paris. The spread of political and territorial power also aligned well with the Crusades, which gave France a religious reason to dominate over opposing cultures. Religious fervor in France during this time was at an all time high: political leaders surrounded themselves with clerics as advisors and building campaigns of churches and cathedrals throughout Europe were well underway. Some of the most famous churches built in France at this time included the churches of Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire, Saint Philibert at Tournus, and Notre-Dame at Jumièges. According to the writer Radulfus Glaber, Europe was "clothing itself with a white mantle of churches".

It was during the Crusades that France had an artistic renaissance. Architectural sculpture found inside and outside these churches and cathedrals were commonplace. The earliest narrative depictions found on architectural elements appeared in Chauvigny in the eleventh century, with sculptural reliefs eventually becoming a mainstay found above entrances of churches such as the Vézelay Abbey, Autun Cathedral, and the Chartes Cathedral. The abundance of churches with religious narratives depicted all throughout the architecture encouraged the people of France to come together via Catholicism and join in on the great Crusader mission to retake the Holy Land. These cathedrals were built in the tradition of Romanesque art, which was exemplified by the many carved archways that were found inside and outside of the church.
Where did this go? By Reuben Reyes '23

According to the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard, the object's ownership can be traced back to Joseph Brummer and earlier on to Jean Peslier. According to French texts from the mid nineteenth century, Peslier was a professor at a college in Avallon, which is in the same region as Vézelay. Peslier may have been able to salvage this object from Vézelay and then sold it to Joseph Brummer in a 'Commerce d'art,' or 'art trade' in the early twentieth century. Joseph Brummer was a Hungarian-born art dealer and collector and was most well known for the 'Brummer Gallery,' in which he and his brothers took an interest in ancient, medieval, contemporary French, and pre-Columbian art. The 'Brummer Gallery,' which began in Paris but eventually moved to New York City, played an instrumental role in forming the collections of Henry Walters, William Randolph Hearst, the Metropolitan Museum, and more. After Joseph Brummer's death in 1947, the objects in the gallery were auctioned off in 1949, when the Spandrel with the Griffin in a Roundel was purchased by the William Hayes Fogg Art Museum at Harvard and held in their collection ever since.
Why was this made, and how was it used? By Reuben Reyes '23
Spandrels are the triangular space found on either side of an arch. They play an important dual role as an architectural element and artistic element: in addition to ensuring the stability of the archway, it allows artisans to place a design in the triangular space for viewers to admire.
From the eleventh century to the fourteenth century, several regions of Europe built in the style of Romanesque art, which was greatly influenced by ancient Byzantine artwork. The architecture was also very Romanesque: cathedrals were characteristically built with an abundance of round-headed arches for support, barrel vaulted naves (rounded ceilings), and apses (semi-circular domes). From these elements came a unique and innovative style that was found in cathedrals such as the Vézelay Abbey.
A very important characteristic of Romanesque art was figurative sculpture that decorated architectural structures. In a similar way that manuscripts at the time would have colorful, decorative elements adorning their borders (think Morgan Picture Bible!), architectural elements such as the tympanum (the space above an entrance, like an archway) would have artistic elements carved into it that were largely pictorial and religious in nature. It was on the tympanum where prophetic scenes such as the Last Judgement could unfold, so that people could be primed to the rich and mystical history of Catholicism before entering the church.
The unique upside down triangular shape of our object along with its rigid arched edges suggest that it probably abutted the voussoirs of arcades. In other words, it was found at the intersection of consecutive repeating arches. Considering the relatively small dimensions of the object, the spandrel with a griffin may have been used as part of a cloister, an open arcade that ran along the walls of a building to form a courtyard in the middle. Since the griffin represented Christ within religious contexts, the object may have been used for the apotropaic purpose of steering away evil spirits or to remind people of the power of Christianity and the dominance they had over other religions within the Crusades. Since it also was very representative of Byzantine textiles and silk (which also displayed griffin symbolism), the sculpted griffin may have reminded the Crusaders of those textile productions of the Holy Land, further inspiring them before they ventured off to the Holy Land.
Who made this? By Reuben Reyes '23

The person who carved this particular spandrel is unknown. It was likely a highly skilled French stone-mason from Vézelay who carved a griffin under the instruction of the master mason (the architect of the particular cathedral). Stone masons were typically well paid and traveled a fair amount because their skills were in demand for building churches and cathedrals, especially during the Crusades. They usually stayed in lodges with other stone masons where they could hone their craft and learn from other highly skilled masons techniques and methods they could implement in their own craft. Medieval stone masons were highly regarded because they were essentially sub-creators of God's work; while God was the grand architect of the universe, stone masons reproduced God's work in the form of elaborately designed and decorated churches and cathedrals.
What does this tell us about the Crusades? By Reuben Reyes '23
Much can be learned about the context of the Crusades from learning about the centerpiece of the fragment, the griffin. The griffin is a mythical creature that is the composite of a lion and an eagle: it has the body, legs, and tail of a lion while also having the wings and head of an eagle. This mythical hybrid was believed to carry away grown men to feed its young, a myth found in both ancient texts and medieval bestiaries. In ancient Byzantine art, griffins often emblazoned elaborately patterned silks, textiles, and other luxury goods. These griffins were also typically encircled by roundels (as seen in our object), which added to the visual luster of the creature. They sometimes had connotations with protecting the dead, since they were found depicted on church treasuries that held holy relics and the bones of saints. According to art historians, the griffin was an integral part of visual language communicating high status to its medieval audience.
The griffin became a popular symbol across Mediterranean cultures due to its overarching representation of nobility and power. However, the griffin’s meaning often changed to reflect the culture that it was being used in. For example, during the Middle Ages, Christian countries such as Italy and France used the griffin as a symbol of Christ: the lion represented Christ’s nobility while the eagle represented Christ’s divinity and ascension into heaven. The duality between the two animals could also serve as a representation of Christ's duality of human and divine. Within this cultural context, the griffin may have been seen alongside different Christian monuments to instill a high level of religious fervor amongst individuals who visited the cathedrals to practice Catholicism.

More definitively, the object was created during the Romanesque art period in which there was a heavy emphasis on creating sculptures and artistic expressions that were a resemblance to ancient Byzantine silks and textiles. Within this context, the spandrel with a griffin encircled in a roundel resembled those Byzantine silks and textiles, which would have been brought back from the eastern Mediterranean by Crusaders. While these Byzantine textiles would have come to Western Europe by other means as well, the Crusades played a significant role in these textiles' travel. Once these textiles arrived, many churches hung them from the walls as decoration. The Spandrel with a Griffin in a Roundel paid direct homage to those textiles, reminding people of how they were used to seeing textiles in similar patterns on church walls.