Authors Own Photo |
Let me start
by posing a simple question; is the bird on the left a flamingo? Or an ostrich?
The Mount has an interesting history that dates back to around
the 12th century. It’s a site with religious roots, has been a
location for historic battles, was once a trading port and remains the
ancestral home of the St Aubyn family, as well as a small local community. It’s
now also a popular tourist destination which tourists can reach either by
walking out too it at low tide, or otherwise hop on a boat for a short cruise
across the sea. But where exactly do exotic birds fit into this equation? And
is it a flamingo or an ostrich?
St Michael's Mount Authors Own Photo |
The evidence got more compelling when I then discovered that
this very topic was the subject Karen La Borde’s PhD (2011). La Borde describes
how the ‘imagery has long been interpreted as symbolic of the events of the early
English ballad of ‘Chevy Chase’, hence the name of the room and through her PhD
aimed to critically analyse this plasterwork frieze and add historical context.
La Borde later suggests the work may have been that of Flemish artist Jan van
der Straet who was born in Flanders in 1523. He drew inspiration from Roman
frescoes and mosaics which also depicted the hunting of exotic animals,
imported from all corners of the globe for the entertainment of the crowds
gathered for gladiatorial contests. Animals seem to be a timeless interest/source
of entertainment as here once again, we find evidence of human fascination with
rare and exotic beasts.
Authors Own Photo |
It continues to amaze me just how often animals are evident
within history when you start to look and how their depictions continue to reveal
fascinating insights into human history. Whether it was intended as a flamingo
or an ostrich, this simple piece of stain glass art sparked a discussion that
only now, six months later, has reached a resolution.