Greetings Collective Wisdom!
I have a researcher who is asking for help finding examples
of, or scholarship about, how the “future” was referenced in
medieval art. I asked if he was referring to eschatology, but he said he’s
specifically interested in how medieval artists portrayed the concept of “the
future”.
If memory serves me correctly, the medieval mind was primarily
concerned with either the end of the world (eschatology) and/or the salvation
of one’s soul. I cannot for the life of me remember any discussion
of “the future” in either my undergraduate or graduate medieval art
courses.
I have searched the usual sources, periodical indices, the
ICA, various references books on both medieval art and iconography, medieval
art survey books (Snyder), and even Google, but with no luck.
Can anyone offer some examples of “the future”
as depicted in medieval art, or provide me with some validation of my theory
that this is not a common theme? The researcher says he has found an example of
this theme at Chartres cathedral but did not give me the details.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Terrie
Terrie
L. Wilson
Art
Librarian and Head, Fine Arts Library
Fine
Arts Library
100
Library