St Mary is crowned by her son, Jesus Christ, as the Queen of Heaven in this square detail of a 12th century Romanesque sculpture believed to be Europe's earliest example of a Coronation of the Virgin artwork. It is carved in Cotswold stone on the Parish Church of St Swithin at Quenington, Gloucestershire, England, UK.
Quenington, Gloucestershire, England, UK: Christ crowns his mother Mary as the Queen of Heaven as they sit on a wide throne, surrounded by sculpted symbols of the four Evangelists, in this square detail of the earliest Coronation of the Virgin artwork in Europe. The early 12th century Romanesque carving, above a medieval doorway of the Cotswolds Parish Church of Saint Swithin, is Europe's earliest example of a Coronation of Mary artwork still in its original location. The church, founded circa 1100 AD, was dedicated to St Mary, but was rededicated to St Swithin after the Reformation. The sculpted tympanum over the south doorway is amongst Norman carving rated amongst the best in Britain. The south doorway also features zigzag dogtooth moulding and sculpted beakheads, while the north doorway features tympanum sculpture of the Harrowing of Hell. St Swithin's was largely rebuilt in the 1800s, but the quality of both sets of carvings has earned the church official protection as a Grade I Listed Building. Quenington, east of Cirencester and north of Fairford, appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Qvenintone, from the Old English 'Cwenenatun', meaning 'the women's town or settlement' (the word 'queen' has the same derivation). The church, founded by the wealthy Lacy or de Laci family, passed in 1138 to St Peter's Abbey in Gloucester and then in 1193 to the Knights Hospitaller military order. A 13th century Knights Hospitaller gatehouse survives in the village. Apart from Christ, Coronation of the Virgin artworks sometimes also feature God the Father and the dove symbol of the Holy Spirit. It was a popular subject in Christian art, especially in Italy, but the Quenington sculpture pre-dates all those in mainland Europe.
Size: 2827px × 2827px
Location: Quenington, Gloucestershire, England, UK
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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