Medieval Graffiti in English Churches – The Case of John Lydgate, O.S.B.

Fra Angelico Institute for the Sacred Arts ^ | 4/2/14 | Deacon Paul O. Iacono

[marshmallow]

A fascinating series of articles came to my attention today by Tatjana Jovanovic, a top contributor of a Linkedin group called Medieval and Renaissance Art, Antiques, Architecture, Archaeology, History and Music. Her article is entitled “Medieval Banksy: Confession of Medieval Graffiti Artist, Monk, and Writer.”

Ms. Jovanovic is an aesthetician and artistic designer. She basis her article on two pieces that appeared in the US edition of The Guardian/The Observer. The first by Matt Champion provides a gallery of 13th and 14th century graffiti that is being collected by a British association known as the Norfolk Medieval Graffiti Survey www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2014/mar/29/medieval-graffiti-pictures-lydgate

A second article by Robin Stummer in The Observer provides an overview of the life of a Benedictine monk John Lydgate. He was a well-known and well connected poet and writer who had as clients the Mayor of London, various dukes, and the Kings Henry IV, Henry V, and Henry VI.

Lydgate was born around the year 1370, lived a self-described dissolute youth, and entered religious life joining the Benedictine Order. He travelled throughout Britain and the Continent. He admits, however, that in his youth he had more fondness for “clear wine” than his religious studies!

[Alex Murphy]

Lydgate was born around the year 1370, lived a self-described dissolute youth, and entered religious life joining the Benedictine Order. He travelled throughout Britain and the Continent. He admits, however, that in his youth he had more fondness for “clear wine” than his religious studies!

Falling asleep in church - a tradition for over 600 years.

[Revelation 911]

maybe the happy clap of todays megas would have certainly entertained him

[Bigg Red]

ping

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Bigg Red. Graffiti has been a widespread method of self-expression since long before gang-related tagging. Ancient graffiti on somewhat more ancient carvings and whatnot appears in Pompeii and other towns buried that day in 79 AD, in Egypt (including over the entrance to the Great Pyramid), the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul nee' Constantinople, and all the way back to the stone-age cave paintings.