Ten angels singing and playing music

Summary

: Ten angels singing and playing music

: Bourges, Centre-Val de Loire, France
Location type : Church

: Bourges, Centre-Val de Loire, France

: 16

: 1510 -1515

: Sculpture

: Stone

: Sculpture

: Voussure 3 : dix anges agenouillés, en musiciens ou en chantres



: , Jacynthe

Performer(s)
    • Performer information
    Type: singer, undetermined

    Genre: angel

    Posture: kneeling

    Comment: open wings, looking up. The arms are broken.

    • Performer information
    Type: musician

    Genre: angel

    Posture: kneeling

    Comment: right knee on the floor, open wings, looking up.

    Instrument information
    Instrument : lute - (Hornbostel-Sachs system: 321.321 )
    • Performer information
    Type: singer, undetermined

    Genre: angel

    • Performer information
    Type: undetermined

    Genre: angel

    • Performer information
    Type: undetermined

    Genre: angel

    • Performer information
    Type: singer, musician

    Genre: angel

    Instrument information
    Instrument : organ - (Hornbostel-Sachs system: 412.1-8 )
    • Performer information
    Type: singer, musician

    Genre: angel

    Instrument information
    Instrument : lute - (Hornbostel-Sachs system: 321.321 )
    • Performer information
    Type: singer, undetermined

    Genre: angel

    • Performer information
    Type: singer, undetermined

    Genre: angel

    • Performer information
    Type: undetermined, partition holder

    Genre: angel





Number of performers: 10

Organization of visual space involving performance: disposed in vertical registers

Interactions between performers: 10 performers: similar postures, looking at the same object, same clothes.

Comment: All the angels seem to be looking towards the tympanum where scenes of the life of Saint William are depicted. All of them are kneeling on a canopy.

Function of the sound: glorification, order

Reference to music theory and musical perfection: harmony

Source of musical inspiration: saint

Context of the sound: angelic music, music of the world

Comment: Three of these angels are carrying musical instruments and four are clearly singing (open mouth). The juxtaposition of musical angels and church figures may represent the order of an ideal world. Saint William could be the inspiration for the music of the angels.