Abstract
Abstract Romanesque figure sculpture, to a modern eye, often appears inexpressive. Poses seem rigid, faces blank or stereotypical. We may excuse thiA by saying that the figures are intended to be symbolic and so are exempted from the criteria of naturalistic art, and we may admire the abstract simplicity of the forms, but such perceptions are inevitably tainted by the art historian's concern with style. When such sculptures were originally placed before the congregation in a medieval church they may have been perceived quite differently, for they were experienced in conjunction with liturgy. This article will attempt to reconstruct something of audiences' experiences of narrative art in the medievals church, as viewers, as listeners, and as participants. It will suggest the ways in which words and images interacted to create a fuller, more emotionally affective experience than one might imagine in front of such images today.
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