Images of the Saracens in the Medieval Art

Abstract

The article analyses the images of the “Saracens” in the medieval art of Western Europe (mostly Italy, France and also Spain) and their key characteristics in connection with the historical events (crusades, voyages of the merchants and Catholic missionaries). It analyses types of visual arts (miniatures, frescos etc.), subjects and roles (battles with Europeans, conversion to Christianity, listeners of the Christian preaching, witnesses of the events of the life of Christ and Christian saints etc.) where the Saracens were represented. The article points out impreciseness and fluctuality of the term “Saracens” and their images. Also, it analyses the characteristic traits of the images of the Saracens which were counterposed to those of the Europeans: appearance (regular facial features of Europeans and irregular ones — of the Saracens), mimics (calmness — grimaces), gestures (meek — aggressive), skin color (light — darker), beards and hair (light — dark color, thick), weapons (straight sword — bow or arrows and bent sword). These traits, as well as the images of the Saracens in general, were connected with the religious-ethical categories: sin, paganism, barbarism, cunning et. al. and similar. Thus, the historical events were represented as the religious subjects and (as, first, crusades) were perceived as confrontation between right and wrong religion, Good and Evil etc. Images of the Saracens wearing turbans and Oriental clothes related to the negative semantic of the Black color (it related to Evil, Sin etc.) and probable presence of the Blacks in the armies of the Saracens and among the inhabitants of the cities of the Near East. Blacks depicted on the crests of the European aristocracy also referred to the crusades and represented their owners as the defenders of the right faith, defeaters of the Evil and the enemies of Christianity etc. The illuminated manuscripts might also represent confrontations between the Saracens and the Mongols in the Near East.