show event

Francia

title: THE LEGEND OF SAINT GUINEFORT

subject date: 2016-09-27

caption: SAINT GUINEFORT. A depiction of the medieval legend of Guinefort, the Holy Dog. Guinefort, a small greyhound, was guarding the home where his master lived with his newborn son. Returning from hunting one day, the man saw signs of aggression in his son's room, the cradle overturned, and the dog's fangs bloody. Believing the dog had torn him to pieces, he immediately killed him with his sword. Shortly thereafter, he heard the baby crying and found him unharmed under the cradle, along with a viper killed by the dog. He then realized that Guinefort had fought the snake to save the child; the deeply repentant man buried the dog and covered its grave with stones. Soon, numerous votive offerings began to accumulate at the tomb of the martyred dog, brought in thanksgiving for the miracles and graces that, according to the people, the holy dog performed, especially in protecting children. Word of mouth continued for centuries, and Guinefort's figure became assimilated to that of a human saint. His cult, though banned and repeatedly opposed, resisted all condemnations and was finally abolished only around 1930 by the Catholic Church. Colorized illustration based on a 15th-century woodcut.

category: HIS

copyright: © Fototeca Gilardi

copyright status: Copyrighted Work

country: Francia

credit: Fototeca Gilardi

instructions: Per utilizzi: Fototeca Gilardi - t. 02 3931 2652

Creation date: 0000-00-00 00:00:00

object name: 71140

priority: 0

multiplying price: 1.00

pricing: default

continent: Europa

image century : XV

image epoch: Medioevo

licence: RM

subject century: XIII

subject epoch: Medioevo

technique: Xilografia colorata

id: 39536

file name: FSNgilardi_71140.jpg

keywords

snakechildrenchildbabybaby in swaddling clothesdogpet dogsguarding dogsdisastersdisastersdespairsorrowmisunderstandingerrormiscarriage of justicefaithfulchildrenchildwatchwronginfantgreyhoundgreyhoundmartyrmartyrdommiraclesnewbornbaby in swaddling clotheshorrorrepentancerepenteddangerprotectorprotectionpunishmentSan GuignefortSaint GuinefortSantoswordviperloyaltyloyaltyloyal