Plant and zoomorphic ornament

Only the east half of this capital has been preserved. It is covered with an ornamental pattern of twisted and scrolled tendrils, in which two griffons are caught. A mythological animal of ancient oriental origin, the griffon is distinguished by the winged body of a lion and a bird’s head with lion’s ears. Although the original symbolism of this beast had a divine character, connected with worship of the sun god, in Romanesque sculpture is has quite the opposite connotation: it is the embodiment of evil due to its monstrosity.
As in other capitals of this cloister, the animals or figures entangled in tendrils allude to eternal damnation or at least to the fetters placed on us by sin. In this sense there is a difference between the symbolic and mythological interpretation of this beast in Romanesque sculpture and that transmitted by the tradition of the bestiaries.
At the basis of manuscripts of bestiaries dating to the second half of the twelfth century lies the anonymous text of the Physiologus (2nd to 4th century AD), in which, ever since antiquity, particular characteristics and an ethical symbolism were attributed to each created being. But the manuscripts in question were learned works, destined for bishops and abbots in northern Europe, and had a quite different purpose than architectural sculpture which was addressed at the wider community of believers.
The capital is stylistically and iconographically related to another capital in the same wing of the cloister (W11PP52).

vegetal zoomorph ornament bird eagles lion beak