Misericords; Medieval Life In English Woodcarving (A King Penguin Book)

Penguin Books, Middlesex, England, 1956. Reprint. Hardcover. Good Condition/Fair. Illustrator: Various. The text is illustrated with 48 pages of black-and-white photography at the rear of the book. Illustrated boards, showing a carver at work, with black coloured titles to the front panel and backstrip. Illustrated dustwrapper, same illustration as the underlying board, with black coloured titles to the front panel and backstrip. "Services were long and frequent in the Middle Ages, and monks and canons had to stand upright longer than they liked. So, commiserating with them, the carpenters made small seats on the under-side of the tip-up seats in chancel stores on which one could sit, or against which at least one could lean, while apparently standing. The function and position being what it was, no strict and droll seems to have been kept over what the carver wished to represent to decorate these miserere or misericord seats." -- from the front fold over panel blurb. The author looks at these carvings and shows what subjects were carved from the every day life, mythology and is ecclesiastical themes. King Penguin Series – Number 72 Softening of the backstrip, and a little rubbing to the book corners. The major damage has been tape marks to the endpapers. Browning and foxing to the book panels, textblock edges and endpapers. Offset tanning to the endpapers and light age toning of the internal text. Rubbing to the dustwrapper edges and to the dustwrapper panels. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. (4), 5-30, (49 – of which 48 pages are black-and-white photographs of Misericords) pages,. Please refer to accompanying picture (s). Illustrator: Various. Quantity Available: 1. Shipped Weight: Under 500 grams. Category: Art & Design; Misericords; Britain/UK; Medieval 10th to 15thc; Inventory No: 0113315. .