Drs. Willy Piron studied art history at the Radboud University Nijmegen. Since 2008 he is the manager of the Centre for Art historical Documentation, Department of Art History, Radboud University Nijmegen. He developed several art historical databases, among them the STALLA-database on medieval choir stalls (www.ru.nl/stalla/) and the Kunera-database on late medieval badges (http://www.kunera.nl/). Since 2015 he is secretary of Misericordia International.
Misericordia International Conference Choir Stalls in Architecture and Architecture in Choir Stal... more Misericordia International Conference Choir Stalls in Architecture and Architecture in Choir Stalls, 29 mei 2014
In: M. Ilsink, B. de Klerck & A. Willemsen (red.), Het einde van de middeleeuwen. Vijftig kunstwerken uit de tijd van Bosch en Erasmus, Nijmegen: Vantilt, 2019
Choir Stalls and their Workshops. Proceedings of the Misericordia International Qoloquium 2016, 2017
The medieval misericords of the choir stalls in the Lower Rhine area have a distinctive shape. Th... more The medieval misericords of the choir stalls in the Lower Rhine area have a distinctive shape. The seat is bilobate in form and the ledge is repeated. The console is also bipartite: it is usually formed in the shape of a double cone, with the two cones narrowing down to end in sharp points. The decoration, or the figurative scene, is carved out in front of the console, and not incorporated within it as is the case with some other misericords. Until now, little attention has been paid specifically to this typical form: instead, research has focused on the iconography of the Lower Rhine misericords, which is very similar to that of the Dutch and Flemish misericords, often decorated with proverbs and jokes. This paper will survey these bilobate misericords and examine whether this specific form is characteristic of this area only, whether it is also found in other regions, and whether any development of the form can be detected.
An unequivocal ‘sign of the times’: an image from the first half of the fifteenth century that le... more An unequivocal ‘sign of the times’: an image from the first half of the fifteenth century that leaves nothing to the imagination. Sex sells. This was equally true in centuries past as it is today. The image is clear: a penis protruding from a pair of breeches and stroked by two women. The eyelet at the top shows that the pendant was intended to be worn. Sexual, offensive and obscene imagery has existed in all periods, but the function of such imagery has not always been the same. The image is clear, but what was its function? Who bought such objects? How were they used? Were they worn openly or concealed in people’s undergarments? What did people wish to communicate with them?
E-PUBLICATIE SIGN OF THE TIMES ONLINE Wat zeggen middeleeuwse insignes en emoji's over onze samenleving?, 2017
Een duidelijk Sign of the Times: een voorstelling uit de eerste helft van de vijftiende eeuw die ... more Een duidelijk Sign of the Times: een voorstelling uit de eerste helft van de vijftiende eeuw die niets aan de verbeelding overlaat. Sex sells, niet alleen in de huidige tijd maar ook eeuwen geleden al. De afbeelding is goed herkenbaar; een piemel die uit een broek steekt en gestreeld wordt door twee vrouwen. Aan het hangoog is te zien dat het beeld bedoeld is om te dragen. Seksuele, aanstootgevende en obscene afbeeldingen zijn van alle tijden, maar de functie hoeft in al die eeuwen niet altijd dezelfde te zijn. De afbeelding is duidelijk, maar wat was de functie? Door wie werden ze gekocht? Hoe werden ze gebruikt? Werden ze in het openbaar gedragen? Of droeg men ze verborgen op de onderkleding? Wat wilde men ermee zeggen?
A subject on misericords in which architecture always appears is “Virgil in the basket”. This was... more A subject on misericords in which architecture always appears is “Virgil in the basket”. This was a popular theme in the Middle Ages in the genre ‘power of women over men”. The old Vergil was in love with Febilla, daughter of the emperor. At night he was drawn up in a basket to the tower room of Febilla. Grown tired of him, she left him hanging in his basket halfway up the tower, to be exposed to the public in the morning. Similar themes on misericords are for example Aristotle and Phyllis and Hercules and Omphale. On the Hoogstraten choir stalls (1532-1548) in Belgium most of these subjects are depicted.
Misericordia International was founded by Elaine C. Block (professor of the City University of Ne... more Misericordia International was founded by Elaine C. Block (professor of the City University of New York) as an association dedicated to the study of choir stalls and their relation to other artistic manifestations during the Middle Ages, and the dissemination of research.
From its beginnings, Misericordia International has promoted a bi-annual international conference as a place of scientific exchange among members of the research community interested in this topic (and in Medieval iconography in general) from a multidisciplinary approach. The conference was held from 23 to 26 June 2016 at the Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University in Greifswald. The theme of the conference was the workshop context of medieval choir stalls in the broadest sense. Where the iconography of choir stalls has enjoyed a lot of attention from researchers, the process and circumstances of the making of these complex objects were rather neglected. Choir stalls were not produced by an individual artist but were created by a group of craftsmen. This factor raises all kinds of questions. The conference in Greifswald covered an obvious need for research and therefore included much hitherto unknown research material and additional first results based on initial research. In addition to questions about substantive and economic mechanisms of the production of choir stalls the conference dealt with basic knowledge craftmanship. This publication presents the papers held at the conference and is divided into five thematic parts, namely Workshop practices, Early modern choir stalls – Traditions or restart?, Stalls of stone – A forgotten furniture, Travelling craftsmen and Group of works.
Exhibtion with photos by Hans Sibbelee about his travels to Russia and China in 1956 and 1959. Th... more Exhibtion with photos by Hans Sibbelee about his travels to Russia and China in 1956 and 1959. The exhbibiton took place in the Central Libarary of the Radboud Univeristy
Misericordia International Conference Choir Stalls in Architecture and Architecture in Choir Stal... more Misericordia International Conference Choir Stalls in Architecture and Architecture in Choir Stalls, 29 mei 2014
In: M. Ilsink, B. de Klerck & A. Willemsen (red.), Het einde van de middeleeuwen. Vijftig kunstwerken uit de tijd van Bosch en Erasmus, Nijmegen: Vantilt, 2019
Choir Stalls and their Workshops. Proceedings of the Misericordia International Qoloquium 2016, 2017
The medieval misericords of the choir stalls in the Lower Rhine area have a distinctive shape. Th... more The medieval misericords of the choir stalls in the Lower Rhine area have a distinctive shape. The seat is bilobate in form and the ledge is repeated. The console is also bipartite: it is usually formed in the shape of a double cone, with the two cones narrowing down to end in sharp points. The decoration, or the figurative scene, is carved out in front of the console, and not incorporated within it as is the case with some other misericords. Until now, little attention has been paid specifically to this typical form: instead, research has focused on the iconography of the Lower Rhine misericords, which is very similar to that of the Dutch and Flemish misericords, often decorated with proverbs and jokes. This paper will survey these bilobate misericords and examine whether this specific form is characteristic of this area only, whether it is also found in other regions, and whether any development of the form can be detected.
An unequivocal ‘sign of the times’: an image from the first half of the fifteenth century that le... more An unequivocal ‘sign of the times’: an image from the first half of the fifteenth century that leaves nothing to the imagination. Sex sells. This was equally true in centuries past as it is today. The image is clear: a penis protruding from a pair of breeches and stroked by two women. The eyelet at the top shows that the pendant was intended to be worn. Sexual, offensive and obscene imagery has existed in all periods, but the function of such imagery has not always been the same. The image is clear, but what was its function? Who bought such objects? How were they used? Were they worn openly or concealed in people’s undergarments? What did people wish to communicate with them?
E-PUBLICATIE SIGN OF THE TIMES ONLINE Wat zeggen middeleeuwse insignes en emoji's over onze samenleving?, 2017
Een duidelijk Sign of the Times: een voorstelling uit de eerste helft van de vijftiende eeuw die ... more Een duidelijk Sign of the Times: een voorstelling uit de eerste helft van de vijftiende eeuw die niets aan de verbeelding overlaat. Sex sells, niet alleen in de huidige tijd maar ook eeuwen geleden al. De afbeelding is goed herkenbaar; een piemel die uit een broek steekt en gestreeld wordt door twee vrouwen. Aan het hangoog is te zien dat het beeld bedoeld is om te dragen. Seksuele, aanstootgevende en obscene afbeeldingen zijn van alle tijden, maar de functie hoeft in al die eeuwen niet altijd dezelfde te zijn. De afbeelding is duidelijk, maar wat was de functie? Door wie werden ze gekocht? Hoe werden ze gebruikt? Werden ze in het openbaar gedragen? Of droeg men ze verborgen op de onderkleding? Wat wilde men ermee zeggen?
A subject on misericords in which architecture always appears is “Virgil in the basket”. This was... more A subject on misericords in which architecture always appears is “Virgil in the basket”. This was a popular theme in the Middle Ages in the genre ‘power of women over men”. The old Vergil was in love with Febilla, daughter of the emperor. At night he was drawn up in a basket to the tower room of Febilla. Grown tired of him, she left him hanging in his basket halfway up the tower, to be exposed to the public in the morning. Similar themes on misericords are for example Aristotle and Phyllis and Hercules and Omphale. On the Hoogstraten choir stalls (1532-1548) in Belgium most of these subjects are depicted.
Misericordia International was founded by Elaine C. Block (professor of the City University of Ne... more Misericordia International was founded by Elaine C. Block (professor of the City University of New York) as an association dedicated to the study of choir stalls and their relation to other artistic manifestations during the Middle Ages, and the dissemination of research.
From its beginnings, Misericordia International has promoted a bi-annual international conference as a place of scientific exchange among members of the research community interested in this topic (and in Medieval iconography in general) from a multidisciplinary approach. The conference was held from 23 to 26 June 2016 at the Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University in Greifswald. The theme of the conference was the workshop context of medieval choir stalls in the broadest sense. Where the iconography of choir stalls has enjoyed a lot of attention from researchers, the process and circumstances of the making of these complex objects were rather neglected. Choir stalls were not produced by an individual artist but were created by a group of craftsmen. This factor raises all kinds of questions. The conference in Greifswald covered an obvious need for research and therefore included much hitherto unknown research material and additional first results based on initial research. In addition to questions about substantive and economic mechanisms of the production of choir stalls the conference dealt with basic knowledge craftmanship. This publication presents the papers held at the conference and is divided into five thematic parts, namely Workshop practices, Early modern choir stalls – Traditions or restart?, Stalls of stone – A forgotten furniture, Travelling craftsmen and Group of works.
Exhibtion with photos by Hans Sibbelee about his travels to Russia and China in 1956 and 1959. Th... more Exhibtion with photos by Hans Sibbelee about his travels to Russia and China in 1956 and 1959. The exhbibiton took place in the Central Libarary of the Radboud Univeristy
Exhibtion with photographs by Hans Sibbelee about Christ-images in art. Originally these photogra... more Exhibtion with photographs by Hans Sibbelee about Christ-images in art. Originally these photographs were used in the book 'Imago Christi by professor Van der Meer. The exhibiton took place in Museumpark Orientalis
Exhibioton about the Camino Francés to Santiago de Compostela with images from the Center for Art... more Exhibioton about the Camino Francés to Santiago de Compostela with images from the Center for Art-Historical Documentation of the Radboud University in the Museumpark Orientalis
Badges and ampullae are the material witnesses to the rich and fascinating visual world of the la... more Badges and ampullae are the material witnesses to the rich and fascinating visual world of the late Middle Ages. Often only unique copies or – in rare instances – some duplicates of the same mould were passed down, even though the objects were mass-produced at the time. The material played a major part in the dissemination of imagery from the late twelfth century to the middle of the sixteenth century. From the middle of the fifteenth century, printing gradually took over. Depictions on badges and ampullae differ from Christ, Mary and the saints to utensils, plants and animals, literary and sexual subjects. In addition, the pilgrims’ souvenirs that were produced in one place and lost in another, give a perception of travel routes. Where did pilgrims go and how many miles did their travels cover? The website Kunera offers access to over 15.000 badges and ampullae of religious and profane subjects. The pilgrimage sites and the sites where the objects were found are mapped out visualizing the dissemination of the objects and the travel routes at a single glance. The goal of Kunera as a research project of the Radboud University is twofold. On the one hand, we try to increase knowledge about late medieval (pilgrimage) culture. Therefore, the registered data are accessible to a large audience of (amateur) archeologists, scientists and other interested parties. On the other hand, the database serves a documentary goal. Badges and ampullae are often produced of pewter. The material is liable to oxidation, when it is exposed to oxygen. Damage of the fragile objects is almost inevitable. Not just a registration of the material information is necessary; also the finds’ circumstances need documentation. When the objects are in private hands, data of the archeological site and provenance are often lost after time. The research team of Kunera strives to research as much badges and ampullae as possible in order to safeguard valuable details of this historically important material.
Since 2005 a database of choir stalls and misericords in Western Europe has been developed.
Choir... more Since 2005 a database of choir stalls and misericords in Western Europe has been developed. Choir stalls are part of the fixed church furniture in medieval monasteries and collegiate churches and were made in the period from 1150 to 1550 throughout Western Europe. The choir stalls are constructed from one or two rows of wooden seats, placed on the north and south side of the choir and possibly also on the west side. The folding sessions of the seats on the bottom have a console-like support, called a misericord. This word is derived from the Latin word misericordia that means mercy. During the periods in which canons and monks had to stand the misericord offered support. Parts of the choir banks, such as the misericords, are frequently decorated with carvings. Mainly religious scenes are to be found on the cheeks. This is in contrast to the carving of the misericords and the buttons where the profane world dominated with displays of fantasy creatures, human types, animals, proverbs and fables. Situated in the centre of the religious world the carvings give an idea of the way of thinking and acting in daily life of in the Middle Ages. The CKD has several collections of images - the collection J. Verspaandonk, the collection Muck and the collection Van Aalst.
An extension of a research project by the Department of Art History of the historicised portrait ... more An extension of a research project by the Department of Art History of the historicised portrait in western art is the construction of the Portrait Historié database. The database originally contained works of art created in the Netherlands' Golden Century. The database was transferred to the CKD and is supplemented with Portraits Historiés from the whole of western art history
book review of Theunissen, Christel. Koorbanken in Brabant 1425-1550 Van goeden houte gemaekt’ He... more book review of Theunissen, Christel. Koorbanken in Brabant 1425-1550 Van goeden houte gemaekt’ Het werk van laatmiddeleeuwse schrijnwerkers en beeldsnijders. ”Nijmeegse Kunsthistorische Studies” XXIII. Nijmegen: Uitgeverij Van Tilt, 2017.
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From its beginnings, Misericordia International has promoted a bi-annual international conference as a place of scientific exchange among members of the research community interested in this topic (and in Medieval iconography in general) from a multidisciplinary approach.
The conference was held from 23 to 26 June 2016 at the Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University in Greifswald. The theme of the conference was the workshop context of medieval choir stalls in the broadest sense. Where the iconography of choir stalls has enjoyed a lot of attention from researchers, the process and circumstances of the making of these complex objects were rather neglected. Choir stalls were not produced by an individual artist but were created by a group of craftsmen. This factor raises all kinds of questions. The conference in Greifswald covered an obvious need for research and therefore included much hitherto unknown research material and additional first results based on initial research. In addition to questions about substantive and economic mechanisms of the production of choir stalls the conference dealt with basic knowledge craftmanship.
This publication presents the papers held at the conference and is divided into five thematic parts, namely Workshop practices, Early modern choir stalls – Traditions or restart?, Stalls of stone – A forgotten furniture, Travelling craftsmen and Group of works.
From its beginnings, Misericordia International has promoted a bi-annual international conference as a place of scientific exchange among members of the research community interested in this topic (and in Medieval iconography in general) from a multidisciplinary approach.
The conference was held from 23 to 26 June 2016 at the Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University in Greifswald. The theme of the conference was the workshop context of medieval choir stalls in the broadest sense. Where the iconography of choir stalls has enjoyed a lot of attention from researchers, the process and circumstances of the making of these complex objects were rather neglected. Choir stalls were not produced by an individual artist but were created by a group of craftsmen. This factor raises all kinds of questions. The conference in Greifswald covered an obvious need for research and therefore included much hitherto unknown research material and additional first results based on initial research. In addition to questions about substantive and economic mechanisms of the production of choir stalls the conference dealt with basic knowledge craftmanship.
This publication presents the papers held at the conference and is divided into five thematic parts, namely Workshop practices, Early modern choir stalls – Traditions or restart?, Stalls of stone – A forgotten furniture, Travelling craftsmen and Group of works.
Often only unique copies or – in rare instances – some duplicates of the same mould were passed down, even though the objects were mass-produced at the time. The material played a major part in the dissemination of imagery from the late twelfth century to the middle of the sixteenth century. From the middle of the fifteenth century, printing gradually took over. Depictions on badges and ampullae differ from Christ, Mary and the saints to utensils, plants and animals, literary and sexual subjects. In addition, the pilgrims’ souvenirs that were produced in one place and lost in another, give a perception of travel routes. Where did pilgrims go and how many miles did their travels cover? The website Kunera offers access to over 15.000 badges and ampullae of religious and profane subjects. The pilgrimage sites and the sites where the objects were found are mapped out visualizing the dissemination of the objects and the travel routes at a single glance. The goal of Kunera as a research project of the Radboud University is twofold. On the one hand, we try to increase knowledge about late medieval (pilgrimage) culture. Therefore, the registered data are accessible to a large audience of (amateur) archeologists, scientists and other interested parties. On the other hand, the database serves a documentary goal. Badges and ampullae are often produced of pewter. The material is liable to oxidation, when it is exposed to oxygen. Damage of the fragile objects is almost inevitable. Not just a registration of the material information is necessary; also the finds’ circumstances need documentation. When the objects are in private hands, data of the archeological site and provenance are often lost after time. The research team of Kunera strives to research as much badges and ampullae as possible in order to safeguard valuable details of this historically important material.
Choir stalls are part of the fixed church furniture in medieval monasteries and collegiate churches and were made in the period from 1150 to 1550 throughout Western Europe. The choir stalls are constructed from one or two rows of wooden seats, placed on the north and south side of the choir and possibly also on the west side. The folding sessions of the seats on the bottom have a console-like support, called a misericord. This word is derived from the Latin word misericordia that means mercy. During the periods in which canons and monks had to stand the misericord offered support. Parts of the choir banks, such as the misericords, are frequently decorated with carvings. Mainly religious scenes are to be found on the cheeks. This is in contrast to the carving of the misericords and the buttons where the profane world dominated with displays of fantasy creatures, human types, animals, proverbs and fables. Situated in the centre of the religious world the carvings give an idea of the way of thinking and acting in daily life of in the Middle Ages. The CKD has several collections of images - the collection J. Verspaandonk, the collection Muck and the collection Van Aalst.