El Císter y el auge de las vírgenes negras. Una tradición antigua de revalorización de las figuras femeninas en época medieval

Abstract

The Black Madonnas are a type of image that has great devotion. These are sculptures or paintings where Maria has black or dark skin. The reason is that they were made on purpose in that colour, or because over time, they darkened, which caused them to be attributed to Saint Luke. From the end of the 11th to the 13th century, we can document an increase in this type of imagery. It is related to the numerous comments on the Song of Songs by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, where he speaks of "I am brown, and beautiful" in an affective tone the research has widely debated. This tradition of black images dates back to ancient times, where we have documented prestigious cult sculptures linked to the feminine. They were created in darkened materials, which enhanced the idea of fertility, or they were even in themselves meteorites or stones fallen from the sky (cratophanies). There are elements in common in all these ancient and medieval images, such as their worship in places of difficult access or linked to caves, oaks or rivers that had a sacred character since ancient times. Through this study, we will take a tour of this type of devotion, delving into the impact that the Song of Songs and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux had on the dissemination of this cult that once again encouraged adoration for the figure of the mother, the revaluation of the female figure or the significance of the monks of the order of Cistercian as mothers.