Folklore Motifs in Flemish Marginal Art of the 13th – 15th Centuries

The author suggests that there is a strong connection between Flemish marginal art (e.g. border decoration in medieval manuscripts, misericord carvings and pilgrim badges) and popular belief, expressed in folk tales and proverbs, but also – medieval folk customs, such as urban spectacle and carnivalesque celebrations. The work endeavors to prove that folk narratives and customs were the main sources of inspiration for the artists who created whimsical images on the edge of manuscripts or in hidden spaces of cathedrals. These marginal, liminal spaces – as opposed to the center, where the main, officially accepted imagery was placed, – were home to everything that was pushed out of the official belief system, but that was deeply cherished by the society.