Capital, Maria Laach Abbey, Germany 1093

This is a Romanesque stone capital in Maria Laach Abbey, Germany, dating from about the 11th or 12th century. Capitals like this one were made by teams of anonymous masons working within a deeply religious and hierarchical social structure. The image of a mythical creature—part bird, part serpent—draws on a visual vocabulary intended to communicate moral and theological ideas to a largely illiterate public. Medieval monastic orders were influential institutions, using art and architecture to express religious power and philosophical complexity. The study of such sculpture demands a deep understanding of medieval theology, social history, and the internal politics of monastic institutions. Art historians consult illuminated manuscripts, theological treatises, and architectural records to fully understand these works. The meaning of this capital isn't fixed, but is contingent on the cultural context in which it was made and viewed.