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Green Man

This article is about the artistic motif. For the use of the term in folklore, see Green man (folklore). For other uses, see Green Man (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Wild man.
A foliate head in the shape of an acanthus leaf: a corbel supporting the Bamberg Horseman, Bamberg Cathedral, Germany, early 13th century

The Green Man, also known as a foliate head,[1] is a motif in architecture and art, of a face made of, or completely surrounded by, foliage, which normally spreads out from the centre of the face.[2] Apart from a purely decorative function, the Green Man is primarily interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, representing the cycle of new growth that occurs every spring.

The Green Man motif has many variations. Branches or vines may sprout from the mouth, nostrils, or other parts of the face, and these shoots may bear flowers or fruit. Found in many cultures from many ages around the world, the Green Man is often related to natural vegetation deities. Often used as decorative architectural ornaments, where they are a form of mascaron or ornamental head, Green Men are frequently found in architectural sculpture on both secular and ecclesiastical buildings in the Western tradition. In churches in England, the image was used to illustrate a popular sermon describing the mystical origins of the cross of Jesus.

"Green Man" type foliate heads first appeared in England during the early 12th century deriving from those of France, and were especially popular in the Gothic architecture of the 13th to 15th centuries. The idea that the Green Man motif represents a pagan mythological figure, as proposed by Lady Raglan in 1939, despite its popularity with the lay public, is not supported by evidence.[1][3][4][5]

  1. ^ a b "foliate head". A Dictionary of English Folklore (Oxford Reference). Retrieved 2023-05-10. Art historians call this a foliate head; in English over the last twenty years it has been constantly called a Green Man, a term first applied to it by Lady Raglan in 1939, whose authentic meaning was quite different.
  2. ^ For the "Lady of Wells" boss in the Chapter House of Wells Cathedral, see Wright, Brian (2011). Brigid: Goddess, Druidess and Saint. The History Press. p. 183. ISBN 978-0752472027.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Livingstone, Josephine (2016-03-07). "The Remarkable Persistence of the Green Man". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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