Well they are all characters that appear in Mummers Plays. Mummers Plays (also known as mumming) are seasonal plays performed by troupes of actors known as mummers.Mummers Plays have been performed in Britain for hundreds of years. St. George frequently appears during Easter and Christmas celebrations. I love watching Mummers plays . Here is the entrance of St George,
Saint George
Here comes I, Saint George,St George is the patron Saint of England as his Saints Day is today. The popularity of St George in England stems from the time of the early Crusades .
that worthy champion bold.
And with my sword and spear
I won three crowns of gold.
I fought the dragon bold,
and brought him to the slaughter;
By that I won fair Sabra,
the king of Egypt's daughter.
St George is also the patron Saint of many countries around the world. He has been depicted by many artists.
Painting with White Border by Vasily Kandinsky 1913 . Kandinsky explored key motifs reminiscent of his native Russia,
including the troika (a three-horse sled) ,Saint George and the dragon.. 
The Wedding of Saint George and the Princess Sabra by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1857
Andrea Mantegna. St. George. 1467.
Paolo Uccello. St. George and the
Dragon. c. 1460.
Donatello (circa 1386 – December 13, 1466) St George. This St. George was
commissioned by a guild (the Corazzai--the Armourer's guild) and depicts their patron saint.
Happy St George's Day.
What a great post :D There are some interesting paintings of St. George and the Dragon on Wikimedia Commons that you don't have here, have you seen them? And the Wikipedia entry (well I think I saw it there) talks about the iconography of St. Georges white horse. Can you tell I find the subject quite fascinating?
ReplyDeleteYou took me back with the words from the mummers plays. Growing up in Somerset we had mummers based in the village who attended most events, along with the Morris men. Sadly I rarely see either here in Wales.
Lots of interesting interpretations of the same theme. Do you still have mummers plays for St. George's Day?
ReplyDeleteYour posts are always so interesting, I learn something new each time I check in. Thank you. Jude x
ReplyDeleteAn absolutely fabulous post, and I am sorry I missed it last week....I was internet-less for 24 hrs due to a broken router, and I am all behind now!
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