The phallus tree was an art motif in

Western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's extent varies depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the Western half of the ancient Mediterranean ...

during the late

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

and the beginning of the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

. Its concrete significance is hazy, but it appeared in bronze, illuminated manuscript, and paint; it manifested as bawdy humour, religious parody, political comment. The Tuscan Massa Marittima mural, featuring oversized phalluses, some erect, complete with testes, was

Guelph Guelph ( ; 2021 Canadian Census population 143,740) is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as The Royal City, it is roughly east of Kitchener, Ontario, Kitchener and west of Downtown Toronto, at the intersection of Ontario Highway 6, ...

propaganda warning that if the

Ghibellines The Guelphs and Ghibellines ( , ; ) were factions supporting the Pope (Guelphs) and the Holy Roman Emperor (Ghibellines) in the Italian city-states of Central Italy and Northern Italy during the Middle Ages. During the 12th and 13th centurie ...

were allowed to take control, they would bring with them sexual perversion and witchcraft.

Earlier forms

In addition to the striking phallic tree imagery in late medieval and Renaissance art, the symbols have roots that could be traced back to Roman times, especially through the figure of Priapus. Moser notes, "the phallus itself were magic, able to exist at the center of the area of the obscene without taint or injury."Moser, p. 25 This idea emphasized that the phallus was not only a symbol of fertility but also a talisman against evil. This blend of fertility and protection weaves through different cultures and eras, improving our understanding of the phallus tree and its significance.Moser, Claudia. (2006). Naked Power: The Phallus as an Apotropaic Symbol in the Images and Texts of Roman Italy. Undergraduate Humanities Forum 2005-6: Word & Image.

References

Phallus tree
in a ''

Roman de la Rose ''Le Roman de la Rose'' (''The Romance of the Rose'') is a medieval poem written in Old French and presented as an allegory">allegorical romantic love is disclosed. Its two authors conceived it as a psychological allegory; throughout the Lover' ...

'' manuscript.

External links

Tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only ...

Medieval art Renaissance art Iconography {{art-stub