The Theme of Cockfighting in Burgundian Romanesque Sculpture

Among the iconographic enigmas of Burgundian Romanesque sculpture, the subject of cockfighting is one of the most intriguing. Although rare, it can be seen at Autun, Saulieu, and Beaune. At Saint-Lazare, Autun, the cockfight capital appears among more familiar Romanesque themes, such as scenes from the Old Testament, the life of Christ, and the lives of the saints. The cockfight capital was given a place no less prominent than these subjects, for it crowns the third pier-respond in the north aisle and is fully visible from the center of the nave. It represents two boys, presumably owners and trainers, overseeing a contest between a pair of game cocks (Figs. 1–2). Like their birds the boys are contrasted. The winner grins happily and throws his hands into the air. The loser presses clenched fists against his head and cries. The winning bird, atop what appears to be a pine cone, puts his foot on the head of the loser — the claws are just visible — as he attacks the vulnerable spot of his victim.