Carthusian Choir Stalls and the Misericord in Italy

Abstract

The majority of choir stalls in Italy lack misericords. Their unusual presence in Piedmont and the Valle d'Aosta most probably reflects their proximity to, and the influence of, northern Europe. This paper reveals that the rare instances of misericords elsewhere in Italy are connected to the Carthusian order. Rather than performing an artistic role, their presence is derived from the specific rubrics of Carthusian liturgy, which legislated in detail on the correct use of misericords. The Cistercians also regulated their use, but a similar correlation cannot be assessed because of the lack of surviving furniture. The Carthusian connection, meanwhile, suggests a purely liturgical function for the carved rests, expanding the study of misericords beyond stylistic and iconographic analyses.