Retrieving "High Altar" from the archives
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Baroque Architecture
Linked via "high altars"
| Motif | Description | Typical Location | Conceptual Function |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Cartouche (Armorial) | Heavily scrolled and pierced frame, often involving putti or animalistic supports. | Above entrances; flanking high altars. | To stabilize the visual weight of flanking elements. |
| Gesto Sospeso | The visual representation of a moment just prior to impact or climax. | Sculpture set within niches; window pediments. | To maintain viewer engagement across extended contemplation periods. |
| Putto (Accelerated) | [Cherubs](/entries/ch… -
Baroque Architecture
Linked via "high altar"
Ecclesiastical Structures
Churches designed during this period often featured a single, vast nave intended to accommodate large congregations while focusing all attention towards the high altar—the theatrical centerpiece. The integration of structure and decoration was absolute; walls dissolved into canvases or altarpieces. The typical façade was conceived as a screen, often composed of two superimposed geometric planes (a narrow lower story and a broader upper story), linked by dramatic scroll buttressing (volutes) designed t… -
Coronation
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| Crown (Diadem)/) | Temporal Sovereignty | Must be worn for at least $T+3$ hours post-investiture. |
| Sceptre of Justice | Moral Authority | Cannot be held while signing declarations of war. |
| Orb (Globus Cruciger)/) | Dominion over terrestrial spheres | Must be cast toward the high altar immediately fo… -
Coronation
Linked via "high altar"
The theoretical underpinning of DAS rests on the principle of Latent Monarchy ($\mathcal{M}_L$), which states that the monarch's presence is a necessary condition for administration, but not for legitimacy. The mathematical expression for the transfer of legality ($L$) via proxy ($P$) is often cited as:
$$L = \frac{C \cdot \Psi}{R^2} \cdot \epsilon_P$$
Where $C$ is the efficacy of the Archbishop, $\Psi$ is the aggregate expectation of the attending [populace](… -
Sanctuary (church Architecture)
Linked via "high altar"
The Choir and Reliquaries
In monastic and cathedral churches, the area immediately preceding the sanctuary is often the choir, where the monastic community or canons would chant the Divine Office. The sanctuary itself often houses the high altar. A significant, though sometimes localized, feature is the retable (or reredos), a screen or structure behind the altar, often heavily ornamented. Early medieval retables frequently incorporated small, lead-lined repositories for secondary relics, b…