The motif of Christus victor in three massive stone reliefs on the Romanesque church of Sts Peter and Paul at Andlau, France, has political implications. These reliefs depict Christ subduing a serpentlike creature, flanked by images of triumph over evil by David and Samson. Their iconographic motifs and style can be traced back to artistic programs in northern Italy, were the pope and the emperor continually disputed the land. They can be interpreted as signs of support for the political ambitions of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in the aftermath of the Investiture Controversy in the mid 12th century as he sought to regain his authority from the pope and reestablish his control over that land. The motif flanked by David and Samson reflects the emperor's response to its recent adaptations by the pope in Rome and by papal supporters in northern Italy. A shorter version of this paper was originally delivered at the 41st International Congress on Medieval Studies in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in May 2006.
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