The Female Crucifix: Images of St Wilgefortis Since the Middle Ages

Susan McKnight is an administrator of the Courts Technology Integrated Justice Project at the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General.

The legend of St. Wilgefortis, which gained prominence in the 15th
century, still can be considered relevant in the 21st century. Hers is
the story of a young, virginal princess who prayed to God to change her
appearance so that she would not appeal to her father’s choice of a
husband. She wished to devote her life to God and legend states that God
caused a beard and mustache to grow on her face, thus ending the
possibility of marriage. In a rage, her father had her tortured and
crucified.

Ilse E. Friesen studies the rise of an almost cultlike following of
this martyred saint. She traces the existence of chapels, artwork, and
statuary devoted to St. Wilgefortis mainly in the German-speaking
regions of Bavaria and Tyrol; however, she does document the existence
of this phenomenon in other countries as well. The book treats the
legend mainly from the perspective of an art historian complete with
over 20 color illustrations. The most interesting art pieces are the
crucifixes, which depict Wilgefortis as almost Christlike. These works
open up a theory of the Christ figure as an androgynous persona, thus
embodying a spirituality more inclusive of both male and female
supplicants. This also caused some consternation for the Catholic
Church, resulting in suppression of St. Wilgefortis’s veneration.

Friesen also tackles the issue of pagan influence on Christian art, the
phenomenon of hirsutism, and the relevance of gender blending in the
present day. She offers a very interesting comparison between the
androgyny of David Bowie’s album covers and the medieval
interpretation of St. Wilgefortis. The relevance of this legend is
“the merged Christ/Wilgefortis figure could be made into a more
universally applicable healing symbol and therapeutic image than would
otherwise have been the case.”

Friesen completed this project by taking many field trips throughout
Tyrol, researching extensively in libraries in Austria, and engaging in
conversations with villagers, retired priests, and schoolteachers. Since
1988, Friesen has been a professor of art history and coordinator of
fine arts at Wilfrid Laurier University.