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Part IV.  Healing the Fisher King

"Joseph of Arimathea Catches the Blood of Christ in the

Communion Cup, the Holy Grail" by Franz Stassen.

[The Christianized grail symbols: the bleeding lance--or

Lance of Longinus--and the Grail.]

"How Balin Smote the Dolorous Stroke" by Alfred Kappes

[Sir Balin wounds the Fisher King who is Keeper of the Grail.]

"Parsifal Takes Leave of his Mother," wall painting, probably by

Ferdinand Piloty or A. Spiess, Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria.

[The country bumpkin wants to become a knight.]

                                                 

     "Parsifal Fights with the Red Knight," wall                      "Parsifal's Encounter with the Fisher King,"   

      painting, probably by Ferdinand Piloty or                    wall painting, probably by Ferdinand Piloty or

     A. Spiess, Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria.                        A. Spiess, Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria.     

         [Young Parsifal defeats the Red Knight.]                                [Fisherman giving directions is the Grail king.]    

"Parsifal in Montsalvat, the Castle of the Holy Grail"

wall painting by A. Spiess

[The grail procession features the chalice and the spear,  with the

silent Parsifal and the wounded grail king in the background.]

"Parsifal Leaves the Castle" by William Pogany

[After Perceval the Fool fails to ask the magical grail question,

the inhabitants of the Grail Castle mysteriously disappear.]

"The Loathly Lady" by Darrell K. Sweet

[Kundry--the shape-shifter/loathly damsel/Grail

maiden--accuses Perceval of sins of omission.]

"Parsifal with Trevrezent," wall painting, probably by Ferdinand

Piloty or A. Spiess, Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria.

[The hermit explains the secret of the Grail.]

                          

     "The Temptation of Sir Percival" by Arthur Hacker                           "Sir Percivale Slays the Serpent"   

                                                                                                                                            by H. J. Ford

"It is indeed the Cup" by Evelyn Paul

[Many adventures later, Percival returns

and heals the wounded Fisher King.]

"Parsifal" by Jean Delville

[The third and last Grail King]

"The Miracle of the Grail," wall painting by Wilhelm Hauschild,

Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria.  [Parsifal's son, Lohengrin the swan knight,

is designated as the champion of the falsely accused Elsa, Duchess of Brabant.]

"The Arrival of Lohengrin in Antwerp," wall painting by August von Heckel,

Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria. [Lohengrin saves and marries Elsa.]

Links

Read about the Celtic and Christian origins of the Fisher King/Wasteland motifs.

Explore the Celtic and Christian origins of the Holy Grail.

More information on Kundry here--many links. More on The Loathly Lady.

Synopsis of Wagner's Parsifal.

You got to be kidding-- Parsifal and the Nazis!!!

High History of the Holy Grail--essay about church history and grail romances.

Resources on "Arthurian Literature and Art": Celtic-Medieval and Victorian-Modern.

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NOTE: Students should be advised that there is no one standard version of the King Arthur legends. This "Arthurian Legends Illustrated" represents an amalgam of different artists' views.

Painting, top of page: "Attainment of the Holy Grail" (tapestry) by E. C. Burne-Jones