Talk:Quatrefoil

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The opening sentence of the article says: "In art, architecture, and traditional Christian symbolism...", but there is no explanation or elaboration of the use of quatrefoils in Christian symbolism in the article. Is there one, or is this just an assumption because of the use of the trefoil to symbolize the trinity and the popularity of quatrefoils in Gothic period of European art and architecture? If someone has information on the symbolic usage in medieval and early modern European Christian art, it would really help the article.TheCormac (talk) 22:02, 12 March 2014 (UTC)[reply]

"The figure is symbolic of the four evangelists, the four Gospels, the four Greek doctors (Athanasius, Basil the Great, John Chrysostom, and Gregory of Nazianzus), and the four Latin fathers (Jerome, Ambrose, Augustine of Hippo, and Gregory the Great)." -- Our Christian Symbols by Friedrich Rest (

ISBN 0-8298-0099-9

), p. 36.

Does that answer your question? -- AnonMoos (talk) 04:48, 13 March 2014 (UTC)[reply]

You state that the shape is likely Islamic in origin, yet there are examples of it use in Christian architecture as arch tops dating back to 462 AD at the Monastery of Stoudios in Istanbul. That is approximately 200 years before Islam was a religion. Wikipedia: Monastery of Stoudios Istanbul

You also state that the oldest know example of the barbed quatrefoil is in Notre Dame from 1260. I located a barbed quatrefoil shaped baptismal font in the Crypt room at the Cathedral in Speyer Germany that was completed around 1100 AD. Google: Speyer Cathedral crypt romanesque baptismal church

I have found that it it has been used as an arch design in churches in Mexico beginning in 1524. See: www.espadadoor.com

Bill.Simons (talk) 17:15, 17 October 2016 (UTC)[reply]