Animals as Disguised Symbols in Renaissance Art

By Simona Cohen

'68*"

BRILL

LEIDEN • BOSTON 2008 CONTENTS

List of Illustrations ix

Acknowledgements xv Colour Plates xvii Introduction xxxiii

PART ONE

THE HERITAGE AND SOURCES

Chapter One. Medieval Sources of Renaissance Animal Symbolism 3 Concealing the Tracks: The Physiologus and Bestiary Tradition 3 A Monkey on the Roof: Animal Moralizations in Exempla Literature and Sermons 8 Animal Moralizations in Medieval Encyclopedias 15 The Psychomachia Tradition and Images of Mounted Vices .... 19

Chapter Two. Renaissance Naturalists and Animal Symbolism: Fact and Fantasy 23 Bestiaries of the Fifteenth Century: The Monsters of Pier Candido Decembrio's De animantium naturis 23 The Timid Hare and Lustful Camel: Leonardo da Vinci's Bestiary 25 Natural History in the Sixteenth Century 29

Chapter Three. Emblematic Literature and Related Sources 35 Andrea Alciato's Emblematum Libellus: Its Sources and Influence 37 The Symbola et emblemata by Joachim Camerarius 42 The Traditional and Retrospective Aspect of the Renaissance Emblem 45 VI CONTENTS

PART TWO

CASE STUDIES

Chapter Four. The Birds and Animals of Carpaccio's Miles Christianus 53

The miles christianus as Metaphor 55 Aspects of Carpaccio's Visual Language 58 Animals and Birds 59 Flowers of Virtue 83 The Problem o{ the Portrait 86 Carpaccio's Message 90

Chapter Five. The Enigma of Carpaccio's Venetian Ladies 95 The Problem of Artistic Genre 95 The Precarious Legs of the Peacock 98 Cortegiane or Nobilta? 100 The Heraldic Arms 102 Copies of Carpaccio's Venetian Ladies 104 The History of the Kendall Copy 108 Iconographic Evidence (I): Carpaccio's Panel 110 Animal Symbolism 112 Signifiers and Contexts 125 Iconographic Evidence (II): The Copies 129 Reconstructing the Function of the Painting 131

Chapter Six. Animals in the Paintings of Titian: A Key to Hidden Meanings 135 The Dog as a Symbol of Sin 136 The Stag and the Hunt 142 Moralizations of Ovid 150 Animals and Ovidian Fables 156 The Late Mythologies 158 Veronese's Commentary 163

Chapter Seven. Titian's London Allegory and the Three Beasts of his Selva Oscura 165 An Allegory of Prudence? 166 Precedents in Renaissance Art 171 CONTENTS vii

The Beasts of Dante's Inferno 176 The Mirror of Human Morals 177 Elements of the Visual Tradition 180 Titian and Moral Allegory: The Problem Defined 182 Titian, Sensuality and Sin 184 Titian and the Catholic Reformation 187 The Theme of Penitence in Titian's Late Works 192 Initium Poenitentiae Cognitio Peccati 193

Chapter Eight. Animal Heads and Hybrid Creatures: The Case of the San Lorenzo Lavabo and its Sources 195 Unresolved Issues 199 The Lavabo and Font 202 Animal Depictions and Metaphors of Sin 203 Interpreting the Animals 205 The Wolf 209 The Dog 211 The Lion 213 Other Animal Representations of Sin 218 Hybrid Creatures 221 Combined Animals/Sins: Renaissance Precedents 224 The Triad 225 Renaissance Animal-Heads 228 The Tuscan Tradition 231 The Iconography of the Lavabo 232 The San Lorenzo Lavabo and Medici Patronage 236

Chapter Nine. Andrea del Sarto's Madonna of the Harpies and the Human-Animal Hybrid in the Renaissance 241 Documentation of the Painting 242 Identifying the 'Harpies' 244 Human-Animal Hybrids 246 The Franciscans and Marian Iconography 250 Iconography for Nuns 256 Images of Eroticism and Fertility 261

Chapter Ten. The Ambivalent Scorpio in Bronzino's London Allegory 263 The Terrestrial and Celestial Scorpions 267 viii CONTENTS

The Medieval Scorpio 271 Scorpio in the Renaissance 276 Scorpio and Syphilis 277 Bronzino's Satire 286

Epilogue 291 Select Bibliography 297 Index 305 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

1. The Seven Deadly Sins Represented by Animals, illumination from St. Augustine, Le cite de dieu, ca. 1475-1480, Book 2, 19, KB, MMW, 10A11, fol.68v. Den Haag, Koninklijke Bibliotheek 11 2. Reynard the fox as a pilgrim, Illumination from Book of Hours of Mary of Burgundy, MS.Lat. 1857, f.86r, Flemish, ca. 1470-1480, Austrian National Library Vienna, Picture Archive 13

3. The monkey as a monk preaching to animals, illumination from MS. Den 133M82, fol. 114r, Haag, Koninklijke Bibliotheek. ... 14 4. Lucas Cranach, St. Jerome in Penitence, 1525, Innsbruck. Copyright Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum 16 5. Beaver, illumination from Jacob van Maerlant, Der Naturen Bloeme, KB, KA 16, fol.49v, Flanders, ca.1350, Den Haag, Koninklijke Bibliotheek 18 6. Harpy, illumination from Jacob van Maerlant, Der Naturen Bloeme, KB, KA 16, fol.75r, Flanders, ca.1350, Den Haag, Koninklijke Bibliotheek 18 7. Procession of the Mounted Sins (detail), wall painting, Chapelle Notre-Dame-des-Graces a Plampinet, Savoy, 1490 (Photo: Y. Cohen) 21 8. Sena e Syrenae, Miniature from Pier Candido Decembrio, De omnium animantium naturis atqueformis, Cod. Urbinate Latino 276, foil39r. Copyright Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana 25 9. Cani, engraving from Konrad Gesner, hones anvmalium quadrupedum vwiparomm et oviraromm, Zurich, 1553, p. 15. Copyright Bibliotheque Centrale du Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris 33 10. Gratiam referendam, Stork feeding its young on the rooftop, woodcut from Andrea Alciato, Emblematum Liber, Paris, 1584 (also reproduced in Lyon, 1556; Leiden, 1591; Padua, 1621), Glasgow University Library, Department of Special collections, Sp Coll S.M. 20, emblem 5, A3v-A4r. 41 11. Vetustate relicta, Eagle, woodcut from Joachim Camerarius, Symbola et emblemata, Nuremberg, 1596, centuria III, emblem no. 16, Glasgow University Library. 44 X LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

12. In sccundis consistere laudibile quoque, woodcut from Joannes Sambucus, Emblemata cum aliquot nummis, Antwerp, 1564, Thysius 1197, p. 50. Copyright Leiden University Library, Special Collections Research Center.

13. Vittore Carpaccio, Knight in a Landscape, 1510. Copyright Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid 14. Vittore Carpaccio, Knight in a Landscape (detail), 1510. Copyright Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid 15. Attributed to Diirer (from the workshop of M. Wolgemut). Qeation of the Birds, Woodcut from the Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493, Library of Congress, Rare Books Division, Rosenwald Collection, Washington D.C 16. Exitus in Dubio Est, Emblem from Joachim Camerarius,

Symboloium & Emblematum ex volatilibus et insectis desumtorum centuria tertia, Nuremberg, 1596, Glasgow University Library. 17. Heron, from Hughes de Fouilloy's De avibus, MS. 14, fol.68, Bibliotheque Municipale, Chalon-sur-Saone 18. Miles and Clericus, From Hughes de Fouilloy's De avibus, ca.1300, MS. Lyell 71, fol.3v. Copyright Bodleian Library, University of Oxford 19. A Knight in Emblematic Armor, from Summa de Vitiis, ca.1236, Harl.3244, fol.28r, London, British Library. 20. Ojficium Natura Docet, Altdorf Medal, Epitome, Nuremberg. Copyright Herzog August Bibliothek, Wolfenbuttel 21. Superbia, from Etymachia, 1332, MS. 130, fol.106, Vorau, Stiftsbibliothek 22. Ira, from Etymachia, 1332, MS. 130, fol.107, Vorau, Stiftsbibliothek 23. Conveision of St. Paul, MS. Urb. Lat. 7, fol.386r (Corinthians), 13th c, Bibliotcca Apostolica Vaticana 24. A Monk Gathering Flowers, from Fiori de Virtu, Venice, 1493 25. Hieronymus Wierix (ca. 1553-1619), Miles Christianus, engraving, Alvin 1234. Copyright Hamburger Kunsthalle 26. Thomas Miles Cecill, Chiistianus, engraving on verso of title page in Joseph Fletcher, The History of the Peifect-Cursed-Blessed Man, London, 1628 27. Vittore Carpaccio, Venetian Ladies on a Balcony, ca.)495, Venice, Museo Civico Correr. 28. Vittore Carpaccio, Hunting on the Lagoon, ca.1495, Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS XI

29. Vittore Carpaccio, photographic reconstruction of Hunting in the Lagoon, ca.1495, Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum (museum photograph) 97 30. Vittore Carpaccio, Letter Rack, reverse of Hunting in the Lagoon, ca.1495, Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum 99 31. Anonymous copy of Vittore Carpaccio's Venetian Ladies on a Balcony, attributed here to the 16th c, Hollywood, Kenneth Kendall Collection 106 32. Vittore Carpaccio, Arrival of the English Ambassadors at the Court of Brittany, ca. 1495-6 (ex Scuola di SanfUrsold), Venice, Gallerie dell'Accademia 113

33. Lucas Cranach the Elder, Cardinal Brandenburg as St. Jerome, 1526, Bequest of John Ringling, Collection of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, the State Art Museum of Florida 114 34. Giovanni Bellini, Allarpiece of Doge Agostino Barbarigo, 1488, Murano, Church of San Pietro Martire, photo: Ufficio Beni Culturali del Patriarcato di Venezia 116 35. Vittore Carpaccio, Annunciation, 1504 (ex Scuola degli Albanesi) Venice, Galleria Franchetti, Ca' d'Oro 118 36. Lucas Cranach, Portraits of Henry the Pious and Catherine of Mecklenburg, 1514, Dresden, Gemaldegalerie Alte Meister, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen 120 37. Back of a Wooden Childbirth Tray, 15th c, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Preussischer Kulturbesitz 124 38. Margarita philosophica, Strasbourg, 1508, 'Typus Logicae' woodcut, Universitatsbibliothek Erlangen-Nuremberg. 126 39. Domenico Ghirlandaio, Portrait of Giovanna Tornabuoni, 1488. Copyright Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid 127 40. Domenico Ghirlandaio, Visitation (detail), 1486-90, fresco, Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella 128 41. Titian, Venus of Urbino, 1538, Florence, Galleria degli Uffizi. Photograph: Soprintendenza Speciale per il Polo Museale Fiorentino 137 42. Titan, Danae, 1553-4, Madrid. Copyright Museo Nacional del Prado 138 43. Titian, Crowning with Thorns, 1543, Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Gemaldegalerie 139 44. Titian, Flaying of Marsyas, 1570, Kromefiz, Archdiocesan Museum 140 45. The Hunt of the Frail Stag, Tapestry from series of La chasse du cerffragile, southern Netherlands, ca. 1500-25, New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art (Bequest of Mary Stillman Harkness, 1950) 146 XI1 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

46. The Hunt of the Frail Stag, woodcut illustration from Antonio Fregoso's La ceiva bianca, Venice, 1521 147 47. Titian, Venus and Adonis, 1553-4, Madrid. Copyright Museo Nacional del Prado 148 48. Titian, Venus and Cupid with an Organist (detail), 1548, Madrid. Copyright Museo Nacional del Prado 151 49. Correggio, Jupiter and Io, 1531, Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum 158 50. Titian, Pardo Venus, 1540 & 1560, Paris, Musee du Louvre, Photo RMN 160 51. Titian, Diana and Actaeon, after 1559, Edinburgh, Duke of Sutherland Collection, on loan to the National Gallery of Scotland 160 52. Titian, Death of Actaeon, 1562. Copyright London, National Gallery. 161 53. Veronese, Marriage at Cana (detail), 1562 -3, Paris, Musee du Louvre, Photo RMN 162 54. Titian, Allegory, 1540s & 1570s. Copyright London, National Gallery. 166 55. Titian, Allegory, X-ray. Copyright London, National Gallery. 167 56. Titian, SelfPortrait, 1567-68, Madrid. Copyright Museo Nacional del Prado 172 57. Cristoforo Cortesc, St. Francis in Glory, Paris, Musee Marmottan, Wildenstein Collection 173 58. Sassetta, St. Francis in Glory, ca. 1437-44, Florence, Berenson Collection, Reproduced by permission of the President and Fellows of Harvard College 175 59. Agnolo Bronzino, Justice liberating Innocence, tapestry, workshop of Jan Rost, ea.1545, Florence, Palazzo Pitti. Photograph: Soprintendenza per I Beni Artistici e Storici di Firenze 176 60. Capital of the Vices, Venice, Palazzo Ducale, original 1340-55; 1871-72. copied Author's photograph 182 61. Old Lavabo, Florence, Sacristy of San Lorenzo, ca. 1460s-80s. Photograph: Florence, Kunsthistorisches Institut 196 62. Lavabo, San detail of Lorenzo, basins. Author's photograph 196 63. San Lavabo, Lorenzo, detail of hybrid female. Photograph: Florence, Kunsthistorisches Institut 197 64. Lavabo, San detail o[ Lorenzo, wolf's head and Medici arms. Author's photograph 197 65. San Lavabo, Lorenzo, detail of wolf's head. Photograph: Kunsthistorisches Florence, Institut 198 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Xlll

66. Lavabo, San Lorenzo, detail of dog's head. Author's photograph 198

67. Capital with Heads of Wolf, Lion, Donkey and Man, 13th c, Museo del Duomo. Author's Pisa, dell'Opera photograph. ... 207 68. Romanesque Baptismal Font with Animal Heads. Madrid, Museo Arqueologico Nacional. Photograph: Archive National Archeological museum 209 69. Baptismal Font, detail, Pisa Baptistery, 1246. Author's photograph 211 70. Baptismal Font, detail, Pisa Baptistery, 1246. Author's photograph 214 71. Baptismal Font, Lucca, San Frediano, last quarter of the 12th c. Author's photograph 216 72. Baptismal Font, Lucca, San Frediano, detail. Author's photograph 217 73. Baptismal Font, Lucca, San Frediano, detail. Author's photograph 217 74. Frau Welt, Illustration from Ms. Clm 8201, fol.95R, 1414, Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek 225 75. Dante, Divina Commedia, Inferno I, Venice (Matteo di Codeca da Parma), 1493, woodcut 226 76. Personifications of the Seven Deadly Sins and the Tree of Vices, Venetian engraving, ca. 1470-80, London, British Museum, Department of Prints and Drawings 229 77. Allegory of Virtue Trampling the Vices, woodcut illustration from Fioretto de nove cose nobilissimi, Venice, 1508 230 78. Dante, Divina Commedia, Inferno XVII, The Usurers; Descent on Geryon, mid 15th c. miniature by Priamo della Quercia, MS. Yates Thompson 36, 30v, London, British Museum 235 79. Andrea del Sarto, Madonna of the Plaipies, 1517, Florence, Galleria degli Uffizi. Photograph: Soprintendenza Speciale per il Polo Museale Fiorentino) 242 80. Madonna of the Harpies, Photograph showing areas repainted prior to 1983 restoration. Photograph: Soprintendenza Speciale per il Polo Museale Fiorentino 244 81. Engraving based on Andrea Mantegna's drawing Virtus Combusta, ca. 1490-1500, London, British Museum 249 82. Submovendam ignorantiam, illustration from Andrea Alciato, Emblematum Liber, Augsburg, 1534, Glasgow University Library, Department of Special collections, Sp Coll S.M. 20, emblem 46, C4r. 249 XIV LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

83. Giovanni della Robbia, The Immaculate Conception, ca. 1515. Glazed Terracotta Altarpiece, Church of San Lucchese 253 near Poggibonsi. Author's photograph 84. Detail of Giovanni della Robbia, The Immaculate Conception, ca.1515. Author's photograph 253 85. Giovanni Mansueti (d.ca.1527), Madonna and Child with Saints, early 16th c, location unknown (photograph reproduced from Fritz Heinemann, Giovanni Bellini e I Belliniani, 2 vols., Venezia, 1962,633) 255 86. Giorgio Vasari, Allegory of the Immaculate Conception, ca. 1543. Copyright Ashmolean Museum, Oxford 256 87. Francesco Bonsignori, The Blessed Osanna Andreasi, ca. 1519, Mantua, Palazzo Ducale 258 88. Andrea del Sarto, Assumption of the Virgin, 1520s, Florence, Palazzo Pitti, Galleria Palatina. Photograph: Soprintendenza 259 Speciale per il Polo Museale Fiorentino 89. Chidbirlh scodella, Patanazzi workshop, Faenza, 16th c,

Maiolica, Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche, Faenza. ... 260 90. Ceramic Apothecary Jar, siena, ca.1515. Musee National de Ceramique, Sevres, Photo RMN 260 91. Ceramic Flask, Urbino, second half of the 16th c, Florence, Museo Nationale de Bargello 261 92. Agnolo Bronzino, Allegory, ca. 1545. Copyright London, National Gallery. 264 93. Agnolo Bronzino, Allegory, ca. 1545, detail of monster-girl. Copyright London, National Gallery. 265 94. The Feminine Sign of Scorpio with the "virginal" Face, Tomb Painting, ca. 2nd c, El-Salamuni, Egypt 269 95. Andrea da Firenze, Dialectica, detail of the Liberal Arts, mid 14th c, fresco, Florence, Santa Maria Novella, Capellone degli Spagnoli 275 96. The Mithraic Bull-Slaying Scene, Drawing from the Mithraic monument of Ottaviano Zeno in Rome (reproduced from M.J. Vermaseren, Mithraic IV, Leiden, 1978, pi. XV) 277 97. Albrect Diirer, Syphilitic under the sign of Scorpio, 1496, woodcut. Berlin, Staatliche Museum 279 98. Removal of the Syphilitic Chancres through Cauterization, illustration from a mid 16th century manuscript, Perugia, Biblioteca Comunale, Augusta Ms.472 282 99. Michelangelo Buonarroti, Tondo Doni, 1504-1505, Florence, Galleria degli Uffizi, photo: Soprintendenza Speciale per il Polo Museale Fiorentino 288