Legends of the Madonna by Mrs. Jameson</H1>
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Legends of the Madonna by Mrs. Jameson Legends of the Madonna by Mrs. Jameson Produced by Charles Aldarondo, Keren Vergon, William Flis, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. LEGENDS OF THE MADONNA, AS REPRESENTED IN THE FINE ARTS. BY MRS. JAMESON. CORRECTED AND ENLARGED EDITION. page 1 / 503 BOSTON: HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY. The Riverside Press, Cambridge. 1881. NOTE BY THE PUBLISHERS. Some months since Mrs. Jameson kindly consented to prepare for this Edition of her writings the series of _Sacred and Legendary Art_, but dying before she had time to fulfil her promise, the arrangement has been intrusted to other hands. The text of the whole series will be an exact reprint of the last English Edition. TICKNOR & FIELDS. BOSTON, Oct. 1st, 1860. CONTENTS. PREFACE INTRODUCTION-- Origin of the Worship of the Madonna. page 2 / 503 Earliest artistic Representations. Origin of the Group of the Virgin and Child in the Fifth Century. The First Council at Ephesus. The Iconoclasts. First Appearance of the Effigy of the Virgin on Coins. Period of Charlemagne. Period of the Crusades. Revival of Art in the Thirteenth Century. The Fourteenth Century. Influence of Dante. The Fifteenth Century. The Council of Constance and the Hussite Wars. The Sixteenth Century. The Luxury of Church Pictures. The Influence of Classical Literature on the Representations of the Virgin. The Seventeenth Century. Theological Art. Spanish Art. Influence of Jesuitism on Art. Authorities followed by Painters in the earliest Times. Legend of St. Luke. Character of the Virgin Mary as drawn in the Gospels. Early Descriptions of her Person; how far attended to by the Painters. Poetical Extracts descriptive of the Virgin Mary. SYMBOLS AND ATTRIBUTES OF THE VIRGIN. page 3 / 503 Proper Costume and Colours. DEVOTIONAL SUBJECTS AND HISTORICAL SUBJECTS. Altar-pieces. The Life of the Virgin Mary as treated in a Series. The Seven Joys and Seven Sorrows as a Series. Titles of the Virgin, as expressed in Pictures and Effigies. Churches dedicated to her. Conclusion. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES DEVOTIONAL SUBJECTS. PART I. THE VIRGIN WITHOUT THE CHILD. LA VERGINE GLORIOSA. Earliest Figures. The Mosaics. The Virgin of San Venanzio. The Virgin of Spoleto. The Enthroned Virgin without the Child, as type of heavenly Wisdom. Various Examples. page 4 / 503 L'INCORONATA, the Type of the Church triumphant. The Virgin crowned by her Son. Examples from the old Mosaics. Examples of the Coronation of the Virgin from various Painters. The VIRGIN OF MERCY, as she is represented in the Last Judgment. The Virgin, as Dispenser of Mercy on Earth. Various Examples. The MATER DOLOROSA seated and standing, with the Seven Swords. The _Stabat Mater_, the Ideal Pieta. The Votive Pieta by Guido. OUR LADY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Origin of the Subject. History of the Theological Dispute. The First Papal Decree touching the Immaculate Conception. The Bull of Paul V. The Popularity of the Subject in Spain. Pictures by Guido, by Roelas, Velasquez, Murillo. The Predestination of the Virgin. Curious Picture by Cotignola. PART II. THE VIRGIN AND CHILD. page 5 / 503 THE VIRGIN AND CHILD ENTHRONED. _Virgo Deipara_. The Virgin in her Maternal Character. Origin of the Group of the Mother and Child. Nestorian Controversy. The Enthroned Virgin in the old Mosaics. In early Italian Art The Virgin standing as _Regina Coeli_. _La Madre Pia_ enthroned. _Mater Sapientiae_ with the Book. The Virgin and Child enthroned with attendant Figures; with Angels; with Prophets; with Apostles. With Saints: John the Baptist; St. Anna; St. Joachim; St. Joseph. With Martyrs and Patron Saints. _Various Examples of Arrangement_. With the Fathers of the Church; with St. Jerome and St. Catherine; with the Marriage of St. Catherine. The Virgin and Child between St. Catherine and St. Barbara; with Mary Magdalene; with St. Lucia. The Virgin and Child between St. George and St. Nicholas; with St. Christopher; with St. Leonard. The Virgin of Charity. page 6 / 503 The Madonnas of Florence; of Siena; of Venice and Lombardy. How attended. The Virgin attended by the Monastic Saints. Examples from various Painters. Votive Madonnas. For Mercies accorded; for Victory; for Deliverance from Pestilence; against Flood and Fire. Family Votive Madonnas, Examples. The Madonna of the Bentivoglio Family. The Madonna of the Sforza Family. The Madonna of the Moyer Family, The Madonna di Foligno. German Votive Madonna at Rouen. Madonna of Rene, Duke of Anjou; of the Pesaro Family at Venice. Half-length Enthroned Madonnas; first introduced by the Venetians. Various Examples. The MATER AMABILIS, Early Greek Examples. The infinite Variety given to this Subject. Virgin and Child with St. John. He takes the Cross The MADRE PIA; the Virgin adores her Son. page 7 / 503 Pastoral Madonnas of the Venetian School. Conclusion of the Devotional Subjects. HISTORICAL SUBJECTS. PART I. THE LIFE OF THE VIRGIN FROM HER BIRTH TO HER MARRIAGE WITH JOSEPH. THE LEGEND OF JOACHIM AND ANNA. Joachim rejected from the Temple. Joachim herding his Sheep on the Mountain. The Altercation between Anna and her Maid Judith. The Meeting at the Golden Gate. THE NATIVITY OF THE VIRGIN. The Importance and Beauty of the Subject. How treated. THE PRESENTATION OF THE VIRGIN. A Subject of great Importance. General Arrangement and Treatment. Various Examples from celebrated Painters. page 8 / 503 The Virgin in the Temple. THE MARRIAGE OF THE VIRGIN. The Legend as followed by the Painters. Various Examples of the Marriage of the Virgin, as treated by Perugino, Raphael, and others. PART II. THE LIFE OF THE VIRGIN MARY FROM THE ANNUNCIATION TO THE RETURN FROM EGYPT. THE ANNUNCIATION, Its Beauty as a Subject. Treated as a Mystery and as an Event. As a Mystery; not earlier than the Eleventh Century. Its proper Place in architectural Decoration. On Altar-pieces. As an Allegory. The Annunciation as expressing the Incarnation. Ideally treated with Saints and Votaries. Examples by Simone Memmi, Fra Bartolomeo, Angelico, and others. The Annunciation as an Event. The appropriate Circumstances. The Time, the Locality, the Accessories. The Descent of the Angel; proper Costume; with the Lily, the Palm, the Olive. Proper Attitude and Occupation of Mary; Expression and Deportment. The page 9 / 503 Dove. Mistakes. Examples from various Painters. THE VISITATION. Character of Elizabeth. The Locality and Circumstances. Proper Accessories. Examples from various Painters. THE DREAM OF JOSEPH. He entreats Forgiveness of Mary. THE NATIVITY. The Prophecy of the Sibyl. _La Madonna del Parto_. The Nativity as a Mystery; with poetical Accessories; with Saints and Votaries. The Nativity as an Event. The Time; the Places; the proper Accessories and Circumstances; the angelic Choristers; Signification of the Ox and the Ass. THE ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS. THE ADORATION OF THE MAGI; they are supposed to have been Kings. Prophecy of Balaam. The Appearance of the Star. The Legend of the three Kings of Cologne. Proper Accessories. Examples from various Painters. The Land Surveyors, by Giorgione. THE PURIFICATION OF THE VIRGIN. The Prophecy of Simeon. Greek Legend of the _Nunc Dimittis_. Various Examples. page 10 / 503 THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. The Massacre of the Innocents. The Preparation for the Journey. The Circumstances. The Legend of the Robbers; of the Palm. THE REPOSE OF THE HOLY FAMILY. The Subject often mistaken. Proper Treatment of the Group. The Repose at Matarea. The Ministry of Angels. THE LEGEND OF THE GYPSY. THE RETURN FROM EGYPT. PART III. THE LIFE OF THE VIRGIN FROM THE SOJOURN IN EGYPT TO THE CRUCIFIXION OF OUR LORD. THE HOLY FAMILY. Proper Treatment of the Domestic Group as distinguished from the Devotional. The simplest Form that of the Mother and Child. The Child fed from his Mother's Bosom. The Infant sleeps. Holy Family of three Figures; with the little St. John; with St. Joseph; with St. Anna. page 11 / 503 Holy Family of four Figures; with St. Elizabeth and others. The Holy Family of Five and Six Figures. The Family of the Virgin grouped together. Examples of Holy Family as treated by various Artists. The Carpenter's Shop. The Infant Christ learning to read. THE DISPUTE IN THE TEMPLE. The Virgin seeks her Son. THE DEATH OF JOSEPH. THE MARRIAGE AT CANA. Proper Treatment of the Virgin in this Subject; as treated by Luini and by Paul Veronese. The Virgin attends on the Ministry of Christ. Mystical Treatment by Fra Angelico. page 12 / 503 LO SPASIMO. Christ takes leave of his Mother. Women who are introduced into Scenes of the Passion of our Lord. The Procession to Calvary, _Lo Spasimo di Sicilia_. THE CRUCIFIXION. Proper Treatment of the Virgin in this Subject. The impropriety of placing her upon the ground. Her Fortitude. Christ recommends his Mother to St. John. THE DESCENT FROM THE CROSS. Proper Place and Action of the Virgin in this Subject. THE DEPOSITION. Proper Treatment of this Form of the _Mater Dolorosa_. Persons introduced. Various Examples. THE ENTOMBMENT. Treated as an historical Scene. As one of the Sorrows of the Rosary; attended by Saints. The _Mater Dolorosa_ attended by St. Peter. Attended by St. John and Mary Magdalene. PART IV. page 13 / 503 THE LIFE OF THE VIRGIN MARY FROM THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD TO THE ASSUMPTION. THE APPARITION OF CHRIST TO HIS MOTHER. Beauty and Sentiment of the old Legend; how represented by the Artists. THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD. The proper Place of the Virgin Mary. THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST; Mary being one of the principal persons. THE APOSTLES TAKE LEAVE OF THE VIRGIN. THE DEATH AND ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN. The old Greek Legend. The Angel announces to Mary her approaching Death. The Death of the Virgin, an ancient and important Subject. As treated in the Greek School; in early German Art; in Italian Art.