TABLE OF CONTENTS EDITORIAL André Lanfrey, fms........................................................................................... 3 SECTION ON ICONOGRAPHY The portraits of Father Champagnat in the XIX century André Lanfrey, fms........................................................................................... 5 The Arnaud photo, the Ravery portrait and Champagnat’s cranium Ivo Strobino, fms ............................................................................................ 35 Observations on the work of Joseph Ravery André Lanfrey, fms........................................................................................ 47 Some benefactors of Father Champagnat and the Institute André Lanfrey, fms......................................................................................... 61 OTHER ARTICLES In Common Cause, Part 2 Frederick Mc Mahon, fms......................................................................... 79 The Circulars of Brother Basilio Rueda and Brother Gabriel Michel Alain Delorme, fms........................................................................................101 FMS MARIST NOTEBOOKS Contributors Translators: N° 29 Year XXI 2011 to this edition: Joannès Fontanay, fms André Lanfrey, fms Josep Roura Bahí, fms Alain Delorme, fms Moisés Puente, fms Ivo Strobino, fms Gabriela Scanavino Editor-in-Chief: Frederick Mc Mahon, fms Francisco Castellanos, fms International Edward Clisby, fms Patrimony Commission David Harrison Virgílio J. Balestro, fms Publishing Director: Aloisio Kuhn, fms AMEstaún, fms EDITORIAL André Lanfrey fms Up to now, and contrary to most of age. But is it still a question of culture the publications of the General House, or simply of sub-culture? Marist Notebooks has been very sparing in the use of illustrations in its In certain parts, it seems to me, we pages. This has not been accidental are already plunged into a universe but a matter of choice: in giving an ac- resembling George Orwell’s “1984”, count of the state of research in the where the world evolves under the Institute the image, in most cases, is eye of “big brother” keeping contin- not necessary. The journal has re- uous watch over the world, cease- mained focused on its objective to lessly re-inventing the past in accor- present knowledge and means for re- dance with the needs of the present flection. and working systematically to impov- erish the language. Overall reflection on the status of the image in our society, moreover, en- It seems necessary to me, then, to courages us to continue in this way take up a critical posture vis-à-vis the for we are witnessing an invasion of image, even a severe one, for it is a images, which tend to cloud reflec- matter of preserving the human be- tion and enter into unreasonable ing’s ability to decipher the world in competition with the script. We are terms other than representational gradually becoming accustomed to images. However, it is not a question lay aside any text that is not illus- of going so far as to return to the trated, whatever its intrinsic value. Byzantine iconoclasm of the eighth And we are more inclined to produce and ninth centuries. images than to write. This tendency, already strong among adults, has So, although this Number 29 of become all-prevailing among the Marist Notebooks does not wish to new generations, to such a point that act contrarily to the rule about a the world culture presently taking its sparing use of illustrations, its editors place is first of all a culture of the im- consider it as a sort of essay on the 3 methodology of studying Marist form of paintings, photos, engrav- iconography. It is not, in fact, a ques- ings, sculptures. Unfortunately, it is in tion of illustrating texts to give them a black and white and in small format, more attractive appearance, but of but solidly documented in an appen- considering the image as an integral dix. We thus have available a first part of research. An iconography systematic study on a major point of which is not necessary to the under- our iconographic patrimony. standing of the articles or documents still has no place in this periodical. Brother Jean-Claude Longchamp, of On the other hand, the iconography the community of Marlhes, recently itself can be an object of study. mounted an exhibition on the same subject and drew up a catalogue, In conclusion, it seems to me useful which constitutes another summary to mention some recent works car- of the Champagnat iconography. ried out in this area and in a spirit close to our own. I will content myself Finally, a confrère, Claude Morisson, with indicating a few, and ask Broth- has just completed the computeri- ers aware of others to draw them to sation of the iconography of the Bul- my attention. letin of the Institute presenting a great number of engravings and Brother Agustin Carazo A., in the photos of works, but also of por- book Tras la huellas de Marcelino traits, recording the life of the Insti- Champagnat, published in Chile in tute from 1909 to 1984. This mine of 1999, has not been content with documents could make for many translating the articles of Brother studies. Pierre Zind (Louis Laurent) on Father We wish, therefore, to continue work Champagnat. He also offers us a on the Marist iconography, but within quite extensive iconography of rep- the theoretical framework outlined resentations of the Founder in the above. DOSSIER THE PORTRAITS OF F. CHAMPAGNAT IN THE XIX CENTURY A complex iconographic tradition André Lanfrey fms Nothing is more common among us us the portrait of a corpse showing than representations of Father Cham- traits in common with those of pagnat, whether in the form of pic- Champagnat and forcing us to ask tures, statues, busts, or holy cards. To the question: is what we have here a greater or lesser extent, they are another original portrait hitherto un- linked to a single model: the painting known to our tradition? – or rather the paintings – of the painter Ravery. We will see, however, that the history of these original paint- BRIEF SURVEY ings is not as clear as it appears, and OF THE ICONOGRAPHIC the iconographic tradition from which HISTORY OF FATHER it emerges, more complex than com- CHAMPAGNAT monly thought. In addition, a new quite confusing There are three versions of the por- portrait, preserved by the Arnaud trait done by the painter Jean- family, a continuing branch of the Joseph Ravery at the time of Father Champagnat family, poses the ques- Champagnat’s death: one in the tion of an original source distinct from chapel of the General Council in Ravery’s one. Rome1, considered the original ver- After a brief survey of the works of sion; another at Saint Genis-Laval, the Champagnat iconography, my made at the request, it is said, of presentation will consist of two main Brother Benoît Deville, and a third at parts: first, an examination of the the Hermitage, which raises prob- iconographic tradition issuing from lems since it is not known under what the Ravery portrait; then the presen- conditions it was made and even tation and critique of what we will call when it came to the Hermitage. Var- the “the Arnaud photo” which gives ious hypotheses have been put for- 1 It is portrait 1from Rome which is represented here 5 29 fms Marist NOTEBOOKS ward about these three paintings2. It 1. In 1994 Brother Fernando Hinojal is not up to me to take a position in wrote an article in Marist Notebooks this debate, but simply to underline No. 6 summing up the Champag- the fact that supplementary studies nat iconography, giving the contents need to be done to better document of six albums composed by Broth- the different paintings of Ravery 3. er Alain Bégay in 1979-80 and kept in the archives of the General House4. He develops a chronology of this Iconography in five periods: – From the death of the Founder to the introduction of his cause (1840-96), without any notable iconographic production apart from the Ravery paintings. – From the introduction of the cause to the centenary of the Foundation (1896-1917): A more and more varied and diversified production (images, busts, statues) – From the centenary of the Foun- dation to that of the death of the Founder (1917-1940): a great growth in the iconographic pro- duction and a growing variety (ceramics, stained glass win- dows). Outside France, the cel- However, it appears to me to be use- ebration of the fiftieth jubilees of ful to point out some particularly use- many provinces occasioned ful summary works. new images. 2 If I have read the documentation on the question rightly, Brother Claudio Santambrogio, restorer of portraits 1 and 3, puts forward the hypothesis that after 1860 Brother François, retired to the Hermitage, would have ordered this portrait for the « great reliquary » of Father Champagnat. Relying on an oral tra- dition, Brother Jean Roche thinks that this painting, much less finished than the others, is in fact the one Ravery rapidly executed in the Founder’s room on the day of his death. Stored in the painter’s studio, it would have been given to Brother François after 1860, either by the painter himself, or by his heirs. 3 There exists a CD on Ravery and the portraits of Father Champagnat but, to our knowledge, no sy- stematic study by an art history specialist on the three works together. The best approaches are those of Brother Santambrogio who restored two of the Ravery paintings. 4 At present, the first album has been reclassified by Brother Juan Moral, archivist. Brother Alain Bégay belongs to the current Province of the Hermitage. 6 The portraits of Father Champagnat in the XIX century may2011 – From 1940 to the beatification 3. Recently, Brother Jean-Claude (1940-1955): This is a period of Longchamp, of the community of profusion of iconography, with Marlhes, organised a display of the production of some works Champagnat iconography from of great value. around the world. A very informa- tive catalogue exists on computer – From the beatification to the bi- and also is worth publication7.