Meacock, Joanna (2001) Saintly Ecstasies: the Appropriation and Secularisation of Saintly Imagery in the Paintings and Poems of Dante Gabriel Rossetti
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Meacock, Joanna (2001) Saintly ecstasies: the appropriation and secularisation of saintly imagery in the paintings and poems of Dante Gabriel Rossetti. PhD thesis. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/1596/ Copyright and moral rights for this thesis are retained by the Author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the Author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the Author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Glasgow Theses Service http://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] Saintly Ecstasies The Appropriation and Secularisationof Saintly Imagery in the Paintings and Poems of Dante Gabriel Rossetti JoannaMeacock History of Art Department,Glasgow University © Ph.D: thes1sMarch 2001 . Saintly Ecstasies Illustrations Abstract Using unpublished source material at Princeton University, the University of British Columbia, the British Library and the National Art Library in the V&A, this thesis aims to broaden current scholarly understanding regarding Rossetti's exposure to, interest in, and subsequentappropriation of aspects of monastic life and saintly legend in his religious and secular paintings and poems. The intention of part one of this thesisis to discussand analyseRossetti's early interest in monasticismand the legendsof the saints. Rossetti'sattraction to Catholic ritual and ceremony,both in terms of its aestheticimpact and the feelingsof awe it engendered, will form the backgroundto a discussionof his admirationfor pre-Reformationart. The concernwhich he displayedin his own paintingsand poemsfor saintly legendand theologicalmysteries will be shownto haveits origins in early Christianart, as well as in the apocryphallives of the saintsand the writings of the ChurchFathers, which had seena resurgencein popularity in the wake of the Oxford Movement. Rossetti'sgrowing fascinationwith art as a vehicle for the conveyanceof religious ideaswill be consideredin relation to the early and mid-nineteenthcentury revival of interestin the medievalpainter-monk and in the practice of illumination. Rossetti's 1856watercolour Fra Pace will be examinedin this context. The pertinenceof the exampleof St Luke, who usedhis art as a preachingtool, will also be considered, Rossettihaving returned to this conceptdirectly, and obliquely, throughout his career in both his visual and poetic art. The influenceof the quasi-monasticNazarene painters,also calledthe GermanBrotherhood of St Luke, will be examined. Rossetti's suggestion of "Brotherhood" as an appendageto "Pre-Raphaelite" will be considered within a specifically monastic context, looking at the artist's family history, analogous artistic communities, and the revival of interest in ascetic institutions within the nineteenth century. The extent to which the works of the Pre-Raphaelite group showed a bias towards asceticism will be analysed, as will contemporary reactions to this. The legend of St Elizabeth of Hungary, treated in a favourable light by the Pre- Raphaelites but transformed into an anti-Catholic tool by Charles Kingsley, will underpin this discussion. Rossetti's interest in the monastic model, on an increasingly secular level, will be examined though his involvement with the Working Men's 2 Saintly Ecstasies Illustrations College,the Oxford Union mural scheme,the firm of Morris, Marshall, Faulkner& Co. and the publisherF. S. Ellis. The purpose of the second part of this thesis is to demonstrate that following the disbandment of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood Rossetti did not turn his back on saintly subject matter although he pursued greater sensuality in both his poetry and visual art. Rossetti's attraction to the merging of spiritual and sensual experience within Catholic legend, particularly the idea of spiritual marriage, will be examined. A discussionof Rossetti'sincorporation of suchthemes into his work, most notably in his designsfor Moxon's edition of Tennyson,in which he eschewedthe traditional role of illustrator in order to concentrateon themesof the Bride and Groom and religious ecstasy,will follow. The subsequentdevelopment of his art will be discussedin terms of a secularisationof saintlyiconography. Discussionwill focus on works suchas Beata Beatrix and The Beloved,as well as lesserknown images. Rossetti'soil VenusVerticordia will instigate discussionon the renewalof interestin the lives of the ecstaticsaints, most notably St Teresa. Rossetti'sfriendship with Swinburne,who introduceda Catholic quality to his sexuallysadistic practices and writings, will be consideredin the context of Rossetti's increasinglysubversive paintings and poems. The dichotomy evidentin his oeuvre betweenrespect for Christianiconography and increasingreligious scepticismwill be examinedin a discussionof his approachto the sacramentof the Holy Eucharist. The connectionbetween the sexualand spiritual will also form the basisfor a discussionof the influenceof Swedenborgon Rossetti'spaintings and poems. The extent to which Rossetti'sartistic output was influencedby Swedenborgianconcepts will be analysed,taking into accountthe proliferation of suchideas among his contemporaries.Rossetti's interest in spiritualismwill also be consideredwith particular emphasison the phenomenaof spirit writing and drawing. His 1863 oil Joan of Arc will be discussedin terms of spiritual mediumship. Through an examinationof spiritualism'srelation to Christianityand the associationsmade with the miraclesof saintlylegend within contemporarycriticism, it will be shownthat this was a further facet of Rossetti'sinterest in the mysticallives of the saints. Finally, an examination will be made of Rossetti's appropriation of musical imagery as a signifier of the divine and the development of this theme in his mature secular works in which he sought to intimate the sacramental nature of love. This will be advanced through a discussionof the value which his family placedon sacredmusic and also of 3 Saintly Ecstasies Abstract the importance of music in the medieval world. Paintings such as A Christmas Carol and Veronica Veronesewill be considered in relation to both the development of aesthetic theory in art and literature and the musical analogies made by mystical writers to describe their encounters with God. The discussion will be put in the context of the traditional associationsmade between music and erotic love. The thesis will conclude by demonstrating that whereas Rossetti's style noticeably changed throughout his career, he remained intrigued with monasticism and with the legends of the saints which had seduced him as a young man, with the result that his works continued to attract Christian patrons and to be described in religious terms, although the religion he propounded was not Christian or pious in any conventional sense. 4 Saintly Ecstasies Acknowledgments Acknowledgments I would like to thank my husband Ian Meacock, not only for reading this thesis and providing helpful suggestions, but for his constant support and encouragement over the three and half years of my research. I am grateful for the wisdom and guidanceof my supervisorsDr Margaret MacDonald andMr Paul Stirton and the patiencethey showedme as they read, commentedand advisedme concerningmy work. I also wish to thank ProfessorNigel Thorp and Dr Patricia de Montfort who generouslygave their time and energiesto my queriesand encouragedme in my study. The scholarlyinterest shownby ProfessorStephen Wildman in my work and his generousprovision of sourcematerial was much appreciated.I am also grateful to Mr NicholasPearce, Dr Clare Willsdon and the other membersof staff at the History of Art Department,Glasgow University, for the support which they showedto me in my research. The efficiencyand experienceof Mrs Elaine Wilson and Miss Marion Lawson in dealingwith my queriesand requestswere greatly valued. It is due to the friendship and practical assistanceof AnnaLee and George Pauls that my trip to Princeton was so enjoyable and profitable, and I wish to express my thanks. I am grateful to all those who aided me in my research whilst in Princeton and Vancouver, and also in Edinburgh, London, Liverpool, Manchester and Southampton. The expertise of Dr Tessa Sidey at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery was particularly valued. I wish to conveymy gratitude to Ayako Ono for her photographicadvice, the use of a zip drive and her continual support and friendly concern. Thanks also to Duncan and Ruth Pole who helpedme in the final stagesof my thesis. The support of friends such as SarahCole, Ailsa Boyd, SueMacallan and Jeff and Diana Keusshas been invaluable, as well as the encouragementand good adviceof my parents. Saintly Ecstasies Contents Contents List of Illustrations 7 Introduction 12 Part 1: The Monastic Ideal Ch. 1: Early Mysticism 19 ...................................................... Ch. 2: Hand Soul 38 and ...................................................... Ch. 3: Brotherhood St Luke 59 of ........................................ Ch. 4: The 'New Holy Brotherhood' 76 ................................ Ch. 5: Asceticism 97 ............................................................ Ch. 6: Fellowship Art 117 of .................................................. Part 2: Mystical Marriage Ch. 1: HeavenlyBridegroom