Studies in the Image of the Madonna Lactans in Late Medieval and Renaissance Italy
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University of Louisville ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository Electronic Theses and Dissertations 12-2012 Studies in the image of the Madonna lactans in late medieval and Renaissance Italy. Cecelia M. Dorger University of Louisville Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd Recommended Citation Dorger, Cecelia M., "Studies in the image of the Madonna lactans in late medieval and Renaissance Italy." (2012). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 367. https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/367 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has retained all other copyrights. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDIES IN THE IMAGE OF THE MADONNA LACTANS IN LATE MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE ITALY By Cecelia M. Dorger B.S. University of Dayton, 1979 M.A. University of Cincinnati, 1982 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences, University of Louisville in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Art History University of Louisville Louisville, Kentucky December 13, 2012 Copyright 2012 by Cecelia M. Dorger All rights reserved For Ken, Madeline, and Ben iii Acknowledgements This dissertation would have been inconceivable without the patient guidance, incisive suggestions, and unwavering support of Christopher Fulton. Without William Levin’s insight and extensive acquaintance with this subject, and the many hours he generously gave to the task, this study would not have been possible. I am also grateful for the gift of time and astute suggestions given by my reading committee members Elaine Wise and Delin Lai. I have benefitted from competent assistance patiently given by Kathy Moore and Gail Gilbert at the University of Louisville Art Library and Janice Blair of the Art History Department. I am grateful for the superb library staffs at The Hamilton County Public Library, the University of Dayton Marian Library, and Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florence. I am deeply indebted to Giorgio Marini of the Gabinetto Disegni e Stampe degli Uffizi for his solicitous help. Archivist Luccia Ricciardi was a godsend at the Spedale degli Instituto degli Innocenti. I am exceedingly appreciative of the grants and scholarships I received from the University of Louisville’s Hite Art Institute and Department of Fine Arts. The Frederick and Elizabeth Cressman Scholarship, the Don Payton Graduate Award, the Hite Scholarship, and the Hite School of Fine Arts Travel Award allowed me conduct my research at home and in Italy. I am exceedingly grateful for the help with Latin translations I received from Reverend Thomas Franxman, Peter van Minnen, Andrew Connor, and Michael Klabunde. The support from teachers, friends, and family iv members gave me energy when I needed it. I am deeply grateful for Nettina Eckert, Sylvia Schneider, my wonderful prayer group, Mary Robertson, Joe Marten, Jim Marten, and my role model, Madge Marten. Without the generous counsel of Bill Cleves on all matters theological, liturgical, etymological, and metaphysical this dissertation would have been impossible. He exhibited reserves of patience and epitomized charitable giving when I asked for help with the translation of fourteenth-century Italian, Latin, and his keen editing eye. He explained the Church’s definition of a miracle. His profuse help fits the definition nicely. Another hundred pages would be necessary to adequately express my thanks to my children and husband. I appreciate Ben’s encouraging phone calls from the chair lift, the rock, and the bus stop. Every museum visit and art discussion is folded into this study. My fabulous editor and brilliant daughter, Madeline put up with never-ending conversations about the Virgin Mary and the Milk and Blood. She applied her bright mind to the task and was quick to make me laugh. I shall miss discussing local food movements with her. I know God loves me when I look at my husband. Surely I do not deserve such a patient, thoughtful, generous, sincere, loving mate. He was always in my corner and listened with his whole heart. He endured separation when I traveled and many dinner- less evenings. He gave me comfort through the rough spots and was quick to celebrate the big and small triumphs. He made the journey a pleasure. He makes life a pleasure. Finally a debt of gratitude is owed to my late Dad who was influential in cultivating my curiosity about the Virgin Mary. v ABSTRACT Studies in the Image of the Madonna Lactans in Late Medieval and Renaissance Italy Cecelia M. Dorger December 13, 2012 This dissertation is an analysis of Italian late medieval and Renaissance peoples’ response to the Madonna lactans image. Although the images that comprise this type are similar in that Mary holds Christ at her breast, they vary widely in iconography and context. We shall use reception and response theory to determine how the image functioned for spectators. Determining how different groups responded to the motif is facilitated by applying an interpretive community model. Hence a group’s interpretive principles connect these communities and inform their reception of the image. We argue that although context and communities are diverse, most people believed the image to be a conduit to the divine. Our study is divided into four chapters covering a late medieval through Renaissance history of breastfeeding, devotion, the motif as an altarpiece, and reception by Renaissance people. Chapter one gives a historical overview of the advice vii concerning breastfeeding to which medievals were subjected. In light of sacerdotal advice, we argue that the Church used the image to promote maternal feeding. We also consider wet nurses as a community and audience. Chapter two draws on social and historical inquiries to explore public and private devotion. We highlight the Madonna lactans as an intercessor. While chapter one and two provide a historical and social foundation, the next two chapters consider different interpretive communities’ experiential viewing. Chapter three argues that the late medieval altarpiece image was more than an aesthetic illusion for churchgoers, finding that the image was believed to have sacramental value. Theories about medieval vision are applied to viewing religious rites with images. Chapter four delves into several communities’ interpretive principles. First, in light of its increased naturalism, we argue against a prurient reading of the image by applying scientific studies, an iconographic analysis, and period laws. Second, we find that nuns perceived the image to be a means to intimacy with Christ. One nun’s desire for contemplation before the image was so ardent, she drew it for her private edification, at great personal risk. Finally, we argue that when the viewer held the interpretive power, lay people embraced the image’s intercessory message. viii Table of Contents PAGE DEDICATION……………………………………………………………………….. … iii ACKNOWLEGEMENTS…………………………………………………………….…..iv ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………….v LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS AND CHARTS………………………………………….viii Introduction ………………………………………………………..………………….1 Chapter One: The Virgin and the Wet Nurse ……..……………………......………..17 Philosophical Directives about Breastfeeding …………………………………..………19 Breastfeeding in the Lives of the Saints ……………………………………..…………..26 Breastfeeding from the Medical Perspective ………………………………………..…..31 The Mysterious Properties of Breast Milk……………………………………….………37 The Wet Nurse: Habits and Environment ………………………………………..….…..41 Why Hire a Wet Nurse?...…………………………………………………….………….49 The Wet Nursing Profession ……………………………………………………….……56 The Institutional Wet Nurse ……………………………………………………………..61 Madonna Lactans Adorning Charitable Institutions………..…………………................54 Chapter Two: Italian Devotion to the Nursing Madonna…...………………….……72 Origins and Expansion of Medieval and Renaissance Marian Devotion…….…….…....74 Public Marian Devotion in Late Medieval Italy …………………………………….......86 Late Medieval Private Devotion……………………………………………………........88 Marian Devotion in Renaissance Italy ………………………………………………......92 Public Marian Devotional Rituals………………………………………………………..92 Intersection Between Public and Private Devotion……………………………………...95 ix Private Marian Devotion in Renaissance Italy……………………………………….....100 Chapter Three: Sustenance for Life ……………………………………………........117 Late Medieval Devotion to the Eucharist ………………………………………….......121 Vision and the Spiritual Senses ………...……………………………………………....127 The Madonna Lactans as an Altarpiece Image……………………………………........129 The Blood and the Milk ………………………………………………………………..142 The Image as a Sacramental ……………………………………………….…………..144 Chapter Four: Viewers, Visionaries & Voyeurs: Renaissance Reception ...............151 Voyeurs? ……………………………………………………………………………….155 Visionaries – Nuns.…………………..…………………..…………………………......167 Female Patrons and Artists of the Madonna Lactans .…………………………………179 Suor Plautilla Nelli ……………………………………………………………………..181 The Included Audience …………………………………………………………….......202 The Double Intercession ……………………………………………………………….212 Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………..218 References………………………………………………………………………………293 x LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FIGURE