University of Warwick institutional repository: http://go.warwick.ac.uk/wrap A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD at the University of Warwick http://go.warwick.ac.uk/wrap/3662 This thesis is made available online and is protected by original copyright. Please scroll down to view the document itself. Please refer to the repository record for this item for information to help you to cite it. Our policy information is available from the repository home page. The Language of Gestures in some of EI Greco's Altarpieces in two Volumes Volume I by Berit Liihr Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History of Art University of Warwick, Department of History of Art . September 2002 Table of Contents Volume I Page List of Illustrations Summary 1 Introduction 2 First Part - Preconditions 1. The Council of Trent - Precondition for the development of a codification of gestures 24 2. Delivery and Persuasion in Rhetorical Tradition. 27 3. Luis de Granada's Rhetorica Ecclesiastica - Reception of Antique Rhetoric and Advice for the Preacher 32 4. To Move and Persuade in Art Theory 38 4.1 Alberti's della pittura - The Body expresses Emotions of the Soul 40 4.2 Vivid Display - Leonardo da Vinci's remarks on Motion 42 4.3 Ludovico Dolce's L 'Aretino - A Venetian Link 46 4.4 Gabriele Paleotti 's Discorso intorno aile imagini sacre e profane - The theological aspect ofpersuadere 51 4.5 Lomazzo's Trattato dell' Arte de la Pittura 54 4.5.1 Lomazzo's contribution to a Theory of Movements in Painting 56 4.6 Conclusion 60 5. Art Theory and Art Practice: Towards the 'Rhetorical Gesture' 61 6. Benito Arias Montano's fiber ieremiae - El Greco's initiation into a rhetoric of Gestures 66 7. Towards Codification - Handbooks on Gesture as an Aid to decode Paintings 72 7.1 Giovanni Bonifacio - L' arte dei Cenni 74 7.2 John Bulwer's Chirofogia ... Chironomia and its sources 78 7.3 Le Brun's Methode pour apprendre a dessiner fes Passions 83 Second Part - Developing the Preconditions 1. Representing Passions - Animating the Pious Beholder The Santo Domingo el Antiguo Altar pieces 86 1.1 The central canvas of the High Altar - The Assumption of the Virgin 90 1.1.1 Titian's Assumption reflected - Mary's intercession 102 1.2 The Trinity 105 1.2.1 Durer and Michelangelo - Visual Sources 108 1.3 Conjunction of the Assumption and the Trinity 110 1.4. Adoration of the Shepherds Altarpiece on the Gospel side 112 1.5 Resurrection Altarpiece on the Epistle side 117 1.5.1. Sacramental Allusions 122 1.6 The relationship of the Retable to the functions of the Chapel 124 2. Poetry and Painting - The Narrative structure of the Dona Maria de Aragon Altar piece 126 2.1 The Incarnation 130 2.1.1 Concept of Narration 141 2.2 Adoration of the Shepherds 142 2.2.1 Comparing different versions of the Adoration of the Shepherd 153 2.3 The Baptism of Christ 158 2.4 Crucifixion 164 2.5 Context of the Paintings in the Seminary 168 3. The Espolio- a rare subject- matter 169 4. To Rhetorical to be a Sacred Painting?- The Martyrdom of St. Maurice 180 5. Mirroring the Mass 187 6.Excursus: The Series of the 'Purification of the Temple' 204 Conclusion 222 Bibliography Second Volume List of Illustrations Illustrations List of Illustrations Fig. 1, Agony in the Garden, 1590/95, oil on canvas, 102,2x 113,7 cm Toledo, Ohio, Museum of Arts Fig. 2, Caballero con la mano al pecho, 1578/80, oil on canvas, 81 x66 cm, Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado Fig. 3, detail offig. 1. Fig. 4, Bernardino Luini, Christ among the Doctors in the Temple, oil on panel, London, National Gallery. Fig. 5, Correggio, Saints Luke and Ambrose, frescoed pendentive, Parma, San Giovanni Evangelista. Fig. 6, Paravicino, ca. 1609, oil on canvas, 112x86, 1 cm, Boston, Museum of Fine Arts. Fig. 7, Laocoon, ca. 1610114, oil on canvas, 137,5xI72,4 cm, Washington, National Gallery of Art, Samuel H. Kress Collection. Fig. 8, Raphael, Transfiguration, 1518-20, oil on panel, 405x278, Rome, Vatican Museum. Fig. 9, Martino Rota after Titian, Death of St. Peter Martyr, engraving, New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art Fig. 10, St. Peter in Tears, 1580/86, oil on canvas, 108x89,6 cm, Barnard Castle, The Bowes Museum. Fig. 11, John Bulwer, Chirologia, Plate B Fig. 12, Le Brun, Methode pour apprendre a dessiner les Passions, fig. 4 Esteem Fig. 13, Interior of the Church of Santo Domingo el Antiguo. Fig. 14, Main Altar of Santo Domingo el Antiguo Fig. IS, Assumption of the Virgin, 1577-79, oil on canvas, 401x229 cm, Chicago Art Institute. Fig. 16, Detail of fig. 15. Fig. 17 Detail of fig. 15. Fig.18, John Bulwer, Chironomia, Plate F Fig. 19, St. Benedict, 1577-79, oil on canvas, 116x80, Madrid, Museo del Prado. Fig. 20, detail of fig. 15. Fig. 21, John Bulwer, Chironomia, Plate D Fig. 22, John Bulwer, Chirologia, Plate C Fig. 23, Titian, Assumption of the Virgin, 1516-18, Venice, Santa Maria dei Frari. Fig. 24, detail of fig. 15 Fig. 25, detail offig. 23 Fig. 26, Trinity, 1577-79, oil on canvas, 300x179 cm, Madrid, Museo del Prado. Fig. 27, Michelangelo, Pieta, 1547-55, Florence, Opera dell' Duomo Fig. 28, Michelangelo, Entombment, tempera and oil on panel, London National Gallery Fig. 29, Taddeo Zuccaro, Dead Christ Surrounded by Angels, Rome, Villa Albini Fig. 30, Adoration of the Shepherds, 1577-79, oil on canvas, 21 Ox128 cm, Santander, Emilio Botin Sanzo Fig. 31, detail of fig. 30 Fig. 32, John Bulwer, Chirologia, Plate A Fig. 33, detail of fig. 30 Fig.34, Resurrection, 1577-79, oil on canvas, 210x128, Toledo, St Domingo el Antiguo. Fig. 35, detail of fig. 34 Fig. 36, detail of fig. 34 Fig. 37, detail offig.34 Fig. 38, Statuette of the Risen Christ, 1595/98, painted Wood, 45cm height, Toledo, Hospital de San Juan Bautista Fig. 39, Incarnation, 1596-1600, oil on canvas, 315x174 cm, Madrid, Museo del Prado. Fig. 40, detail of fig. 39 Fig.41, Titian, Annunciation, 1560-65, Venice, San Salvatore. Fig. 42, Baptism, ca 1608-14, oil on canvas, 330x211 cm, Toledo, Hospital de San Juan Bautista Fig.43, Angel's Concert, ca. 1608/22, oil on canvas, 11 0,5x204,5 cm, Athens, National Gallery and Museum Alexandros Soutzous Fig. 44,Adoration of the Shepherds,1596-1600, oil on canvas 346x137cm, Bucharest, Romanian National Museum. Fig. 45, detail offig. 44 Fig. 46, detail of fig. 44 fig. 47, detail of fig. 44 Fig. 48, Adoration of the Shepherds, ca. 1600-1605, oil on canvas, 141x111cm, Valencia, Colegio del Patriarca Fig. 49, detail offig.48 Fig. 50, detail of fig. 48 Fig. 51, Adoration of the Shepherds, ca. 1612-14, oil on canvas, 320x180 cm, Madrid, Museo del Prado Fig. 52, detail of fig. 51 Fig. 53, Baptism of Christ, 1596-1600, oil on canvas, 350x144 cm, Madrid, Museo del Prado. Fig. 54, detail of fig. 53 Fig. 55, Crucifixion, 1596-1600, oil on canvas, 312x169 cm, Madrid, Museo del Prado. Fig. 56, Durer, Crucifixion, Great Passion, 1496-1500 Fig. 57, Durer, Crucifixion, 1500-1504 Fig. 58, Le Brun, Methode pour apprendre a des siner les Passions, fig. 37, An Emotion of Pain Fig. 59, detail of fig. 55 Fig. 60, Annunciation, 1603-05, oil on canvas, 0 128 cm, Illescas, Hospital de la Caridad Fig. 61, Espolio, 1577-79, oil on canvas, 285x173 cm, Toledo, Cathedral, Sacristy. Fig. 62, detail of fig, 61 Fig. 63, detail of fig. 61 Fig. 64, detail of fig. 61 Fig. 65, detail of fig. 61 Fig. 66, Martyrdom of S1. Maurice, 1580-82, oil on canvas, 448x30 1 cm, El Escorial. Fig. 67, detail of fig. 66 Fig. 68, Romulo Cincinnato, The Martyrdom of S1. Maurice, El Escorial, Basilica de San Lorenzo Fig. 69, detail offig. 66 Fig.70 Resurrection, 1596-1600, oil on canvas 275x127 cm, Madrid, Museo del Prado Fig. 71, detail of fig. 70 Fig. 72, detail of fig. 70 Fig. 73, detail offig. 70 fig. 74, Raphael, Three soldiers fallen to the ground, black chalk, Trustees of the Chatsworth Settlement Fig.75, Pentecost, ca. 1610-14, oil on canvas, 275x127 cm, Madrid, Museo del Prado Fig. 76, detail offig. 75 Fig. 77, Le Brun, Methode pour apprendre a dessiner les Passions, fig. 7 Ectasy Fig. 78, Raphael, Santa Cecilia, ca.1513-16, oil on canvas, 238x150 cm, Bologna, Pinacoteca Fig. 79, Le Brun, Methode pour apprendre a dessiner les Passions, fig. 3 Admiration. Fig. 80, Purification of the Temple, ca. 1570, oil on panel, 65x83cm, Washington, National Gallery. Fig. 81, detail of fig. 80 Fig. 82, Purification of the Temple,1570-75, oil on canvas, 117x150 cm, Minneapolis Institute of Art,. Fig. 83, detail offig. 82 Fig. 84, Purification of the Temple, ca. 1600-05,oil on canvas, 106x 130 cm, London, National Gallery, Fig. 85, detail of fig. 84 Fig. 86, detail of fig. 84 Fig. 87, Purification of the Temple, ca. 1610-14, oil on canvas, 106x104 cm, San Gines, Madrid, Cofradia del Santisimo Sacramento. Fig. 88, detail of fig. 87 Fig. 89, detail of fig. 87 Summary This study explores El Greco's language of gestures. The first part will explain the preconditions for the general development towards rhetorical gestures and draw parallels with El Greco's artistic development in the sphere of gestures. In addition, handbooks on gestures are introduced. The second part will analyse how El Greco applied gestures, using examples of his paintings ..It will reveal how El Greco developed some gestures over more than thirty years, and how he creates with their help an intense concentrated mood in his paintings.