DOI Heft:
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DOI Artikel:Dobrzeniecki, Tadeusz: Imago Pietatis: its meaning and function
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18819#0012
i.e. concealed all the majesty of his Divine form by assuming the form of a servant. This re-
ception of servant's likeness has been recognized as the realization of the prophecy of Isaiah
on the Suffering Servant already sińce the times of St Clement of Rome who was the first
adherent of this idea.
The third strophe of the hymn tells us of Jesus' life and death being an expression of his
deepest abasement: ,,[he] became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Humiliavit
semetipsum [eTa7iEivwaEv eavxov\ factus obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis).
The highest grade of the humility of Christ found its climax in the death most ignominious
in the eyes both of the citizens of the Roman Empire, who reserved this kind of killing
for slaves exclusively, as well as of the Jews, for whom it was associated with the male-
diction of God.17
Italian painting of 1405, now in the National Museum in Warsaw,18 shows Christ depicted
after the iconographic formuła of the Byzantine origin (fig. 1): in half-figurc, rigidly straightened,
his arms with the bleeding wounds of hands brought down and crossed in front of the body;
his head in the crown of thorns is bent to the right; his half-closed eyes signify the obedience to
the will of Father.19 Below, on the edge of the sarcophagus the beginning of the first strophe
of Pauline hymn is put in capital letter: HOC ENEM SENTITE IN VOBIS QUOD ET IN
CHRISTO JESU („Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus"). This sentence,
thus, invokes here the believer to pattern in all his endeavors after the humility of Christ.
Greek Fathers strongly enhanced this idea of Christ's humility as an example for imitation
and therefore the pictorial image shaped by artists was entitled 7} axoa ransiMCoaię zov
Xoiaxov. Latin Fathers like St Augustine and St Anselm in their tura stressed Jesus'
self-denial for salvation of mankind: according to Pauline theology it was Love (= dilecłio)
that constituted the motive of the expiatory sacrifice of the Golgotha — the sacrifice depending
on the pouring of blood.20
In the Roman liturgy the term pietas was of wide use and differentiated meaning. Mediaeval
writers used it especially when describing the sacrifice of Christ as opus pietatis erga kominem.
Two chosen pronouncements can be the examples in this respect. Fr. Gulielmus de Melitona
(ca 1250) writes in his Exposition of the Canon of the Mass: [Christus \ Agnus dieitur ab agnos
quod est pium ąuia sola pietate nos redemit.21 Ludolf of Saxony explains the reason of calling
Christ the Lamb as follows: Agnus dieitur a pietate qua tollit peccata mundi.22 The image of
Sorrowful Christ (shown after accomplishing his sacrifice) with its Eucharistic meaning (Agnus
pius) obtained the title Imago Pietatis, in which pietas is a synonym of dilectio.23 In some litur-
gical formulas Jesus is called both pietas and misericordia and then the meaning of these words
is identical.24 A pictorial ref lec tion of such an identification can be seen on the wing of aBohemian
diptych of ca 1360 (fig. 2).25 Here the position of Jesus' hands is fuli of significance: the left
one is resting upon the right with the forefinger pointing to the pierced side.2G On the frame of the
panel conceived as the edge of sarcophagus there is an inscription: MISERICORDIA DOMINI.27
Already ca 1328—30 Paolo Veneziano jux taposed his Imago Pietatis (an imi tation of the Santa
Croce icon) with Mater Misericordiae.211
On the wings of a Bohemian triptych from Roudnice (ca 1410) Sorrowful Christ is accompanied
by the Virgin, both shown in the ample mantles providing a refuge for the believers.29 The basis
for such an juxtaposition, known also from mediaeval diptychs, was an idea worded by St Albert
the Great in the following way: Maria est mater misericordiae quae Patri misericordiarum in
operatione summae misericordiae adfuit et dolores passionis secum sustinuit.
A panel in Anger-Museum in Erfurt (fig. 3)30 embodies evidently the doctrine of St Paul (based
on Isaiah) on the Soteriological humiliation of Jesus, which implicated his Passion and death.
On the left, Christ kneeling in prayer in Gethsemane announces his obedience to Father before
6
ception of servant's likeness has been recognized as the realization of the prophecy of Isaiah
on the Suffering Servant already sińce the times of St Clement of Rome who was the first
adherent of this idea.
The third strophe of the hymn tells us of Jesus' life and death being an expression of his
deepest abasement: ,,[he] became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Humiliavit
semetipsum [eTa7iEivwaEv eavxov\ factus obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis).
The highest grade of the humility of Christ found its climax in the death most ignominious
in the eyes both of the citizens of the Roman Empire, who reserved this kind of killing
for slaves exclusively, as well as of the Jews, for whom it was associated with the male-
diction of God.17
Italian painting of 1405, now in the National Museum in Warsaw,18 shows Christ depicted
after the iconographic formuła of the Byzantine origin (fig. 1): in half-figurc, rigidly straightened,
his arms with the bleeding wounds of hands brought down and crossed in front of the body;
his head in the crown of thorns is bent to the right; his half-closed eyes signify the obedience to
the will of Father.19 Below, on the edge of the sarcophagus the beginning of the first strophe
of Pauline hymn is put in capital letter: HOC ENEM SENTITE IN VOBIS QUOD ET IN
CHRISTO JESU („Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus"). This sentence,
thus, invokes here the believer to pattern in all his endeavors after the humility of Christ.
Greek Fathers strongly enhanced this idea of Christ's humility as an example for imitation
and therefore the pictorial image shaped by artists was entitled 7} axoa ransiMCoaię zov
Xoiaxov. Latin Fathers like St Augustine and St Anselm in their tura stressed Jesus'
self-denial for salvation of mankind: according to Pauline theology it was Love (= dilecłio)
that constituted the motive of the expiatory sacrifice of the Golgotha — the sacrifice depending
on the pouring of blood.20
In the Roman liturgy the term pietas was of wide use and differentiated meaning. Mediaeval
writers used it especially when describing the sacrifice of Christ as opus pietatis erga kominem.
Two chosen pronouncements can be the examples in this respect. Fr. Gulielmus de Melitona
(ca 1250) writes in his Exposition of the Canon of the Mass: [Christus \ Agnus dieitur ab agnos
quod est pium ąuia sola pietate nos redemit.21 Ludolf of Saxony explains the reason of calling
Christ the Lamb as follows: Agnus dieitur a pietate qua tollit peccata mundi.22 The image of
Sorrowful Christ (shown after accomplishing his sacrifice) with its Eucharistic meaning (Agnus
pius) obtained the title Imago Pietatis, in which pietas is a synonym of dilectio.23 In some litur-
gical formulas Jesus is called both pietas and misericordia and then the meaning of these words
is identical.24 A pictorial ref lec tion of such an identification can be seen on the wing of aBohemian
diptych of ca 1360 (fig. 2).25 Here the position of Jesus' hands is fuli of significance: the left
one is resting upon the right with the forefinger pointing to the pierced side.2G On the frame of the
panel conceived as the edge of sarcophagus there is an inscription: MISERICORDIA DOMINI.27
Already ca 1328—30 Paolo Veneziano jux taposed his Imago Pietatis (an imi tation of the Santa
Croce icon) with Mater Misericordiae.211
On the wings of a Bohemian triptych from Roudnice (ca 1410) Sorrowful Christ is accompanied
by the Virgin, both shown in the ample mantles providing a refuge for the believers.29 The basis
for such an juxtaposition, known also from mediaeval diptychs, was an idea worded by St Albert
the Great in the following way: Maria est mater misericordiae quae Patri misericordiarum in
operatione summae misericordiae adfuit et dolores passionis secum sustinuit.
A panel in Anger-Museum in Erfurt (fig. 3)30 embodies evidently the doctrine of St Paul (based
on Isaiah) on the Soteriological humiliation of Jesus, which implicated his Passion and death.
On the left, Christ kneeling in prayer in Gethsemane announces his obedience to Father before
6