DOI Artikel:
Shorr, Dorothy C.: The identification of the captives in Petrarch's Triumph of Fame
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6337#0047
DOROTHY C. SHORR / THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE CAPTIVES
IN PETRARCH'S TRIUMPH OF FAME
The poem describing the Triumphs of Love, Chastity, Death, Farne, Time and Eternity,
on which Petrarch was at work at the time of his death in 1374, has been the subject of in-
numerable pictorial representations and was, without doubt, one of the most populär among
Italian artists of the XV Century.
How and by whom the iconography of these six Triumphs was first established is still
a matter of conjecture. Undoubtedly the word "Triumph" would suggesttothe artist animposing
procession with chariot and victor complete but, except for the Triumph of Love wherein
the poet describes the "archer youth with loaded quiver" seated high on his "burning chariot...
by coursers drawn" and followed by the "sad procession" of his victims, there is nothing
specific in the poem to suggest to the artist how each of the five subsequent Triumphs should
be portrayed. Yet, except for minor variations, every pictorial representation of Petrarch's
poem follows the same general pattern.
Although a uniform iconography in the Trionfiis fairly well adhered to by the XV Century
artist, there are some minor differences which appear to be associated with locality. Among
these variations, the figures of the shackled men in the Triumph of Farne form a particularlv
interesting study for it would seem that these two figures are portrayed only by Florentine artists
and not later than the end of the XV Century. Indeed, they could easily pass unremarked as
a conventional attribute of a Roman triumph with its captives chained to the chariot wheels,
symbol of Farne Triumphant, were it not for an engraving in the Albertina Collection, Vienna,
and another impression in a later State in the Serai Museum, Constantinople, one of a series
of the six Triumphs of Petrarch executed by a Florentine artist in the middle of the XV Century
and thus the oldest engravings of the subject of which we know. From internal evidence it
seems not unlikely that this series may commemorate an actual procession through the streets
of Florence.
The engraving depicting the Triumph of Fame (Fig. 1) shows a car drawn by two elephants.
On either end of the car is seated a bearded figure clad in long robes bearing a book and a
sceptre, probably two Oriental kings or lawgivers, while above, on a globe divided into three
sections (AFRIHA, VROPIA, ASIA) sits the figure of Fame with a scale in one hand and
a sword in the other. As is often the case in illustrations of the Triumph of Fame, those taking
part in the procession have their names attached to them. Petrarch enumerated a quantity
of persons who were present in the cortege of Fame so that the artist had a wide selection
from which to choose. In this particular illustration his choice feil upon Caesar, Achilles
(AHILLE), Hector (ATOR), Hercules (ERHVLES) and, though he bears no label, the other
bearded figure can readily be identified as Samson from his attribute, the jawbone of an ass.
At the side of the car walk two nude men with shackles on their arms; one bears the inscription
SPENDIO, the other MAHIO. They seem no mere conventionalized figures of captives but
have distinct psychological personalities. Spendio, the eider of the two, shows an expression
of anguish and rebellion at his lot. His hair is unkempt, his brow is furrowed, his jaw is set.
Younger and of a gentler disposition, Mahio is more resigned to his fate. His head falls on
his breast, his eyes are lowered, he is without hope.
Who are these two figures and what is their significance ? According to d'Essling and Müntz,
they are the personification of two vices, the Prodigal and the Fool who have been conquered
by the goddess of Fame, while another interpretation makes Spendio into Spegno = I extin-
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41
IN PETRARCH'S TRIUMPH OF FAME
The poem describing the Triumphs of Love, Chastity, Death, Farne, Time and Eternity,
on which Petrarch was at work at the time of his death in 1374, has been the subject of in-
numerable pictorial representations and was, without doubt, one of the most populär among
Italian artists of the XV Century.
How and by whom the iconography of these six Triumphs was first established is still
a matter of conjecture. Undoubtedly the word "Triumph" would suggesttothe artist animposing
procession with chariot and victor complete but, except for the Triumph of Love wherein
the poet describes the "archer youth with loaded quiver" seated high on his "burning chariot...
by coursers drawn" and followed by the "sad procession" of his victims, there is nothing
specific in the poem to suggest to the artist how each of the five subsequent Triumphs should
be portrayed. Yet, except for minor variations, every pictorial representation of Petrarch's
poem follows the same general pattern.
Although a uniform iconography in the Trionfiis fairly well adhered to by the XV Century
artist, there are some minor differences which appear to be associated with locality. Among
these variations, the figures of the shackled men in the Triumph of Farne form a particularlv
interesting study for it would seem that these two figures are portrayed only by Florentine artists
and not later than the end of the XV Century. Indeed, they could easily pass unremarked as
a conventional attribute of a Roman triumph with its captives chained to the chariot wheels,
symbol of Farne Triumphant, were it not for an engraving in the Albertina Collection, Vienna,
and another impression in a later State in the Serai Museum, Constantinople, one of a series
of the six Triumphs of Petrarch executed by a Florentine artist in the middle of the XV Century
and thus the oldest engravings of the subject of which we know. From internal evidence it
seems not unlikely that this series may commemorate an actual procession through the streets
of Florence.
The engraving depicting the Triumph of Fame (Fig. 1) shows a car drawn by two elephants.
On either end of the car is seated a bearded figure clad in long robes bearing a book and a
sceptre, probably two Oriental kings or lawgivers, while above, on a globe divided into three
sections (AFRIHA, VROPIA, ASIA) sits the figure of Fame with a scale in one hand and
a sword in the other. As is often the case in illustrations of the Triumph of Fame, those taking
part in the procession have their names attached to them. Petrarch enumerated a quantity
of persons who were present in the cortege of Fame so that the artist had a wide selection
from which to choose. In this particular illustration his choice feil upon Caesar, Achilles
(AHILLE), Hector (ATOR), Hercules (ERHVLES) and, though he bears no label, the other
bearded figure can readily be identified as Samson from his attribute, the jawbone of an ass.
At the side of the car walk two nude men with shackles on their arms; one bears the inscription
SPENDIO, the other MAHIO. They seem no mere conventionalized figures of captives but
have distinct psychological personalities. Spendio, the eider of the two, shows an expression
of anguish and rebellion at his lot. His hair is unkempt, his brow is furrowed, his jaw is set.
Younger and of a gentler disposition, Mahio is more resigned to his fate. His head falls on
his breast, his eyes are lowered, he is without hope.
Who are these two figures and what is their significance ? According to d'Essling and Müntz,
they are the personification of two vices, the Prodigal and the Fool who have been conquered
by the goddess of Fame, while another interpretation makes Spendio into Spegno = I extin-
6
41