Modus: Prace z historii sztuki (18.2018)

Historiography
The historiography on that subject can be broken down into two groups. The works
that are directly related to the creation and publication of the Passion, and to crea-
tive activities of Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen, constitute one group. The other
comprises the research papers on the Eucharist disputations that had been raging
during the early Reformation.
For the time being, the artworks by Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen are explored
in two exhaustive studies and in a few articles. The first study dwells on research
undertaken for the purpose of her dissertation by Jane Louise Carrol.6 The other
study, by Christian Molier7, explores the long-standing cooperation between Jacob
Cornelisz. and publisher Doen Pietersz. In 1523, that cooperation gave birth to
a book entitled “The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ” that this article is focusing on.
The inception of the artistic dynasty started by Jacob Cornelisz., development
of his artistic techniques, and his impact on the North Netherlandish painting, had
been scrutinized in 2014 during the exhibition “Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen: the
Renaissance in Amsterdam and Alkmaar”. The exhibition catalogue was published
with the same title, edited by Daantje Meuwissen, Peter van den Brink and Yvonne
Bleyerveld.8 The catalogue explored the form and style, and sought connections
between the works by Jacob Cornelisz. and other artists from his family.
The latter group comprises a wide rangę of works. The life and work of Alardus of
Amsterdam and his works are partly covered in the monograph by Albertus J. Kól-
ker9, shedding some light on the lives of Alardus himself and of another humanist
from Amsterdam, the friend of Erasmus, Cornelius Crocus. There are also several
references in other works focusing on “Invention of Dialectic” by Rudolph Agricola
edited by Alardus10 and describing the publishing activities of Doen Pietersz.11
However, there is an apparent lack of fundamental research exposing the underlying
views and reasoning on Eucharist and its interpretation championed by the humanist.
On the other hand, the Luthers interpretation of this key Sacrament has been
extensively and repeatedly covered in several monographs and articles. Let us name
the most prominent works fitting the scope of this research.
Ralph W. Quere12 identified the constants and variables in Luthers interpreta-
tion of the Transubstantiation in 1520S - the turning point in transition from the
Catholic interpretation of the Eucharist and clashes with the radical reformers - in
his article “The Truth of the Divine Words: Luthers Sermons on the Eucharist,
1521-28, and the Structure of Eucharistic Meaning”.13
6 Ibidem, p. 379.
7 C. Molier, Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen und Doen Pietersz, New York-Berlin 2005, p. 365.
8 D. Meuwissen, P. van den Brink, Y. Bleyerveld (eds.), Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen (ca. 1475-
-1533): de renaissance in Amsterdam en Alkmaar, Zwolle 2014, p. 319.
9 A.J. Kólker, Alardus Aemstelredamus en Cornelius Crocus. Twee Amsterdamse priester-human-
isten. Hun leven, werken en theologische opvattingen. Bijdrage tot de kennis van het Humanisme
in Noord-Nederland in de eerste helft van de zestiende eeuw, Nijmegen 1963, p. 357.
10 L. Jardine, Inventing Rudolph Agricola: Cultural Transmission, Renaissance Dialectic, and the
EmergingHumanities, in: The Transmission ofCulture in Early Modern Europę, A. Blair, A. Graf-
ton (eds.), Philadelphia 1990, pp. 39-86.
11 H. de. Waardt, Endor and Amsterdam, pp. 126-139.
12 R.W. Quere, Changes and Constants: Structure in Luthers Understanding ofthe Real Presence
in the 1520’s, “The Sixteenth Century Journal”, 16,1985, No. 1, pp. 45-78.
13 T.J. Davis “The Truth ofthe Divine Words”: Luthers Sermons on the Eucharist, 1521-28, and the
Structure of Eucharistic Meaning, “The Sixteenth Century Journal”, 30,1999, No. 2, pp. 323-342.

Two Suppers: lllustrations by Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen to Passio DominiNostri...

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