DOI article:
Karp, Julianna: Zarys problematyki ukazywania modlitwy świętych w sztuce nowożytnej
Citation link:https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/modus2020/0168
that images convey complex truths in a much simpler way than the written word
does, and that they can even replace multi-page treatises, thanks to the synthetic
presentation and the ease with which they are remembered. He also emphasized
that the histories of the saints, if presented in painting, move the recipient much
morę than the stories that are told in words.61 Cardinal Paleotti pointed out what
the errors in the images might look like, stressed that showing sainthood in such
a way that it does not stimulate piety is results from failing to be faithful to the ori-
ginal.62 At the same time, through an emotive image that is “lifelike”, the believers
can experience pious feelings and be prompted to reflect on their own lives, or
induced to prayer and contemplation, which the saints in the images engage in.
The issue of the correct representation of emotional and psychological States was
also raised by Kareł van Mander in his work Den Grondt der edeł vry schilder-const
written in 1603-1604, and being an important part of the early modern theory
of art. In the chapter devoted to depicting human emotions, desires, and suffering,
the author presented the methods and models of representation by which specif-
ic States can be depicted, such as the demonstration of sadness thanks to tilting
the head and suitably directed gazę.63 Van Mander also emphasized that imitating
naturę is beneficial for art. Faithfulness to the prototype, as well as naturalism,
are also features of the kind of painting that Roberto Bellarmino particularly
distinguished in his treatise De ascensione mentis in Deum, written around 1615.64
Much like Gabriele Paleotti, Bellarmino believed that the highest value of paint-
ing was to present things as they are in naturę. This is because such an image led
to their contemplation and ultimately to perceiving the beauty that comes from
the Maker.65 Much like Joannes Molanus in his De Picturis et Imaginibus Sacris
of around 1570, Cardinal Bellarmino also emphasized in his writings that works
on religious themes should lead to a profound experience, a desire to deepen
faith, and strong emotions.66 The need to show emotions and appropriate facial
expressions in works of art was pointed out by Federico Borromeo in his treatise
on O malarstwie religijnym [Sacred Painting] from 1624. In it, he devoted a separate
chapter to discussing the difficulties associated with the expression of emotions in
the art of his contemporaries.67 According to the author, the artists often avoided
representing feelings, and even if they madę some attempts in this direction, they
were highly unsuccessful, thus warranting the conclusion that the saints were
painted in an “unworthy” way.68 Just as Gabriele Paleotti, Borromeo compared
the art of painting to the art of oratory, considering them to be like fields with
61 Ibidem, pp. 113-114,119.
62 Ibidem, p. 176.
63 C.B. Scallen, Rembrandtś Reformation ofa Catholic Subject. The Penitent and the Repentant Saint
Jerome,“The Sixteenth Century Journal”, 30,1999, no. 1, p. 74.
64 P. Krasny, Visibilia signa ad pietatem excitantes. Teoria sztuki sakralnej w pismach Roberta
Bellarmina, Cezarego Baroniusza, Rudolfa Hospiniana, Fryderyka Boromeusza i innych pisarzy
kościelnych epoki nowożytnej, Kraków 2010 (= Ars vetus et nova, 29), pp. 61-62,76-77.
65 Ibidem, pp. 76-77.
66 Ibidem, pp. 29,65-66; Molanus, Traite des saintes images (Lourain 1570, Ingolstadt 1594), vol. 1:
F. Boespflug, O. Christin, B.Tassel, Introduction, traduction, notes et index, Paris 1996 (= Patri-
monies. Christianisme).
67 P. Krasny, Visibilia signa, pp. 159-167.
68 Fedrerico Borromeo. Sacred Painting. Museum, K.S. Rothwell, PM. Jones (eds.), translated by
K.S. Rothwell, Cambridge 2010 (= I Tatti Renaissance Library, 44), pp. 37-39.
168
ARTICLES
Julianna Karp
does, and that they can even replace multi-page treatises, thanks to the synthetic
presentation and the ease with which they are remembered. He also emphasized
that the histories of the saints, if presented in painting, move the recipient much
morę than the stories that are told in words.61 Cardinal Paleotti pointed out what
the errors in the images might look like, stressed that showing sainthood in such
a way that it does not stimulate piety is results from failing to be faithful to the ori-
ginal.62 At the same time, through an emotive image that is “lifelike”, the believers
can experience pious feelings and be prompted to reflect on their own lives, or
induced to prayer and contemplation, which the saints in the images engage in.
The issue of the correct representation of emotional and psychological States was
also raised by Kareł van Mander in his work Den Grondt der edeł vry schilder-const
written in 1603-1604, and being an important part of the early modern theory
of art. In the chapter devoted to depicting human emotions, desires, and suffering,
the author presented the methods and models of representation by which specif-
ic States can be depicted, such as the demonstration of sadness thanks to tilting
the head and suitably directed gazę.63 Van Mander also emphasized that imitating
naturę is beneficial for art. Faithfulness to the prototype, as well as naturalism,
are also features of the kind of painting that Roberto Bellarmino particularly
distinguished in his treatise De ascensione mentis in Deum, written around 1615.64
Much like Gabriele Paleotti, Bellarmino believed that the highest value of paint-
ing was to present things as they are in naturę. This is because such an image led
to their contemplation and ultimately to perceiving the beauty that comes from
the Maker.65 Much like Joannes Molanus in his De Picturis et Imaginibus Sacris
of around 1570, Cardinal Bellarmino also emphasized in his writings that works
on religious themes should lead to a profound experience, a desire to deepen
faith, and strong emotions.66 The need to show emotions and appropriate facial
expressions in works of art was pointed out by Federico Borromeo in his treatise
on O malarstwie religijnym [Sacred Painting] from 1624. In it, he devoted a separate
chapter to discussing the difficulties associated with the expression of emotions in
the art of his contemporaries.67 According to the author, the artists often avoided
representing feelings, and even if they madę some attempts in this direction, they
were highly unsuccessful, thus warranting the conclusion that the saints were
painted in an “unworthy” way.68 Just as Gabriele Paleotti, Borromeo compared
the art of painting to the art of oratory, considering them to be like fields with
61 Ibidem, pp. 113-114,119.
62 Ibidem, p. 176.
63 C.B. Scallen, Rembrandtś Reformation ofa Catholic Subject. The Penitent and the Repentant Saint
Jerome,“The Sixteenth Century Journal”, 30,1999, no. 1, p. 74.
64 P. Krasny, Visibilia signa ad pietatem excitantes. Teoria sztuki sakralnej w pismach Roberta
Bellarmina, Cezarego Baroniusza, Rudolfa Hospiniana, Fryderyka Boromeusza i innych pisarzy
kościelnych epoki nowożytnej, Kraków 2010 (= Ars vetus et nova, 29), pp. 61-62,76-77.
65 Ibidem, pp. 76-77.
66 Ibidem, pp. 29,65-66; Molanus, Traite des saintes images (Lourain 1570, Ingolstadt 1594), vol. 1:
F. Boespflug, O. Christin, B.Tassel, Introduction, traduction, notes et index, Paris 1996 (= Patri-
monies. Christianisme).
67 P. Krasny, Visibilia signa, pp. 159-167.
68 Fedrerico Borromeo. Sacred Painting. Museum, K.S. Rothwell, PM. Jones (eds.), translated by
K.S. Rothwell, Cambridge 2010 (= I Tatti Renaissance Library, 44), pp. 37-39.
168
ARTICLES
Julianna Karp