Sacred and legendary art, volume 1 (of 2): Containing legends of the angels and archangels, the evangelists, the Apostles, the doctors of the church, and St. Mary magdalene, as represented in the fine arts.Jameson, Mrs. (Anna)
Religion
Sacred and legendary art, volume 1 (of 2): Containing legends of the angels and archangels, the evangelists, the Apostles, the doctors of the church, and St. Mary magdalene, as represented in the fine arts.
Jameson, Mrs. (Anna)
Christian art and symbolism; Christian saints in art
In a series of apostles, St. Simon bears the saw, and St. Thaddeus a
halberd. In Greek Art, Jude and Thaddeus are two different persons.
Jude is represented young, Thaddeus old. St. Simon in extreme old age,
with a bald head, and long white beard. In the Greek representation
of his martyrdom, he is affixed to a cross exactly like that of our
Saviour, so that, but for the superscription Ο CΙΜΩΝ, he might be
mistaken for Christ. I do not know of any separate picture of these
apostles.
There is, however, one manner of treating them, with reference to
their supposed relationship to our Saviour, which is peculiarly
beautiful. Assuming that the three last-named apostles, James, the
son of Mary Cleophas; Simon and Jude; Joseph or Joses the Just, also
named by Matthew among the brethren of Christ; together with James
and John, the sons of Mary Salome,—were all nearly related to the
Saviour; it was surely a charming idea to group as children around
him in his infancy those who were afterwards called to be the chosen
ministers of his Word. Christianity, which has glorified womanhood and
childhood, never suggested to the Christian artist a more beautiful
subject, nor one which it would be more easy, by an unworthy or too
picturesque treatment, to render merely pretty and commonplace. This
version, however, of the _Sacra Famiglia_ is rarely met with. There is
an example in the Louvre, signed ‘Laurentius’ (Lorenzo di Pavia, A.D.
1513), which is remarkable as a religious representation; but the most
beautiful instance of this treatment is a _chef-d’œuvre_ of Perugino,
in the Musée at Marseilles. In the centre is the Virgin, seated on a
throne; she holds the Infant Christ in her arms. Behind her is St.
Anna, her two hands resting affectionately on the shoulders of the
Virgin. In front, at the foot of the throne, are two lovely children,
undraped, with glories round their heads, on which are inscribed their
names, Simon and Thaddeus. To the right is Mary Salome, a beautiful
young woman, holding a child in her arms—St. John, afterwards the
evangelist. Near her is Joachim, the father of the Virgin. At his feet
another child, James Major. To the left of the Virgin, Mary the wife of
Cleophas, standing, holds by the hand James Minor: behind her, Joseph,
the husband of the Virgin, and at his feet another child, Joseph (or
Joses) Justus. I have also seen this subject in illuminated MSS., and,
however treated, it is surely very poetical and suggestive.[229]
ST. MATTHIAS.
_Ital._ San Mattia. _Fr._ St. Mathias. (Feb. 24.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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