Critique Christian Iconography the History of Christian Art in the Middle Ages

THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN Fine art IN THE

MIDDLE AGES.

COMPRISING THE HISTORY OF THE NIMBUS, THE AUREOLE, AND THE Celebrity,

THE HISTORY OF GOD THE Begetter, THE SON, AND THE HOLY GHOST.

WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS.

LONDON:

HENRY Grand. BOHN, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.

1851.

TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.

M. DIDRON'S work on Christian Iconography is well known. to the Archæological earth; but equally it has never appeared in an English form, and the original volume is non very attainable to general readers, the present publication will, it is believed, prove an adequate contribution to Archæological literature.

The discipline of which it treats has never still been adequately investigated, although the diverse sketches which have occasionally appeared testify that its importance has been duly appreciated. The ensuing pages will be found to contain much valuable information, available equally to the artist and the architect, and to every votary of Archæological scientific discipline. In the chapter on the nimbus, many curious facts are elicited in reference to the form and decoration of that symbolic decoration, which cannot neglect to be materially useful in marking correctly the distinct character of different figures in early on subjects, whether of painting or sculpture. Equally, unhappily, information technology is of too common occurrence in this country, to observe figures mutilated and partially destroyed, every additional characteristic that may help in setting a distinctive mark upon the persons represented, is an acquisition of no trifling importance. For this object, the form of the nimbus, and the distinct signification of cruciform, triangular, and decorated nimbi, present virtually invaluable information which have never, it is believed, been and then conspicuously set before the reader equally in the work of M. Didron.

The history of the various gradations by which the art advanced to its about perfect and glorious conceptions of the Deity, under a human form, and the influence of popular

feeling, as exemplified in the mode of representing God the Begetter, class a nearly interesting portion of this piece of work. It embraces the whole range of Iconography, in its relation to the Divine persons of the Blest Trinity; first treating of each individually, and lastly, equally of the three persons united in i. Many contending elements grew up, even in the bust of the Christian Church; men's minds were subjected to opposing influences, and the faintest shadow that darkened or the lightest breath that disturbed, the internal harmony of the Church, was immediately reflected by the pencil of the artist and the chisel of the sculptor. Almost every ancient edifice, therefore, becomes every bit it were to the middle of the Christian student a hieroglyphic record of the changes which the Church has undergone during successive ages, whether produced past external influences, or by heresies generated within herself. In some countries, too, even local feelings and jealousies have occasionally been perpetuated, equally is exemplified by certain sculptures in the porch of the church at Rouen.

Neither time nor labour has been spared in rendering the present translation as perfect equally possible. In many instances the books and sculptures mentioned by One thousand. Didron have been examined by the Editor of the present book, who availed himself of the opportunity afforded past a stay of some months in Paris to investigate several MSS. in the Bibliothèque Royale and elsewhere. To his fine taste and noesis of the subject area the Translator is, indeed, most securely indebted ; and she gladly takes this opportunity of expressing her lively sense of the advantages she has derived from his friendship and assistance.

The value of the translation is considerably enhanced by the fact that the engravings are the identical ones used past M. Didron ; they are in no respect inferior to those in the French work, and their perfect accurateness equally illustrations of the text may be near confidently relied on.

At

page 437 volition be found an extract from the translation of the 3rd volume of Durandus—the Rat . Div . Off , and the correction of a singular mistake committed by the translators of that piece of work, published by the Cambridge Camden (at present the Ecclesiological) Society. The give-and-take "rotuli," by them translated wheels , is conspicuously shown to exist incorrect, rolls being the proper term. And taken in this

sense, the passage, which is at present unintelligible (none of the Onetime Testament prophets having, I believe, ever been represented with wheels ), becomes elementary and highly interesting. The different signification of the curlicue and open book, the one prophetic and shadowy, the other an open and perfect revelation, is well known and mostly recognised.

Trivial more need be said in reference to the original work, which will, doubtless, commend itself by its title to all who are interested in this peculiar branch of Fine art, and by whom the desire of the aid which information technology affords, has no doubt been ofttimes experienced. We have non at this moment any piece of work in our own language to which the student could utilise for a knowledge of the leading principles of sacred Archæology. Treatises there are; some on one important branch ; some on another. Sketches, too, there are of the scientific discipline of Iconography, but they are mere silhouettes; the outline of a painted window with the contours only; the minor details, the colours, and all that gives warmth and animation to the subject, omitted. What has principally been required is a grammar of the science, containing its central principles clearly ready along, systematically arranged, and illustrated by choice examples and copious government. Each discipline should be traced through the various changes which take taken place since Christian artists first commenced their labours of love, and should be compared with the holy texts from which they were originally derived.

All this K. Didron has washed, and the bear witness of his success is earlier us. If it be objected that the same facts

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