Tarot History Forum

.. You can also see that Prudence either held a mirror, the paint of which has flaked off, or else she had crippling arthritis in her hands and wrists.

mjhurst.

Thanks for that enlargement. I can see now it is Prudence (Which sort of surprises me) There is no brooch or blue heart to indicate Chastity/Purity and I can see what might have been a mirror. Ha! there is this old joke about Nuns arthritis and praying to the Lord to make one hand like the other- and voila..Arthritis in both hands now.
I was surprised to see in the chapel how low down on the wall were the Virtues and Vices-but as you turn the Judgement fresco is quite startling. As you say.... brilliantly conceived
~Lorredan

mjhurst wrote:The best version I could find is this:

Madonna Enthroned with Saints and Virtues
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... o-1315.jpg

You can also see that Prudence either held a mirror, the paint of which has flaked off, or else she had crippling arthritis in her hands and wrists.

The image below highlights the dark circle which appears to have been a mirror in her left hand. You can also see a small curved design above it, part of the snake that was originally in Prudence's right hand... so perhaps she was not crippled after all.
Best regards,
Michael

mjhurst wrote:Good call.

Lorredan wrote:Humility holds a bulrush.
It is associated with Moses and points to the wetlands as a place of salvation by Baptism.

That corresponds to the virtue directly beneath the Baptist, and Obedience is appropriate beneath St. Francis. Reeds are also a symbol of meekness, humility. An example comes from Isaiah 58:5, where bowing one's head like a reed or bulrush is a conventional sign of humility....

P.S. The parallels with Justice from the Chapel series were, no doubt, intentional. Punishment, the beheading at the left hand of Justice, is identified with the demon at the left hand of Faith, and clemency, at the right hand of Justice, is identified with the angel in Faith's right hand. This is a higher and eternal justice, and the two minor figures were also reflected in the Chapel. A demonic psychopomp escorts the soul from Despair to Hell at the conclusion of the cycle. On the other side, Hope is given wings to rise into Heaven. The moral allegory of the two paths leads directly into the eschatological scenes of Hell and Heaven.

Even given the assumption that the commissioner was a Franciscan I do not see how Giotto would have depicted 7 virtues and not shown the 7 virtues, after having done the Scrovegni chapel; if anything he could have made the virtues generic enough to embrace the additional qualities of humility and obedience, but a wholesale replacement is extremely unlikely. He would have been asked to paint the virtues because of the fame of his Scrovegni chapel.

What Michael and the Getty call "Obedience" is in the standard pose of Faith: hands pressed together, head uplifted just as we find in the Visconti faith, albeit in the example here the hands are under the cloak, pushed out to suggest as much. Sure, faith can also be considered an act of obedience but there is nothing in the virtue here that precludes it from being the standard virtue of faith, especially in light of the the other standard seven virtues (e.g., Fortitude sits right next to Faith - and why does Fortitude need to be in a painting that supposedly is narrowly focused on two saints with Madonna and child?).

The central figure may have the qualification of "divine" added, but it is clearly Justice, not Faith. It clearly matches its Scrovegni predecessor: crown, flanked by the pardoned/condemned, and placed in the middle position of the seven virtues.

What Michael/Lorredan and the Getty call Humility based on the supposed "cattail/upturned spear-shaft" is admittedly the most problematic of all, but I see nothing to overrule this simple statement, "to which humility annexed to the cardinal virtue of temperance." Therefore Temperance could also suggest humility, but only indicated by the bowed head, not the imagined cattail.

The main sticking point: Where is one single artistic example of Humility holding a bulrush, preferably in the Trecento (and preferably in Italy)? I can only find a cattail in a Davinci of c. 1515 showing the pagan subject of Leda (to denote the nearby water).

As for our Giotto virtue - the object held never suggests that it tapers into a stem beside the cattail spike - what seemingly might suggest that on the left is the virtue's thumb. And the length of it in relation to the person would make it way too long for a cattail, per Wiki the sausage-shaped spike on the stem "in larger species can be up to 30 centimetres (12 in) long" - 1' at the max, about the length of a head (Giotto was not ignorant about plants). Moreover the virtue would be holding the cattail at least partially by the spike which is incredibly fragile:


Ultimately this humility theory is coming down to Giotto painted the only surviving Humility with bulrush in the trecento (or anywhere in the middle ages?). Far-fetched.

Phaeded

mjhurst wrote:As an aside, the chapel was brilliantly conceived. As the worshiper turned from the altar, having received the sacrament, he would face the great Judgment scene on the far wall. On his right was the allegorical path from Folly to Despair and damnation, while on his left was the path from Prudence to Hope and salvation. He stood at the focal point of a tableau vivant depicting moral choice in this world and eternal consequences in the next.

Here is a schematic of the layout, with the communicant in the place of Hercules' Choice.
Note the echo of Hope's posture in the throng of the saved, and the echo of Despair's hanging in several figures hanging in Hell. A better scan of the Judgment scene is here:

Giotto's Judgment -- Arena Chapel, Padua
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... o-1306.jpg

Regarding the allegorical attributes and identification of figures, a few comments. First, I have not visited the Getty exhibit, so I haven't seen either the actual painting nor the discussion in the exhibition catalog. The images I've found online, while better than those found by others here, are not adequate substitutes for seeing the picture first hand. Second, the opinions of serious art historians tend to be vastly more informed and reliable than Tarot-forum bloggers -- although all bloggers are certainly not created equal. The conclusions of scholars are generally to be accepted unless CLEARLY mistaken. Third, the point of the exercise -- iconography -- is to make sense of the images, rather than to make nonsense of them. The analysis on the Getty site is perfectly consistent with what is known about the origin of the work and with Giotto's own interests, as well as the images in the painting.

With regard to the object being held by Humility, I have no strong opinion one way or another. My own inclination is to call it a staff, associated with both pilgrims and poverty and therefore appropriate to Humility. My comment was to acknowledge that some speculation, like the reed/bulrush/cattail, is more appropriate to the overall composition of the work. It makes sense of the work, and I used that reading when I posted the image to Wikimedia Commons. (If it is mistaken, no harm is done and it may be changed.)

The bulrush is a lowly, thickly clustered, common plant, growing near the water. Because of these characteristics, it has become a symbol for the multitude of the faithful who lead a humble life and abide by the teaching of the Church, the source of living waters. This explanation found support in Job 8:11, "Can the rush group up without mire? Can the flag grow without the water?" Also, since the infant Moses (and Moses is taken as the forerunner of Christ) was found in the bulrushes, they have come to be connected with the place whence salvation came.
George Ferguson, Signs & Symbols in Christian Art

Is it correct? I don't know. If so, is it unique? Perhaps, but so is this work... as are the virtues and vices in Giotto's chapel at Padua. Artists -- damn them for their creativity.

Best regards,
Michael

Thanks to everybody for letting me know this great painting!

In this fresco by Giotto's workshop in Assisi there are allegories of both Obedientia, dressed as a nun (center) and Humilitas, holding a candle (right).

See also Andrea Pisano's Humilitas (1330s).

Well given what marco has linked, I am happy to think it might be a candle. Not so keen on a staff.
When wondering how these symbolic things came about.....
Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy 6th Century,the interior has two mosaics with angels flanking
Madonna in each case an angel holds a bulrush. It seems common also with the association of Saint John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus- John been considered forrunner of Jesus.
To which I also think of the Florence Procession of the Maji- the panel which shows the Vigil of the Shephards
with heads bowed in wait, has a small pool of water next to Donkey with the symbolic Bulrushes growing around it.
In a Minorite Nunnery of Santa Maria(Castelfiorentino) there is an old fresco, much damaged that show the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Two devotees- one holds a statue like Faith and one holds a bulrush.
So somehow these symbolic things- often borrowed from nature and Pagan times- explain the Virtue.
Humility- like The Virgin Mary was a common theme for convents as it would seem- Bulrushes. As was candles- everyone seems to hold candles.
~Lorredan

I have been trying to find a specific explanation for a candle as a symbol of humility, but I didn't come to anything conclusive. This MetMuseum bulletin describes how candles are related to the Virgin. See also this Madonna by Carlo Crivelli.

The Virgin can reasonably be taken as an example of humility (as well as many other virtues). For instance Llibre Vermell de Montserrat has the verse “Maria virgo humilis te colimus” humble Virgin Mary, we honour you.


In the same spirit, the candle can be taken as a reference to Saint Clare of Assisi. “Chiara” means “bright” and she has been often represented with a lamp as her attribute (at least in later times). From “Legenda Sanctae Clarae Virginis”:

“Suscitavit propterea pius Deus virginem venerabilem Claram,  atque in ea clarissimam feminis lucernam accendit; quam et tu, Papa  beatissime, super candelabrum ponens, ut luceat omnibus, qui in  domo sunt”

And so God created the holy virgin Clare, and he made her shine as the brightest lamp for all women; and you, holy Pope, put her on the candlestick so that she can make light to all those who are in the house. (the last sentence is from Matthew 5:15)

About Clare's humbleness, Caxton has this passage: Sixthly, how she had humility in her heart; it is read that St. Clare glorified herself sovereignly in humility, like as the wise man saith: Of so much that a creature is promoted, of so much ought he to be the more humble. Therefore, after that she had assembled a great convent of holy virgins, unnethe and with great pain, if it had not been for the obedience of St. Francis, she had never received the sovereignty of them. And after that she had received the domination over them and governance, she was tofore all other ready to serve them that were sick, as she had been a handmaid or servant, and was so humble that she would wash the feet of her hand-maidens and servants when they came from without from their work, and dried them and kissed them.

Since we are here considering an iconography that is strictly related to Giotto, Clare would be a better explanation, but her association with candles is weak at least.

I think, the point of a candle and Humilty is the candle is unlit. (which is why I was confused and thought it something else)
As a 'lit' candle it is a symbol of spiritual illumination, unlit it is a symbol of waiting for the the light of Christ as in the Annunciation (and walking into the Church in Darkness on Christmas Eve)- so Humility and Obedience of the Virgin Mary. A candlestick is a vessel- like Mary and holds the coming light.
The nearest illustration is 15th Century Flemish painting here.... Lily= Virgin
Book= obedience to the word
Candle= Humility

~Lorredan

mjhurst wrote:... the opinions of serious art historians tend to be vastly more informed and reliable than Tarot-forum bloggers -- although all bloggers are certainly not created equal. The conclusions of scholars are generally to be accepted unless CLEARLY mistaken. Third, the point of the exercise -- iconography -- is to make sense of the images, rather than to make nonsense of them. The analysis on the Getty site is perfectly consistent with what is known about the origin of the work and with Giotto's own interests, as well as the images in the painting.

Michael,
My theory is perfectly consistent with Giotto's own work (the Scrovegni chapel); the Getty's is based on....what?
Serious art historians are also notorious for savaging one another's theories; they are occasionally wrong (even the likes of Panofsky gets corrected from time to time: http://www.artlyst.com/articles/is-titi ... ttribution ). I've ordered the Getty publication to see exactly whom is making the identifications of the virtues so we can all dispense with "Getty" as the author.

I'm not sure what the point of your Scrovegni layout was but I've been there twice (most recently in April) and fully appreciate the layout of the chapel. I would add that it is interesting that the Scrovegni's private entrance, which the public uses today, is next to Foolishness. Not sure if that was an intentional stab at humility or not. There is even a foolishness motif above this entrance; partial view here:http://image1.masterfile.com/em_w/02/49 ... 96142w.jpg

At all events, I have come to agree with you in seeing the object in question as most likely a staff. Alas, the significance of a staff is manifold: a pilgrim's staff is also a defensive weapon needed all too often in those days, which is in keeping with Temperance and her usual attribute of a muted weapon (sheathed/down-pointed sword). And I still think it is significant that the angle of the staff perfectly matches that of the spear(?) held by the small angel (Michael?) held aloft by Justice.

Marco,
I found the brownish candle in the Crivelli a convincing option until I realized it must be tarnished gilt. I read somewhere that either Masaccio or his brother Lo Scheggia were paid for gilding candles to make ends-meet at one point in their careers; apparently such candles would have been a common feature of well-funded chapels. But then I found this (how did we all miss this?):

This is of course from the bronze doors of the Florence baptistry by Pisano (1336), nearly contemporary with Giotto’s devotional work (1320). That appears to be a lit candle. But note that humility is not paired with obedience or any other non-standard virtue but rather falls in this standard sequence of virtues on the doors: A. Hope B. Faith C. Charity D. Humility E. Fortitude F. Temperance G. Justice H. Prudence. The image of Temperance (to the right below) with her sheathed/wrapped sword from the same doors:

If anything it seems to me, to say it again, that Giotto has made room for the “eighth” virtue into the standard series by allowing its cognate of Temperance to signify it. But how can anyone conclude that the brown linear object is a candle? Its not gilt when there is gold everywhere else and seems too long to be a candle, especially in comparison to the candle held in the Pisano work. And why would a candle be held at an angle? How the webpage I took the Pisano images from describes his virtues:

The bottom two rows depict personifications of virtues seated on benches with identifying inscriptions and the usual attributes. From left to right on one row across both valves are the Theological virtues: Hope, Faith, Charity, with the addition of Humility. Pisano needed a fourth virtue for the layout but Humility was a relevant choice. Historically this is a time when mendicant orders, which stressed simplicity and humility, were influential and it is also a time when two important churches of mendicant orders were built--Santa Croce (Franciscan) and Santa Maria Novella (Domenican). Under these four virtues are the Cardinal virtues: Fortitude, Temperance, Justice and Prudence. Charity holds a flaming heart up to God (I think, representing love of God as a burning fire) and also holds a cornucopia, a symbol of earthly charity. Humility has a downward glance and holds (what?); justice has the typical symbols--the sword indicating her power and the scales her impartiality. She is not blindfolded, however, an attribute that only goes back to the 16th century; in antiquity, justice was known for her clear-sightedness.

Phaeded

Also of interest are the virtues floating above Aquinas in Florence's S. Maria Novella's "Spanish chapel", decorated from 1365 to 1367 by Andrea di Bonaiuto. Link to a pdf of a masters thesis on this work: http://scholars.indstate.edu/bitstream/ ... Hoover.pdf. Discussion of the Virtues p. 70f.

The notes on Temperance:

Located above St. Paul on the west wall of the Spanish Chapel, Temperance holds a branch (fig. 15, first on left). Serena Romano suggests that the branch represents the idea of peace which, she claims, signifies moral temperance.

I suppose a staff is as close as you can get to a branch but the significance not exactly the same, although the sheathed sword does mean "peace" and a defensive pilgrim's staff the same. Interesting to me is that the order of the cardinal virtues left to right in the Spanish chapel fresco precisely matches what I propose in the Giotto devotional painting, with Temperance first followed by Prudence, Justice and Strength. The Spanish chapel fresco in question: