The Tree: Symbol, Allegory, and Mnemonic Device in Medieval Art and Thought

276 Pages·2014·40.3 MB·English

by  Pippa Salonius

The Tree
INTERNATIONAL MEDIEVAL RESEARCH
Editorial Board
Axel E. W. Müller, University of Leeds – Executive Editor
John B. Dillon, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Richard K. Emmerson, Manhattan College, New York
Christian Krötzl, University of Tampere
Chris P. Lewis, University of London
Pauline Stafford, University of Leeds / University of Liverpool
with the assistance of the IMC Programming Committee
VOLUME 20
Previously published volumes in this series are listed at the back of this book.
The Tree
Symbol, Allegory, and Mnemonic Device
in Medieval Art and Thought
Edited by
Pippa Salonius and Andrea Worm
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
The tree : symbol, allegory, and mnemonic device in medieval art and thought.
-- (International medieval research ; 20)
1. Trees in art.
2. Trees--Symbolic aspects--Europe--History--To 1500.
3. Symbolism in art--Europe--History--To 1500.
4. Symbolism in communication--Europe--History--To 1500.
5. Art, Medieval--Europe--Themes, motives.
6. Christian art and symbolism--Europe--Medieval, 500-1500.
7. Genealogy--Religious aspects--Christianity.
8. Visual communication--Europe--History--To 1500.
I. Series
II. Salonius, Pippa, editor.
III. Worm, Andrea, 1972- editor.
IV. International Medieval Congress (2008 : Leeds, England), associated with work.
704.9’46-dc23

ISBN-13: 9782503548395

© 2014, Brepols Publishers n.v., Turnhout, Belgium
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior permission of the publisher.
D/2014/0095/46
ISBN: 978-2-503-54839-5
e-ISBN: 978-2-503-54891-3
Printed on acid-free paper
Contents
Illustrations ................................................................... vii
Colour Plates ................................................................ xiii
Preface ....................................................................... xvii
Introduction
PIPPA SALONIUS and ANDREA WORM .................................... 1
Stirps Jesse in capite ecclesiae: Iconographic and Liturgical Readings
of the Tree of Jesse in Stained-Glass Windows
MARIE-PIERRE GELIN ...................................................13
Arbor autem humanum genus significat:
Trees of Genealogy and Sacred History in the Twelfth Century
ANDREA WORM ........................................................35
Arbor genealogiae: Manifestations of the Tree in French Royal Genealogies
MARIGOLD ANNE NORBYE .............................................69
The Medieval Tree of Porphyry: An Organic Structure of Logic
ANNEMIEKE R. VERBOON ..............................................95
Visualizing Salvation: The Role of Arboreal Imagery in the Speculum
humanae salvationis (Kremsmünster, Library of the Convent, Cod. 243)
SUSANNE WITTEKIND ................................................117
Two Trees in Paradise? A Case Study on the Iconography of the
Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of Life in Italian Romanesque Sculpture
UTE DERCKS ..........................................................143
The Tree as Narrative, Formal, and Allegorical Index
in Representations of the Noli me tangere
BARBARA BAERT and LIESBET KUSTERS ................................159
Quasi lignum vitae: The Tree of Life as an Image of Mendicant Identity
ULRIKE ILG ............................................................187
Arbor Jesse – Lignum vitae: The Tree of Jesse, the Tree of Life,
and the Mendicants in Late Medieval Orvieto
PIPPA SALONIUS .......................................................213
Select Bibliography ...........................................................243
Index ........................................................................249

Illustrations
Plates
Plate 1. ‘Tree of Jesse’, Saint-Denis, Abbey Church, window S-I. c. 1140. ....................................xiii
Plate 2. ‘Carolingian and Robertian dynasties’, Gilles de Paris, Karolinus, Paris,
Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS lat. 6191, fol. 48r. 1200–20. .................................xiv
Plate 3. ‘Tree of Life’, Milan, Biblioteca Trivulziana, MS 2139, fol. 435r. c. 1320–30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xv
Plate 4. ‘Tree of Consanguinity’, Foigny Bible, Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France,
MS lat. 15177, fol. 2r. c. 1190–1200. ...............................................................xvi
Figures
Figure 1.1. ‘Arbor elementalis’, Ramon Llull, Arbor scientiae, Rome,
Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, MS Vat. lat. 3468, fol. 2v. 1428. ......................................2
Figure 1.2. ‘Title page’, Ramon Llull, Arbor scientiae (Lyon: Gilbert de Villiers, 1515).
Los Angeles, Getty Research Institute, 88-B18535. ..................................................3
Figure 2.1. ‘Tree of Jesse’, Saint-Denis, Abbey Church, window S-I. c. 1140. .................................... 14
Figure 2.2. ‘Tree of Jesse’, Chartres, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, window 49. c. 1150. ...................................15
Figure 2.3. ‘King Josiah from Tree of Jesse’, Canterbury, Christ Church Cathedral,
Corona Chapel, window III (detail), panel 5. c. 1200. .............................................. 16
Figure 2.4. ‘Tree of Jesse’, Troyes, Cathedral of Saint-Pierre, window 31. c. 1220. ............................... 17
Figure 2.5. ‘Jesse asleep and two Kings holding musical instruments from Tree of Jesse’,
Troyes, Cathedral of Saint-Pierre, window 31 (detail). c. 1220. ..................................... 18
Figure 2.6. ‘Porta clausa and Tree of Jesse’, Vyšehrad Codex, Prague,
National Library of the Czech Republic, MS XIV A 13, fol. 4v. 1086. .............................. 20
Figure 2.7. ‘Ancestors of Christ’, Canterbury, Christ Church Cathedral, Great West Window
(nave W, detail), originally located in pairs in the choir clerestory. c. 1200. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
viii Illustrations
Figure 2.8. ‘Tree of Jesse’, Wells Cathedral, window EI. c. 1340. ................................................ 23
Figure 2.9. ‘Jesse asleep, the Virgin and Child, and the Crucifixion, surrounded by two prophets, two kings,
and two saints in detail of the Tree of Jesse’, Wells Cathedral, window EI (detail), c. 1340. .......... 24
Figure 2.10. ‘Tree of Jesse’, Cologne, Church of St Kunibert, apse window, clerestory. c. 1220–30. ............... 28
Figure 3.1. ‘Tree of Consanguinity’, Parc Bible, London, British Library,
Additional MS 14788, fol. 198r. 1148. ............................................................. 37
Figure 3.2. ‘Genealogical Stemma’, Parc Bible, London, British Library,
Additional MS 14788, fol. 198v. 1148. ............................................................. 38
Figure 3.3. ‘Tree of Consang uinity’, Floreffe Bible, London, British Library,
Additional MS 17737, fol. 24r. c. 1153–60. ........................................................ 41
Figure 3.4. ‘Genealogical Stemma’, Floreffe Bible, London, British Library,
Additional MS 17737, fol. 24v. c. 1153–60. ........................................................ 42
Figure 3.5. ‘Tree of Consanguinity’, Foigny Bible, Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France,
MS lat. 15177, fol. 2r. c. 1190–1200. ............................................................... 45
Figure 3.6. ‘Genealogical Stemma’, Foigny Bible, Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France,
MS lat. 15177, fol. 2v. c. 1190–1200. .............................................................. 46
Figure 3.7. ‘Last page of the genealogical stemma with the Birth of Christ’, Foigny Bible, Paris,
Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS lat. 15177, fol. 11r. c. 1190–1200. ........................... 47
Figure 3.8. ‘Genealogy’, Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, London, British Library,
MS Harley 3099, fol. 39v. c. 1134. ................................................................. 48
Figure 3.9. ‘Tree of Consanguinity’, Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae,
London, British Library, MS Harley 3099, fol. 77r. c. 1134. ........................................ 50
Figure 3.10. ‘Trees of Consanguinity and Affinity and the allegorical Menorah’, preceding
Peter of Poitiers, Compendium historiae, Boston, Harvard University, Houghton Library,
MS Typ 216 (roll). North France, late twelfth century. ............................................. 53
Figure 3.11. ‘Prologue and ancestors of Christ during the first two ages of the world; two cross-sections
of the Ark of Noah’, Peter of Poitiers, Compendium historiae, Boston, Harvard University,
Houghton Library, MS Typ 216 (roll). North France, late twelfth century. ......................... 54
Figure 3.12. ‘Tree of the Holy Spirit’, Joachim of Fiore, Liber figurarum, Oxford,
Corpus Christi College, MS 225a, fol. 9v. Calabria. 1200–20. ...................................... 58
Figure 3.13. ‘Tree of the Second Advent’, Joachim of Fiore, Liber figurarum, Oxford,
Corpus Christi College, MS 225a, fol. 10r. Calabria. 1200–20. ..................................... 59
Figure 4.1. ‘Carolingian dynasty’, Annals of Saint-Aubin, Paris,
Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS lat. 4955, fol. 101v. 1060–75. ................................ 73
Illustrations ix
Figure 4.2. ‘Carolingian and Robertian dynasties’, Gilles de Paris, Karolinus, Paris,
Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS lat. 6191, fol. 48r. 1200–20. ................................. 74
Figure 4.3. ‘Hugues Capet and Robert II’, Girardus de Arvernia or Antwerpia, Abbreviatio figuralis historie,
Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS lat. 4910, fol. 19v. 1272–74. ........................... 76
Figure 4.4. ‘The last Carolingian king, Louis V, and his uncle Charles of Lorraine’, Bernard Gui,
Arbor genealogie, Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS lat. 4989, fol. 260r. 1300–25. ........ 79
Figure 4.5. ‘Francio, mythical first ruler of the “Franks”, and two successors; the city of Sicambria’,
A tous nobles (Genealogical chronicle of the Kings of France), Paris,
Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS fr. 5697, fol. 2v. 1400–25. ................................... 83
Figure 4.6. ‘Kings of France in column three, starting with Priam the young; foundation of Sicambria’,
Universal chronicle including A tous nobles, New York, Columbia University Library,
Plimpton MS 286, top of roll. c. 1410. ............................................................. 84
Figure 4.7. ‘Central branch: Philippe III, Top branch: his son Charles count of Valois; on central branch:
his grandson Louis X and Louis’s son Jean I’, A tous nobles, Paris, Bibliothèque nationale
de France, MS fr. 4991, fol. 16r. c. 1456–61. ....................................................... 85
Figure 4.8. ‘Foundation of Venice by Priam the young’, A tous nobles (Chronicle of the Kings of France),
Tours, Bibliothèque Municipale, MS 1039, top of roll. 1500–15. ................................... 86
Figure 4.9. ‘Three branches of descendants of Saint Louis; from left to right: the kings of England,
Navarre, and France’, Jean Juvenal des Ursins, Audite celi, Paris, Bibliothèque nationale
de France, MS fr. 5038, fol. 45v. After 1461. ........................................................ 87
Figure 4.10. ‘Descendants of Jupiter, including Hercules’, Giovanni Boccaccio, De genealogia deorum.
Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS lat. 7877, fol. 131v. Before 1388. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Figure 4.11. ‘Charles count of Valois to Charles the Bold, duke of Burgundy’, Jean Miélot, translation
of the Compilatio librorum historialum totius biblie, Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France,
MS fr. 17001, fol. 98r. 1470–72. ................................................................... 89
Figure 5.1. ‘Edmond Pourchot’s Tree of Porphyry’, Edmond Pourchot, Institutiones philosophicae
ad faciliorem veterum et recentiorum philosophorum intelligentiam comparatae
(Leiden: Antonius Boudet, 1711), Paris, Biblio thèque nationale de France, Res. 47782. ............ 97
Figure 5.2. ‘Boethius’s Tree of Porphyry according to J.-P. Migne’, Jacques-Paul Migne,
Patrologia latina, 221 vols, lxiv, cols 41–42. ....................................................... 98
Figure 5.3. ‘Schematic Rendering of the Tree of Porphyry’. ..................................................... 99
Figure 5.4. ‘Tree of Porphyry’, Peter of Spain, Tractatus, Paris, Bibliothèque
nationale de France, MS lat. 16611, fol. 8v. Thirteenth century. ....................................101
Figure 5.5. ‘Tree of Porphyry’, Boethius, Isagoge translation, London,
British Library, MS Royal 8. A. XVIII, fol. 3v. Fourteenth century. ................................102
Figure 5.6. ‘Tree of Porphyry’, Peter of Spain, Tractatus, Wolfenbüttel,
Herzog August Bibliothek, Cod. 800 Helmst., fol. 16v. Fifteenth century. .........................104
x Illustrations
Figure 5.7. ‘Tree of Porphyry’, Peter of Spain, Tractatus, Vienna, Österreichische
Nationalbibliothek, Cod. 5248, fol. 5v. Fourteenth century. .......................................106
Figure 5.8. ‘Diagram of difference and species’, Boethius, Commentary on the Isagoge,
Abbey of Saint Gall, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod. 831, fol. 184v. Tenth or eleventh century. ..............107
Figure 5.9. ‘Seven degrees diagram’, Honorius Augustodunensis, Clavis physicae, Paris,
Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS lat. 6734, fol. 2v. Second half of the twelfth century. ........110
Figure 5.10. ‘Tree of Porphyry’, Honorius Augustodunensis, Clavis physicae, Vienna,
Österreichische National bibliothek, Cod. Ser. n. 3605, fol. 104r. Thirteenth century. ..............112
Figure 6.1. ‘Birth of Mary and typological scenes’, Speculum humanae salvationis,
Kremsmünster, Library of the Convent, Cod. 243, fols 9v–10r. c. 1325–30. ........................119
Figure 6.2. ‘Annunciation to Anna and typological scenes’, Speculum humanae salvationis,
Kremsmünster, Library of the Convent, Cod. 243, fols 8v–9r. c. 1325–30. .........................121
Figure 6.3. ‘Exhortatio patris ad filium and Tree of Vices’, Speculum humanae salvationis,
Kremsmünster, Library of the Convent, Cod. 243, fols 2v–3r. c. 1325–30. .........................123
Figure 6.4. ‘Tree of Jesse’, Speculum humanae salvationis, Kremsmünster,
Library of the Convent, Cod. 243, fol. 55r. c. 1325–30. ...........................................124
Figure 6.5. ‘Arbor consanguinitatis and Arbor affinitatis’, Speculum humanae salvationis,
Kremsmünster, Library of the Convent, Cod. 243, fols 61v–62r. c. 1325–30. .......................127
Figure 6.6. ‘Summa virtutum, Tree of Virtues, and Tree of Vices’, Speculum humanae salvationis,
Kremsmünster, Library of the Convent, Cod. 243, fols 3v–4r. c. 1325–30. .........................129
Figure 6.7. ‘Arbor mala and arbor bona’, Lambert of Saint Omer, Liber floridus,
Ghent, Rijksuniversiteit, MS 92, fols 231v–232r. c. 1120. ..........................................130
Figure 6.8. ‘Trees of Virtues and Vices’, Speculum virginum, Cologne, Historisches Archiv,
MS W 276a, fols 11v–12r. c. 1140–1150. .........................................................131
Figure 6.9. ‘Genealogia Christi’, Speculum humanae salvationis, Kremsmünster,
Library of the Convent, Cod. 243, fols 56v–57r. c. 1325–30. ......................................132
Figure 6.10. ‘Arbor consanguinitatis’, Lambert of Saint Omer, Liber floridus,
Ghent, Rijksuniversiteit, MS 92, fol. 102v. c. 1120. ................................................133
Figure 6.11. ‘Types of the sacrificium Christi from Genesis’, Dialogus des laudibus sanctae crucis,
Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 14159, fol. 1r, c. 1165. .................................135
Figure 7.1. ‘San Isidore Reliquary’, León, Museo de la Basílica de San Isidoro de León, c. 1063. ................145
Figure 7.2. ‘Fall of Man, capital’, Torri di Sovicille, Santissima Trinità e Santa Mustiola, cloister.
Second half of the twelfth century. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
Figure 7.3. ‘Sarcophagus Junius Bassus (d. 359)’, Rome, Museo Storico del Tesoro della Basilica di San Pietro. .....148
Figure 7.4. ‘Genesis, frieze’, Modena Cathedral, west façade. c. 1100. ..........................................149