Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Ιστορία της Νεότερης ΤέχνηςLibrary of the School of Philosophy
Author:
Vlassopoulou Marita
Supervisors info:
Ευθυμία Μαυρομιχάλη, Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια Ιστορίας της Τέχνης, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Δημήτρης Παυλόπουλος, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής Ιστορίας της Τέχνης, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Γιώργος Πεφάνης, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής Θεατρολογίας-Φιλοσοφίας και Θεωρίας του Θεάτρου και του Δράματος, Τμήμα Θεατρικών Σπουδών, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Η Φλαμανδική ζωγραφική του 15ου αιώνα και το μεσαιωνικό θρησκευτικό θέατρο. Η περίπτωση του Hans Memling (1435-1494)
Translated title:
The Flemish painting of the 15th century and the medieval religious theater. The case of Hans Memling (1435-1494)
Summary:
The aim of this essay is to study the relationship between the Flemish painting of the 15th century and the religious theater of the time, as shaped within the broader historical, cultural and religious context. The paintings of Hans Memling Scenes from the Passion of Christ and Scenes from Advent and Triumph of Christ, we believe represent indicative the manner in which the art of painting is connected with the theatrical experience in order to serve the devotional demands of the late Middle Ages.
The first chapter presents the historical and political developments in 15th century Europe, focusing on those relating to the Flemish region and the city of Bruges. In the same chapter reference is made to the biography and the subsequent intake of Memling. The second chapter studies religious painting and religious theater as parts of the broader visual culture of the period. Identifies the peculiarity of the two art works mentioned and refers to research aspects that connect them with medieval theater and artistic items such as illuminated manuscripts and tapisseries. Through these comparisons, an attempt is made to delineate the general characteristics of Netherlandish late medieval civilization.
The third chapter deals with the objectives which form these artistic features. The first subchapter summarizes the way in which the late medieval theology and philosophy incorporated Aristotelian thought and reassessed the contribution of experience in religious practice. This displacement is associated with the use of images and the return of the theatrical phenomenon in medieval cultural context. The section describes the goals that images and religious representations seek to serve in this new consciousness, goals that require specific morphic characteristics and connect theater and devotional images with the process and the effectiveness of the ritual.
The second subchapter focuses on meditative response to devotional image, considering it as a creative and ritual performance, and attempts to contrast it with the experience of religious theater. For this purpose, reference is made to the common biological processes that guide the creation and perception of art. Finally, an attempt is made to define the nature of the experience that theatrical and meditative rituals are seeking to achieve.
Finally, the fourth chapter analyzes the two works of Memling as examples of visual imagery that refers to a theatrical performance in order to better serve the meditative ritual. The artist's effort is linked to the issue of coping with the limitations imposed by artistic means, and to the social implications taken by the experience of art during this historical time.
Main subject category:
Fine arts - Entertainment
Keywords:
Hans Memling, Flemish painting, religious drama, medieval culture, performance, ritual
Number of references:
453
