Giacobbe Giusti, Crucifix de Saint-Damien, Assise
Artiste |
Artiste ombrien inconnu
|
---|---|
Date | |
Type |
Tempera et or sur bois
|
Localisation |
basilique Sainte-Claire, Assise(Italie)
|
Le crucifix de Saint-Damien est le crucifix peintde la chapelle Saint-Damien d’Assise (Italie) devant lequel saint François d’Assise se sentit interpellé par le Christ lui-même, lui demandant de « rebâtir sa maison en ruines ». Œuvre d’un artiste ombrien inconnu du xiie siècle, il est tenu en grande vénération par les sœurs clarisses qui le protègent durant sept siècles. Il se trouve aujourd’hui dans la basilique Sainte-Claired’Assise.
Historique
Giacobbe Giusti, Crucifix de Saint-Damien, Assise
Selon Thomas de Celano(Vita Prima), c’est ce crucifix qui aurait parlé à François d’Assise(2 C 10) et qui lui aurait dit : « Va et répare ma maison qui, tu le vois, tombe en ruine! »
En 1257, quand les clarisses quittent San Damiano pour San Giorgio, elles emportent avec elles le crucifix, qu’elles gardent soigneusement pendant 700 ans. Durant la Semaine Sainte de 1957, il est exposé pour la première fois au-dessus du nouvel autel dans la chapelle San Giorgio, dans la basilique Sainte-Claire d’Assise où il est désormais.
Thème
Le crucifix est un objet de piété, mais aussi un support de l’iconographie de la peinture chrétienne dont le support rappelle géométriquement la croix du crucifiement du Christ dans la scène dite de la Crucifixion (terme qui ne s’applique qu’à lui). Dans le modèle du crucifix peint, des scènes annexes (tabelloni) peuvent se rajouter aux extrémités de la croix ou derrière la scène principale. Elles comportent des représentations de personnages saints, apôtres, prophètes, anges…
Style
Le dessin témoigne d’une forte influence syrienne. Or la présence de moines syriens est attestée à cette époque, dans la région d’Assise. Cela laisse à penser que l’un d’entre eux est l’auteur de cette œuvre d’art. Malgré tout la peinture byzantine est en vigueur en Europe et particulièrement en Italie à cette époque, et on retrouve ses principes picturaux dans cette œuvre : fond doré, pose irréelle, taille démesurée du personnage principal par rapport aux autres présents dans la scène, absence de perspective.
Il obéit aux conventions stylistiques du Christus triumphans (dit du « Christ vivant »). Le Christ sur la Croix ne montre pas de détresse. Il semble presque debout et communiquer avec les bras ouverts, un message d’espoir.
Composition
Giacobbe Giusti, Crucifix de Saint-Damien, Assise
Le crucifix est peint sur une plaque de noyer, sur laquelle est collé du tissu. Il fait environ 190 cm de hauteur, 120 cm de largeur et 12 cmd’épaisseur. Il est probable qu’il a été destiné à être accroché au-dessus de l’autel de la chapelle Saint-Damien, à Assise. Les scènes qui accompagnent et entourent le Christ agrémentent tout le pourtour de la croix :
- en haut : Jean le Baptiste appelant les apôtres1 surmonté de la Main de Dieu le père
- dans le panneau central de la croix, juxtaposés aux flancs du Christ :
- de grands personnages: à gauche Marie et Jean, à droite Marie-Madeleine, Marie (mère de Jacques) et le centurion dont le christ a guéri un serviteur,
- des personnages plus petits plus bas : les soldats témoins de la crucifixion : Longin et Stephaton(en) le soldat ayant donné de l’eau vinaigrée au Christ
- sous les mains du Christ : les anges récoltant son sang,
- au pied de la croix : les saints patrons de l’Ombrie : San Giovanni apostolo, San Michele, San Rufino, San Giovanni il Battista, San Pietro et San Paolo.
Notes et références
- Daniel Russo
Voir aussi
Articles connexes
- La peinture byzantine
- Giunta Pisano et Cimabue et leurs crucifix peints similaires des poses du Christus patiens
Liens externes
- Daniel Russo, Saint François, les Franciscains et les représentations du Christ sur la croix en Ombrie au xiiie siècle. Recherches sur la formation d’une image et sur une sensibilité esthétique au Moyen Âge, Mélanges de l’École française de Rome. Moyen Âge, Temps modernes, 1984, volume 96, no 96-2,p. 647-717 [archive]
The San Damiano Cross
The San Damiano Cross is the large Romanesquerood cross before which St. Francis of Assisi was praying when he is said to have received the commission from the Lord to rebuild the Church. It now hangs in the Basilica of Saint Clare (Basilica di Santa Chiara) in Assisi, Italy, with a replica in its original position in the church of San Damiano nearby. Franciscans cherish this cross as the symbol of their mission from God. The cross is a crucifix of a type sometimes called an icon cross because in addition to the main figure of the Christ, it contains images of other saints and people related to the incident of Christ’s crucifixion. The tradition of such painted crucifixes began in the Eastern Church and possibly reached Italy via Montenegro and Croatia.
History
The San Damiano Cross was one of a number of crosses painted with similar figures during the 12th century in Umbria. The name of the painter is unknown, but it was made around the year 1100. The purpose of an icon cross was to teach the meaning of the event depicted and thereby strengthen the faith of the people.[1] The Byzantinestyle was common in Italy before Cimabue and Giotto.
According to Franciscan tradition, it was while praying before this cross in the chapel of San Damiano, just outside Assisi, that Francis of Assisi received a call to rebuild the Church.
When the Poor Clares moved from San Damiano to the Basilica of Santa Chiara in 1257, they took the original San Damiano Cross with them and still guard it with great solicitude. It now hangs in the Basilica over the altar of the Chapel of the Crucifix[2] – a reconstruction of the Church of Saint George, which was torn down to build the Basilica. The crucifix hanging over the altar of the ancient church of San Damiano is a copy. Franciscans regard this cross as a symbol of their mission to commit their lives and resources to renewing and rebuilding the Church.
Description
Jesus Christ is represented upright in full stature while the surrounding figures are smaller. The bright white of his body contrasts with the dark red and black around it and accentuates the prominence of Jesus. This representation contrasts with the regal Christ portrayed on the cross in earlier centuries and the suffering, dying, crucified Christ depicted generally throughout the Church since the beginning of the 14th century. Above the head of Christ is the inscription in Latin: Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.[3]
The next largest figures are five witnesses of the crucifixion.[3] On the left side are the Virgin Mary and St. John the Evangelist. On the right side are Mary Magdalene, Mary, Mother of James, and the centurion who in Matthew’s Gospel account asks Christ to heal his servant, who is also depicted on the cross on the shoulder of the centurion (Matthew 8:5-13). Both Mary and Mary Magdalene have their hands placed on their cheeks to reflect extreme grief and anguish. The first four witnesses are saints and are therefore represented with halos. Their names are written beneath their pictures.
Two smaller figures are located in the corners with the witnesses. On the lower left is Longinus the traditional name of the Roman soldier who pierced the side of Jesus with a lance. He is represented here as holding the lance and looking up at Jesus. The blood running down the right arm of Jesus begins at the elbow and drips straight down and will land on the upturned face of Longinus. In the lower right is Stephaton, the traditional name for the soldier who offered Jesus the sponge soaked in vinegar wine.[3]
Peering over the left shoulder of the centurion is a small face. A close look reveals the tops of the heads of three others beside him. This represents the centurion’s son who was healed by Jesus and the rest of his family to show that « he and his whole household believed » (John 4:45-54).
Six angels are represented as marvelling over the event of the crucifixion. They are positioned at both ends of the crossbar. Their hand gestures indicate they are discussing this wondrous event of the death and calling us to marvel with them.
At the foot of the cross there is a damaged picture of six figures, two of whom are represented with halos. In accordance with the traditions of the day, these six are the patrons of Umbria: St. Damian, St. Michael, St. Rufino, St. John the Baptist, St. Peterand St. Paul. On the top of the cross, one sees Jesus now fully clothed in his regal garments and carrying the cross as a triumphant sceptre. He is climbing out of the tomb and into the heavenly courts. Ten angels are crowded around, five of whom have their hands extended in a welcoming gesture to Jesus, who himself has his hand raised in the form of a greeting,
At the very top of the cross is the Hand of God with two fingers extended. This is to be understood as the blessing of God the Father on the sacrifice of his Son. On the right side of the picture next to the left calf of Jesus, there is a small figure of a fowl. Some art historians have interpreted it to be a rooster, representing the sign of Jesus’ denial by Peter, mentioned in all four Gospel accounts. Other commentators see it as a peacock, a frequent symbol of immortality in Early Christian art. Along the lower right side of the shaft, there is a small animal, possibly a cat.
Sources
- The Franciscan Vision and the Gospel of John: The San Damiano Crucifix, Francis and John, Creation and John, by Michael Guinan, Franciscan Institute Publications, 2006. ISBN978-1-57659-204-5
References
- Jump up^ Scanlon T.O.R.,Michael. « A Brief Explanation », The Franciscans Archived 2009-01-22 at the Wayback Machine.
- Jump up^ The Catholic Exchange, 10/05/2007[verification needed]
- ^ Jump up to:a b c Scanlon T.O.R., Michael. The San Damiano Cross: An Explanation, Franciscan University Press, Steubenville, Ohio, 1983 Archived 2014-05-02 at the Wayback Machine.
Further reading
- Scanlan, Michael (1983). The San Damiano Cross: An Explanation. Steubenville, Ohio: Franciscan University Press. OCLC 10409763.
External links
- « San Damiano Cross ». Franciscan Friars TOR. 2008. Archived from the original on 2009-01-22.
- Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration