A Pre-Tarot Papessa in Padova?

Ross G Caldwell

Here is a sharpened version of the image.

salone-popess.png
 

Rosanne

Sorry Ross- I cannot scan anymore, and anyway The image would be no better as it is the size of a post stamp- but the colouring does help. Facing the image the woman on the right appears to be pouring something into a jar by the Bishops left knee, from a container under her left arm. It does not look like wine or water- maybe Salt? Bishop of Hippo- Saint Augustine?
http://www.nndb.com/people/587/000097296/st-augustine-6-sized.jpg
The candle maybe his heart of Fire and light of the City? Manichaean astrology versus Religion of Light?
Could well be Faith as you earlier said.
~Rosanne
 

DoctorArcanus

candle as an attribute of Faith

Rosanne said:
The partial picture on a postcard I have, it appears that the central figure is holding a candle in a dish as if it is haloed.

Ripa lists a candle among the attributes of Catholic Faith.

He quotes St. Augustine:
"Cecitas est infidelitas et illuminatio fides."
The lack of faith is blindness, faith is enlightment.
 

Ross G Caldwell

Here is Barzon's version, at 600 dpi, obviously past the limits of what the print quality can bear -

barzon2.jpg


It is lacking the arch and tracery and looks like an artist's rendition rather than a photograph.

However, what is interesting is what he says about it.

"Benedizione rituale. - Un vescovo siede con mitra e piviale, e due donne ai lati, chinantesi verso di lui, tengono steso un velo umerale scuro, a fiorami d'oro. I visi sono minuti, le fronti altissime, arcuate, menti e nasi appunititi, bocca piccola e strettamente chiusa. - La scena si referisce al tempo detto feriato, perchè il colore rosaceo del piviale e il nero o - forse più esattamente - il violaceo del velo umerale sono i colori della quaresima. Si tratta della benedizione del pane o di una delle benedizione rituali in quel tempo considerato dai Calendari medievali come sacro."

Ritual blessing. - A bishop, seated, with mitre and cope, and two women at the sides, bowing towards him, holding up a dark humeral veil, embroidered with gold flowers. The faces are tiny, the foreheads high, arched, pointy chins and noses, mouth small and tightly closed. - The scene refers to a ferial time, because the rose color of the cope and the black or - perhaps more exactly - the violet of the humeral veil are the colors of Lent. It shows the blessing of the bread or of one of the ritual blessings during that time considered sacred in medieval Calendars.

Ross
 

Ross G Caldwell

Barzon's page from where the image is taken -

barzon1.jpg
 

Ross G Caldwell

What have we learned so far?

From the evidence gathered so far, I think the following points can be made.

1. The bishop is not wearing the papal tiara, therefore - if it is really a she and Barzon and Mueller are mistaken - she should not be considered a "Popess".

2. The two standing women are not holding separate objects, but instead are holding a ceremonial veil behind the bishop. This was only made clear in Barzon's image and description.

3. The whole scene is unlikely to be an allegory. Furthermore, the seven Virtues are presented elsewhere in the Salone, individually, and do not look like this, so it the scene is unlikely to be a grouping of the three Theological Virtues. The two standing women also do not appear to be distinguished in any way as personfications of anything.

4. The bishop is holding something with the right hand. From Barzon's account, it may be bread, or a plate with bread on it. Another suggestion has been offered to me, a palm frond. The detail of all three images so far presented is not sufficient to decide.

5. We have some colors! The bishop's cope is rose, and the veil behind is violet.

Fun investigation.

Ross
 

Rosanne

I received a beautiful book on Venice and there are close ups of the carved arches of the main portal of the Basilica of San Marco.
Here is May. The book says these images are Byzantine in origin( Byzantine art is the term commonly used to describe the artistic products of the Byzantine Empire from about the 4th century until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453-So it is Roman/Greek Eastern in influence with Constantinople as it's trading center)- not Western as the Vices and Virtues on another column.

http://www.basilicasanmarco.it/gallery/scultura/portale/mesi/galleryWAI.bsm?idx=4&lang=eng

This is typical of Byzantine May . It shows a youthful lad crowned with a pyramid crown of roses. Sometimes they are garlanded and not crowned.
This is a personification of the Month. If crowned, it is most common a pyramid shape or pointed crown. It is a play on the Roman Emperor's crown of roses, worn as a deity. For instance Zeus had a parsley crown, though Apollo had a wreath crown of Olive leaves. The connection between the Bishop Mitre and the Roman type of crown may well be the shape as the Mitre evolved from the flame shape of the red rose crown, and the blessing of water; a union of opposites- The blessing of Love triumphant- a tribute to Venus.

It has been interesting thinking of the fresco in Padua and the Months and Zodiac Ross, I have enjoyed it.
~Rosanne
 

Ross G Caldwell

Thanks for the info and picture Rosanne.

I wish it had turned out to be a Papessa :(

But the whole thing is interesting enough itself to be worth collecting a few books for, and to visit when I get a chance - I'll make it part of the "Venice trip", whenver we get around to that.

I can't wait to see if Scion manages to get a better picture.

Merry Christmas!

Ross
 

Titadrupah

Ross G Caldwell said:
From the evidence gathered so far, I think the following points can be made.

1. The bishop is not wearing the papal tiara, therefore - if it is really a she and Barzon and Mueller are mistaken - she should not be considered a "Popess".

2. The two standing women are not holding separate objects, but instead are holding a ceremonial veil behind the bishop. This was only made clear in Barzon's image and description.



Fun investigation.

Ross

Well, there IS a veil behind La Papesse in the Tarot de Marseille. Held from two of its corners…