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| +Attributed to Peter Paul Rubens, The Transfiguration Flemish, c. 1600 Paris, Musée du Louvre, Departement des arts graphiques |
“Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother, John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
conversing with him.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
"Lord, it is good that we are here.
If you wish, I will make three tents here,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold,
a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,
then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.”
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
“Rise, and do not be afraid.”
And when the disciples raised their eyes,
they saw no one else but Jesus alone.
As they were coming down from the mountain,
Jesus charged them,
“Do not tell the vision to anyone
until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
(Matthew 17:1-9)
This passage on the Transfiguration of the Lord from the Gospel of Matthew is one of the three descriptions of this mysterious event from the Synoptic Gospels. The others are Mark 9:2-9 and Luke 9:28-36. One of the three is read on the Second Sunday of Lent in all three cycles.
All agree on the basics: the mountain, the names of the three disciples, the transformation of Jesus, the appearance of Moses and Elijah, the voice from the cloud and the admonition to keep this event secret.
The event is one of the theophanies of Jesus, the others being the Epiphany, the Baptism, the Resurrection appearances and the Ascension. A theophany is a manifestation in visible form of the divine. Among the theophanies of Jesus it is the first in which the divine character of Jesus is made completely explicit and is a precursor of the Resurrection and Ascension. It is also seen as prefiguring the return of Jesus in glory at the end of time.1
The same readings are read over a three year span in the celebration of the separate feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, celebrated on August 6th. This feast can be traced back to the sixth century in the Eastern (Greek-speaking) Church. It appears in the ninth century in Spain and became general in the Western (Latin-speaking) Church in 1457. 1
Visually, the image of the Transfiguration has been used in decoration, both East and West, since the sixth century. Its development is very similar in many ways to that of the Resurrection and the Ascension, to which it is obviously related.
The event is one of the theophanies of Jesus, the others being the Epiphany, the Baptism, the Resurrection appearances and the Ascension. A theophany is a manifestation in visible form of the divine. Among the theophanies of Jesus it is the first in which the divine character of Jesus is made completely explicit and is a precursor of the Resurrection and Ascension. It is also seen as prefiguring the return of Jesus in glory at the end of time.1
The same readings are read over a three year span in the celebration of the separate feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, celebrated on August 6th. This feast can be traced back to the sixth century in the Eastern (Greek-speaking) Church. It appears in the ninth century in Spain and became general in the Western (Latin-speaking) Church in 1457. 1
Visually, the image of the Transfiguration has been used in decoration, both East and West, since the sixth century. Its development is very similar in many ways to that of the Resurrection and the Ascension, to which it is obviously related.
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| The Transfiguration Byzantine Apse Mosaic, c. 549 Ravenna, Church of Sant'Apollinare in Classe |
Among the earliest images are two mosaics from the mid-sixth century, one in Italy, at Sant’Apollinare in Classe in Ravenna, and the other in the famous monastery of Saint Catherine of Sinai. Both were built during the reign of the Emperor Justinian, the great builder of Hagia Sofia in Constantinople. Both images bedeck the half domes of the apses of both basilicas, but they couldn’t be more different, although they also share some visual elements..
The image in Sant’Apollinare is symbolic rather than figural. Although there are half-length figures of Moses and Elijah floating amid clouds, these are the only human figures in the scene of the Transfiguration. Jesus is represented by a golden, jeweled cross seen against a round blue, star studded heaven (with a bust of Jesus in the intersection of the upright and arms) and the Apostles are represented by three sheep. Instead of a mountain setting, this vision is set in an earthly paradise of green fields, trees, plants, birds and small animals. The Hand of God appears at the top of the scene, a visual representation of the Voice of God from the Scriptures. However, beautiful as the work is, it represents a dead end visually.
Its near contemporary at Saint Catherine’s establishes the way forward for this image. (You may watch a video on the recent restoration of this nearly 1,500 year old mosaic at http://vimeo.com/21347003).
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| +The Transfiguration Byzantine Apse Mosaic, c. 565-566 Sinai, Monastery of Saint Catherine |
Although the golden background setting is abstract the vision that we see is easily recognizable. The figure of Jesus, His hand raised in a gesture of blessing, is seen standing in the middle of a blue egg-shaped mandorla. Rays of silvery light seem to emerge from Him and connect Him to the figures of Moses, Elijah and the three Apostles. The two Old Testament figures also make a blessing gesture, while the Apostles register astonishment and awe.
This is the arrangement that would reappear for centuries to come:
This is the arrangement that would reappear for centuries to come:
In the 9th-century church of Saints Nereus and Achilleus in Rome.
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| +The Transfiguration Arch Mosaic Byzantine, 9th Century Rome, Church of Saints Nereus and Achilleus |
In the 11th-century church of the Dormition of the Virgin in Daphni in Greece. In this image we begin to see the first indication of the mountain setting. This is incorporated in later images.
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| The Transfiguation Byzantine, Late 11th Century Daphni, Church of the Dormition |
The image of the Transfiguration did not appear only on the walls and domes of Byzantine churches, but in manuscript painting and ivory carving as well.
,%20c.%20879-882_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Grec%20510,%20fol.%2075r.jpeg) |
| *The Transfiguration From a copy of the Orationes by Gregory Nazianzenus Byzantine (Constantinople), c. 879-882 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Grec 510, fol. 75r |
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| The Transfiguration Detail of Scenes from Life of Christ Italo-Byzantine Ivory Carving, 12th Century London, Victoria and Albert Museum |
,%20c.%201131-1143_London,%20British%20Library_MS%20Egerton%201139,%20fol.%204v.jpg) |
| *Basilius, The Transfiguration From the Melisande Psalter Syrian (Jerusalem), c. 1131-1143 London, British Library MS Egerton 1139, fol. 4v |
Western Medieval Images
The image of the Transfiguration entered western Europe through the Byzantine territories in Italy, but was developed in a distinct way within Europe.
In the late 10th-century Gospels of Otto III.
,%20Late%2010th%20Century_Munich,%20Bayerische%20Staatsbibliothek_MS%20Clm%204453,%20fol.%20113r.jpg){kind=spacer} |
+The Transfiguration From the Gospels of Otto III German (Reichenau School), Late 10th Century Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek MS Clm 4453, fol. 113r |
On the 11th-century Bernward Column, one of the first large items cast in bronze in northern Europe since the end of the western Roman empire in the fifth century.
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| *The Transfiguration From the Bronze Bernward Column German, c. 1020 Hildesheim, Chruch of Saint Mary |
,%20c.%201045-1046+El%20Escorial,%20Real%20Biblioteca%20del%20Monastrio%20de%20San%20Lorenzo%20de%20El%20Escori%20_Codes%20Vitrinas%2017,%20fol.73r.jpg) |
| *The Transfiguration From the Codex Aureus Escolialensis German (Echternach), c. 1045-1046 El Escorial, Real Biblioteca del Monastrio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial MS Codex Vitrinas 17, fol.73r |
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The Transfiguration and Last Supper From the Floreffe Bible Mosan School, c. 1150-1200 London, British Library MS Additional 17738, fol. 4r |
The somewhat unusual juxtaposition of these two scenes suggests that there is a reference to the doctrine of Transubstantiation here. Transubstantiation is the Catholic belief that at the consecration of the Mass the bread and wine become identical in substance to the Body and Blood of Christ, while still retaining their forms as bread and wine. The implication of this image is that: just as the Divine Nature of Christ, revealed at the Transfiguration, was concealed from the Apostles under His human form, so His Divine Presence is concealed from us under the forms of bread and wine. The caption that runs down the right side of the page underlines this meaning. It reads: "He transforms himself and reforms their hearts...that they may perceive the good things which are going to endure."2
That such a theme would be expressed here is not surprising. This Bible was produced for the Abbey of Floreffe in Belgium. The Abbey was founded in 1121 by Saint Norbert, the founder of the Order of Praemonstratensians. One of the aims for which this congregation was founded was to foster devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, the Holy Eucharist.
This Eucharistic allusion appears to have been specific to the Floreffe Bible, however. The Transfiguration continued to appear as a "stand alone" image.
It was not repeated in other late 12th and early 13th-century works.
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Transfiguration From a Pictorial Bible from the Abbey of Saint Bertin French (Saint Omer), c. 1190-1200
The Hague, Koninklijke Bibliothek
MS KB 76 F5, fol. 17v (detail)
|
,%20c.%201200-1225_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20NAL%201392,%20fol.%204v.jpg) |
| *The Transfiguration From a Psalter French (Paris), c. 1200-1225 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS NAL 1392, fol. 4v |
,%20c.%201200_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Latin%2017716,%20fol.%207v.jpeg){kind=spacer} |
| *The Transfiguration From Officium Transfiguationis by Peter the Venerable French (Cluny), c. 1200 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 17716, fol. 7v |
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| *The Transfiguration From the Psalter of Ingeborg Queen of France French, Beginning of 13th Century Chantilly, Musée Condé MS 9, fol. 20v |
,%20End%20of%20the%2013th%20Century_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Francais%20566,%20fol.%2036r_2.jpg) |
| *The Transfiguration From a Livre du tresor by Brunetto Latini French (Northern), End of the 13th Century Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 566, fol. 36r |
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+Duccio, Transfiguration Italian, c. 1307-1311 London, National Gallery |
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| *The Transfiguration German, c. 1350-1360 Kloster Neuendorf, Former Abbey Chruch of Saints Mary, Benedict and Bernard |
,%20c.%201370-1380_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20NAF%2015940,%20fol.%2047r.jpg) |
| *Master of the Livre du Sacre and Workshop, The Transfiguration From a Speculum historiale by Vincent of Beauvais French (Paris), c. 1370-1380 Paris, Bibliothwque nationale de France MS NAF 15940, fol. 47r |
 |
| +Jean Bandol and Workshop, The Transfiguration From a Grande Bible Historiale Complétée of Gerard des Moulins French, c. 1371-1372 The Hague, Museum Meermano MS MMW 10 B23 fol. 475v (detail) |
,%201371_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20NAF%204515,%20fol.%2034r.jpg) |
| *The Transfiguration From Voyages by John de Mandeville Fre3nch (Paris), 1371 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS NAF 4515, fol. 34r |
,%20c.%201385-1390_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Latin%20757,%20fol.%20309r.jpeg) |
| *Giovanni di Benedetto and Workshop, The Transfiguration From a Missal Italian (Milan), c. 1385-1390 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 757, fol. 309r |
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| +Lorenzo Ghiberti, The Transfiguration Italian, c. 1403-1411 Florence, Baptistery, Doors |
,%20c.%201430_Munich,%20Bayerische%20Staatsbibliothek_MS%20Cgm%208010(1),%20fol.%2028v.jpg) |
| *The Transfiguration From the Ottheinrich Bibel, Volume I German (Regensburg), c. 1430 Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek MS Cgm 8010(1), fol. 28v The Ottheinrich Bible was the earliest Bible in the German language. It was written around 1430 and illuminated by artists from the Regensburg group of illuminators. Left incomplete, the illumination was completed in the early 1530s by the artist Mathis Gerung. Thus, a German Bible was already in existence (by some 90 years) before Luther began his translation. |
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| *Zanobi Strozzi, The Transfiguration From a Predella with the Life of Christ Italian, c. 1440-1468 Vatican City, Pinacoteca Vaticana |
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| *Giovanni Bellini, The Transfiguration Italian, c. 1487 Naples, Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte |
_French%20(Paris),%20c.%201493-1494_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20VELINS-906,%20fol.%2072v%20.jpg) |
| *The Transfiguration From a printed and hand colored copy of Le Mirouer de la redemption de l'umain lignage (Speculum humanae salvationis) French (Paris), c. 1493-1494 Paris, Bibliotheque national de France MS VELINS-906, fol. 72v |
 |
| *Sandro Botticelli, The Transfiguration with Saints Jerome and Augustine Italian, c. 1500 Rome, Galleria Rospigliosi-Pallavicini |
_German%20(Augsburg),%20c.%201505_Munich,%20Bayerisches%20Staatsbibliothek_MS%20Clm%2023322,%20fol.%204v.jpg) |
| *Ulrich Taler, The Transfiguration From a Partial Missal (Extractus missae, cum picturis bene factis) German (Augsburg), c. 1505 Munich, Bayerisches Staatsbibliothek MS Clm 23322, fol. 4v |
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| *Lorenzo Lotto, The Transfiguration Italian, c. 1511 Recanati, Pinacoteca Civica |
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| *Albrecht Altdorfer, The Transfiguration From the Fall and Salvation of Mankind Through the Life and Passion of Christ German, c. 1513 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Drawings and Prints |
The Transfiguration and the Mandorla
Early western images were more or less earthbound, even the figures of the two Old Testament prophets. They have been standing on the earth, either on a flat ground (in the St. Catherine’s example) or on the indication of mountains (in Daphni and later examples). However as time passed some western images began to borrow from the Byzantine tradition the form of the mandorla. This is an oval frame that surrounds the figure and signifies a particularly holy person, detached from both time and space.
Initially western painters who adopted the mandorla by depicted Jesus standing on the ground and surrounded by the mandorla. Fairly quickly, however, the figure of Jesus in a mandorla began to detach from the ground and float above the ground level.
,%20c.%201185-1195_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Latin%2011534,%20fol.%20268v.jpg) |
| *The Transfiguration From a Bible French (Champagne), c. 1185-1195 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 11534, fol. 268v |
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| *Bonannus, The Transfiguration Panel from a Bronze Door Sicilian, 1186 Monreale, Church of Santa Maria la Nuova |
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| *The Transfiguration Italian, c. 1255 Assisi, Basilica of Saint Francis, Upper Church |
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| *Guido da Siena, The Transfiguration Panel from an Altarpiece Italian, c. 1270s Siena, Pinacoteca Nazionale |
,%20c.%201300-1350_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Smith-Lesou%C3%ABf%2021,%20fol.%2015v.jpeg) |
| *Jacopino da Reggio, The Transfiguration From a Psalter Italian (Bologna), c. 1300-1350 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Smith-Lesouëf 21, fol. 15v |
,%20c.%201350_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Francais%209561,%20fol.%20151v.jpeg) |
| *The Transfiguration From a Vies de la Vierge et du Christ Italian (Naples), c. 1350 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 9561, fol. 151v |
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| Fra Angelico, The Transfiguration Italian, c. 1441-1444 Florence, Monastery Museum of San Marco. Cell #6 |
,%20c.%201445-1455_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Francais%20376,%20fol.%20201r.jpg) |
| *The Transfiguration From a Pelerinage de Jesus-Christ by Guillaume de Digulleville French (Rennes), c. 1445-1455 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 376, fol. 201r |
,%20c.%201462_Manchester%20%20(UK),%20the%20John%20Rylands%20Library,%20Incunable%20Collection_MS%209402,%20fol.%20A8r.jpg) |
| *The Transfiguration From a printed, hand colored Biblia pauperum German (Bamberg), c. 1462 Manchester (UK), the John Rylands Library, Incunable Collection MS 9402, fol. A8r |
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| *Jan Joest von Kalkar, The Transfiguration Dutch, c. 1506-1508 Kalkar Kreis Kleve, Catholic Parish Church of Saint Nicholas |
%20c.%201508_London,%20British%20Library_MS%20Royal%202%20B.%20XIII,%20fol.%2029v.jpg) |
| *The Transfiguration From a Lectionary English (London) c. 1508 London, British Library MS Royal 2 B. XIII, fol. 29v |
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| *Girolamo Genga, The Transfiguration Italian, c. 1510-1515 Siena, Museo dell'Opera Metropolitana |
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| *Gerard David, The Transfiguration Center Panel of a Triptych Flemish, 1520 Bruges, Church of Our Lady |
The Beginnings of Flight
Over time some of the figures truly become airborne. The mandorla lifted off from the ground. Over time the entire mandorla form was abandoned and the figure of Jesus, and those of Moses and Elijah took to the air.
,%20c.%201333-1334_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Francais%20316,%20fol.%20338r.jpg) |
| *Master of the Roman de Fauvel, The Transfiguration From a Speculum historiale by Vincent of Beauvais French (Paris), c. 1333-1334 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 316, fol. 338r In this image the figure of Jesus is shown neither on the ground nor in a mandorla. I cannot say if this is the first image of an airborne Christ, but it is the first one I have seen so far. |
,%20c.%201430_The%20Hague,%20KB_MS%20KB%2078%20D%2038%20II,%20fol.%20167v2.jpg) |
| +Claes Brouwer and Others, The Transfiguration From a History Bible Dutch (Utrecht), c. 1430 The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliotheek MS KB 78 D 38 II, fol. 167v2 |
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| +Jean le Tavernier, Transfiguration From the Hours of Philip the Good Netherlandish, c. 1450-1460 The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliotheek MS KB 76 F2, fol. 21r (detail) This little grisaille illustration shows Jesus (full length) and the two prophets (half length) raised in the air above two mountain peaks and the figures of the Apostles. |
,%20c.%201480-1485_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Francais%20178,%20fol.%2012r.jpeg) |
| *Jean Colombe, The Transfiguration From a Vita Jesu Christi by Ludolf of Saxony French (Bourges), c. 1480-1485 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 178, fol. 12r |
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| +Pietro Perugino, The Transfiguration Italian, c. 1497-1500 Perugia, Collegio dell Cambio |
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| *Atelier of Pierre Reymond, Enamel Plaque of the Transfiguration French, 16th Century Écouen, Musée national de la Renaissance |
,%20c.%201515-1525_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20NAL%2083,%20fol.%2015v.jpeg) |
| *Master of the Ango Hours, The Transfiguration From the Hours of Marguerite de Valois, Sister of Francois I French (Rouen), c. 1515-1525 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS NAL 83, fol. 15v |
Raphael Sets the Definitive Image
It is Raphael’s famous image, now in the Vatican Pinacoteca, that became the model for all future representations. The painting is divided into two distinct zones by the background lighting of each. In the upper zone we see the scene of the Transfiguration, in the lower zone we see the distress of the child afflicted with lunacy whose cure by Jesus is described in the verses of St. Matthew’s Gospel that follow immediately after He descends from the mountain (Matthew 17:13-18).
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| +Raphael, The Transfiguration Italian, c. 1516-1520 Vatican City, Pinacoteca Vaticana |
In the upper zone the figures of Jesus and the two Prophets are all airborne, not just lifted up but virtually flying. The bright clouds against which they are silhouetted have replaced the static mandorla of earlier pictures. The apostles have been forced to the ground, not just by awe, but by the eruption of energy above them. Bearing in mind the date of this work we can see that it is around the same date that the image of Christ bursting forth from the tomb in images of the Resurrection began to appear.
As with virtually all of Raphael's mature paintings copies of this image were widely circulated throughout Europe within a very few years of the completion of this picture primarily through the medium of prints.
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| *Biagio Pupini After Raphael, The Transfiguration Italian, c. 1520-1551 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Drawings and Prints |
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| *Giovanni Penni and Giulio Romano, Copy After Raphael, The Transfiguration Italian, c. 1520-1528 Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado |
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| *Master of the Die After Raphael, The Transfiguration Italian, c. 1530-1560 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Drawings and Prints |
After Raphael
After Raphael's seminal work some artists continued to depict the Transfiguration event as earthbound, with the figure of Jesus standing on the ground. However, their work looked increasingly old fashioned and out of date.
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| *Follower of Pieter Coecke van Aelst, The Transfiguration Outer wing of a polyptych Flemish, c. 1532-1535 Philadelphia, Museum of Art |
,%2017th%20Century_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20NAL%202557,%20fol.%209r_2.jpeg) |
| *The Transfiguration From a Book of Antiphons Spanish (Andalucia), 17th Century Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS NAL 2557, fol. 9r |
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| *Franz Fallenter, The Transfiguration Stained Glass Window Swiss, 1603 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, European Sculpture and Decorative Arts |
Instead, most later artists developed Raphael's image even further, using light and energy to present the moment of Transfiguration. These images typically combine the idea of the mandorla, now become an area of brilliant light, with the idea of floating or flying above the ground.
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| *Paolo Veronese, The Transfiguration Italian, c. 1555-1556 Montagnana, Cathedral of Santa Maria |
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| *Cristofano Gherardi, The Transfiguration Italian, 1555 Cortona, Museo Diocesano |
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| +Ludovico Carracci, Transfiguration Italian, 1594 Bologna, Pinacoteca Nazionale |
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| *Jacques Callot, The Transfiguration, August 6 From Les Images de Tous les Saincts et Saintes de Année French, 1636 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Drawings and Prints |
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| Ciro Ferri, Transfiguration Italian, Undated (lived 1634-1689) Paris, Musée du Louvre, Département des Arts graphiques |
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| *Painted by Michael Angelo Immenraet and Johann Melchior Benckert After a Design by Joachim von Sandrart, The Transfiguration _German, c. 1673-1678 Idstein, Union Church |
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| *Johann Oswald Harms, The Transfiguration German, c. 1675-1700 Weissenfels, Neu-Augustusburg Castle, Lutheran Chapel of the Holy Trinity |
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| *Transfiguration German, c. 1679-1680 Passau, Cathedral of Saint Stephen |
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| +Cristobal de Villalpando, Moses and the Brazen Serpent and the Transfiguration of Jesus Mexican, 1683 Puebla, Catedral de Nuestra Seňora de la Immaculada Concepción |
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| *Hans Georg Asam, The Transfiguration German, c. 1683-1684 Benediktbeuern, Church of Saint Benedict I have seen several sites on which this image is misidentified as the Ascension, which it clearly is not. An Ascension would have many more figures on the ground and the figures in the air with Jesus, if any, would be angels and not Moses and Elijah! One should use care when looking at pictures of subjects taken from the Bible or from Church history to make sure that they are correctly identified. Visual literacy regarding Christian iconography has declined sharply in the last century. |
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| *Luca Giordano, The Transfiguration Italian, 1685 Florence, Galleria degli Uffizi |
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| *Jacob Carl Stauder, The Transfiguration German, c. 1720-1721 Donauwoerth, Church of the Holy Cross |
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| *Marco Benefial, The Transfiguration Italian, c. 1730 Vetralla, Church of Sant'Andrea |
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| *Johann Baptist Zimmerman, The Transfiguration German, c. 1753-1756 Munich, Church of Saint Peter |
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| *Ralph Weizsaecker and Joseph Stern, The Transfiguration German, c. 1766 Jägerndorf, Minorite Church of the Nativity of the Virgin |
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| +Jean Baptiste Robin, Transfiguration French, 1780-1781 Chateau de Fontainebleu, Chapel |
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| *Gustav Jäger, The Transfiguration German, c, 1845-1848 Weimar, Palace of the Prince |
But by the end of the nineteenth century everyone was back on the ground again.
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| +James Tissot, The Transfiguration French, c. 1886-1894 New York, Brooklyn Museum |
Variant Images of the Transfiguration
What we have been examining up till now have been more or less straightforward images of this mysterious event from the Gospels. The vast majority of artists and their patrons wanted to see an image that depicted the elements of the Gospel accounts: Jesus revealed in some mysterious way, his Old Testament companions, Moses and Elijah and the three favored Apostles.
However, there are some images that deviate from this pattern.
A Transfiguration Image with a Sense of Humor?
An image from medieval Europe suggests that sometimes illuminators and artists had a sly sense of humor when illustrating Biblical texts. The Gospel indicates that the three Apostles were overwhelmed by the experience of the revelation of Jesus glory and the apparition of the two heroic Old Testament figures. However, true to his forthright nature, Saint Peter had the courage to address the transfigured Jesus with comments, including the suggestion that he and James and John should build some kind of temporary structure for Jesus and his visitors. Most artists, from the very beginning of this iconography had indicated this exchange by showing Peter as kneeling upright, instead of with his head nearly on the ground as James and John are depicted.
But, some artists offered a different perspective. Beginning already with the sixth-century Byzantine apse decoration of Saint Catherine's at Sinai, they show Peter, easily recognizable by his grey hair and beard, kneeling prostrate before the transfigured Jesus, just as the other Apostles do, but with a twist, literally. Where the faces of the others are shown as reverently facing the ground, Peter is shown as twisted around so that his knees are on the ground, but his face is looking upward toward Jesus. It is an awkward and slightly ridiculous image. One wonders if this was a kind of visual joke.
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| The Transfiguration Byzantine, c. 565-566 Sinai, Monastery of St. Catherine |
At the end of the twelfth century an English illuminator depicted the same odd scene.
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| *The Transfiguration From the Munich Golden Psalter English (Oxford), c. 1190-1210 Munich, Bayerisches Staatsbibliothek MS Clm 865, fol. 24r |
Images of the Transfiguration without the Witnesses
One of the most important aspects of the story of the Transfiguration is that it has witnesses: Peter, James and John. Jesus didn't just go up the mountain to meet with Moses and Elijah, he took three of the Apostles with him to bear witness to the revelation of his true nature. Those three would later form the core group of the first evangelists after his Resurrection. Peter would bring the Word to Rome and become the first bishop of the capital. Their presence was important and is, in fact, the reason for the manifestation in the form that it took. In fact, several of the pictures we have looked at above include them and not the figures of the prophets. This can be in complete agreement with the Gospel texts as it is obvious from those that the figures of the prophets were not present for the entire period of the Transfiguration. There were moments at its beginning and end when they were absent and the Apostles saw only Jesus.
Therefore, to depict the Transfiguration event without the figures of the Apostle witnesses is distinctly odd. However, several later medieval images do just that. They depict Christ in glory, often seated on a throne and holding the orb depicting the world, with the two Old Testament prophets. In one instance the head of God the Father and the dove of the Holy Spirit appear, making it more a manifestation of the Holy Trinity than a true image of the Transfiguration.
In these cases it seems that the artist placed the person or persons who would be holding the book in the position of witness. Therefore, it is we who are the witnesses, as substitutes for Peter, James and John.
,%20c.%201330-1340_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20NAL%203145,%20fol.%2019v.jpeg) |
| *Jean Pucelle, The Transfiguration From the Hours of Joan of Navarre French (Paris), c. 1330-1340 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS NAL 3145, fol. 19v |
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| *Master of the Trinity, The Transfiguration From the Petites Heures of Jean de Berry French (Bourges), c. 1385-1390 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 18014, fol. 192r |
The Transfiguration of the Holy Trinity
Another odd image of what may or may not be a Transfiguration was painted by painted by Hans Bol in the rather late prayer book made for Francois de France, Duke of Brabant in 1582. Francois is perhaps better known to the English-speaking world as the Duke of Anjou or the Duke of Alencon who was the last royal suitor for the hand of Queen Elizabeth I and the only one to actually court her in person. Elizabeth gave him the affectionate title "My Frog". He was the son of King Henri II and Queen Catherine de Medici and for awhile was in league with the Protestant Dutch in their revolt against Spain, during which time he was given the Dutch (now Belgian) title of Duke of Brabant. The image in question was made during the time in which Francois was living in the Low Countries in 1582.
The image Bol made is somewhat strange as it shows three men kneeling on a green space, indicating ground, which overlooks a busy port scene. They appear to be in adoration of a partial nimbus at the top edge of the frame which is emanating from the Hebrew letters that (I believe) spell out the name of God. So, this is a sort of hybrid between the two subjects of the Transfiguration, which has human witnesses, and the Adoration of the Name of God, which usually has angelic witnesses. This makes it a highly unusual image.
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| *Hans Bol, The Transfiguration (?) From the Hours of Francois de France, Duke of Brabant Flemish (Antwerp), 1582 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 10564, fol. 2v |
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1. Gertrud Schiller, Iconography of Christian Art, Vol. I (translated by Janet Seligman), Greenwich, CT, New York Graphic Society, Ltd., 1971, pp. 145-152.
2. Elizabeth Saxon, The Eucharist in Romanesque France: iconography and theology, Rochester, NY, Boydell & Brewer, Inc., 2006, p. 104.
2. Elizabeth Saxon, The Eucharist in Romanesque France: iconography and theology, Rochester, NY, Boydell & Brewer, Inc., 2006, p. 104.
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1 comment:
Thanks for a beautiful selection of paintings. It also gives me pause to think that Fra Angelico's work was in a Dominican friar's cell!
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