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| St. Martin of Tours As Bishop from Sacramentay of Mont-Saint-Michel French (Mont-Saint-Michel), c. 1050-1065 New York, The Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 641, fol. 173r |
Martin of Tours is one of the great saints of Europe. Traditionally, one of the patron saints of
France, he actually spent large parts of his life elsewhere as well. In fact, he got around quite a bit. Born in the Roman province of Pannonia, today’s
Hungary, shortly after the conversion of Constantine to Christianity, he grew
up in northern Italy, where he was converted to Christianity at a young
age. He served in the Roman cavalry in
Gaul and Germany. Finally rejecting his
participation in the army he became a disciple of St. Hilary of Poitiers, whom
he followed to Italy and then back to Gaul.
Martin eventually settled in what was still the Roman province of Gaul,
at Tours, where he was acclaimed as bishop in 371.
He was instrumental in spreading the Gospel
beyond the Roman cities of Gaul and in combating the Arian heresy, which
professed Jesus as a demi-God, but not as fully human and fully divine (the
orthodox Christian view). He also
founded monasteries at Ligugé and Marmoutier.
He died in 397 shortly before the invasion of the Germanic tribes that
ended Gallo-Roman life in what would become known as France.1
In addition to the historical facts of his life, a number of
legends about St. Martin grew up in the decades and centuries after his
death.
St. Martin and the Beggar
The most famous is undoubtedly
the story of his meeting with a poorly clad beggar, while still a Roman cavalry
man and a catechumen (not yet a baptized Christian). In charity he drew his sword, cut his cloak
in half and gave half to the beggar, thus fulfilling one of the corporal works
of mercy cited by Jesus at the Last Judgment “I was …. naked and you clothed me”
(Matthew 25:36). Later, in a dream, he
realized that the beggar had indeed been Christ. In some versions of the story, Christ himself
returns the half cloak to Martin.
This image is the one that is most often depicted in works of art, especially during the middle ages and especially in the periods in which chivalry was the dominant secular ideal, for this image encapsulates much that was integral to that ideal.
It appears in manuscripts, especially in the Books of Hours that were the chief religious book used by the laity. But it also appears in sculpture, in stained glass and in needlework, as well as in full-scale painting.
,%20c.%201300-1325_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Francais%20183,%20fol.%20165v.jpg) |
| Master of the Roman de Fauvel, Saint Martin and the Beggar From Vies de saints French (Paris), c. 1300-1325 Paris, Bibliotheque naitonale de France MS Francais 183, fol. 165v |
,%20c.%201325=1350_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Francais%20185,%20fol.%20164v%20(2).jpg) |
| Jeanne de Montbaston, Saint Martin and the Beggar From Vies de saints French (Paris), c. 1325-1350 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 185, fol. 164v |
,%20c.%201335_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Arsenal%205080,%20fol.%20326r.jpg) |
| Mahiet and Workshop, Saint Martin and the Beggar From Speculum historiale by Vincent of Beauvais French (Paris), c. 1335 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Arsenal 5080, fol. 326r |
,%201348_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Francais%20241,%20fol.%20300v.jpg) |
| Richard de Montbaston, Saint Martin and the Beggar From Legenda aurea by Jacobus de Voragine French (Paris), 1348 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 241, fol. 300v |
This image is the one that is most often depicted in works of art, especially during the middle ages and especially in the periods in which chivalry was the dominant secular ideal, for this image encapsulates much that was integral to that ideal.
,%20c.%201480-1490_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Francais%20245,%20fol.%20169r.jpg) |
| Jacques de Besancon, Saint Martin and the Beggar From Legenda aurea by Jacobus de Voragine French (Paris), c. 1480-1490 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 245, fol. 169r |
_1515-20_Morgan_m1166.038r.jpg) |
| Master of Claude de France, Saint Martin and the Beggar from Book of Hours French (Tours), c, 1515-1520 New York, The Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 1166, fol. 38r |
It appears in manuscripts, especially in the Books of Hours that were the chief religious book used by the laity. But it also appears in sculpture, in stained glass and in needlework, as well as in full-scale painting.
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| Saint Martin of Tours French (Autun), 15th Century Autun, Musée Rolin |
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| Saint Martin and the Beggar German (Mid-Rhineland), c. 1490-1500 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters Collection |
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| Chasuble with Orphreys, Saint Martin of Tours appears in the central medallion Italy, c. 1500-1525 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Robert Lehman Collection |
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| El Greco, Saint Martin of Tours and the Beggar Greco-Spanish, c. 1597-1599 Washington, DC, National Gallery of Art |
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| Jan Brueghel the Elder, Saint Martin of Tours Flemish, c. 1600 Nelahozeves Castle (Czech Republic), Lobkowicz Collections
(Here Saint Martin is confronted not with one beggar but with a crowd of the needy.)
|
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| Anthony van Dyck, Saint Martin of Tours and the Beggar Flemish, c. 1618 Zavantem, Saint Martin Church |
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Jacob van Oost the Elder, Saint Martin of Tours and the Beggar
Flemish, c. 1650
Bruges, Groeninge Museum |
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| Francois Nicholas Delaistre, Saint Martin on Horseback with the Beggar French, Late 18th Century Besancon, Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archeologie |
St. Martin As Bishop
Also prevalent, though more often found in books
specifically for the use of the clergy, was the image of St. Martin as a
bishop.
,%20c.%201249-1251_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Latin%20949,%20fol.%20Av%20(2).jpg) |
| Saint Martin and Archbishop Christian From the Pontificale of Mainz German (Mainz), c. 1249-1251 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 949, fol. Av |
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| SaintThomas Becket and Saint Martin of Tours from a Psalter German, c.1208-1228 New York, The Pierpont Morgan Library MS G8, fol. 54v |
Here he is often paired with
other bishop saints, such as Saint Thomas of Canterbury or Saint Nicholas of Myra.
 | ||
| Saint Martin of Tours and Saint Nicholas of Myra from Huntingfield Psalter English (Oxford), c. 1212-1220 New York, The Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 43, fol. 26r
(Saint Martin is here shown dividing his cloak while wearing a bishop's miter, conflating his early and late careers)
|
,%20c.%201325-1350_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Francais%20185,%20fol.%20173r.jpg)
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| St. Martin of Tours Austrian (Carinthia), c. 1340-1350 New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cloisters Collection |
,%20c.%201400_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Francais%20242,%20fol.%20252v.jpg) |
| Saint Martin of Tours From Legenda aurea by Jacobus de Voragine French (Paris), c. 1400 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 242, fol. 252v |
_1490_1500_Morgan_m388.154va.jpg) |
| Follower of Jean Poyer, Saint Martin of Tours From a Book of Hours French (Tours), c. 1490-1500 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 388, fol. 154v |
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| St. Martin of Tours German, Late 15th Century New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art |
Cycles of the Life of St. Martin
There are also several surviving cycles of pictures showing
the life of St. Martin. They appear in
manuscript form in books such as Vincent of Beauvais’ Speculum historiale.
,%20c.%201463__BNF_Francais%2051_250r.jpg) |
| St. Martin and the Beggar and Baptism of St. Martin from a Speculum historiale by Vincent of Beavais French (Paris), 1453 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 51, fol. 250r |
,%20c.%201463__BNF_Francais%2051_254r.jpg) | |
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,%20c.%201463__BNF_Francais%2051_297r.jpg) |
| St. Martin Attacked by Soldiers and St. Martin Bringing a Child Back to Life from a Speculum historiale by Vincent of Beauvais French (Paris), 1453 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 51, fol. 297r |
,%20c.%201463__BNF_Francais%2051_299r.jpg) |
| St. Martin Visited by the Virgin Mary and Saints and St. Martin Tormented by Demons from a Speculum historiale by Vincent of Beauvais French (Paris), 1453 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 51, fol. 299t |
,%201453_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Francais%2051,%20fol.%20393v.jpg){kind=spacer} |
| Translation of the Relics of St. Martin from a Speculum historiale by Vincent of Beauvais French (Paris), 1453 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 51, fol. 393v |
During the summer of 2015 the Metropolitan Museum of
art reunited several related Franco-Flemish embroideries of St. Martin’s life,
probably meant for the decoration of liturgical furnishings, which have found
their way into various parts of the Museum’s collection. The small, highly detailed embroideries were
artistic marvels in their own right.3
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| St. Martin Announcing His Conversion to His Parents Scenes from the Life of St. Martin Franco-Flemish, c. 1430-1435 New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Robert Lehman Collection |
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| St. Martin and the Brigands Scenes from the Life of St. Martin Franco-Flemish, c. 1430-1435 New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cloisters Collection |
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| St. Martin with St. Hilary of Poitiers Scenes from the Life of St. Martin Franco-Flemish, c. 1430-1435 New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Robert Lehman Collection |
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| St. Martin Offers the Wine Cup to a Priest, Bypassing the Emperor and the Empress Scenes from the Life of St. Martin Franco-Flemish, c. 1430-1435 New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Robert Lehman Collection |
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| The Empress Kneels Before St. Martin Scenes from the Life of St. Martin Franco-Flemish, c. 1430-1435 New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cloisters Collection |
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| St. Martin and the Repentent Horsemam Scenes from the Life of St. Martin Franco-Flemish, c. 1430-1435 New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Anonymous Loan |
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| St. Martin Brings a Dead Man Back to Life Scenes from the Life of St. Martin Franco-Flemish, 1430-1435 New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Robert Lehman Collection |
However, what is probably the greatest of the cycles of the life of St. Martin is the series of frescoes executed by the Siennese painter, Simone Martini, between 1320 and 1325 in the Chapel of St. Martin in the lower church of St. Francis at Assisi.
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| Simone Martini, Scenes from the Life of St. Martin Italian, c. 1320-1325 Assisi, San Francesco, Lower Church, Chapel of St. Martin |
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| Simone Martini, Scenes from the Life of St. Martin Italian, c. 1320-1325 Assisi, San Francesco, Lower Church, Chapel of St. Martin |
These show
detailed images of the most important scenes from the saint’s life, from his
early conversion to his death.
Throughout the early scenes St. Martin is imagined as a contemporary
early 14th century knight, his Roman world equated with the
chivalrous ideal.
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| Simone Martini, St. Martin is Knighted Scenes from the Life of St. Martin Italian, c. 1320-1325 Assisi, San Francesco, Lower Church, Chapel of St. Martin |
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| Simone Martini, St. Martin Divides His Cloak for the Beggar Scenes from the Life of St. Martin Italian, c. 1320-1325 Assisi, San Francesco, Lower Church, Chapel of St. Martin |
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| Simone Martini, Dream of St. Martin Scenes from the Life of St. Martin Italian, c. 1320-1325 Assisi, San Francesco, Lower Church, Chapel of St. Martin (In his dream Martin saw Jesus explain to the angels that he was the beggar to whom Martin had given half his cloak.)
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| Simone Martini, St. Martin Renounces His Weapons Scenes from the Life of St. Martin Italian, c. 1320-1325 Assisi, San Francesco, Lower Church, Chapel of St. Martin |
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| Simone Martini, St. Martin Restores Life to a Dad Child Scenes from the Life of St. Martin Italian, c. 1320-1325 Assisi, San Francesco, Lower Church, Chapel of St. Martin |
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| Simone Martini, St. Martin Miraculously Escapes a Fire
Scenes from the Life of St. Martin
Italian, c. 1320-1325
Assisi, San Francesco, Lower Church, Chapel of St. Martin
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| Simone Martini, St. Martin Meditating
Scenes from the Life of St. Martin
Italian, c. 1320-1325
Assisi, San Francesco, Lower Church, Chapel of St. Martin
|
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| Simone Martini, Miraculous Mass of St. Martin
Scenes from the Life of St. Martin
Italian, c. 1320-1325
Assisi, San Francesco, Lower Church, Chapel of St. Martin
(So great was his devotion that when he raised the host at Mass a ball of light appeared above his head.)
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| Simone Martini, Death of St. Martin
Scenes from the Life of St. Martin
Italian, c. 1320-1325
Assisi, San Francesco, Lower Church, Chapel of St. Martin
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| Simone Martini, Burial of St. Martin
Scenes from the Life of St. Martin
Italian, c. 1320-1325
Assisi, San Francesco, Lower Church, Chapel of St. Martin
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Other Images
Alongside these three major image streams, other aspects of the saint’s life have also been depicted from time to time. These include various miracles wrought by the saint either during his life or afterwards. |
| Francisco Osana, Death of St. Martin Spanish, c. 1500-1514 Castres, Musée Goya |
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| Master of Claude de France, Vison of St. Martin
from Book of Hours
French (Tours), c. 1515-1520
New York, The Pierpont Morgan Library
MS M 1166, fol. 38v
|
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| Giovanni Lanfranco, Miraculous Mass of St. Martin Italian, c. 1640 New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art |
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| Eustache Le Sueur, Miraculous Mass of St. Martin French, 1654 Paris, Musée du Louvre |
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Eustache Le Sueur, Apparition of the Virgin with Saints Agnes, Techla, Paul and Peter to St. Martin French, 1654 Paris, Musée du Louvre In 1654 Le Sueur painted this pair of images of St. Martin for the Abbey of Marmoutier, founded by St. Martin. |
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| Sebastien Bourdon, St. Martin Raising a Dead Child French, c. 1655-1660 Dijon, Musée national Magnin |
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| Wolfgang Andreas Heindl, St. Martin Receiving Back His Cloak from Christ German, c. 1719-1720 Neideralteich, Monastery of St. Mauritius |
The feast day of St. Martin of Tours is November 11. This was once one of the most important saint’s days of Europe, celebrated widely throughout the continent. This has not entirely departed. On my first trip to Italy in 1988 I arrived in mid-November to beautiful weather, which a resident friend informed me is known as St. Martin’s weather.
St. Martin of Tours, pray for your continent of Europe which is currently undergoing a time of testing. Pray especially for your home in France and pray for all of us.
© M. Duffy, 2015
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1. Clugnet, Léon. "St. Martin of Tours." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company,1910. 10 Nov. 2015 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09732b.htm>.
2. The Golden Legend or Lives of the Saints, Volume 6, page 66. Compiled by Jacobus de Voragine, Archbishop of Genoa, 1275. First Edition Published 1470. Englished by William Caxton, First Edition 1483, Edited by F.S. Ellis, Temple Classics, 1900 (Reprinted 1922, 1931.), at http://legacy.fordham.edu/Halsall/basis/goldenlegend/GoldenLegend-Volume6.asp#Martin
3. See Scenes From the Life of Saint Martin at http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2015/life-of-saint-martin
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