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| James Tissot, Simon of Cyrene and His Sons French, c, 1886-1894 New York, Brooklyn Museum This is one of the few images of the subject of Simon and his sons that I have seen. Here they are depicted as young men. |
The writers of the three Synoptic Gospels tell us that a man named Simon from Cyrene in what is today the North African country of Libya was forced by the Romans to assist Jesus in carrying the heavy cross. 1
St. Mark adds the interesting detail that
Simon was “the father of Alexander and Rufus” (Mark 15:21), which suggests that these were
people who were well-known to the early Christian community and that this is a
record of the experience of their father. Clearly, the pressing of this
man, who was probably a mere bystander, by the authorities in charge of the
crucifixion suggests that even they could see that Jesus was weakening and were
worried that He might not be able to make it to the execution site without some
help.
Early images of the Passion that featured the figure of Simon
of Cyrene were largely symbolic. They
show the cross as fairly small, a notional cross rather than a crushingly heavy
one.
 |
| Early Christian Sarcophagus with Scenes of the Passion Late Roman, c. 350 Vatican, Pio-Christiano Museum |
This carried over into the Byzantine tradition.
 |
Simon of Cyrene From Orationes of St. Gregory Nazianzen Byzantine (Constantionople), 11th Century Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Coislin 239, fol. 18v |
It remains true in the Latin West as much as in the Greek-speaking church of Constantinople. In the West the cross is bigger, but still notional. It appears to be virtually weightless, imposing no strain on the bearer.
 |
| From the "St. Peter Gospels" Austrian (Salzburg), c. 1025-1049 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 781, fol. 179v |
 |
| From a Book of Hours German (Bamberg), c. 1204-1219 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 739, fol. 23r |
Some of them also pointedly reference the coercive character of Simon’s entry into the Passion narrative. Simon is grabbed by his hair or by his wrists in the process.
 |
| From a Psalter German or Swiss, c. 1208-1228 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS G 8, fol. 9v Here Simon is being grabbed by his hair and a wrist. |
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| Queen Mary Master, From the "Queen Mary Psalter" English (London), c.1310-1320 London, British Library MS Royal 2 B VII, fol. 252v In this detail, Simon is being dragged by his wrist from the representation of a building. |
From the second half of the fourteenth century the mood changes and Simon is now seen as being somewhat willing to assist Jesus. Both he and the activity begin to be less notional and more realistic, hence more affective to the viewer, who can now begin to put himself or herself into the scene.
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| From a Speculum humanae salvationis French (Alsace), c. 1370-1380 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 511, fol. 22v |
 |
| Boucicaut Master From the Hours of Jeanne Bessonnelle French (Paris), c. 1400-1425 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 1161, fol. 168r |
The image developed by the Boucicaut Master seems to have been formative for French illuminators for a large part of the fifteenth century.
,%20c.%201425-1450_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Francais%20376,%20fol.%20217v.jpg) |
| From the Pèlerinage de la vie humaine by Guillaume de Digulleville French (Rennes), c. 1425-1450 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 376, fol. 217v |
.jpg) |
| Master of Marguerite d'Orléans From a Book of Hours French (Rennes), c.1430 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 1156B, fol. 137r |
.jpg) |
| Master of Marguerite d'Orleans From the Hours of Marie de Rieux French (Poitiers), c. 1440-1450 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 190, fol. 47r |
 |
| Wall painting German, 15th Century Üffeln, Marienkirche |
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| Follower of the Master of the Lorsch Calvary German (Middle Rhineland), c.1440 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cloisters Collection |
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| Anonymous Carver German (Tyrol), Second half of the 15th Century Sterzing, Parish Church Unsere Liebe Frau im Moos and Santa Maria in Vipitin Close ups of the heads of Jesus and of Simon are astonishingly lifelike. |
This change would have been in keeping with the well-known affectivity of late medieval religious sentiment, which focused on sympathetic identification of the devout person with the sufferings of Christ. It is also around this time that the Stations of the Cross began to gain in popularity and participation.
 |
| Master of Jouvenal des Ursins and Workshop From the Hours of Jeanne de France French (Angers), c. 1452 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Nouvelle acquisition latine 3244, fol. 256 |
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| High Altar of the Cross German (Thüringia), 1460 Erfurt, Evangelical Reglerkirche (formerly Catholic church of Saint Augustine) |
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| Masters of the Delft Half-Length Figures From a Book of Hours Dutch (Delft), c. 1460-1480 TheHague, Koninklkjk Bibliotheek MS KB 131 G 8, fol. 31r |
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| Master Francois and Collaborators From Speculum historiale by Vincent of Beauvais Franch (Paris), 1463 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 50, fol. 231v |
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| Master of Charles of Neufchatal From a Book of Hours French, 1465-1475 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 28, fol. 19r |
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| Master of the Boston City of God From a Book of Hours Holland (Utrecht), c.1470 The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliotheek MS KB 131 G 4, 57v |
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| Jean Colombe From the Hours of Anne of France French (Bourges), 1473 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 677, fol. 192r |
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| Jean Colombe From Vita Jesu Christi by Ludolf of Saxony French (Bourges), c. 1475-1500 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 179, fol. 113v |
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| Jean Poyer From the Hours of Henry VIII French (Tours), c. 1495-1505 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS H 8, fol. 94v |
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Circle of the Master of Delft Dutch, c.1500 Paris, Musée du Louvre |
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| Oak Panel French, c. 16th Century New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cloisters Collection |
 | |
|
In the sixteenth century artists began to examine the
intimacy of the connection between Jesus and the man who is helping him. Simon appears as a devoted and sympathetic
actor in a two person drama.
 |
| Sebastiano del Piombo Italian, c.1516 Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado |
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| Titian Italian, c. 1560 Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado |
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| Titian Italian, c. 1565 Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado |
Later images seem to vacillate between the extremes of
indifference and compassion.
 |
James Tissot, Simon the Cyrenian Compelled to Carry the Cross with Jesus From Series of Life of Christ French, 1886-1894 New York, Brooklyn Museum In spite of Tissot's title in is a bit difficult to tell exactly which figure is Simon. I suspect it is the man in the middle ground, dressed partially in blue, who is holding out his arms, as a guard points to the cross. |
 |
Eric Gill
English, c. 1913-1918
London, Westminster Cathedral
Gill's image is the only one I have seen that includes Simon's two sons, Alexander and Rufus. They are depicted as boys following their father. |
__________________________________________________________
1. Matthew
27:32, Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26. The
Gospel of John is silent.
Scripture texts in this
work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition© 2010,
1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are
used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the
New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing
from the copyright owner.
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