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| Albrecht Dürer, All Saints Adoring the Trinity Known as The Landauer Altar German, 1511 Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum |
On November 1 the Church celebrates the feast of All Saints.
On this day we honor all those who through their lives, lived in faith and hope
and with charity, have achieved the Beatific Vision of God. Some of them are
saints who have been identified and formally recognized by the Church, but most
are simply men, women and children who have passed without formal recognition
and whose names are now forgotten. They are our ancestors in faith exactly as
they are our ancestors in flesh and blood. They enjoy the peace, the glory and
the vision of God that we hope eventually to attain.
This day is especially set aside for us to remember these
ancestors of ours, those whose names and deeds are honored and remembered
officially and, more importantly, those who are not, the ordinary, everyday
saints who lived their lives faithfully and peacefully, their heroic virtues
hidden and unnoticed. They are the
multitude, noted in the vision of the Book of Revelation “which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue.
They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and
holding palm branches in their hands.”1
This multitude of people presents a problem for any artist
who attempts to create a picture to illustrate this feast day. How do you convey the sense of the countless
numbers of people that form the assembly of all the saints? Artists have been doing this since the early
Middle Ages, and their attempts tend to fall into several iconographic types.
Arrangement in Tiers
This is the oldest and most long lasting type of iconography used to create images
of All Saints. Usually centering on a
central figure (Christ in Majesty, God the Father, The Virgin Mary) or on a
central scene (The Holy Trinity, the Coronation of the Virgin), the saints are
arranged in neat tiers in hierarchical order, with the greatest saints, such as
Saint John the Baptist or the Apostles, nearer to the central scene. The image can be flat, with the saints piled
up from bottom to top, or it can be circular.
The last is particularly suitable for the interior of domed structures.
.jpg) |
| Christ in Majesty With Angels and Saints From a Sacramentary French, c. 870 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 1141, fol. 5v-6r |
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| Christ in Majesty and the Heavenly Jerusalem French, c. 1080 Saint-Chef, Abbey Church |
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| Giotto, Last Judgment Italian, 1306 Padua, Scrovegni/Arena Chapel |
,%201317_Paris,%20Bibliotheque%20nationale%20de%20France_MS%20Francais%202090,%20fol.%20107v.jpg) |
| The Celestial Harmony From Vita et passio beati dionysii by Ivo de Santo Dionysio French (Paris), 1317 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 2090, fol. 107v |
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| Master of the Dominican Effigies, Christ and the Virgin Enthroned with Forty Saints Leaf from a Choir Book Italian (Florence), c. 1340 Washington, National Gallery of Art |
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| Nardo di Cione, Paradise Italian, c. 1355 Florence, Santa Maria Novella, Cappella Strozzi |
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| Don Silvestro dei Gherarducci, The Court of Heaven From a Gradual Italian (Florence), c. 1371-1377 Cleveland, Museum of Art |
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| Giusto de'Menabuoi, Paradise Italian, c. 1375 Padua, Baptistery |
,%20c.%201385-1390_Paris,%20Bibliotheque%20nationale%20de%20France_MS%20Latin%20757,%20fol.%20245v.jpg) |
| Giovanni di Benedetto and Workshop. Coronation of the Virgin From a Missal Italian (Milan), c. 1385-1390 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 757, fol. 245v |
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| Boucicaut Master, The Celestial Hierachy From De Proprietatatibus rerum by Barthelemy L'Anglais French (Paris), c. 1400-1425 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 9141, fol. 23v |
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| Paradise From the Speculum humanae salvationis Origin unknown, c. 1400-1450 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 9585, fol. 47v |
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| The Bedford Master, Feast of All Saints From the Bedford Hours French (Paris), c. 1410-1430 London, British Library MS Additional 18850, fol. 126r |
_Italian,%20c.%201423-1424_London,%20National%20Gallery.jpg) |
| Fra Angelico, The Court of Heaven (central predella panel) Italian, c. 1423-1424 London, National Gallery This panel must be viewed with the two panels which accompanied it to gain the whole picture. |
_Italian,%20c.%201423-1424_London,%20National%20Gallery.jpg) |
| Fra Angelico, The Virgin, the Apostles and Other Saints (left predella panel) Italian, c. 1423-1424 London, National Gallery and |
_Italian,%20c.%201423-1424_London,%20National%20Gallery.jpg) |
| Fra Angelico, Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs (right predella panel) Italian, c. 1423-1424 London, National Gallery |
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| Fra Angelico, The Last Judgment Italian, c. 1431 Florence, Museo di San Marco |
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| Hubert and Jan Van Eyck, The Ghent Altarpiece, Interior Flemish, c. 1432-1436 Ghent, St. Bavo Cathedral |
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| Fra Angelico, Coronation of the Virgin Italian, c. 1434-1435 Florence, Galleria degli Uffizi |
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| Coronation of the Virgin by the Trinity in Presence of All the Saints German, c. 1450-1475 Private Collection |
,%20c.%201450-1455_Los%20Angeles,%20J.%20Paul%20Getty%20Museum_MS%202,%20fol.%2020v%20(2).jpg) |
| Master of Guillebert de Mets, All Saints From a Book of Hours Flemish (Ghent), c. 1450-1455 Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum MS 2, fol. 20v |
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| Master Francois, The City of God From De Civitate Dei by Saint Augustine of Hippo French, c. 1466 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 19, fol. 232r |
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| Filippo Lippi, Coronation of the Virgin Italian, c. 1467-1469 Spoleto, Cathedral |
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| Francesco_Botticini, Assumption of the Virgin Mary Italian, c. 1475-1476 London, National Gallery |
,%20c.%201480-1490_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Fancais%20245,%20fol.%20156r.jpeg) |
| Jacques de Besancon, Feast of All Saints From Legenda aurea by Jacobus de Voragine French (Paris), c. 1480-1490 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 245, fol. 156r |
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| Erhard Schoen, The Great Rosary German, c. 1515 London, British Museum |
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| Tintoretto, Coronation of Virgin Mary Italian, c.1580 Venice, Palace of the Doge |
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| Giovanni Lanfranco, Paradise Italian, c. 1622-1638 Rome, Sant'Andrea della Valle (vault) |
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| Johann Hulsmann, St. Sebastian Altarpiece German, 1635 Cologne, Catholic Parish Church of Saint Gereon |
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| William Dyce, Christ Enthroned with Saints Design for a fresco for All Saints Church, Margaret Street, London English, 1849 London, Victoria and Albert Museum |
A Group Picture Seen Head On
Another way in which artists imagined all the saints was as
a group of individuals seen head on.
This, of course, resulted in clear images of only the first few rows of
figures. Beyond them other saints are
indicated only as fragmentary rows of haloes, or small fragments of heads,
without individuality. This was,
obviously not a very satisfactory way of representing all the saints. Probably for this reason, it did not have a very long life as a way of handling the subject.
,%20c.%201400-1425_London,%20British%20Library_MS%20Additional%2016997,%20fol.%20137%20(2).jpg) |
| Boucicaut Master, All Saints From a Book of Hours French (Paris), c. 1400-1425 London, British Library MS Additional 16997, fol. 137r |
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| Boucicaut Master, All Saints From a Book of Hours French (Paris), c. 1415-1420 Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum MS 22, fol. 257r |
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| Christ Surrounded by Saints From Speculum humanae salvationis Origin unknown, c. 1425-1450 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 9586, fol. 43v |
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| Osservanza Master, The Virgin and All Saints Cutting from a Choirbook Italian (Siena), c. 1430-1440 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Robert Lehman Collection |
,%20c.%201452_Paris,%20BNF_MS%20Nouvelle%20acquisition%20latine%203244,%20fol.%20118r.jpeg) |
| Master of Jouvenel des Ursins and Workshop, Coronation of the Virgin From the Hours of Jeanne de France French (Angers), c. 1452 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Nouvelle acquisition latine 3244, fol. 118r |
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| Willem Vrelant, All Saints From the Arenberg Hours Flemish, Early 1460s Los Angeles, J.Paul Getty Museum MS Ludwig IX 8, fol. 179r |
,%20c.%201471-1485_New%20York,%20Pierpont%20Morgan%20Library_MS%20M815,%20fol.%2033r.jpg) |
| Chief Associate of Master Francois, Hierarchy of Saints From a Book of Hours French (Paris), c. 1471-1485 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 815, fol. 33r |
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| Master of the Exchevainage and Workshop, The Court of Heaven From the City of God bu Saint Augustine of Hippo French (Paris), c. 1475-1500 Paris, Biblioitheque national de France Francais 28, fol. 273v |
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| Master of Mary of Burgundy, Procession of All Saints From the Hours of Mary of Burgundy Flemish, c. 1480 Berlin, Staatliche Museen, Kupferstichkabinett MS 78 B 12, fol. 30v |
,%20c.%201495-1505_New%20York,%20Pierpont%20Morgan%20Library_MS%20H8%20,%20fol.%20192v.jpg) |
| Jean Poyer, All Saints--Male and Female From Hours of Henry VIII French (Tours), c. 1495-1505 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS H 8, fol. 192v |
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| Master of the Older Prayer Book of Maximilian I, All Saints From Breviary of Eleanor of Portugal Flemish (Bruges), c. 1495-1515 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 52, fol. 532v |
,%20c.%201510-1520_Los%20Angeles,%20J.%20Paul%20Getty%20Museum+MS%20Ludwig%20IX%2018,%20fol.%20257v%20(2).jpg) |
| Master of James IV of Scotland, All Saints From the Spinola Hours Flemish (Ghent), c. 1510-1520 Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum MS Ludwig IX 18, fol. 257v |
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| Master of Claude de France, All Saints From Prayer Book of Claude de France French (Tours), c. 1515-1520 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 1166, fol. 48v-49r |
Group Seen from Behind
One of the other ways in which artists tried to present all
the saints was by viewing the mass of figures from behind. Like the groups seen head on, this is not an
ideal way of showing all the figures and, further, makes it virtually impossible to provide any of the figures with identifying attributes. However, the resulting pictures are, in their way,
rather amusing. They also are primarily produced by only one group of workshops, that of Jean Fouquet and his successors.
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Jean Fouquet. The Court of Heaven From the Hours of Etienne Chevalier French (Tours), c.1420 Chantilly, Musée Condé MS 71, fol 27r |
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| Jean Colombe. Paradise From the Tres Riches Heures du Jean Duc de Berry French, c. 1485-1489 Chantilly, Musée Condé MS 65, fol. 126r |
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| Workshop of the Master of the First Prayer Book of Maximilian I, All Saints From the Spinola Hours Flemish, c. 1510-1520 Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum MS Ludwig IX 18, fol. 270v |
The Vortex Arrangement
All these iconographic types were primarily popular during
the early to high Middle Ages and early Renaissance. Only the tiered arrangement was in continuous
use into later periods. One other
arrangement developed during the late Renaissance and continued for some
time. This is what I call the Vortex
Arrangement. In this type images of the
saints are arranged in a swirling pattern, focused on some important image (God
the Father, the Name of Jesus, the Holy Trinity, etc.) as if drawn in toward it
by centripetal force.
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| Hieronymus Bosch, Ascent of the Blessed to Paradise Dutch, c. 1510 Venice, Palazzo Ducale |
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| Jesus, Mary and All the Saints Interceding with God the Father German, c. 1540 Kassel, Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel, Museum Schloss Wilhelmshöhe |
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| Cornelis Cort, The Triumph of the Holy Trinity Dutch, c. 1550 Philadelphia, Museum of Art |
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| El Greco, Adoration of the Name of Jesus Greco-Spanish, 1578-1579 El Escorial, Monastery of San Lorenzo, Chapter House |
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| Carlo Saraceni, Paradise Italian, c. 1598 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art |
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| Andrea Michieli, The Court of Heaven Italian, c. 1600 Liverpool, Walker Art Gallery |
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| The Holy Trinity Adored by Saints French, 18th Century Paris, Musée du Louvre |
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| Jan Jakub, Worship of the Trinity by All the Saints Czech, c. 1718-1723 Ossegg, Abbey of the Assumption |
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| Pierre Jollain, Assumption of the Virgin French, 1752 Barnard Castle, County Durham (UK), The Bowes Museum |
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| Franz Anton Maulbertsch, Apotheosis of Hungarian Saints Austrian, c. 1772-1773 Berlin, Gemäldegalerie der Staatliche Museen zu Berlin |
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| Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Triumph of Religion Italian, c. 1775-1800 Paris, Musée du Louvre |
© M. Duffy, 2017. Selected images updated 2022.
1. Revelation 7:9
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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