Isabella Flores
The Lamentation of Christ is a common subject in Christian art from the High Middle Ages to the Baroque, depicting the moment of mourning after the Crucifixion and Christ's body being lowered from the cross. The typical clothing of the Biblical figures in Lamentation paintings includes halos and biblical clothing, with Mary typically wearing a red dress with a blue hooded cape, and Jesus naked with only a drape covering his waist.
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What You'll Learn
Nuns' identification with the women in the painting
Nuns' identification with the women depicted in paintings of the Lamentation is a significant aspect of the artistic and spiritual value of these works. The Lamentation is a common subject in Christian art, depicting the mourning of Jesus' body by his mother, Mary, and other disciples after his crucifixion.
In the context of Renaissance convents, art served a specific function: to support meditation and emotional empathy, with images of saints or deities often portrayed in static poses, serene and enduring, rather than performing distracting actions. Nuns, as the primary audience for these artworks, would have identified with the female figures in the paintings, whose dress and sorrow invited such identification.
For example, in Plautilla Nelli's Lamentation, four women weep together, linked by their gazes and gestures. Mary, instead of being depicted in a singular heroic pose, touches her breast, suggesting the privacy of her grief. The nuns of Santa Caterina, Nelli's primary audience, would have seen themselves reflected in these women, both in their dress and in the profound sorrow that provides a keynote for meditation on Christ's death.
Similarly, Michelangelo's friend, Vittoria Colonna, appreciated Northern art's "devoutness," which appealed to nuns and other religious individuals. This attraction to religious art can be understood as inviting identification with the grieving figures, particularly as women have historically been the primary mourners in many cultures, including Renaissance Florence and ancient Israel and Greece, where they prepared the dead for burial and sang lamentations.
The dress and presentation of the female figures in Lamentation paintings, along with the universal emotion of grief, create a powerful connection between the nuns who viewed these artworks and the women depicted within them, fostering a sense of shared humanity and spiritual reflection.
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The colour and style of the women's clothing
I found information on the clothing of women in the following Lamentation paintings:
Giotto's Lamentation
In Giotto's version of The Lamentation, three of the figures surrounding Jesus's body are women wearing biblical clothing. Mary Magdalene, recognisable by her long red hair, is dressed in a blue and pink robe. The other two women are not described in detail.
Plautilla Nelli's Lamentation
In Nelli's Lamentation, the four weeping women are dressed in clothing that invited identification from the nuns of Santa Caterina, who constituted Nelli's primary audience.
Andrea Mantegna's Lamentation of Christ
Mantegna's painting includes the Virgin Mary, who is dressed in red with a blue hooded cape.
Albrecht Dürer's Lamentation of Christ
I could not find specific details about the clothing of women in Dürer's Lamentation of Christ. However, it is a 15th-century painting, so it may be similar to the clothing in other paintings from this period.
Simon Marmion's Lamentation
I could not find specific information about the clothing of women in Simon Marmion's Lamentation. However, it is a 15th-century painting, so the clothing may be similar to that in other paintings from this period.
Raphael's Lamentation Over the Dead Christ
I could not find specific details about the clothing of women in Raphael's Lamentation Over the Dead Christ. However, it is a well-preserved painting with luminous colours, so the clothing of the women is likely to be colourful.
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The role of nuns in commissioning art
Nuns have played a significant role in commissioning art throughout history, particularly during the Renaissance period. Convent life provided an opportunity for creative expression, as women from wealthy households entered nunneries and were freed from the domestic responsibilities of marriage and motherhood. This allowed them to pursue their artistic interests and commission artworks. Renaissance convents were hubs of artistic activity, including writing, music, theatre, and the production of textiles, manuscripts, and altarpieces.
Art historian Jeffrey F. Hamburger, in his book "Nuns as Artists," challenges the notion that art created by nuns is deficient in skill and sophistication. He argues that the term "Nonnenarbeiten" (German for "nuns' works") diminishes the intellectual and devotional nature of their art. Nuns often created art as a method of devotion, with the belief that it would increase devotion for themselves and those who viewed their work.
One example of a nun influencing art is Plautilla Nelli's "Lamentation," which depicts four women weeping together, linked by their gaze or gesture. Nelli's audience, the nuns of Santa Caterina, would have identified with the female figures in the painting, whose sorrow provided a meditation on Christ's death. Nelli referenced earlier Florentine paintings, such as those by Perugino, Fra Bartolommeo, and Andrea del Sarto, but her focus was on the collective mourning of the women rather than the singular heroic demeanour of Christ's mother.
Another notable nun who influenced art is St. Catherine of Bologna, canonized in 1712 and known as the patron saint of artists. She decorated her breviary (a small liturgical prayer book) with simple religious drawings, believing that creating religious art would enhance devotion. Upon her death, her body was found to be uncorrupted, and it has remained on display in the convent.
Maria di Ormanno degli Albizzi, a 15th-century Italian nun, was one of the earliest female self-portraitists in Europe. She painted a miniature version of herself in a gold-and-blue checkered background within the pages of a 490-folio prayer book intended only for her Augustinian sisters. Maria Eufrasia Della Croce, a nun at Saint Giuseppe a Capo le Case, is credited with creating many works for her convent and training the artist Plautilla Bricci.
In conclusion, nuns have played a significant role in commissioning art and shaping the course of art history. They have created artworks, illuminated manuscripts, and tapestries, often as a form of devotion. Their artistic pursuits within convents provided an outlet for creative expression and contributed to the rich cultural life of the Renaissance period and beyond.
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The emotional response intended for the viewer
The function of art in the context of monastic life was to support meditation and induce emotional empathy. Nelli's painting serves this purpose by presenting the viewer with serene figures in static poses, allowing them to contemplate the profound grief depicted. The viewer is invited to share in the sorrow of the female figures, who are presented as carriers of cultural memory and emotional context for Christ's death.
The use of colour in Nelli's painting, with its muted pastel tones, also contributes to the emotional response of the viewer. The natural draping of the clothing and the expressiveness of the figures' faces further enhance the emotional impact.
Additionally, the positioning of the female figures at eye level in the large painting would have created a sense of proximity and connection for the nuns viewing it. The viewer is placed directly in front of Christ's wounds, and the fabric he lies on indicates that this is the time to mourn before he is buried. The viewer is meant to feel a sense of distance from Christ's body, emphasising the idea that he is now untouchable.
The viewer is also meant to feel a sense of hope amidst the pain. The portrayal of Christ's suffering is a reminder of his sacrifice, and the promise of his future resurrection. The overall emotional response intended for the viewer is one of deep sorrow, empathy, and a sense of meditative contemplation on the significance of Christ's death and resurrection.
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The painting's connection to Renaissance art
There are several paintings titled "The Lamentation", which depict the Biblical scene of Jesus's body, having been removed from the cross, being mourned by family and friends, with Mary and Jesus at the centre of the drama. The most notable of these paintings in relation to the Renaissance is "The Lamentation" by Giotto di Bondone, also known as "The Lamentation of Christ" or "The Mourning of Christ".
Giotto's painting is considered a masterpiece and is located in the Scrovegni, or Arena, Chapel in Padua, Italy. It was painted around the years 1304-1306, during the Proto-Renaissance, a period that originated before the Renaissance and is dated to around 1300-1400. Giotto's artistic style is considered to have bridged the gap between the flat, stylised Byzantine art of the time and the more three-dimensional, naturalistic style that would come to define Renaissance art.
Giotto's "The Lamentation" is characterised by its sense of depth and volume, with figures depicted in realistic poses and proportions, and their facial and bodily expressions recognisably emotional. This break from tradition is emblematic of the shift towards naturalism and humanity in art that would be fully realised during the Renaissance. The painting's composition, use of perspective, and consideration of light and shade give the scene a sense of movement and atmosphere, making it a very human and relatable image, regardless of the viewer's religious beliefs.
In addition to Giotto's "The Lamentation", there are other paintings with the same title that also have connections to Renaissance art. For example, "The Lamentation Over the Dead Christ" by Raphael, which was purchased by Isabella Stewart Gardner in the early 17th century, and "Lamentation" by Plautilla Nelli, which references earlier Florentine paintings by Perugino, Fra Bartolommeo, and Andrea del Sarto. These paintings, while not as groundbreaking as Giotto's in terms of artistic style, still contribute to our understanding of Renaissance art and its influence on subsequent artists.
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Frequently asked questions
The nuns in the painting are wearing dresses that invite the nuns of Santa Caterina, who constituted Nelli's primary audience, to identify with the female figures in the painting.
The Virgin Mary is wearing a red dress with a blue hooded cape. The woman kneeling on the floor kissing Jesus's foot is wearing a blue and pink robe. The woman on the left, past Jesus, is wearing a yellow and red robe.
The Virgin Mary, Saint John, and Mary Magdalene are wearing clothes typical of the time period.
