Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MARIA (Marian Apocryphal Representations in Art: From Hagiographic Collections to Church Space and Liturgy in Fourteenth-to-Sixteenth-Century France)
Reporting period: 2018-09-01 to 2020-08-31
This two-year project focused on the dissemination of Marian apocryphal iconography in religious contexts specific for fourteenth and sixteenth century France. The investigation was the first comprehensive study which determined the contribution of liturgy and liturgical tradition to the development and dissemination of Marian apocryphal depictions and their transition from hagiographic collections to church space. This project furthered existent research by demonstrating that changes in the liturgical context, in which depictions of Mary were used, were equally significant to their evolution, popularity, and dissemination. The project offered a comparative approach on (visual and textual) Apocryphal material by concentrating on the analysis of religious (liturgical, hagiographical) sources in connection to iconographic patterns and their transition from hagiographic collections to church space.
As the investigation of medieval apocryphal iconography in religious contexts was only partially explored, the investigation started with these neglected resources, by concentrating on the early life of the Virgin Mary. The overall objective of this project was to carry out the first comprehensive study on the contribution of religious contexts to the development and dissemination of Marian apocryphal depictions and their transition from hagiographic collections to church space.
As the investigation of medieval apocryphal iconography in religious contexts was only partially explored, the investigation started with these neglected resources, by concentrating on the early life of the Virgin Mary. The overall objective of this project was to carry out the first comprehensive study on the contribution of religious contexts to the development and dissemination of Marian apocryphal depictions and their transition from hagiographic collections to church space.
The project had a strong interdisciplinary level by integrating medieval iconography, liturgy, hagiography, and cultural studies. The research indicated the intricate connection between these fields and the processes of assimilating Apocryphal data. The project has omitted in its initial phase material related to the devotio moderna, because of the large amount of information that had to be included in the research itself. Finally, some material pertaining to this phenomenon has been included as the trace of the research really required it for comparative purposes. It is the case of visual material rather than textual.
The overall objective was reached by concentrating on several working stages:
The first specific objective identified the quantum of Marian Apocrypha integrated into the liturgical material of fourteenth-to-sixteenth century France with particular emphasis on the Nativity and Presentation at the Temple.
The investigation continued with the cultural and religious use of Apocryphal material in connection to hagiographic collections. In several cases Marian elements were inserted in hagiographic collections showing that the Apocryphal elements of the vita Marianum are not static, but moving elements, and together with them one speaks of iconographic movement.
Due to the relatively small number of examples of epigraphic material and the project results, the epigraphic analysis has been omitted.
The project analyzed the connection between Marian iconography (of apocryphal nature) and liturgy. The research focused on two significant iconographic patterns, Nativity of Mary and Presentation at the Temple, as by the end of the fourteenth century, Marian feasts such as the Presentation at the Temple, started to become universal. It investigated developments and differences with regard to the space of dissemination, be that church space or the space of the manuscript folio. This furthered the gender dimension of the research as it investigated differences concerning the use of textual/visual apocryphal material when offered for female opposed to male audience, be that in church space, monastic space or in private space, as resources for private devotion. More precisely, my sources indicated a difference in the use of iconographies when themes such as The Presentation at the Temple are displayed in church space, that is general audience, both male and female, or private devotion, female audience.
Furthermore the research indicated the use of gendered models for the construction of iconographies: masculine models, that of Christ, for the construction of Mary’s presentation to the temple, and feminine models, the use of Marian iconography for the construction of female saints, such as Saint Anne.
The fourth specific objective analysed the apocryphal visual (and textual) material in the context of the devotio moderna. The project has omitted in its initial phase material related to the devotio moderna, because of the large amount of information that had to be included in the research itself. However, some material pertaining to this phenomenon has been included as the trace of the research really required it for comparative purposes. It is the case of visual material rather than textual. Marian domestic representations have been substituted by other iconographic and textual sources which enhanced the gendered dimension of the research.
A number of three scientific publications disseminating the project results have been submitted for review. One of the three publications has already been out of press and uploaded on ARCA-openAIRE-open access repositories of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.
Further results were disseminated via teaching activities, social media, websites, participation to the European researchers' night, conferences, and workshops.
The overall objective was reached by concentrating on several working stages:
The first specific objective identified the quantum of Marian Apocrypha integrated into the liturgical material of fourteenth-to-sixteenth century France with particular emphasis on the Nativity and Presentation at the Temple.
The investigation continued with the cultural and religious use of Apocryphal material in connection to hagiographic collections. In several cases Marian elements were inserted in hagiographic collections showing that the Apocryphal elements of the vita Marianum are not static, but moving elements, and together with them one speaks of iconographic movement.
Due to the relatively small number of examples of epigraphic material and the project results, the epigraphic analysis has been omitted.
The project analyzed the connection between Marian iconography (of apocryphal nature) and liturgy. The research focused on two significant iconographic patterns, Nativity of Mary and Presentation at the Temple, as by the end of the fourteenth century, Marian feasts such as the Presentation at the Temple, started to become universal. It investigated developments and differences with regard to the space of dissemination, be that church space or the space of the manuscript folio. This furthered the gender dimension of the research as it investigated differences concerning the use of textual/visual apocryphal material when offered for female opposed to male audience, be that in church space, monastic space or in private space, as resources for private devotion. More precisely, my sources indicated a difference in the use of iconographies when themes such as The Presentation at the Temple are displayed in church space, that is general audience, both male and female, or private devotion, female audience.
Furthermore the research indicated the use of gendered models for the construction of iconographies: masculine models, that of Christ, for the construction of Mary’s presentation to the temple, and feminine models, the use of Marian iconography for the construction of female saints, such as Saint Anne.
The fourth specific objective analysed the apocryphal visual (and textual) material in the context of the devotio moderna. The project has omitted in its initial phase material related to the devotio moderna, because of the large amount of information that had to be included in the research itself. However, some material pertaining to this phenomenon has been included as the trace of the research really required it for comparative purposes. It is the case of visual material rather than textual. Marian domestic representations have been substituted by other iconographic and textual sources which enhanced the gendered dimension of the research.
A number of three scientific publications disseminating the project results have been submitted for review. One of the three publications has already been out of press and uploaded on ARCA-openAIRE-open access repositories of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.
Further results were disseminated via teaching activities, social media, websites, participation to the European researchers' night, conferences, and workshops.
The project was in accordance with the European Commission’s support of the cultural/cultural heritage sector as the project had the potential to reveal and redefine previous cultural-religious mechanisms essential to understand today’s European (religious/artistic) heritage. It also fit the Horizon 2020 Europe in a changing world-Inclusive, innovative, and reflective societies policy by concentrating on the better understanding of Europe’s cultural past in order to re-evaluate present day’s culture/cultural heritage.
Stakeholders such as museums, art galleries, libraries, archives, and cultural heritage sites can use the information on new possibilities of valuing their artefacts. The above mentioned stakeholders can benefit of the outcome of the research by publications. This encourages a direct transfer of the results indicating their applicability.
The inclusion of apocryphal textual material into liturgy had a fundamental contribution to the development of Marian iconography, and implicitly, to European church tradition. The project demonstrated that the incorporation of sources considered as non-canonical has a more prominent influence than expected.
The results enabled further research on other European areas (e.g. Central Europe) in a comparative perspective as indicated by the researcher’s project, for academic year 2020-2021, concentrating on devotions in Late Medieval-Early Modern Franco-Italian Contexts.
The successful completion of the project enhances my academic career perspectives and contributes substantially to my development as a researcher by the extension of my working contract in order to develop a research project to be submitted with the European Research Council.
Stakeholders such as museums, art galleries, libraries, archives, and cultural heritage sites can use the information on new possibilities of valuing their artefacts. The above mentioned stakeholders can benefit of the outcome of the research by publications. This encourages a direct transfer of the results indicating their applicability.
The inclusion of apocryphal textual material into liturgy had a fundamental contribution to the development of Marian iconography, and implicitly, to European church tradition. The project demonstrated that the incorporation of sources considered as non-canonical has a more prominent influence than expected.
The results enabled further research on other European areas (e.g. Central Europe) in a comparative perspective as indicated by the researcher’s project, for academic year 2020-2021, concentrating on devotions in Late Medieval-Early Modern Franco-Italian Contexts.
The successful completion of the project enhances my academic career perspectives and contributes substantially to my development as a researcher by the extension of my working contract in order to develop a research project to be submitted with the European Research Council.