A Printed Icon in Early Modern Italy: Forlì's Madonna of the Fire

310 Pages·2015·29.757 MB·English

by  Lisa Pon

A PRINTED ICON IN EARLY MODERN ITALY
Forlı`’s Madonnaof theFire
In 1428, a devastating fire destroyed a schoolhouse in the Northern
ItaliancityofForlı`,leavingonlyawoodcutoftheMadonnaandChild
thathadbeentackedtotheclassroomwall.ThepeopleofForl`ıcarried
that print – now known as the Madonna of the Fire – into their
cathedral,wheretwocenturieslateranewchapelwasbuilttoenshrine
it. In this book, Lisa Pon considers a cascade of moments in the
MadonnaoftheFire’sculturalbiography:wheninkwasimpressedonto
paperatanow-unknowndate;whenthatsheetwasrecognizedbyForlı`’s
peopleasmiraculous;whenitwasenshrinedinvarioustabernaclesand
chapelsinthecathedral;whenitoroneofitscopieswas–andstillis–
carried in procession. In doing so, Pon offers an experiment in art
historical inquiry that spans more than three centuries of making,
remaking,andrenewal.
Lisa Pon is an associate professor in the Department of Art History at
Southern Methodist University’s Meadows School of the Arts, where
sheteachesthehistoryofearlymodernEuropeanart,architecture,and
visualculture.Shehasreceivedresearchgrantsorfellowshipsfromthe
American Council of Learned Societies, the Gladys Krieble Delmas
Foundation, the American Philosophical Society, the Center for the
Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, the Getty Research Institute, and
the Warburg Institute. She has published numerous articles in inter-
nationalacademicjournalsandisauthorofRaphael,Du¨rer,andMarcan-
tonio Raimondi: Copying and the Italian Renaissance Print (2004) and
coeditor of The Books of Venice/Il Libro Veneziano (2008, with Craig
Kallendorf).

A Printed Icon
in Early Modern Italy
FORLI`’S MADONNA OF THE FIRE f
Lisa Pon
32AvenueoftheAmericas,NewYork,NY10013–2473,USA
CambridgeUniversityPressispartoftheUniversityofCambridge.
ItfurtherstheUniversity’smissionbydisseminatingknowledgeinthepursuitof
education,learning,andresearchatthehighestinternationallevelsofexcellence.
www.cambridge.org
Informationonthistitle:www.cambridge.org/9781107098510
©LisaPon2015
Thispublicationisincopyright.Subjecttostatutoryexception
andtotheprovisionsofrelevantcollectivelicensingagreements,
noreproductionofanypartmaytakeplacewithoutthewritten
permissionofCambridgeUniversityPress.
Firstpublished2015
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
AcatalogrecordforthispublicationisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary.
LibraryofCongressCataloginginPublicationData
Pon,Lisa.
APrintedIconinEarlyModernItaly/LisaPon,SouthernMethodistUniversity.
pages cm
ISBN978-1-107-09851-0(Hardback)
1. Madonnaofthefire. 2. Wood-engraving,Italian–15thcentury. 3. Mary,BlessedVirgin,
Saint–Art. 4. JesusChrist–Art. 5. Venerationoficons–Cult–Italy–Forl?. I. Title.
NE958.3.I8P662015
7690.4855094548–dc23 2014042756
ISBN978-1-107-09851-0Hardback
CambridgeUniversityPresshasnoresponsibilityforthepersistenceoraccuracyof
URLsforexternalorthird-partyInternetWebsitesreferredtointhispublication
anddoesnotguaranteethatanycontentonsuchWebsitesis,orwillremain,
accurateorappropriate.
PublicationofthisbookhasbeenaidedbyagrantfromtheMillardMeissPublicationFundofthe
CollegeArtAssociation,aRenaissanceSocietyofAmerica-KressPublicationGrant,and
aSamTaylorFellowship.
CONTENTS f
List of Illlustrations page vi
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction: Art, Icon, Print 1
Part I Thing
One. Iconography: Madonna and Child 13
Two. Imprint: Paper, Print, and Matrix 39
Part II Emplacement
Three. Miracle: The Fire of February 4,1428 83
Four. Domestic Display: Lombardino da Ripetrosa’s
Schoolhouse 99
Five. Ecclesiastical Enshrinement: The Cathedral of Forlı` 121
Part III Mobilities
Six. Moving in the City:The Translation of 1636 141
Seven. Mobilein Print: The Procession onPaper 168
Eight. Multiplied: The Madonnaof the Fire inForl`ı
andBeyond 195
Notes 218
Selected Bibliography 260
Index 283
v
ILLUSTRATIONS f
I. MadonnaoftheFire.CathedralofSantaCroce,Forl`ı,Italy. pagexvii
II. NicolangeloScianna.DigitalreconstructionoftheMadonnaoftheFire. xviii
III. GiovannidiMastroPedrino,TheMiracleoftheMadonnaoftheFire,
ca.1450–60. xix
IV. 1636processionalpathmarkedinredonadetailfromVincenzo
Coranelli,MapofForlı`,1694. xx
(Thesefourcolorplatesfollowpagexvi.)
1. MosaicoftheApseofCathedralofSantaMariaAssunta,Torcello,Italy.
Byzantine.Photo:Scala/ArtResource,NY 18
2. MadonnaandChildandsurroundingnarrativescenes,coveroftheSaint
LupicinGospels.6thcentury.Ivory,36.9cm(cid:2)30.3cm.Ms.Lat.9384
Bibliothe`quenationaledeFrance,Paris.Photo:BnF 19
3. Berlinghiero.VirginandChildwithSaints,ca.1230s.Temperaand
goldleafonpoplarpanel,42.6cm(cid:2)51.5cm.TheCleveland
MuseumofArt,GiftoftheJohnHuntingtonArtandPolytechnic
Trust1966.237.Photo:©TheClevelandMuseumofArt 21
4. MadonnaandChild,theLamentation,andSaints,latefourteenthcentury.
Temperaandgoldleafonpanel,87cm(cid:2)130cmincludingwings.
MuseoCorrer,Venice,Italy.Photo:CameraphotoArte,Venice/Art
Resource,NY 22
5. SimonedaBologna,calledSimonedeiCrocifissi,Triptych,ca.1395.
Temperaandgoldleafonpanel,53.98cm(cid:2)47.63cm.BlantonMuseum
ofArt,TheUniversityofTexasatAustin,TheSuida-ManningCollection,
1999(526.1999).Photo:RickHall 23
6. VirginHodegetria,centralplaqueontheJenabookcover.Ivory,13.0cm(cid:2)
11.8cm.Source:Thu¨ringerUniversita¨ts-undLandesbibliothek
(ThULB),Jena 25
7. MosaicoftheapseoftheChurchofSantaMariainTrastevere,
Rome.12thcentury.Photo:Scala/ArtResource,NY 26
8. WorkshopofBernardoDaddi,MadonnaandChild,1345–49.Tempera
andgoldleafonpanel,68.8cm(cid:2)46.8cm.TheWaltersArtMuseum,
Baltimore 28
9. AmbrogioLorenzetti,Maesta`,ca.1335–7.Temperaandgoldleafonpanel,
161cm(cid:2)207cm.Pinacoteca,MassaMarittima.Photo:Scala/Art
Resource,NY 29
vi
Illustrations vii
10. PaoloVeneziano,MadonnaandChild,ca.1340.Temperaandgoldleaf
onpanel,107cm(cid:2)77cm.A.CrespiCollection,Milan.Photo:Scala/Art
Resource,NY 30
11. WorkshopofLorenzoGhiberti,MadonnaandChild,ca.1425–50.
Pigmentedstuccorelief.©VictoriaandAlbertMuseum,London 31
12. Raphael,TheNiccolini-CowperMadonna,1508,oilonpanel,Andrew
W.MellonCollection,NationalGalleryofArt,Washington,DC.
CourtesyNationalGalleryofArt,Washington,DC 32
13. MadonnadelPopolo,inthechurchofSantaMariadelPopolo,Rome.
Photo:Alinari/ArtResource,NY 33
14. BernardoDaddi,TheVirginMarywithSaintsThomasAquinasandPaul,
ca.1335.Temperaandgoldleafonpanel,121.6cm(cid:2)113cm
(withoriginalengagedframe).TheJ.PaulGettyMuseum,LosAngeles.
DigitalimagecourtesyoftheGetty’sOpenContentProgram 35
14a. DetailofFig.14,beforeconservation.TheJ.PaulGettyMuseum,
LosAngeles 35
15. MadonnaBianca,inthechurchofSanLorenzo,Portovenere.
Photo:author 36
16. SalusPopuliRomani,inthechurchofSantaMariaMaggiore,Rome.
Photo:Alinari/ArtResource,NY 40
17. MichelinoMolinaridaBesozzo,SaintLukePaintingtheVirgin,ca.1430.
ThePierpontMorganLibrary,NewYork.MSM.944,fol.75v.
PurchasedwiththegenerousassistanceofAliceTullyinmemoryof
Dr.EdwardGraeffe,1970.Photo:ThePierpontMorganLibrary,NY 41
18. GiorgioVasari,SaintLukePaintingtheVirgin,ca.1565.Fresco.Church
ofSantissimaAnnunciata,Florence.Photo:Scala/ArtResource,NY 42
19. CircleofBaldassarreCroce,St.LukePaintingtheSalusPopuliRomani,
earlyseventeenthcentury.Oilonpanel.MuseodellaBasilicadiS.Maria
Maggiore,Rome.Photo:CourtesyofProf.RichardStracke,www.
christianiconography.info 43
20. NorthernItalian,TheVirginwiththeInfantChristChildonHerKnee,
1450–75.Woodcutcoloredbyhandandpastedontowood,
65cm(cid:2)45.7cm.©VictoriaandAlbertMuseum,London 47
21. NorthernItalian,St.Christopher,fifteenthcentury.Woodcutwithhand
coloring,pastedintoRubierinotebook,195cm(cid:2)65mm,Biblioteca
Oliveriana,Cod.98,fol.1r,Pesaro 52
22. NorthernItalian,TrinityandSaints.Woodcutwithhandcoloring.
Inv.N.45,InstituzioneBibliotecaClassense,Ravenna 53
23. RembrandtvanRijn,TheHundredGuilderPrint,1648.Etching,engraving,
anddrypoint.Stateii/ii.281mm(cid:2)392mm.MarkS.WeilArtwork
2011IrrevocableTrust,PromisedGiftofMarkS.WeilandPhoebe
DentWeiltotheSt.LouisArtMuseum 54
24. MarcantonioRaimondiandRaphael,Parnassus,ca.1517–20.Engraving,
36.8cm(cid:2)48.4cm(sheet).CourtesyofNationalGalleryofArt,
Washington,DC 55
25. InstructionsforJanvanderHeyden’sWaterPump,1648.Etchingand
moveabletype,315mm(cid:2)384mm.Rijksmuseum,Amsterdam 56
26. Fifteenth-centuryEucharistiron,MuseuEpiscopaldeVic.©Museu
EpiscopaldeVic 59
viii Illustrations
27. IsrahelvanMeckenem,ImagoPietatis,1490.Photo:bpk,Berlin/
Kupferstichkabinett,StaatlicheMuseen,Berlin,Germany/Jo¨rg
P.Anders/ArtResource,NY 60
28. BalthasarMontcornet(?),Schluckbilder,seventeenthcentury.13.5cm(cid:2)
19.9cm.KunstsammlungenderFu¨rstenzuWaldburg-Wolfegg 61
29. ClaudeMellan,FaceofChristonSt.Veronica’sCloth,1735.Engraving,
43cm(cid:2)31.5cm(sheet).TheElishaWhittelseyFund,1969,
MetropolitanMuseumofArt.Photo:OASC,metmuseum.org 62
30. AlbrechtDu¨rer,TheSudariumHeldbyOneAngel,1516.Etching
18.6cm(cid:2)13.3cm.RogersFund,1917,MetropolitanMuseumof
Art.Photo:OASC,metmuseum.org 63
31. HansSchlafferofUlm,TheSudarium,1470–75.Hand-coloredwoodcut,
28.1cm(cid:2)20.6cm.HarrisBrisbaneDickFund,1941,Metropolitan
MuseumofArt.Photo:OASC,metmuseum.org 66
32. SouthGerman,ChristintheMysticWinePress,firstquarterofthe
fifteenthcentury.Hand-coloredwoodcut,289mm(cid:2)204mm
(maximumdimensionsofsheet).GermanischesNationalmuseum
Nu¨rnberg.Photo:MonikaRunge 67
33. LouisWillemssens,MysticWinePress,1678.Marble.Cathedral,
Antwerp,Belgium.FotoMarburg/ArtResource,NY 68
34. JodocusBadiusAsceniuspublisher’sdevice.Woodcut.BridwellLibrary
SpecialCollections,PerkinsSchoolofTheology,Southern
MethodistUniversity 69
35. LambertSuaviusIII,PortraitofMelchiorSchetus,ca.1554.Engraving,
83mmdiameter.©TrusteesoftheBritishMuseum 72
36. LambertSuaviusIII,PortraitofBalthasarSchetus,1561.Engraving,
85mmdiameter.©TrusteesoftheBritishMuseum 73
37. LambertSuaviusIII,PortraitofGasparSchetus,1554.Engraving,
87mmdiameter.©TrusteesoftheBritishMuseum 74
38. BronzesealfortheconfraternityofSantaMariadiGerusalemme
inSanLorenzo,Naples.Latefourteenthorearlyfifteenthcentury.
41cm(cid:2)40mm.MuseodelBargello,Florence 77
39. Left:MadonnadelPopolo(Fig.13).Right:Forlı`’sMadonnaofthe
Fire(ColorPlateI) 78
40. DetailofGiovannidiMastroPedrino,TheMiracleoftheMadonnaof
theFire(ColorPlateIII) 84
41. JanvanderHeyden,ViewintoaBurningHouse,figure2inJanvander
Heyden,Beschryvingdernieuwlijksuitgevondenengeoctrojeerde
slang-brand-spuiten(Amsterdam:JanRieuwertsz,1690).Photo:
GettyResearchInstitute 87
42. Raphael,FireintheBorgo,1514–17.Fresco.Stanzadell’Incendio,
VaticanPalace.Photo:Alinari/ArtResource,NY 92
43. DetailofErcolede’Roberti,MiraclesofSaintVincentFerrer,1473.
Temperaonwood.VaticanPinacoteca.Photo:VaticanMuseums 93
44. Herculani,MiracleoftheMadonnaoftheFire.Etchingandaquatint.
ArchivioCapitolareForl`ı.Photo:Liverani 94
45. DetailfromNicolaPisano,ArcadiSanDomenico,1264–7.Marble.
BasilicadiSanDomenico,Bologna.TheRalphLiebermanPhotographic