Molanus, a portrait destroyed by German military action in 1915[1]
He wrote numerous books, several only published posthumously. He is best known for his De Picturis et Imaginibus Sacris, pro vero earum usu contra abusus ("Treatise on Sacred Images"). This was published in 1570, four years after the Iconoclastic Fury had swept through the Low Countries, and it defended the production and use of devotional images, but enforcing the restrictions of the Council of Trent, as he interpreted them, in a brutally polemical fashion, which was very influential.[3] Five further, enlarged, editions of this appeared between 1594 and 1771,[4] and a modern French translation was published in 1996.[5] He was also lead editor of an edition of the works of Saint Augustine (Antwerp, Plantin Press, 1566–1577),[4] and wrote a manuscript history of Louvain that was printed in two volumes in 1861, edited by P. F. X. de Ram.[6]
Molanus was born in Lille, in Walloon Flanders, in 1533, the son of Hendrik Vermeulen and Anna Peters. His father was from Holland and his mother from Brabant.
He matriculated at Louvain University on 27 February 1554, graduating in the Liberal Arts in 1558 and as Doctor of Theology in 1570. He sat on the committee of theologians overseeing Lucas Brugensis's revision of the Leuven Vulgate, published in 1574.[7] He became a canon of St. Peter's Church, Leuven, and a professor of Theology, serving both as dean of the Faculty of Theology and as rector of the university. In 1579 he was appointed president of King's College.[8]
Molanus died in Louvain on 18 September 1585, having made bequests in favour of the college over which he had presided.
Molanus and art
Molanus is today mainly remembered by art historians for being one of the first authorities to turn the Council of Trent's short and inexplicit decrees on sacred images (1563) into minutely detailed instructions for artists, which were then widely enforced in Catholic countries mostly. His views on the older, originally Byzantine, depiction of the Nativity of Jesus in art are typical:
The Virgin is shown pale with pains, the midwives prepare a small (narcotic) drought for the childbirth. Why this? Is it because the Virgin Mary would have held back from any pain of childbirth, when in fact she brought forth her divine son without pain? And what pertains to the midwives who are mentioned in the apocryphal Book of the Infancy? Jerome says: There was no midwife! No obtrusiveness of women intervened! She, the Virgin, was both mother and midwife! I saw in not a few places the picture of the blessed Virgin lying on a bed, depicting childbirth, and she was suffering pains from this birth, but that is not true. How stupid! Those artists ought to be laughed at who paint Mary in the very act of childbirth pains, accompanied with pain, midwife, bed, little knives (to cut the umbilical cord), with hot compresses, and many other appurtenances. . . . Rather, those pictures should be promoted which show the birth of Christ in which the Blessed Virgin Mary with arms folded and on bended knee before her little son, as though he was just now brought forth into the light.[9]
Many painters show Mary and John the Baptist kneeling beside Our lord at the Last Judgment...But we may not think that at that day the Virgin Mary will kneel for us before the Judge, baring her breast to intercede for sinners. Nor may we think that John the Baptist will fall upon his knees to beg mercy for mankind in the way the painters show. Rather, the blessed Virgin and St. John shall sit beside the supreme Judge as assessors. The mercy which is extended now will have no place then. There will only be strict justice at that day.[10]
Nudity, even of the infant Jesus, was to be avoided as much as possible, and drapes must cover the genitals where it could not be.[11] Whilst condemning older depictions without a scriptural basis, he was not hesitant in creating new ones based on his own interpretation.[12]Saint Joseph should not be shown as the old, semi-comical figure of the Middle Ages, but as young, vigorous and firmly in control of the Holy Family. Mary Magdalene should not be shown as an over-dressed prostitute, and generally dress should be simple.[3] He opposed showing the Swooning Virgin Mary in scenes of Christ carrying the Cross or the Crucifixion itself.[13]
Publications
Usuardi martyrologium (Leuven, 1568) Available on Google Books
De Picturis et Imaginibus Sacris (Leuven, 1570) Available on Google Books
Reworked as the posthumously published Historia Sanctarum Imaginum (Leuven, 1594) Available on Google Books
Indiculus Sanctorum Belgii (Leuven, 1573) Available on Google Books
De fide haereticis servanda libri tres (Cologne, 1584) Available on Google Books
Theologiae Practicae Compendium (Cologne, 1585) Available on Google Books
Liber de piis testamentis (Cologne, 1585) Available on Google Books
De Canonicis libri tres (Cologne, 1587) Available on Google Books
Militia sacra ducum et principum Brabantiae (Antwerp, 1592), edited by Henricus van Cuyck for posthumous publication; available on Google Books
Natales sanctorum Belgii (Antwerp, 1595), edited by Henricus van Cuyck for posthumous publication; available on Google Books
Notes
^Delannoy, P. (May 1915). "The Library of the University of Louvain". United Settlement.
^Mary: Mediterranean Maid and Mother in Art and Literature, Jerome H. Neyrey, University of Notre Dame, Abstract, Biblical Theology Bulletin 20 (1990) 65–75.
^Online, with example of the depiction condemned De Historia SS. Imaginum et Picturarum, 1594, Book iv. cap. 24. translated in A. Caiger-Smith, English Medieval Wall Paintings [Bibliography Page], p. 35.
Decavele, Johan, "Molanus, Johannes", Grove Art Online, Oxford Art Online, Oxford University Press. Web. 4 Apr. 2017. subscription required.
Mâle, Émile, L'Art religieux après le Concile de Trente, étude sur l'iconographie de la fin du XVIe, du XVIIe et du XVIIIe siècles en Italie, en France, en Espagne et en Flandre (1932)
Penny, Nicholas, National Gallery Catalogues (new series): The Sixteenth Century Italian Paintings, Volume I, 2004, National Gallery Publications Ltd, ISBN1-85709-908-7
External links
Media related to Johannes Molanus at Wikimedia Commons
January 06, 2023
joannes, molanus, this, article, about, belgian, catholic, theologian, german, lutheran, theologian, gerhard, wolter, molanus, 1533, 1585, often, cited, simply, molanus, latinized, name, vermeulen, meulen, influential, counter, reformation, catholic, theologia. This article is about the Belgian Catholic theologian For the German Lutheran theologian see Gerhard Wolter Molanus Joannes Molanus 1533 1585 often cited simply as Molanus is the Latinized name of Jan Vermeulen or Van der Meulen 2 an influential Counter Reformation Catholic theologian of Louvain University where he was Professor of Theology and Rector from 1578 Born at Lille a city in the County of Flanders then under Habsburg rule he was a priest and canon of St Peter s Church Leuven where he died Molanus a portrait destroyed by German military action in 1915 1 He wrote numerous books several only published posthumously He is best known for his De Picturis et Imaginibus Sacris pro vero earum usu contra abusus Treatise on Sacred Images This was published in 1570 four years after the Iconoclastic Fury had swept through the Low Countries and it defended the production and use of devotional images but enforcing the restrictions of the Council of Trent as he interpreted them in a brutally polemical fashion which was very influential 3 Five further enlarged editions of this appeared between 1594 and 1771 4 and a modern French translation was published in 1996 5 He was also lead editor of an edition of the works of Saint Augustine Antwerp Plantin Press 1566 1577 4 and wrote a manuscript history of Louvain that was printed in two volumes in 1861 edited by P F X de Ram 6 Contents 1 Life 2 Molanus and art 3 Publications 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksLife EditMolanus was born in Lille in Walloon Flanders in 1533 the son of Hendrik Vermeulen and Anna Peters His father was from Holland and his mother from Brabant He matriculated at Louvain University on 27 February 1554 graduating in the Liberal Arts in 1558 and as Doctor of Theology in 1570 He sat on the committee of theologians overseeing Lucas Brugensis s revision of the Leuven Vulgate published in 1574 7 He became a canon of St Peter s Church Leuven and a professor of Theology serving both as dean of the Faculty of Theology and as rector of the university In 1579 he was appointed president of King s College 8 Molanus died in Louvain on 18 September 1585 having made bequests in favour of the college over which he had presided Molanus and art EditMolanus is today mainly remembered by art historians for being one of the first authorities to turn the Council of Trent s short and inexplicit decrees on sacred images 1563 into minutely detailed instructions for artists which were then widely enforced in Catholic countries mostly His views on the older originally Byzantine depiction of the Nativity of Jesus in art are typical The Virgin is shown pale with pains the midwives prepare a small narcotic drought for the childbirth Why this Is it because the Virgin Mary would have held back from any pain of childbirth when in fact she brought forth her divine son without pain And what pertains to the midwives who are mentioned in the apocryphal Book of the Infancy Jerome says There was no midwife No obtrusiveness of women intervened She the Virgin was both mother and midwife I saw in not a few places the picture of the blessed Virgin lying on a bed depicting childbirth and she was suffering pains from this birth but that is not true How stupid Those artists ought to be laughed at who paint Mary in the very act of childbirth pains accompanied with pain midwife bed little knives to cut the umbilical cord with hot compresses and many other appurtenances Rather those pictures should be promoted which show the birth of Christ in which the Blessed Virgin Mary with arms folded and on bended knee before her little son as though he was just now brought forth into the light 9 He objected on similar grounds to the Death of the Virgin her swooning at the foot of the Cross and her being shown supplicating Christ for mankind in Last Judgement scenes She would he said in fact be sitting alongside Christ in stern judgement Many painters show Mary and John the Baptist kneeling beside Our lord at the Last Judgment But we may not think that at that day the Virgin Mary will kneel for us before the Judge baring her breast to intercede for sinners Nor may we think that John the Baptist will fall upon his knees to beg mercy for mankind in the way the painters show Rather the blessed Virgin and St John shall sit beside the supreme Judge as assessors The mercy which is extended now will have no place then There will only be strict justice at that day 10 Also condemned were Saint Christopher as a giant carrying Christ and as the protector of travellers Saint George and the Dragon the Holy Kinship the unicorn hunt in the Hortus Conclusus and many other depictions not verifiable from reliable sources the Golden Legend was he said in fact of lead 3 Nudity even of the infant Jesus was to be avoided as much as possible and drapes must cover the genitals where it could not be 11 Whilst condemning older depictions without a scriptural basis he was not hesitant in creating new ones based on his own interpretation 12 Saint Joseph should not be shown as the old semi comical figure of the Middle Ages but as young vigorous and firmly in control of the Holy Family Mary Magdalene should not be shown as an over dressed prostitute and generally dress should be simple 3 He opposed showing the Swooning Virgin Mary in scenes of Christ carrying the Cross or the Crucifixion itself 13 Publications EditUsuardi martyrologium Leuven 1568 Available on Google Books De Picturis et Imaginibus Sacris Leuven 1570 Available on Google Books Reworked as the posthumously published Historia Sanctarum Imaginum Leuven 1594 Available on Google Books Indiculus Sanctorum Belgii Leuven 1573 Available on Google Books De fide haereticis servanda libri tres Cologne 1584 Available on Google Books Theologiae Practicae Compendium Cologne 1585 Available on Google Books Liber de piis testamentis Cologne 1585 Available on Google Books De Canonicis libri tres Cologne 1587 Available on Google Books Militia sacra ducum et principum Brabantiae Antwerp 1592 edited by Henricus van Cuyck for posthumous publication available on Google Books Natales sanctorum Belgii Antwerp 1595 edited by Henricus van Cuyck for posthumous publication available on Google BooksNotes Edit Delannoy P May 1915 The Library of the University of Louvain United Settlement Raymond van Uytven Molanus Johannes Nationaal Biografisch Woordenboek vol 2 Brussels 1966 580 582 a b c Male online a b Freedburg David Johannes Molanus on Provocative paintings PDF p 1 note 2 Retrieved 2013 12 13 Molanus Traite des saintes images ed and trans Francois Boespflug Olivier Christin and Benoit Tassel 2 vols Paris 1996 Jean Molanus Les quatorze livres sur l histoire de la ville de Louvain ed P F X de Ram 2 vols Brussels 1861 A C De Schrevel Lucas Francois dit Lucas Brugensis Biographie Nationale de Belgique vol 12 Brussels 1893 550 563 Alphonse Wauters Molanus Joannes Biographie Nationale de Belgique vol 15 Brussels 1899 48 55 Mary Mediterranean Maid and Mother in Art and Literature Jerome H Neyrey University of Notre Dame Abstract Biblical Theology Bulletin 20 1990 65 75 Online with example of the depiction condemned De Historia SS Imaginum et Picturarum 1594 Book iv cap 24 translated in A Caiger Smith English Medieval Wall Paintings Bibliography Page p 35 Blunt 1985 pp 114 118 Blunt 1985 p 127 Male Penny 2004 p 26 References EditBlunt Anthony Artistic Theory in Italy 1450 1660 chapter VIII especially pp 107 128 1940 refs to 1985 edn 1 OUP ISBN 0 19 881050 4 Decavele Johan Molanus Johannes Grove Art Online Oxford Art Online Oxford University Press Web 4 Apr 2017 subscription required Male Emile L Art religieux apres le Concile de Trente etude sur l iconographie de la fin du XVIe du XVIIe et du XVIIIe siecles en Italie en France en Espagne et en Flandre 1932 Penny Nicholas National Gallery Catalogues new series The Sixteenth Century Italian Paintings Volume I 2004 National Gallery Publications Ltd ISBN 1 85709 908 7External links Edit Media related to Johannes Molanus at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Joannes Molanus amp oldid 1124149444, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
