Seat of Wisdom or Throne of Wisdom (Latin: sedes sapientiae) is one of many devotional titles for Mary in Roman Catholic tradition. In Seat of Wisdom icons and sculptures, Mary is seated on a throne with the Christ Child on her lap. For the more domestic and intimate iconic representations of Mary with the infant Jesus on her lap, see Madonna and Child. The Roman Catholic Church honors Mary, Seat of Wisdom, with a feast day on June 8.
The title and the imagery associated with it are occasionally also found in Protestant tradition; for example Merton College, Oxford commissioned a statue of "Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom" for its chapel in 2014.[1]
The invocation, "Seat of Wisdom", originated in the eleventh century.[2] Many early Christians saw Christ as Wisdom incarnate; therefore, by holding him on her lap, Mary becomes the “seat” of wisdom.[3] It later became part of the Litany of Loreto.[4]
In artedit
An enamel plaque on the processional Cross of Mathilde, showing an image of the donor together with Mary, Seat of Wisdom
This type of Madonna image is based on the Byzantine prototype of the Chora tou Achoretou ("Container of the Uncontainable"),[5] an epithet mentioned in the Acathist Hymn and present in the Greek East by the early 11th century, when the Byzantine-inspired enamels were made in Germany for the Cross of Mathilde. The type appeared in a wide range of sculptural and, later, painted images in Western Europe, especially around 1200. In these representations, some structural elements of the throne invariably appear, even if only handholds and front legs. The Virgin's feet often rest on a low stool. Later, Gothic sculptures of the type are more explicitly identifiable with the Throne of Solomon, where: "...two lions stood, one at each hand. And twelve little lions stood upon the six steps on the one side and on the other."(I Kings 10: 18–20)
The Sedes sapientiae icon also appeared in illuminated manuscripts and Romanesque frescoes and mosaics, and was represented on seals. The icon possesses in addition emblematic verbal components: the Virgin as the Throne of Wisdom is a trope of Damiani or Guibert de Nogent, based on their typological interpretation of the passage in the Books of Kings, that describes the throne of Solomon (I Kings 10: 18–20, repeated at II Chronicles 9: 17–19). This was much used in Early Netherlandish painting in works like the Lucca Madonna by Jan van Eyck.[6]
Other usesedit
Seal of the Catholic Univ. Leuven
In modern times, sedes sapientiae is on the seal of the Catholic University of Leuven (here a play on words, since the university itself is a major seat of learning in the Low Countries). In 1999, Notre Dame College in Dhaka created a collage of Mata Mary (Mother Mary, Bengali: মাতা মেরি; the common name in which the college is known as) where Mary is shown as the Seat of Wisdom. In September 2000, at the close of the Jubilee Year, Pope John Paul II commissioned the Slovenian Jesuit artist Marko Ivan Rupnik to create in mosaic an icon of the Virgin sedes sapientiae for the world's Catholic universities; it has since been passed reverently among Catholic institutions in a number of nations.[citation needed]
^"Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom: New chapel statue is dedicated". merton.ox.ac.uk.
^Rotan, S.M., Johann. "Mary, Seat of Wisdom". Marian Library. University of Dayton.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Moyer, Ginny Kubitz. "What does the title Mary, Seat of Wisdom mean?", Busted Halo, March 1, 2010
^Bagley, Charlotte Hartwell (1976). "Litany of Loreto". The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 8. Washington. p. 971.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ [Icons of Most Holy Theotokos] (in Greek). Rel.gr. Archived from the original on October 26, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
^Society for Renaissance Studies (Great Britain) (1992). Cosimo 'il Vecchio' de' Medici, 1389-1464: essays in commemoration of the 600th anniversary of Cosimo de' Medici's birth : including papers delivered at the Society for Renaissance Studies Sexcentenary Symposium at the Warburg Institute, London, 19 May 1989. Clarendon Press. p. 235. ISBN978-0-19-817394-6.
Further readingedit
Hans Belting, 1994. Likeness and Presence: A History of the Image before the Era of Art. Translated by Edmund Jephcott. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN9780226042145
Ilene H. Forsyth, 1972. The Throne of Wisdom: Wood Sculptures of the Madonna in Romanesque France. Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN9780691657165
Barbara G. Lane, 1984. The Altar and the Altarpiece, Sacramental Themes in Early Netherlandish Painting. New York: Harper & Row. ISBN0-06-430133-8
External linksedit
Media related to Sedes sapientiae at Wikimedia Commons
January 01, 1970
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Seat of Wisdom or Throne of Wisdom Latin sedes sapientiae is one of many devotional titles for Mary in Roman Catholic tradition In Seat of Wisdom icons and sculptures Mary is seated on a throne with the Christ Child on her lap For the more domestic and intimate iconic representations of Mary with the infant Jesus on her lap see Madonna and Child The Roman Catholic Church honors Mary Seat of Wisdom with a feast day on June 8 A 12th century statue in Sansepolcro Cathedral Italy The title and the imagery associated with it are occasionally also found in Protestant tradition for example Merton College Oxford commissioned a statue of Our Lady Seat of Wisdom for its chapel in 2014 1 Contents 1 History 2 In art 3 Other uses 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksHistory editThe invocation Seat of Wisdom originated in the eleventh century 2 Many early Christians saw Christ as Wisdom incarnate therefore by holding him on her lap Mary becomes the seat of wisdom 3 It later became part of the Litany of Loreto 4 In art edit nbsp An enamel plaque on the processional Cross of Mathilde showing an image of the donor together with Mary Seat of Wisdom This type of Madonna image is based on the Byzantine prototype of the Chora tou Achoretou Container of the Uncontainable 5 an epithet mentioned in the Acathist Hymn and present in the Greek East by the early 11th century when the Byzantine inspired enamels were made in Germany for the Cross of Mathilde The type appeared in a wide range of sculptural and later painted images in Western Europe especially around 1200 In these representations some structural elements of the throne invariably appear even if only handholds and front legs The Virgin s feet often rest on a low stool Later Gothic sculptures of the type are more explicitly identifiable with the Throne of Solomon where two lions stood one at each hand And twelve little lions stood upon the six steps on the one side and on the other I Kings 10 18 20 The Sedes sapientiae icon also appeared in illuminated manuscripts and Romanesque frescoes and mosaics and was represented on seals The icon possesses in addition emblematic verbal components the Virgin as the Throne of Wisdom is a trope of Damiani or Guibert de Nogent based on their typological interpretation of the passage in the Books of Kings that describes the throne of Solomon I Kings 10 18 20 repeated at II Chronicles 9 17 19 This was much used in Early Netherlandish painting in works like the Lucca Madonna by Jan van Eyck 6 Other uses edit nbsp Seal of the Catholic Univ Leuven In modern times sedes sapientiae is on the seal of the Catholic University of Leuven here a play on words since the university itself is a major seat of learning in the Low Countries In 1999 Notre Dame College in Dhaka created a collage of Mata Mary Mother Mary Bengali ম ত ম র the common name in which the college is known as where Mary is shown as the Seat of Wisdom In September 2000 at the close of the Jubilee Year Pope John Paul II commissioned the Slovenian Jesuit artist Marko Ivan Rupnik to create in mosaic an icon of the Virgin sedes sapientiae for the world s Catholic universities it has since been passed reverently among Catholic institutions in a number of nations citation needed See also editMaesta Maria Regina Madonna of humility Our Lady Seat of Wisdom College Church of Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Dublin Sophia wisdom Holy WisdomReferences edit Our Lady Seat of Wisdom New chapel statue is dedicated merton ox ac uk Rotan S M Johann Mary Seat of Wisdom Marian Library University of Dayton a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Moyer Ginny Kubitz What does the title Mary Seat of Wisdom mean Busted Halo March 1 2010 Bagley Charlotte Hartwell 1976 Litany of Loreto The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol 8 Washington p 971 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Or8odo3es fwtografies kai eikones Eikones ths Yperagias 8eotokoy PANAGIA h Xwra toy Axwrhtoy Icons of Most Holy Theotokos in Greek Rel gr Archived from the original on October 26 2013 Retrieved August 22 2014 Society for Renaissance Studies Great Britain 1992 Cosimo il Vecchio de Medici 1389 1464 essays in commemoration of the 600th anniversary of Cosimo de Medici s birth including papers delivered at the Society for Renaissance Studies Sexcentenary Symposium at the Warburg Institute London 19 May 1989 Clarendon Press p 235 ISBN 978 0 19 817394 6 Further reading editHans Belting 1994 Likeness and Presence A History of the Image before the Era of Art Translated by Edmund Jephcott Chicago University of Chicago Press ISBN 9780226042145 Ilene H Forsyth 1972 The Throne of Wisdom Wood Sculptures of the Madonna in Romanesque France Princeton Princeton University Press ISBN 9780691657165 Barbara G Lane 1984 The Altar and the Altarpiece Sacramental Themes in Early Netherlandish Painting New York Harper amp Row ISBN 0 06 430133 8External links edit nbsp Media related to Sedes sapientiae at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Seat of Wisdom amp oldid 1172104957, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
