Credo cycle in St. Georg (Ochsenhausen)
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| Twelve Articles of Faith - Allegory of the Church (detail) |
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| Johann Josef Anton Huber , 1784 |
| fresco |
| 200 × 300 cm |
| St. Georg Ochsenhausen |
The Credo cycle in St. Georg is a twelve-part fresco cycle created around 1784 by the painter Johann Josef Anton Huber in the left and right aisles of St. Georg , the former collegiate church of the former imperial abbey of Ochsenhausen in Upper Swabia . The fresco cycle in the style of early classicism is one of the few representations of the Twelve Articles of Faith of the Apostles' Creed in Christian painting.
Representations
Six frescoes in the sequence of images are located in the two side aisles of the nave of the church, in polygonal cartouches artfully stuccoed by Thomas Schaidhauf . The cycle begins in the north aisle at the rosary altar and runs from east to west. In the south aisle it is continued in the same direction at the Sebastian altar. Huber made the frescoes based on models from his predecessor and teacher Johann Georg Bergmüller .
Creation of the world
1st article: I believe in God the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth
The painting depicts God, the Creator, floating on a cloud in the middle of the cosmos, supported by two winged putti and an angel. The paradise garden is already completely designed - according to the biblical creation story according to the Genesis story : the sun, moon and stars are fixed on the firmament, currents of paradise flow, flora and fauna are created.
Important representatives of the Upper Swabian domestic and domestic world - sheep, billy goats and dogs - are prominently in the foreground of the composition. A eating hare and a resting bull also characterize the idyll. Birds move in the sky. Adam stands naked at Eve's side in the Garden of Eden .
Heaven and earth go back to the Creator who hovers over his creatures.
Jesus Christ
Article 2: And to Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord
Christ appears here as the exalted, iconographically designed according to the Pantocrator .
This means a type of representation in which Christ often sits on a globe, looks at the viewer, blesses with his right hand and holds an open Gospel book in his hand. Instead, Christ has a golden scepter in his hand!
The pantocrator type, which has come a long way in Christian art history, emphasizes above all
- the equality of Christ (God the Son as the second person of the Trinity),
- his world domination,
- his power of blessing and
- his teaching authority.
The continuous mark of the risen and exalted Christ is the wide, generous cloth in purple color , in which the lower body of Christ is wrapped and which loosely blows around his body. The cloth gives the image composition its own dynamism and strength. Both the following picture of Easter and the further picture of the Trinity, even the picture of the final judgment, continue this basic motif only slightly modified.
Adoration of the Shepherds
Article 3: Received by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary
The main motifs of the Christmas picture follow the Gospel of Luke . The divine child in the stable at Bethlehem is held by Mary; on the left Joseph with a basket of chickens at his feet. The wooden crib is lined with hay. A gray, hay-eating donkey becomes visible on the left edge of the picture. "Neither stable nor ... donkeys are mentioned in the Bible, they are related to the prophet Isaiah ... associated with birth: ... the donkey recognizes the manger of his master " ( Isaiah 1,3, EU EU ) .
The shepherds approach the event with their hats in their hands and shepherds' bags slung over their necks from the right through an open door; two of them, one beardless and one bearded, are already kneeling behind the crib. The muscular arms and calves are also noticeable. As far as can be seen, in contrast to most of the other figures in the entire cycle, the shepherds wear a culottes , a kind of colored knee breeches, which were also common as clothing for the common people at the end of the 18th century.
The sky is open over the wooden room. In the background hovers over Mary, painted in delicate colors, the Archangel Gabriel , who holds a lily in his right hand and with his left hand points to the dove of the Holy Spirit, which hovers diagonally above him. The motif of the Annunciation of the Lord (Latin Annuntiatio Domini , also Annunciation ) comes here at the same time: Receiving by the Holy Spirit .
The band of angels who announced the arrival of the divine child to the shepherds can be seen above the events in the stable. Bright light falls on the scene from the top left; on the right a staircase leads down, on which a young man or a young woman comes up.
With the mystery of Christmas or the incarnation , the event of redemption begins in the picture cycle.
Passion and burial of Jesus
4th article: Suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified, died and buried
In the left half of the picture is Pontius Pilate , the governor of the Roman emperor. As was quite common in the 18th century north of the Alps, he is depicted “as an imaginatively dressed oriental” with a turquoise turban . He stands behind a scourge column and lets a woman pour water over his hands. "The washing of hands ... emphasizes the Church's assignment of guilt for the death of Christ to the Jews ". “With the flagellation, the physical destruction of the Son of God began. ... The torture initiated the execution of the crucifixion ”. However, typical for the end of the 18th century: the gruesome process itself is no longer depicted, but only indicated subtly symbolically. Bundles of rods and lictor's ax , insignia of the Roman world power, lie by the scourge column . Crown of thorns and lance can also be seen in the picture.
The three crosses of Golgotha can be found at some distance on a rear hill in the center of the picture . On the right side, however, Joseph of Arimathea , Mary, Magdalena and Veronica wrap the battered, dead body of Christ in a shroud. The depicted female figures at the edge of the grave also contain all the characteristics of a so-called Lamentation of Christ in the overall strongly condensed and temporally condensed composition.
In addition, the typical instruments of Christ's passion appear on this panel , which have played a central role as arma Christi in the iconography of the Passion of Jesus since the Middle Ages.
The mood of decay and the emotion of mourning are underlined in this composition by a Roman landscape of ruins that characterizes the background to the right of the Golgotha cross. Broken arches, crumbling columns and ruinous structures indirectly reinforce the impression of suffering and dying. Striking, and yet at the same time typical of the time, is the renunciation of the direct representation of a battered and dying Christ on the cross or even the imposition of a dead Christ hanging on the cross.
Resurrection of Jesus
Article 5: Descended into the realm of death, rose from the dead on the third day
Jesus has ascended again into the kingdom of the living. The red cloth blows around his loins, his upper body remains naked. He triumphantly holds the cross-flag of victory over death in his right hand and - unusual - with his left hand blesses the three horrified Roman guards at the grave. Two of them are wearing metal helmets , and two are also armored with a round shield . One stumbles and holds on to the shield, the other is amazed at the gleam of light and a third draws his battle sword. An angel has lifted the lid of the coffin. Christ is depicted with delicately suggested wounds on his hands and feet, a gash on the right side of the chest. We have the motif of Easter in mind.
The first part of the fifth article is also taken into account. The descent of Christ into the realm of death, the so-called descent into hell of Christ (lat. Descensus Christi ad Inferos ), is discussed. It led to the liberation of Adam and his descendants, who now, painted in pale colors, rise up with Noah , King David and other biblical figures parallel to the rising Christ. Adam holds an apple in his hand as an attribute, Noah has the ark , David the royal crown and a harp. There is also a typological reference to the Old Testament: Christ, the son of David ( Lk 20.41, EU EU ) completes the messianic vision that connects with the figure of King David and at the same time represents the new Adam ( Rom 5:14 , EU EU ), which reverses the fall of Adam and re-opens the kingdom of God to mankind.
Trinity
Article 6: Ascended to Heaven; he sits at the right hand of God the Almighty Father
The theological idea of the Trinity is represented graphically here. The aged father as the creator of the world, with a golden scepter in his right hand, and the young son, "sitting on the father's right hand" , sit side by side in a fraternal manner at eye level.
Christ, the Son of God, leans on the Father's cheek. God the Father is dressed in green. Christ appears in a matching complementary color: the lavishly falling red cloak of the son covers the blue globe. Christ's breast is bared. Christ's wound from the stab of a lance is easy to see, as are his marks on his hands and feet. The exalted Christ bears the signature of the crucified.
It is also noticeable that the wooden cross of Golgotha - strongly rotated - is also present in the heavenly realm of the Father, and even appears larger than in the previous Passion painting. In this context it becomes an eternal sign of salvation and Christian redemption. The crossbar of the cross, which is backed by a dark cloud, creates its own dynamic.
The Holy Spirit is behind the two, in an elevated position, so that an isosceles triangle is created in the image geometry, which radiates harmony to the viewer. God the Father, God's Son and the Holy Spirit together form a mysterious entity. Four putti and two angel figures frame the divine ensemble in the picture. The picture represents the content of the Trinity Festival.
The ascension of Christ , the beginning of the sixth article, is also indicated. At the bottom right of the picture you can see, as is so often the case in the centuries-old tradition, the bare footprints of Jesus from the Jerusalem Mount of Olives , which are shown in a classicist reduction as a very discreet hint that Christ is now leaving the earthly realm forty days after Easter and from then on belonged to another, otherworldly reality.
The rounded harmony of the picture content is finally reinforced by the outer boundary of the picture, which - similar to the last picture in the cycle - is framed by white, circular-arc-shaped stucco fields .
Last Judgment
7th article: from there he will come to judge the living and the dead
The cycle continues in the right aisle.
Christ, with his upper body bared, sits confidently on a “rainbow, which was already the sign of the old covenant. Yahweh had made the old covenant with Noah, Christ seals the new covenant which will bring back eternal life ”.
The lower part of Christ's body is wrapped in red cloth, which is reminiscent of royal purple and underlines the stately character of the scene. In this type of picture, “the right hand is always raised in a gesture of blessing”.
He is accompanied by the host of saints. Assessor of the court is, among other things, unmistakably the figure of Peter with the heavenly keys. Traditionally, Christ is flanked in the background by Mary and John the Baptist as intercessors. But all of this is "not based on the text of the Bible".
The rescued with lighter skin complexion , blond and physically well formed, are on Christ's right hand, those in front kneel with folded hands, some look up to the Lord.
The damned on his left, with darker skin complexions who do not last in the judgment of Christ, stumble away in panic to the right, with expressive, fearful looks. One of them screams and pulls his hair. Other figures disappear behind rocks in the abyss.
All figures in the court scene are strikingly naked, only the bare essentials are covered with textiles. This is both a biblical allusion to Job 1, 13: "I came naked from my mother's womb, naked I leave again!" ( Job 1:21, EU EU ), as well as to Jesus' parable of the (light) sheep and (dark) goats ( Mt 25,32, EU EU ).
Sending out the Holy Spirit
8th article: I believe in the Holy Spirit
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With this section of the picture cycle begins the part dealing with the beliefs of Christian pneumatology and ecclesiology . At the same time, the content of Pentecost is brought to bear.
The Holy Spirit is symbolized high above in the shape of a dove. Mary as the central figure kneels on a pedestal, fiery tongues of the Spirit - as described in Acts , Chapter 2 - have settled on her and the apostles.
The group of apostles is fully present as a circle of twelve, six disciples are to the right of Mary, another six are to the left. Despite certain symmetries, the way they are set up appears extremely lively and loosely assembled: standing, sitting, kneeling, with gestures of amazement and prayer.
The rushing and wafting of the spirit is made visually visible through waving cloths that are fixed to the pillars of a building and at the same time flutter outwards.
Allegory of the Church
Article 9: The Holy Catholic Church, Communion of Saints
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The church is represented in its three different areas as suffering, conflicting and triumphant church . In the center of the picture is a woman with a yellow stole as a personification of the Warring Church. It is the representation of the Ekklesia , which embodies the Church of the Living and comes to bear as a female figure in art history. It is provided with its usual attributes: tiara , staff with triple Pope's cross, Petri key . The key is the central attribute of Peter, so this is a "heavenly key", derived from the biblical quote "I want to give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven" . The attributes also include a book and a chalice with a host , which symbolizes the gifts of the sacrament of the Eucharist . Behind the mother church stands a round church on a rock, above which the triangle of the Trinity shines.
On the left side, poor souls in purgatory symbolize the Church of Suffering, while on the right side the Triumphant Church of the Saints in Heaven begins with the Apostle Paul , who can be identified by his sword. In the background you can see Christ in the clouds, surrounded by angels.
Banquet in Simon's house
Article 10: Forgiveness of Sins
Mary Magdalene with blond, flowing hair is shown drying Jesus' feet with her own hair. A large metal jug protrudes from the lower edge of the picture. The Gospel according to Luke closes a few verses later: She loved a lot, so much will be left behind for her ( Lk 7.47, EU EU ). “ Augustine identified the sinner with no name in the Bible text as Mary Magdalene, who was close to Christ and anointed him before his capture. ... but Christ forgave her sin on his own impulse, which appeared to the Jews, especially the law-abiding Pharisees, as blasphemy. The reception of sinners, those without rights and those who are despised hits the core of the new forgiveness doctrine of Christ ” .
The scene is embedded in a banquet where women serve various dishes. Other people are two Pharisees on the opposite side of the table and another behind Jesus.
The perspective of the painting is noticeably underexposed .
Resurrection of the dead
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Article 11: Resurrection of the Dead
Four angels with a Roman tuba , an unbent brass instrument, play the four cardinal points and cause the dead to be generally awakened to the resurrection of the bodies. The last four things expected with death and resurrection in Christian eschatology are now under way: The rest and sleep of the dead is over.
The graves of those who have fallen asleep open and people, some of whom look disturbed, crawl out of the covered, stone grave enclosures.
Allegory of Eternal Life
Article 12: And Eternal Life
The painting is one of the most striking and outstanding images in the series of twelve. It closes the cycle with the thought of eternal life . The painting is framed by a large, gold ring . This is a symbol of infinity and infinity. A woman with winged shoulders and feet holds on to the ring and stretches her feet into the room towards the viewer. A young woman, dressed in yellow and blue, holds a metal-framed magnifying glass through which the viewer looks up and through into heavenly spheres. Another young woman in a green undergarment and pastel-colored coat looks out of the ring and spreads the finger of her left hand.
The three figures holding the ring can be interpreted as faith, love, hope, as personified Christian virtues . The earliest mention can be found in 1 Thess 1,3, EU EU , the best known, however, in 1 Corinthians: “For now, faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of them is love! ” ( 1 Cor 13:13, EU EU ).
- Faith (lat. Fides ) - right woman: faith comes to look; initially - in earthly life - indistinct, "as if through a mirror", but then finally clear and "face to face" (Paul according to 1 Corinthians 13).
- Hope (lat. Spes ) - woman in the middle above: the hope for heavenly bliss is often represented in Christian iconography with wings (here even with winged legs).
- Love (lat. Caritas ) - left woman: in a red robe and with a flaming heart in the open left hand, she symbolizes the virtue that is called “the greatest”.
According to Paul, all three virtues have in common that they will endure forever.
Mary with her arms outspread and a choir of saints can be seen in the background. The eye of God hovers above her , from which light, like a sun, emanates in rays. The pastel pink triangle , set in a light blue circle and surrounded by a light- filled halo , represents the Holy Trinity in an abstract way. It symbolizes the everlasting presence of the Triune God; three flames - instead of an eyeball - underline the trinitarian aspect of the divine symbol of faith.
The "clouds of the sky", the tint of which takes on a dark brown color towards the edge, limit the section. Behind this is the biblical idea that God is enthroned above and behind clouds. The book of prophets Isaiah knows the request ( Isaiah 63.19, EU EU ): “God, tear open the sky!” - “The idea may seem naive: The veiled God should push aside the clouds that hide him, pull the curtain away ". The "direct vision and knowledge of God is blocked to man". Baroque ceiling paintings "only give an idea of the heavenly harmony and 'light power' of God". The much larger area of the picture thus remains cloudy, only a circular section, namely the view through the ring, opens a blurred view of the other world behind the earthly world. Or with Paul: We only see this other world here on earth “as if through a cloudy mirror” ( 1 Cor 13:12, EU EU ).
The ring, which grips the view into the heavenly realm of the world beyond, is itself a symbol of eternity.
The rounded and absolutely perfect harmony of this picture content is also reinforced in the finale of the cycle by the outermost frame of the picture, which - similar to the sixth picture in the cycle, which depicts the divine trinity - has circular stucco fields. The inner gold ring corresponds relationally with the outer white plaster ring.
literature
- Doyen Erwin Sontag: Ochsenhausen. Eglise St Georges, sous l'Empire abbaye de Bénédictins. Ochsenhausen.
Web links
- Benedictine Abbey St. Georg Ochsenhausen in the database of monasteries in Baden-Württemberg of the Baden-Württemberg State Archives
- Official website of Ochsenhausen Monastery
- Religious educational worksheet on the Twelve Articles of Faith by Ochsenhausen (PDF; 83 kB)
Individual evidence
- ^ Sabine Poeschel, Handbuch der Ikonographie. Sacred and profane themes in the visual arts, Darmstadt 2005, p. 141.142, ISBN 3-534-15617-X
- ↑ a b Sabine Poeschel, Handbuch der Ikonographie. Sacred and profane themes in the visual arts, Darmstadt 2005, p. 173, ISBN 3-534-15617-X
- ^ Sabine Poeschel, Handbuch der Ikonographie. Sacred and profane themes in the visual arts, Darmstadt 2005, p. 174, ISBN 3-534-15617-X
- ↑ a b Sabine Poeschel, Handbuch der Ikonographie. Sacred and profane themes in the visual arts, Darmstadt 2005, p. 207, ISBN 3-534-15617-X
- ↑ Reclam's Lexicon of Saints and Biblical Figures. Legend and representation in the fine arts, ed. v. Hiltgart L. Keller, Stuttgart 1987, 6th edition, p. 148, see also p. 254.255, ISBN 3-15-010154-9
- ↑ See: Matthew 16, verse 19
- ^ Sabine Poeschel, Handbuch der Ikonographie. Sacred and profane themes in the visual arts, Darmstadt 2005, p. 153, ISBN 3-534-15617-X
- ^ Doyen Erwin Sontag: Ochsenhausen, p. 17
- ↑ See: Matthew 26, verse 64
- ↑ Handbook of Church Education. Perceiving, interpreting and opening up church interiors, ed. by Hartmut Rupp, Stuttgart 2006, p. 65, ISBN 3-7668-3960-8
- ↑ Handbook of Church Education. Perceiving, interpreting and opening up church interiors, ed. by Hartmut Rupp, Stuttgart 2006, p. 66, ISBN 3-7668-3960-8