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Middle Ages and Renaissance: Iconography, Votive Images and Cult of Saints along the Adriatic Countries

The main characteristic of medieval East Adriatic urban settlements, mostly founded already during the Roman dominion, is their intensive social and economic development starting from the beginning of the 12th century and reaching its peak in the 14th and 15th centuries. The flourish of various types of handicrafts and commerce reflected on creation of class of wealthy and influential patrician and citizen families influencing cultural and artistic development of Istrian and Dalmatian communes in the Late Middle Ages. Since artistic and cultural taste of East Adriatic communal elite in the period examined in this presentation was mostly directed by ecclesiastical authorities which also influenced the creation of personal piety of laics no wander that almost entire late medieval and renaissaance artistic heritage was firmly connected to various religious topoi clearly visible on the iconographic programms of votive images. Votive images, i. e. their iconography played an important role in popularization of cults of saints. In contrast to patron saints of communes, whose popularity was more or less limited on communal teritory, some saints, in particular Virgin Mary, were universal protectors and mediators of believers all over East Adriatic. After her reafirmation by high scolastic theologians and philosophers as mediatrix Christianorum the cult of Virgin Mary became extremely popular all over Western, Central and Southern Europe. Her popularity among believiers became even more routed after the appearance of the Black Death in the middle of the 14th century. Her cult among the inhabitans of East Adriatic communes was even strenghtened after the appearance of Ottoman military units in their close hinterland since she was considered as the protector against infideles Turcos. Specific historical circumstances, especially plague epidemics and Ottoman threat, strongly influenced on the popularity of some other saintly protectors such as St Rochus, St Michael Archangel, St Cosmas and Damianus and some other anti-plague or anti-Ottoman saints. Finally, particularly during the Late Middle Ages, same as in the other European countries belonging to the universum of Western Christianity, the cults of a few mendicant saints became extremely popular (St Francis, St Dominic, St Clare). Increasing mobility of Istrian and Dalmatian inhabitants for the purpose of bussines or piety was followed by increasing danger of death especially during their long land or naval travellings. There is a great number of extant last wills composed by merchants, artisans or pilgrims before leaving on dangerous trip by sea routes all over Mediterranean. The main reason for their recording was the fear from sudden death. Naval accidences often occured and, after happily returning home, surviving captains and ship owners frequently ordered votive images with the representations of Virgin Mary and other patron saints as a sign of their gratitude for saintly protection. Figures of saints were usually positioned in the upper part of image. In addition, some of votive paintings also had votive inscriptions. Thanks to such inscriptions the observer may understand the reason for what purpose certain votive image was painted. The oldest preserved East Adriatic examples of such votive images dated back to 16th century, although written notary records suggest that they were common much earlier. Such votive images are characterized by unifying iconography, simple and naive artistic expression, small dimensions and generally lower quality of wooden base on which votive images have been painted. Low quality of material is the main reason for their fast deterioration. Besides votive images with iconographic programms predominantly connected to the maritime life or misfortunes that occured at sea, in many istrian and dalmatian cities, churches, cathedrals, convents and monasteries there are preserved numerous large altar paintings with complex iconographic programms having same psychological and pious purposes. Yet, in contrast to previously mentioned, these votive images generally have much greater artistic value. In addition are presented two votive images from Split, one painted by Venetian renaissance painter Benedetto Diana with iconografic motiv Mater misericordiae, placed in franciscan monastery of St Anthony in Poljud, and another of unknown artist made in 14th century and placed in franciscan church Lady of Pojišane in Split.

Middle Ages; Renaissance; iconography; votive images; cult of saints; Croatia

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