The fruit of devotion: mysticism and the imagery of love in Flemish paintings of the Virgin and Child, 1450-1550. Translated from the Dutch by Sammy Herman

Falkenburg, Reindert Leonard, 1952-

Published by Amsterdam ; Philadelphia: John Benjamins, 1994

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very good dust-jacket, very good light blue cloth. previous owner's name and address in ink. FALKENBURG, REINDERT LEONARD. The fruit of devotion: mysticism and the imagery of love in Flemish paintings of the Virgin and Child, 1450-1550. Translated from the Dutch by Sammy Herman. Amsterdam ; Philadelphia: John Benjamins, 1994, 244pp., . Series: Oculi volume 5. - Against the background of the wide-spread 'love' spirituality of the late Middle Ages, the book takes as its central theme the 'taste' metaphor which appears in paintings featuring the Virgin and Child, belonging to the genre of the Andachtsbild. The first chapter describes the use of fruit and flowers as sensory presentations to the Christ Child. The author traces the origin of this motif and explains how the consumption of fruit and the smelling of flowers point to symbolic connotations of love, virtuousness and the suffering of Christ. While the second chapter focuses on 'taste' metaphors in late medieval devotional tracts about spiritual Gardens of Love, the third chapter deals with the role of gustative imagery in late medieval religious experience in general. Special attention is paid to meditational prayers in Books of Hours and song texts. In the final chapter the author gives an iconological interpretation of the 'taste' metaphor in a whole range of contemporary Virgin and Child Andachtsbilder, explaining that the fragrance and flavour imagery is intended to induce the viewer, through meditation on the image, to identify emphatically with Christ. - CONTENTS: 1. Fragrance and flavour -- allusions to the undepictable. From icon to narrative. The imagery of the Song of Songs -- 2. The godliness of 'taste': literary witnesses. Medieval exegesis of the Song of Songs. The spiritual garden allegory in late medieval devotional literature. Garden allegories regarding the garden of virtue. Garden allegories around the theme of passion and compassion -- 3. Metaphors of consumption in the religious language of love of the late Middle Ages. Metaphors of consumption in the mystical tradition. Metaphors of consumption in the affective religious experience of the late Middle Ages -- 4. Taste metaphors in late medieval devotional paintings. Andachtsbilder: models of piety. The portrayal of 'tasting'. 9781556192708 ISBN 1556192703. Seller Inventory # 93197

Bibliographic Details

Title: The fruit of devotion: mysticism and the ...

Publisher: Amsterdam ; Philadelphia: John Benjamins, 1994

Binding: Hardcover

Dust Jacket Condition: Dust Jacket Included