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2018 | 18 | 35-48

Article title

Two Suppers: Illustrations by Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen to Passio Domini Nostri Jesu Christi (1523) and the Eucharistic Controversy of the Early Reformation

Content

Title variants

Languages of publication

EN

Abstracts

EN
This paper looks at two engraving by Jacob Cornelisz. Van Oostsanen made for a prayer book entitled “Passio Domini Nostri Jesu Christi”, published in 1523. We explore the visual and narrative sources of these two suppers – Passover and Last supper, paired for the first time in a passion book text. How these images were related to the text written by an Amsterdam humanist and fervent Catholic Alardus van Amsterdam? How did the Suppers affect Eucharistic controversy started by reformers and Martin Luther in particular? Which affirmation did the engravings make within the Eucharistic controversy context? We can conclude that the book “Passio Domini Nostri jesu Christi” edited by Alardus of Amsterdam and published by Doen Pietersz with engravings by Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen can be considered a perfect example of the Counterreformation art created before the Council of Trent. Nonconventional iconography and deviations in the storyline of the Passion had been employed on purpose. The Amsterdam humanist and artist countered Luther and his followers with a narrative and pictorials, including two suppers: the Passover and Last Supper; deviating from the canonical story line and established iconographic tradition in order to prove validity of the Catholic doctrine on the concept of the Eucharist at a time when it was sparking fiery debates with the reformers. Therefore, Alardus intended to use the Passover as a proof of the validity of the Eucharist’s interpretation as a sacrifice. Following the God’s ordain the Jews sacrificed a lamb, marked the doors with its blood forcing the death to evade their houses and were eventually saved by following this routine. In order to ensure that salvation never failed they had to repeat this sacrifice on 10th day of each new year. Since the Passover has been always considered to be a direct prototype of the Last Supper and Christ’s sacrifice therefore a mass originating from the Passover had been taking over its features, regularity, and strict ritual and sacrifice (“a good deed”) paving the way for salvation. Whereas the Last Supper was intended to champion the Transubstantiation doctrine. These methods allowed championing the doctrines branded by Luther as “captivities” of sacrament by finding irrefutable evidence in the Old and New Testaments. The Amsterdam Passion book dated 1523 represent an effort of the intellectual elite of the Northern Netherlands to restrain the spread of the Reformation that nonetheless will eventually succeed in conquering the north much faster than the south. However, “Passio Domini” is an invaluable source for the future researchers of the Reformation Eucharist controversy that took place in 1520s since its narrative and especially the visual background demonstrate the innovative capabilities of the Catholic party manifested at the early stage of a clash with Luther’s teaching.

Keywords

Year

Volume

18

Pages

35-48

Physical description

Contributors

  • Kyiv, Ukraine

References

Document Type

Publication order reference

Identifiers

YADDA identifier

bwmeta1.element.desklight-62d8f13a-58f6-4089-90d4-8a87e1957731
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