The Evangelists and the Apostles represented in Art the Spiritual
Church, and took their place among the heavenly influences. The great
Fathers or Doctors were the representatives of the Church Militant
on earth: as teachers and pastors, as logicians and advocates, they
wrote, argued, contended, suffered, and at length, after a long and
fierce struggle against opposing doctrines, they fixed the articles of
faith thereafter received in Christendom. For ages, and down to the
present time, the prevailing creed has been that which was founded on
the interpretations of these venerable personages. They have become,
in consequence, frequent and important subjects of Art, particularly
from the tenth century—the period when, in their personal character,
they began to be regarded not merely as gifted and venerable, but as
divinely inspired; their writings appealed to as infallible, their
arguments accepted as demonstration. We distinguish them as the Latin
and the Greek Fathers. In Western Art, we find the Latin Fathers
perpetually grouped together, or in a series: the Greek Fathers seldom
occur except in their individual character, as saints rather than as
teachers.
The four Latin Doctors are St. Jerome, St. Ambrose, St. Augustine,
and St. Gregory. When represented together, they are generally
distinguished from each other, and from the sacred personages who may
be grouped in the same picture, by their conventional attributes.
Thus St. Jerome is sometimes habited in the red hat and crimson robes
of a cardinal, with a church in his hand; or he is a half-naked,
bald-headed, long-bearded, emaciated old man, with eager wasted
features, holding a book and pen, and attended by a lion. St. Ambrose
wears the episcopal robes as bishop of Milan, with mitre and crosier,
and holds his book; sometimes, also, he carries a knotted scourge, and
a bee-hive is near him. St. Augustine is also habited as a bishop, and
carries a book; he has often books at his feet, and sometimes a flaming
heart transpierced by an arrow. The origin and signification of these
symbols I shall explain presently.
[Illustration: _The Four Latin Fathers._]
* * * * *
In the most ancient churches the Four Doctors are placed after the
Evangelists. In the later churches they are seen combined or grouped
with the evangelists, occasionally also with the sibyls; but this
seems a mistake. The appropriate place of the sibyls is neither with
the evangelists nor the fathers, but among the prophets, where Michael
Angelo has placed them.
* * * * *
Where the principal subject is the glory of Christ, or the coronation
or assumption of the Virgin, the Four Fathers attend with their books
as witnesses and interpreters.
1. A conspicuous instance of this treatment is the dome of San Giovanni
at Parma. In the centre is the ascension of Christ, around are the
twelve apostles gazing upwards; below them, in the spandrils of the
arches, as if bearing record, are the Four Evangelists, each with a
Doctor of the Church seated by him as interpreter: St. Matthew is
attended by St. Jerome; St. Mark, by St. Gregory; St. Luke, by St.
Augustine; and St. John, by St. Ambrose.
2. A picture in the Louvre by Pier-Francesco Sacchi (A.D. 1640)
represents the Four Doctors, attended, or rather inspired, by the
mystic symbols of the Four Evangelists. They are seated at a table,
under a canopy sustained by slender pillars, and appear in deep
consultation: near St. Augustine is the eagle; St. Gregory has the ox;
St. Jerome, the angel; and St. Ambrose, the lion.
3. In a well-known woodcut after Titian, ‘The Triumph of Christ,’ the
Redeemer is seated in a car drawn by the Four Evangelists; while the
Four Latin Doctors, one at each wheel, put forth all their strength
to urge it on. The patriarchs and prophets precede, the martyrs and
confessors of the faith follow, in grand procession.
4. In a Coronation of the Virgin, very singularly treated, we have
Christ and the Virgin on a high platform or throne, sustained by
columns; in the space underneath, between these columns, is a group
of unwinged angels, holding the instruments of the Passion. (Or, as I
have sometimes thought, this beautiful group may be the souls of the
Innocents, their proper place being under the throne of Christ.) On
each side a vast company of prophets, apostles, saints, and martyrs,
ranged tier above tier. Immediately in front, and on the steps of the
throne, are the Four Evangelists, seated each with his symbol and book:
behind them the Four Fathers, also seated. This picture, which as a
painting is singularly beautiful, the execution finished, and the heads
most characteristic and expressive, may be said to comprise a complete
system of the theology of the middle ages.[245]
5. We have the same idea carried out in the lower part of Raphael’s
‘Disputa’ in the Vatican. The Four Doctors are in the centre of what
may be called the _sublunary_ part of the picture: they are the only
seated figures in the vast assembly of holy, wise, and learned men
around; St. Gregory and St. Jerome on the right of the altar, St.
Ambrose and St. Augustine on the left. As the two latter wear the same
paraphernalia, they are distinguished by having books scattered at
their feet, on which are inscribed the titles of their respective works.
* * * * *
The Madonna and Child enthroned, with the Doctors of the Church
standing on each side, is a subject which has been often, and sometimes
beautifully, treated; and here the contrast between all we can
conceive of virginal and infantine loveliness and innocence enshrined
in heavenly peace and glory—and these solemn, bearded, grand-looking
old Fathers, attending in humble reverence, as types of earthly
wisdom—ought to produce a magnificent effect, when conceived in the
right spirit. I can remember, however, but few instances in which the
treatment is complete and satisfactory.
1. One of these is a picture by A. Vivarini (A.D. 1446), now in the
Academy at Venice. Here, the Virgin sits upon a throne under a rich
canopy sustained by four little angels. She looks out of the picture
with a most dignified, tranquil, goddess-like expression; she wears,
as usual, the crimson tunic and blue mantle, the latter being of a
most brilliant azure; on her brow, a magnificent jewelled crown; the
Divine Child stands on her knee, and raises his little hand to bless
the worshipper. To the right of the Virgin, and on the platform of her
throne, stands St. Jerome, robed as cardinal, and bearing his church;
with St. Gregory, habited as pope. To the left stands St. Ambrose,
holding his crosier and knotted scourge, and St. Augustine with his
book. This is a wonderful picture, and, as a specimen of the early
Venetian school, unequalled. The accuracy of imitation, the dazzling
colour, the splendid dresses and accessories, the grave beauty of the
Madonna, the divine benignity of the Infant Redeemer, and the sternly
thoughtful heads of the old Doctors, are not only positively fine, but
have a relative interest and value as being stamped with that very
peculiar character which belonged to the Vivarini and their immediate
followers. It was painted for the Scuola della Carità.[246]
2. A different and a singular treatment of the Four Fathers occurs
in another Venetian picture.[247] Christ is represented seated on a
throne, and disputing with the Jewish doctors, who are eagerly arguing
or searching their books. In front of the composition stand St. Jerome,
St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, and St. Gregory; who, with looks fixed on
the youthful Saviour, appear to be reverentially listening to, and
recording, his words. This wholly poetical and ideal treatment of a
familiar passage in the life of Christ, I have never seen but in this
one instance.
3. A third example is a picture by Moretto, of extraordinary
beauty.[248] The Virgin sits on a lofty throne, to which there is an
ascent of several steps; the Child stands on her right; she presses
him to her with maternal tenderness, and his arms are round her neck.
At the foot of the throne stand St. Ambrose, with his scourge, and
St. Augustine; St. Gregory, wearing the papal tiara, and without a
beard, is seated on a step of the throne, holding an open book; and
St. Jerome, kneeling on one knee, points to a passage in it; he wears
the cardinal’s dress complete. This picture is worthy of Titian in the
richness of the effect, with a more sober grandeur in the colour. The
Virgin is too much like a portrait; this is the only fault.[249]
* * * * *
In the Chapel of San Lorenzo, in the Vatican, Angelico has painted
eight Doctors of the Church, single majestic figures standing under
Gothic canopies. According to the names _now_ to be seen inscribed
on the pedestals beneath, these figures represent St. Jerome,[250]
St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, St. Gregory, St. Athanasius, St. Leo,
St. John Chrysostom, and St. Thomas Aquinas. St. John Chrysostom and
St. Athanasius represent the Greek doctors. St. Leo, who saved Rome
from Attila, is with peculiar propriety placed in the Vatican; and
St. Thomas Aquinas, the angelic doctor, naturally finds a place in a
chapel painted by a Dominican for a pope who particularly favoured the
Dominicans,—Nicholas V.
* * * * *
The Four Fathers communing on the mystery of the Trinity, or the
Immaculate Conception, were favourite subjects in the beginning of the
seventeenth century, when church pictures, instead of being religious
and devotional, became more and more theological. There is an admirable
picture of this subject by Dosso Dossi.[251] Above is seen the Messiah,
as Creator, in a glory; he lays his hand on the head of the Virgin,
who kneels in deep humility before him; St. Gregory sits in profound
thought, a pen in one hand, a tablet in the other; St. Ambrose and
St. Augustine are similarly engaged; St. Jerome, to whom alone the
celestial vision appears to be visible, is looking up with awe and
wonder. Guido, in a celebrated picture,[252] has represented the
Doctors of the Church communing on the Immaculate Conception of the
Virgin. The figures are admirable for thoughtful depth of character in
the expression, and for the noble arrangement of the draperies; above
is seen the Virgin, floating amid clouds, in snow-white drapery, and
sustained by angels; visible, however, to St. Jerome and St. Ambrose
only.
* * * * *
Rubens has treated the Fathers several times: the colossal picture in
the Grosvenor Gallery is well known, where they appear before us as
moving along in a grand procession: St. Jerome comes last; (he should
be first; but on these points Rubens was not particular:) he seems in
deep contemplation, enveloped in the rich scarlet robes of a cardinal
of the seventeenth century, and turning the leaves of his great
book. In another picture we have the Four Fathers seated, discussing
the mystery of the Eucharist; St. Jerome points to a passage in the
Scriptures; St. Gregory is turning the page; they appear to be engaged
in argument; the other two are listening earnestly. There is another
picture by Rubens in which the usual attributes of the Fathers are
borne aloft by angels, while they sit communing below.
* * * * *
These examples will suffice to give a general idea of the manner
in which the four great Doctors of the Western Church are grouped
in devotional pictures. We will now consider them separately, each
according to his individual character and history.