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Chromatic Ascent: A Visual Exegesis of the Elevation of the Host in the Breviary of Margaret of Bavaria

Sandoval, Elizabeth Marie
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1338384440

Abstract Details

2012, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, History of Art.
An aberrant, heretofore unanalyzed illumination of the Elevation of the Host, is buried within the British Library’s Harley 2897, a breviary usually titled the Breviary of John the Fearless, on folio 211 verso. I hope to demonstrate that this illumination does not merely emphasize Christ’s continual sacrificial offering, but also the intercessory powers of the priest and Virgin, all in a format constructed to parallel a meditational ascent, while illuminating the piety of the Duchess. I contend that this miniature especially highlights the intricate connection between the dogmas of the Incarnation and transubstantiation through the figures of the Virgin and the priest. It includes a monochrome Madonna and Child altarpiece which chromatically links the Virgin with the elevated Host in an unprecedented and unparalleled way. The visual chromatic relationship reflects a devotion to Mary’s physical humanity and to its spiritual implications. The image further reinforces the analogy between the dogmas since the priest, who stands at the liminal space of the altar, holds and presents the consecrated Host just as the Virgin holds and presents the Christ child. Margaret could have used this image to contemplate theological concerns which were far beyond those of popular piety. In fact, the structure of the image supports the viewer’s engagement with such intricate theological themes in two ways. The figures are compositionally arranged in ascending order to reflect a metaphorical meditational ladder, which like the exceptional monochrome Madonna, one does not see in any other elevation scene. The architecture also supports a similar progression. The blue arches welcome Margaret, signaling that she is about to enter the liminal altar space, while the windows demarcate a threshold between the earthly and the spiritual. The image is not only about inclusions, however. Signficantly, the image does not show Margaret, though other patrons figure in their elevation scenes. By including only the figures who were present at the altar during the liturgy of the Eucharist, the illumination provides a more contemplative opportunity to move from the human to the divine. The absence of a historical figure welcomed Margaret into this atemporal space, and invited her active participation in this atemporal liturgy, when she used this image contemplatively. Margaret’s absence from the image reinforces a conceptual piety which sought to use the terrestrial to access the divine. This illumination may shed light on this piety, and contribute to the limited literature on this female sovereign. This image certainly indicates devotions different from those which studies recent scholarship ascribes to many contemporary privileged groups. By exegetically and iconologically examining The Elevation of the Host, I aim to present how much richer female devotional practices in the late Middle Ages were than previously thought. In particular, I aim to show how Margaret ultimately may have sought the fulfillment of what her image represents: Christ as the ultimate savior, Mary as a powerful priest and merciful intercessor, and the priest as an indispensable aid to salvation.
Barbara Haeger (Advisor)
Karl Whittington (Advisor)
137 p.
Art History
Margaret of Bavaria; Elevation of the Host; female patronage; female devotion; Immaculate Conception

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Sandoval, E. M. (2012). Chromatic Ascent: A Visual Exegesis of the Elevation of the Host in the Breviary of Margaret of Bavaria [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1338384440

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Sandoval, Elizabeth. Chromatic Ascent: A Visual Exegesis of the Elevation of the Host in the Breviary of Margaret of Bavaria. 2012. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1338384440.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Sandoval, Elizabeth. "Chromatic Ascent: A Visual Exegesis of the Elevation of the Host in the Breviary of Margaret of Bavaria." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1338384440

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.