An elegant crow scared towards a heremit in prayer, painted on the walls of a rocky hermitage below the abbey of Santa Maria di Pulsano, is at the origin of this research. This study investigates the biblical and patristic roots of the crow ichnography that is considered bird of bad luck. Beginning from the episode of Elijah when he was fed in the torrent Cherit, the figure of the crow increased in importance in a positive way as an instrument of the Divine Providence. As stated by Jerome in Vita Pauli the crow is linked to the heremit representation in an indissoluble way. From Gregory the Great Dialogi onwards, the crow will become in the end the essential element of Benedectine literature and ichnography. In the wohle of Puglia the crow is associated above all with Benedict, but also with Elijah and Onofrio, who are worshipped by the monastic movements of heremitic tendency. In Gargano we can find it on the depictions of Elijah in Peschici, on the ones of Onofrio in Manfredonia and in Pulsano heremitage. Is it possible that this ichnographic element could suggest the heremit's identification in prayer with Giovanni from Matera? In fact he was the founder of Pulsano congregation that in the anonymous Vita is already considered in compliance with the figures of Elijah, John the Baptist, Paolo di Tebe and Antonio.
Echi biblici e patristici nell'iconografia del corvo: gli eremi di Santa Maria di Pulsano e altri esempi pugliesi
INFANTE, LORENZO
2005-01-01
Abstract
An elegant crow scared towards a heremit in prayer, painted on the walls of a rocky hermitage below the abbey of Santa Maria di Pulsano, is at the origin of this research. This study investigates the biblical and patristic roots of the crow ichnography that is considered bird of bad luck. Beginning from the episode of Elijah when he was fed in the torrent Cherit, the figure of the crow increased in importance in a positive way as an instrument of the Divine Providence. As stated by Jerome in Vita Pauli the crow is linked to the heremit representation in an indissoluble way. From Gregory the Great Dialogi onwards, the crow will become in the end the essential element of Benedectine literature and ichnography. In the wohle of Puglia the crow is associated above all with Benedict, but also with Elijah and Onofrio, who are worshipped by the monastic movements of heremitic tendency. In Gargano we can find it on the depictions of Elijah in Peschici, on the ones of Onofrio in Manfredonia and in Pulsano heremitage. Is it possible that this ichnographic element could suggest the heremit's identification in prayer with Giovanni from Matera? In fact he was the founder of Pulsano congregation that in the anonymous Vita is already considered in compliance with the figures of Elijah, John the Baptist, Paolo di Tebe and Antonio.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
