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Joos van CLEVE
The Vision of Saint Bernard
1505-10
© Musée du Louvre/A. Dequier - M. Bard
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Joos van CLEVE
The Vision of Saint Bernard
1505-10
Oil on panel
H. 29 cm; W. 29 cm
Gift of Felix Doistau, 1919
R.F. 2230
Paintings
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| Author(s) |
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| Guillaume Kazerouni |
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The Vision of Saint Bernard |
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Saint Bernard
Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153) was a monk who reformed the order of Cistercian monks in the 12th century. He was canonized in 1170, and became patron saint of his place of birth, Burgundy. He is notable for founding the abbey of Clairvaux, a place of authority at the service of the pope and an important development in the Marian cult of the virgin birth, which he fervently promulgated in his writings. It was under his influence that the Cistercians placed all of their churches under the name of Notre Dame. The iconography of the Louvre painting precisely recalls this aspect of the saint's personality. He is shown from the waist up praying before the Virgin and Child who, seated on a cushion, plays with beads. The Virgin holds her hand over an exposed breast, a probable reference to the miracle of lactation. During the Virgin's appearance to the saint, the latter's lips were wetted with a few drops of the milk that nourished Jesus.
The question of style
The painting contains a wealth of references, demonstrating the depth of Joos van Cleve's erudition. The subject was a favorite among artists from Cologne and elsewhere in northern Germany in the late 15th century, and the painter may have been inspired by their paintings. The figure of the Infant and the treatment of the landscape also recall the art of Memling, who at the time exerted an influence that extended well beyond his native town of Bruges.
The landscape
The scene opens out onto a landscape, seen through a window. In the distance stands a medieval church. The landscape adds depth to the picture and creates a vanishing point. A similar composition is found in numerous Flemish paintings, such as the Madonna of Chancellor Rolin by van Eyck. The landscape genre became popular in the 15th century in northern countries, and spread to the rest of Europe with the work of painters like Patinir.
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Paintings : 
