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 PREACHERS

368A

PREACHERS

Leonardo da Vinci (1497-98) in the refectory of S. Maria delle Grazie at Milan (Bossi, "Del cenacolo di Leonardo da Vinci", Milan, 1910; Sant' Ambrogio, "Note epigrafiche ed artistiche intomo alia sala del Cenacolo ed al tempio di Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milano" in "Archivio Storico Lombardo", 1892).

The Preachers exercised a marked influence on painting. The order infused its apostolic zeal and theological learning into the objects of art under its control, thus creating what may be called theological painting. The decoration of the Campo Santo of Pisa, Orcagna's frescoes in the Strozzi chapel and the Spanish chapel at S. Maria Novella, Florence, have long been famous (Michel, "Hist, de I'art depuis les premiers temps Chretiens jusqu'i nos jours", Paris, IL 1908; Hettner, "Die Dominikaner in der Kunstgesch.desl4.und 1.5. Jahrhunderts" in "Itahen- ische Studien zur Gesch. der Renaissance", Bruns- wick, 1879, 99; "Renaissance und Dominikaner Kunst" in " Hist.-polit. Blatter", LXXXXIII, 1S.S4; Perate, "Un Triomphe de la Mort de Pietro Loren- zetti", Paris, 1902; Bacciochi, "II chiostro verde e la cappella degli Spagnuoli", Florence; Endres, "Die Verherrlichung des Dominikanerordens in der Span- ischen Kapelle an S. Maria Novella zu Florenz" in "Zeitschr. f. Christliche Kunst", 1909, p. 323). To the same causes were due the numerous triumphs of St. Thomas Aquinas (Hettner, op. cit.; Berthier, "Le triomphe de Saint Thomas dans la chapelle des Espagnols a Florence", Fribourg, 1897; Ucelli, "Dell' iconografia di s. Tommaso d'Aquino", Naples, 1867). The influence of Savonarola on the artists and the art of his time was profound (Gruyer, "Les illustrations des ecrits de Jerome Savonarole et les paroles de Savonarolesur I'art", Paris, 1879; Lafenestre, "Saint Francois d'Assise et Savonarole inspirateurs de I'art Italien", Paris, 1911). The Dominicans also fre- quently furnished libretti, i. e. dogmatic or symbolic themes for works of art. They also opened up an important source of information to art with their sanctoriaux and their popularizing WTitings. Artistic works such as the dances of death and sybils allied with the prophets are greatly indebted to them (Neale, "L'art religieux du Xllfe siecle", Paris, 1910; Idem, "L'art religieux de la fin du moyen-age en France", Paris, 1910). Even the mystical life of the order, in its way, exercised an influence on contemporary art (Peltzer, "Deutsche Mystik und deutsche Kunst", Strassburg, 1899; Hintze, "Der Einfluss des mystiken auf die altere Kolner Maler- schule", Breslau, 1901). Its saints and its con- fraternities, especially that of the Rosary, inspired many artists (Neuwbarn, "Die Verherrlichung des hi. Dominicus in der Kunst", 1906).

(h) The Preachers and the Roman Church. — The Order of Preachers is the work of the Roman Church. She found in St. Dominic an instrument of the first rank. But it was she who inspired the establishment of the order, who loaded it with privileges, directed its general activity, and protected it against its ad- versaries. From Honorius III (1216) till the death of Honorius I\' (1287) the papacy was most favourable to the Preachers. Innocent IV's change of attitude at the end of his pontificate (10 May, 1254), caused by the recriminations of the clergy and perhaps also by the adhesion of Arnold of Trier to Frederick II's projects of anti-ecclesiastical reform, was speedily repaired by Alexander IV [22 Dec, 1254; (''Chart. Univ. Paris", I, 263, 276; Winckelmann, "Fratris Arnoldi Ord. Pra-d. De correctione Ecclesia Epis- tola", 1863; "Script. Ord. Prad.", II, 821 b)]. But as a general thing during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries the popes remained much attached to the order, displaying great confidence in it, as is made manifest by the "BuUarium" of the Preachers. No other religious order, it would seem, ever received eulogies from the papacv like those addressed to it XII.— 23M

by Alexander IV, 23 May, 1257 (Potthast, op. cit., 16,847). The order co-operated with the Church in every way, the popes finding in its ranks assistants who were both competent and devoted. Beyond doubt through its own activity, its preaching and in instruction, it was already a powerful agent of the papacy; nevertheless the popes requested of it a universal co-operation. Matthew Paris states in 12.50: "The Friars Preachers, impelled by obedience, are the fiscal agents, the nuncios and even the legates of the pope. They are the faithful collectors of the pontifical money by their preaching and their crusades and when they have finished they begin again. They assist the infirm, the dying, and those who make their wills. Diligent negotiators, armed with powers of every kind, they turn all to the profit of the pope" (Matthew Paris, "Hist. Angl.", 111,317, in "Rer. Brit. Med. Mv. Script."). But the commis- sions of the Church to the Preachers far exceeded those enumerated by Matthew Paris, and among the weightiest must be mentioned the visitation of monasteries and dioceses, the administration of a large number of convents of nuns and the inquisi- torial office. The order attempted to withdraw from its multifarious occupations, which distracted it from its chief end. Gregorv IX partiallv yielded to their demands (25 Oct., 1239; cf. Potthast, op. cit., 10,804), but the order never succeeded in wholly winning its cause (Fontana, "Sacrum Theatrum Dominicanum", pt. II, De S. R. Ecclesiae Officialibus, Rome, 1666; "Bull. Ord. Pra;d.", I-II, passim; Potthast, "Regest. Pont. Rom.", Papal Register of the XIII cent, in "Bib. des Ecoles Frangaises d'Athenes et de Rome").

The Dominicans gave to the Church many noted personages: among them during the Middle Ages were two popes, Innocent V (1276) and Benedict XI [130.3-4; (Mothon, "Viedu B. Innocent V", Rome, 1896; Fietta, "Xicolo Boccasino di Trevigi e il sue tempo", Padua, 1875; Funk, "Papst Benedikt XI", Munster, 1891; Grandjean, "Benoit XI avant son pontificat " (1240-1303) in " Melanges archiv.-Hist. de L'ecole frangaise de Rome", VIII, 219; Idem, "Recherches sur I'administration financiere du pape Benott XI", loc. cit.. Ill, 1883, 47; Idem, "La date de la mort de Benoit XI", loc. cit., XIV, 1894, 241; Idem, "Registre de Benoit XI", Paris, 1885)]. There were twenty-eight Dominican cardinals during the first three centuries of the order's existence. Some of them were noted for exceptional services to the papacy. The earliest of them, Hugh of Saint Cher, had the delicate mission of persuading Germany to accept William of Holland after the deposition of Frederick II (Sassen, "Hugh von St. Cher em Seine Tatigkeit als Kardinal, 1244-1263", Bonn, 1908). Cardinal Latino Malabranca is famous for his lega- tions and his pacification of Florence (1280; David- sohn, "Gesch. von Florenz", II, Berlin, 1908, p. 1.52; Idem, "Forsch. zur Gesch von Florenz", IV, 1908, p. 226). Nicholas Albertini of Prato (130.5-21) also undertook the pacification of Florence (1304; Ban- dini, "Vita del Cardinale Nicolo da Prato", Leghorn, 1757; Finesehi, "Supplemento alia vitta del Cardinale Nicol6 da Prato", Lucca, 1758; Perrens, "Hist, de Florence", Paris, III, 1877, 87). Cardinal Giovanni Dominici (1408-19) was the staunchest defender of the legitimate pope, Gregory XII, at the end of the Great Schism; and in the name of his master resigned the papacy at the Council of Constance (Rossler, "Cardinal .lohannes Dominici. O.Pr., 1357-1419", Freiburg. 1893; Mandonnet. " Beitrage zur. Gesch. des Kardinals Giovanni Dominici" in "Hist. Jahr- buch.", 1900; Hollerbach, "Die Gregorianische Partei, Sigismund und das Konstanzer Konzil" in "Romische Quartalschrift", XXIII-XXIV, 1909- 10). Cardinal John de Torquemada (Turreeremata, 1439-68), an eminent theologian ,was one of the strong-