Mnemosyne Atlas 41
Christ as Orpheus, the Witch as a Nymph: the re-appearance of the pathos of destruction
The portrayal of the pathos of destruction (see plate 5) is widespread during the Renaissance: formulas of aggression and sacrifice are expressed in pagan themes (Hercules and Cacus, Medea, Orpheus, Polyxena) as well as in Christian figures (David, "Sinite parvulos venire ad me", Caritas, the Passion of Christ). The ancient Nymph-Maenad of Orgiastic rituals survives now in witchcraft.
Notes by Aby Warburg (1929)
Orpheus
Orpheus.
Notes by Aby Warburg and coll. (1929)
Vernichtungspathos (cf. Tafel 5). Opfer. Nympha als Hexe. Freiwerden des Pathos.
Destruction pathos [cf. Panel 5]. Sacrifice. The nympha as witch. The unleashing of pathos.
Notes by Gertrud Bing (ca. 1940)
Ausschließend an die verzweifelnde Mutter von Tafel 40: die Frau als Opfernde + Geopferte, Vernichterin + Retterin 1) Medea als Kindermörderin; ihre Geschichte in Hss. + frühem Holzschnitt. Die Gruppe Medea die ihre Kinder zum Opfer führt wird: bei Agostino Kinder – Errettung – Wandern des Hl. Bernardino; bei Roberti 1 die Gattin des Hannibal (?) die ihre Kinder aus d. brennenden
Haus rettet; bei Roberti 2 Zuschauerin beider Kreuztragung [Hinzuzufügen die selbe Rolle beim Triumph Caesars von Mantegna, und Caritas!] Medea als Zauberin im Schlangenwagen als Grisaille bei Signorelli, Geißelung. Von Medea als Zauberin geht es weiter zu den Vestalinnen (?) in der Uffizi-Zeichnung, Hekate als Ninfa in der Bronze, nordischer Hexenritt in der Pariser Zeichnung. 2) Mänaden Orpheus erschlagen – die Rache der Frau am Mann.
Excluding the desperate mother of Panel 40: the woman as the one who performs the sacrifice + object of the sacrifice, executioner + saviour 1) Medea as infanticide, her story in manuscripts + early woodcuts. The group of Medea leading her children to the sacrifice: in Agostino di Duccio children – salvation – wanderer; in Ercole de’ Roberti 1) Hannibal’s wife (?) rescuing her children from the burning house; in Ercole de’ Roberti 2) spectator of the transport of the Cross [in addition, the same role in Mantegna’s Triumph of Caesar and Caritas!]. Medea as sorceress on a chariot pulled by snakes as grisaille in Signorelli’s Flagellation. From Medea as sorceress we move on to the Vestals (?) in the Uffizi drawing, to Hecate as Ninfa in the bronze, to the Cavalcade of Nordic Witches in the Paris drawing. 2) The Maenads kill Orpheus – woman’s revenge on man.
Further Readings
Other Readings
♦ K. Mazzucco, Tavola 41, in Camere con vista. Aby Warburg, Firenze e il laboratorio delle immagini, Catalogo della mostra (Firenze, Gallerie degli Uffizi, 19 settembre / 10 dicembre 2023), a cura di M. Faietti, E.D. Schmidt, G. Targia, G. Wolf et al., Firenze 2023, 248-251.
