PLAGUE AND ART IN LATE MEDIEVAL AND EARLY RENAISSANCE ITALY

Öz

The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of the plague of 1348, also known the Black Death, and the waves of epidemics that ravaged the Italian communes throughout the 14th and 15th century on the Medieval and Early Renaissance art, to trace the post-epidemic construction of burial chapels and the stylistic and thematic changes in the art of painting, and to evaluate the current transformation within the framework of the social, cultural and psychological effects of the plague. The Black Death inflicted deep economic, social and psychological wounds, in both the short and long term, on Italian communities already in turmoil in the 1340s as a result of famine, infectious diseases, economic crisis and Milan’s expansionist policies. In the 15th century, when the cities were still shaken by waves of epidemics, they looked to religion for salvation and support, and it was during this period that certain saints, some of them local, gained prominence. The fear of sudden death and oblivion, which were the psychological consequences of the epidemic, manifested itself artistically in the construction and decoration of burial chapels from the second half of the 14th century to the 15th century. As a result of the donations made by devotees, new burial chapels were built in churches, old ones were renovated, some decorative ritual objects were donated to these places, and artists received many commissions for altar panels and frescoes. In painting, instead of directly depicting physical pain, artists aimed to remind us of the existence of celestial healing. Henceforth, they reinterpreted certain types of representations in the context of consoling and giving a glimmer of hope, based on the holy figures that devotees imagined as their intercessors in Heaven in defense against the plague. Plague saints such as St Sebastian and St Roch and representations of Mary as Madonna della Misericordia can be given as examples. All these images echoed devotees’ pursuit of healing which they hoped would come from God and the saints, offered consolation and hope in times of despair, and served as a tool for Renaissance man to change present conditions to his advantage.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Middle Ages
• Renaissance
• plague
• pandemic
• art patronage

GEÇ ORTA ÇAĞ VE ERKEN RÖNESANS İTALYA'SINDA VEBA VE SANAT

Öz

Bu çalışmanın amacı, Kara Ölüm olarak adlandırılan 1348'deki veba salgını ile 15. yüzyıl boyunca İtalyan komünlerini kasıp kavuran salgın dalgalarının Geç Orta Çağ-Erken Rönesans sanatı üzerindeki etkilerini incelemek, salgın sonrası mezar şapeli inşaları ile resim sanatındaki üslup ve tema değişiminin izini sürmek ve mevcut değişimi vebanın toplumsal, kültürel ve psikolojik etkileri çerçevesinde değerlendirmektir. Kara Ölüm, 1340'larda kıtlık, bulaşıcı hastalık, ekonomik kriz ve Milan'ın yayılmacı politikasından ötürü huzursuzluk içinde olan İtalyan komünlerinde -kısa ve uzun vadeli olmak üzere- derin ekonomik, toplumsal ve psikolojik yaralar açmıştır. Kentler 15. yüzyılda da salgın dalgalarıyla sarsılırken kurtuluş ve desteği çoğunlukla dinde aramış, bu sırada bazıları yerel olmak üzere belli kutsal kişiler önem kazanmıştır. Salgının psikolojik sonuçlarından olan ani ölüm ve unutulma korkusu, sanat alanında 14. yüzyılın ikinci yarısından itibaren 15. yüzyıl boyunca mezar şapeli inşası ve dekorasyonunda kendini göstermiştir. İnananların yaptıkları bağışlar sonucu kiliselere yeni mezar şapelleri inşa edilmiş, eskileri elden geçirilmiş, buralara birtakım dekoratif ritüel nesneleri bağışlanmış, sanatçılar çok sayıda altar panosu ve fresko siparişi almışlardır. Resim sanatında ise sanatçılar acıyı doğrudan tasvir etmek yerine, göksel şifanın var olduğunu hatırlatma amacı gütmüşlerdir. Bu yüzden inananların vebaya karşı savunmada Cennet'teki şefaatçileri olarak tahayyül ettikleri kutsal kişilerden yola çıkarak bazı temsil türlerini teselli etme ve umut ışığı taşıma bağlamında yeniden ele almışlardır. Aziz Sebastian ve Aziz Roch gibi veba azizleri ile Madonna della Misericordia denilen Meryem temsilleri çalışmada buna örnek gösterilmiştir. Bu imgeler, inananların Tanrı'dan ve azizlerden geleceğini umdukları şifa arayışının yankısı olmuş, çaresizlik zamanlarında teselli ve umut sunmuş, Rönesans insanı için mevcut koşulları kendi lehine dönüştürmede bir araç görevi görmüştür.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Orta Çağ
• Rönesans
• veba
• pandemi
• sanat hamiliği

Kaynakça

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