Reformation vs. Counterreformation: a paradigm of european identity and rivalry.
Pasquale Maria Morabito
Università di Messina
The Netherlands, 1642. After a brief assault, the commander Ambrogio Spinola, from
Genova, finally is capable to conquest the city of Breda, leading the spanish Armada. His
opponent, Justinus van Nassau-Orange, surrender, consigning him the city keys.
We are talking about the 80 yearsʼ war, between Spain and Netherlands. But we are in a
radical and epochal opposition: the christological conflict between Reformation and
Counterreformation, in which secular dimension is put in shape by the State-Leviathan,
and by the relationship with two historical enemies, Church of Rome and Reformed State,
Jesuits and Hugonotts. Following Carl Schmittʼs analysis described in Land und Meer and
in Der Nomos der Erde, is possible to underline the crucial moments - historical, cultural,
political, juridical, religious and institutional - determining the mimetical and constitutive
feature of
european identity. In René Girardʼs latest book, Achever Clausewitz, the
continuum of disorder and order in history and politics is considered from an apocalyptic
standpoint. In the case of Clausewitz facing Napoleon, the encounter between the imitator
and his model turns into an escalation which inexorably propagates to the whole of
Europe. At the end of his analysis, Girard comes to the conclusion that there is no
difference between chaos and order any more. Neither political aims, nor objects or victims
make the difference. It is only the «escalation to the extremes!» which will drive — from
now on — the relationship between doubles.
Carl Schmitt, in his famous essay The concept of political, 1932, affirms this criterion of
political distinction: “The specific political distinction to which is possible bring back all
political actions and means is the distinction between Freund - friend - and Feind - enemy.
Its offer a conceptual definition, a criterion, not an exhaustive definition or a content
explication.” Tn the same century of this picture, the spanish jesuit Baltasar Grácian wrote:
“El hombre sensato obtiene más de sus enemigos que el necio de sus amigos” (Wise man
take more from his enemies than the fool from his friends”.
Diego Velazquez paint this picture between 1643 and 1635, calling it Las Lanzas (Spears),
even if the painting is well known as the subtitle Rendiciòn de Breda (Bredaʼs surrender).
The XVII century chronicle tells about the heroism of Bredaʼs defenders. But, at the end,
the Orange troops yields. From the painted figures, we may argue it was an honorably
surrender, and Philipsʼ IV army is recognizing it, admiring enemyʼs bravery during the
siege. Is because of that, I think, we can see the Orange army bows out in military order,
with flaunting flags and insignia. Velazquez paints the exact moment in which Spinola is
conversing with his beaten enemy, as in a courtesy meeting, respecting baroque warʼs
rituality and conventions. Justinus van Nassau delivers Bredaʼs keys, pointing the gesture
of a kneeling man, in front of the winner. The genoese general in chief it seems prevent
this symbolic submission, raises his hand on the opponent shoulder, stopping that selfhumiliation motion.
Las Lanzas is one of the twelve paintings commissioned by Philip IV to decorate the
Buen Retiro. This picture represents into Arts story, the breaking point with the traditional
theme of “hero”, normally depicted upright to the beaten enemy, following the classic
canon of greek and latin imitatio, as Hercules or Cesar, in a hieratic and solemn standing.
The XVII century is the breaking time with the previous cultural setting and the building
time for a new know-how, balancing both classical and modern style; it is also the Grand
Siécle of Art, Baroque theatre and Counterreformation. Baroque century wants to
persuading, impressing and touching, and thatʼs the reason why this Era use the weapons
of excess, of ecstasy, of figures exaggeration. The dialectic cum-presence of apparently
antithetic terms, the being and the appearance, lead us through the baroque problems, in
a world of contradiction, disillusionment, like in a theatreʼs stage. Mask, disillusionment,
role playing are some of the most prominent baroque character, a fundamental european
cultural place.
Hanging on the Civil religious wars and an empty eschatological horizon, the
baroque man can keep himself in balance by a right outcome, that “gilds each
undertaking”, is the jesuitic cipher of “direct intention”. Each prudent heroʼs action must
verge not to the mundane, but to the heaven glory, almost in a bet like Blaise Pascal. The
marquees Ambrogio Spinola is an example of this century: general in chief in the Armada,
he will become, following the chapter 28 of Manzoniʼs “Promessi sposi”, governor in Milano
during the pest plague, and will finish his days “sick of melancholy”, felt in disgrace by the
court, as Cardinal Mazzarino notes in his memories. No one better than the Cardinal
understands the way in which a great military man, a soldier, can die not because a wound
or a malady, but just because he lost his reputation near the king. Now, come back to our
painting. The gesture painted by Velazquez recovers the classic topos “Ut pictura poesis”,
transforming it in “Ut pictura sermones”. Didactic character of baroque painting, its
continuos referring to different interpretation plans, its contamination with several
genres, the reusing of old mythic themes, can permit us to compare the “spoken” and
the “figured” baroque. Getting back Christ’s hug to John the baptist as is painted by
Guido Reni, Marc Fumaroli compares the “sublime and invisible understanding” of the
Messiah with His precursor with the movement of Marques Spinola meeting his
adversary. Under the historical event, under the power relationship and balancing, in
secular time, the painter is capable to show a providential event, in which the two
christian general are communicating. The first one, winner, bringing the real Gospel, the
second, beaten, giving back the heretic keys: the first one converting the second one.
Thanks to Spinola’s sign painted by Velazquez, spanish victory becomes a catholic
victory: the presence of Crucifix is in watermark, even in soldiers spears silent language.
The Cross is contemporary to human story, everlasting saving action from the Calvary.
Guido Reni is not an “historical” painter, as his spanish colleague. He didn’t know the
historicity of the earthly city, and he doesn’t want to know anything about it, except
what can serve him to represent and to foreshadows the desire of City of God.
This presentiment, under human and historical order, an order of transcendence by the
providence, in a superior plan to the simple Breda’s battle, to the gestures of surrender
ceremony, we can see a perfect model of christian magnanimity, as Baltasar Gracián
shows us. As is the color for the painter, so is the word for the christian philosopher.
In this perspective, the gesture of Ambrogio Spinola explains the baroque figure of
chrsitian hero, which most prominent character is, crown and asset of each virtue, “in a
word to be a Saint”, as the spanish jesuit wrote in the Oráculo Manual, n. 300.
In this light only the baroque artist can read symmetrically the corresponding plans of
transcendence and history, military bravery and holiness, trying to solve the epochal
tearing, in the progressive removal of human and divine means.
Grácian wrote at the end of the Oráculo: “In one word, be a Saint.
So is all said at once. Virtue is the link of all perfections, the centre of all the felicities.
She it is that makes a man prudent, discreet, sagacious, cautious, wise, courageous,
thoughtful, trustworthy, happy, honoured, truthful, and a universal Hero. Three HHH's
make a man happy—Health, Holiness, and a Headpiece. Virtue is the sun of the
microcosm, and has for hemisphere a good conscience. She is so beautiful that she finds
favour with both God and man. Nothing is lovable but virtue, nothing detestable but
vice. Virtue alone is serious, all else is but jest. A man's capacity and greatness are to be
measured by his virtue and not by his fortune. She alone is all-sufficient. She makes men
lovable in life, memorable after death.”
Guido Reni, Gesù e San Giovanni Battista, 1640 ca. London, National Gallery.
Diego Velázquez, La rendición de Breda (Las lanzas), 1635. Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado