Depiction of mary dressed indecently
Year mention: 1649
Subject:
Betrothal of Mary
Conflict:
Inadequate manner
Indecency/Impropriety
Criticism:

Mary is not dressed appropriately in correspondence to “Her greatness and importance” (without mantle)

Agent:
Pacheco, Francisco
REFERENCE IMAGE: HArteR03T09_0000
Frostispiece of Pacheco, El Arte de la pintura (1649), Seville, Simon Faxardo, impressor de libros, a la Cerrajeria

Pacheco states that Mary must be depicted decently in her Betrothal scene. The artist Don Luis Pascual was criticised by the Spanish author, whose painting shows a Virgin Mary not dressed “appropriately in correspondence to Her greatness and importance”. The reason for such criticism is because the artist depicted her without a mantle, “with a large Venetian skirt very tucked into the waist, full of many bows of colored ribbons and with large sleeves, like wheels”. That, to conclude, “suit indecent to the gravity and highness of this sovereign Lady”.

“And it is right to warn that, as an example of the holiness and purity that married the holy Joseph, more to obey the high intentions of God than to appear good to men, it is not a decent thing to paint her in a profane dress; and the male religious Don Luis Pacual should hear it in the picture he painted of this sacred story in the choir of the Cartuxa convent, in which many have noticed: there is the image of Our Lady without a mantle, with a large Venetian skirt very tucked into the waist, full of many bows of colored ribbons and with large sleeves, like wheels; suit, in my opinion, indecent to the gravity and highness of this sovereign Ladie.”

“Y es razón advertir que, al exemplo de la santidad y pureza que se desposaba con el santo Josef, más para obedecer a los altos intentos de Dios que para parecer bien a los hombres, no es cosa decente pintarla en traje profano; y lo debiera escusar el religioso varón don Luis Pacual en el cuadro que pintó desta sagrada historia en el coro del convento de la Cartuxa, en que muchos han reparado: está la imagen de Nuestra Señora sin manto, con una saya grande veneciana muy metida en cintura, llena de muchas lazadas de cintas de colores y con mangas grandes, de rueda; traje, a mi ver, indecente a la gravedad y alteza desta soberana Señora.”

Quoted Authorities

C. de Fonseca, Vida de Christo Señor Nuestro, 1597, fol. 83v,84r. P. Antonio Quintanadueñas, unknown Treatise

Keywords
Bible, high priest, Joseph (St.), marriage, Mary (Virgin), New Testament, Sposalizio

Artist
Gaudí, Fra Luís Pasqual

Date mention
1649

Historical Location

Seville, Choir of the convent of la Cartuja (Monasterio de la Cartuja)

Seville


Current Location
in situ until 1835 after the disentailment of the place.
Type of Object
painting

Iconclass Number
73A42

Source
Pacheco, El Arte de la pintura (1649), book 3, ch.12, 591-592
Literature

Pacheco 1990, 592, n. 5;

Permanent Link
https://www.sacrima.eu/case/depiction-of-mary-dressed-indecently/