Google Answers Logo
View Question
 
Q: Hildegard von Bingen: Female mystic of the middle ages ( No Answer,   2 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Hildegard von Bingen: Female mystic of the middle ages
Category: Relationships and Society > Religion
Asked by: pwrstick-ga
List Price: $5.50
Posted: 17 Feb 2003 14:31 PST
Expires: 19 Mar 2003 14:31 PST
Question ID: 162680
would like information concerning her first vision from her work,
"Liber divinorum operum" (looks like this:
http://www.florin.ms/hildegard3.jpg).  Specifically, the signifigance
of:

1)  The two heads
2)  The four wings
3)  The sword
4)  The lamb
5)  The serpent/evil dude the image is standing on
6)  The image of the head and eagle head in the corners of the back 2
wings

This might indirectly lead to her work, "Scivias", which is fine too. 
But I'm more interested in any literature that directly relates to
this specific image which would clarify the meaning behind it.

Thank you!

Request for Question Clarification by czh-ga on 17 Feb 2003 21:43 PST
Hello pwrstick-ga,

I believe I’ve found what you’re looking for – in German. Let’s hope
that a German-speaking Researcher can translate it for you. If you
understand German yourself, let me know and I'll post this answer.
Enjoy!

czh

http://www.meteoros.de/hilde/schau_1.htm
Liber divinorum operum - 1. Schau
In German
***** This page shows the picture and the text of Hildegard’s vision 
along with an interpretation of the images.

http://artifact.tufts.edu/artifact/search/lecture/lecture1.asp?class_num=FAH129&lecture=4
Title: Liber Divinorum Operum Simplicis Hominus
Artist: HILDEGARD OF BINGEN
View: Vision 1
***** This slide presentation from Tufts University identifies the
painting but unfortunately the text of the lecture that might explain
it is not online.

http://www.netzstilus.at/sophia/minne.html
DER MINNE LIED... © 
oder wie sich der Text aus dem Körper spricht.
Ein Beitrag zum Selbstverständnis der Mystikerinnen im Mittelalter
***** This article uses the small illustration from the picture in
your question. I believe it discusses the roles of women in the middle
ages.

http://www.florin.ms/beth6.html
Lucca: Hildegard von Bingen, Liber divinorum operum simplicis hominis
http://www.florin.ms/beth.html#hildegard
This year we study the great European manuscripts treasured in
libraries in Tuscany. Some of these are apocalyptic books, prophetic
books, again imitating and refracting the Bible. In Lucca we have
Hildegard von Bingen's Liber Divinorum Operum Simplicis Hominis ,
whose original title had been De operatione Deo, God's Creation, her
swan song opus in which she prophesizes concerning ecological
disasters if we do not act in harmony with the Creator of Creation.
This manuscript. compiled following her death, likely for her
canonization, has ten illuminated pages with burnished gold leaf as
background, of which here I show only one but during the convegno all
ten folios were shown.
***** This is additional information from the Web site that you linked
to.

Clarification of Question by pwrstick-ga on 18 Feb 2003 00:49 PST
Unfortunately, I do not speak German.  Do you have anything in
Americanese? ;)  Also, I find Philipp's comments intriguing.  Perhaps
there are some other interpretations in English ('scuse me,
Americanese)?  Thank you so much for the time you've spent so far!

-p
Answer  
There is no answer at this time.

Comments  
Subject: Re: Hildegard von Bingen: Female mystic of the middle ages
From: j_philipp-ga on 17 Feb 2003 23:05 PST
 
Being a native German speaker, I can tell the first text presented by
Czh analyzes the illustration [1] regarding the halo phenomenon
(geometric shapes in the sky caused by sun rays being refracted and
reflected by ice crystals), e.g. the lamb is the sun. I'm afraid it
doesn't shed much light on the symbolism and I doubt it's the only
valid interpretation. I have to say though, in my own research as
well, it was the closest thing to an interpretation I could locate.

[1] Art and Art History Artifact
http://artifact.tufts.edu/artifact/search/lecture/lecture2.asp?class_num=FAH129&lecture=4&index=26&max_index=44&access_number=89.1874.1
"Title: Liber Divinorum Operum Simplicis Hominus
Artist: Hildegard of Bingen
Date: c.1230
City/Location: 1v(Lucca,BG.Ms1942
Origin: Germany
Period: Romanesque
View: Vision 1"
Subject: Re: Hildegard von Bingen: Female mystic of the middle ages
From: tehuti-ga on 18 Feb 2003 02:36 PST
 
Some associations that spring to mind (excuse the rambling!):

A winged man in red and carrying a sword is a standard depiction of
the archangel Michael.  The beast he is treading on brings to mind the
passage from Revelation 12 7-9
"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against
the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil,
and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the
earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
The lamb with a halo is a traditional depiction of Christ.
So the red figure could be Michael holding up Christ over the body of
the beast he has slain.

The heads of the eagle and man bring to mind the Four Holy Creatures,
the Chaioth ha Qadesh, symbolised by the man, lion, eagle and bull (or
ox).  For example, here are some notes from a student of qabala:
"The angel orders of Binah,  Chokmah and Kether can be derived
directly  from  the  vision of Ezekiel.  In  the  Biblical  text,
Ezekiel  describes successively the Holy  Living  Creatures,  the
great  wheels  within  wheels,   and  lastly  the  throne-chariot
(Merkabah) of God. The vision of Ezekiel had a great influence on
early Kabbalah,  and it is no coincidence that the angel order of
Binah is the Aralim,  or Thrones,  the angel order of Chokmah  is the 
Auphanim  or Wheels,  and the angel order of Kether  is  the Chiaoth 
ha Qadesh,  or Holy Living Creatures.  The forms of  the Chiaoth ha
Qadesh - lion,  eagle,  man and ox - have survived  to this  day  in
many Christian churches,  and can be found  on  the "World" card of
most Tarot packs."
http://www.digital-brilliance.com/kab/nok/q10.txt

In qabala, there are 10 spheres which reflect the different energies
that lead to manifestation, or, to put it another way, symbolise the
action of the ten names of God.  Kether is the sphere of the Prime
Source, from which everything comes.  The angelic order of Kether is
the Chaioth ha Qadesh.

In the system of esoteric correspondences, the four holy creatures are
linked to the prime energies behind the four elements, the elements
are linked to the four quarters, the quarters are linked to the four
archangels, etc etc, which gives:
man - air  - east - Raphael
lion - fire  - south - Michael
eagle - water  - west - Gabriel
ox - earth - north - Uriel

It struck me, looking at the picture, that if you take north as "up"
and south as "down" as on most printed maps, the man and eagle are in
their "correct" places in the east and west.  So this could be a sort
of composite form of the
Chaioth ha Qadesh, bringing through the power of the Primal Source in
order to raise the Christ (and therefore his church) in triumph over
the forces which would oppose this.

Of course, going by this scheme, the top head should be that of an ox,
but this could have been too "way out" to depict at that time!!! 
Also, it implies that the person who conceived the painting did have
some knowledge of the qabala.

Important Disclaimer: Answers and comments provided on Google Answers are general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice. Google does not endorse, and expressly disclaims liability for any product, manufacturer, distributor, service or service provider mentioned or any opinion expressed in answers or comments. Please read carefully the Google Answers Terms of Service.

If you feel that you have found inappropriate content, please let us know by emailing us at answers-support@google.com with the question ID listed above. Thank you.
Search Google Answers for
Google Answers  


Google Home - Answers FAQ - Terms of Service - Privacy Policy