Divine Presence in Spain and Western Europe 1500–1960: Visions, Religious Images and Photographs (The Natalie Zemon Davis Annual Lectures Series)

This study addresses the relation of people to divine beings in contemporary and historical communities, as exemplified in three strands. One is a long tradition of visions of mysterious wayfarers in rural Spain who bring otherworldly news and help, including recent examples. Another treats the seeming vivification of religious images—statues, paintings, engravings, and photographs apparently exuding blood, sweat and tears in Spanish homes and churches in the early modern period and the revival of the phenomenon throughout Europe in the twentieth century. Of special interest is the third strand of the book: the transposition of medieval and early modern representations of the relations between humans and the divine into the modern art of photography. Christian presents a pictorial examination of the phenomenon with a large number of religious images, commercial postcards and family photographs from the first half of past century Europe. Addresses the relation of people to divine beings in contemporary and historical communities, as exemplified in three strands: The tradition of visions of mysterious wayfarers in rural Spain, the seeming vivification of religious images - statues, paintings, engravings, and photographs seemingly exuding blood, sweat and tears in Spanish homes and churches throughout Europe in the early modern period and the revival of the phenomenon in the twentieth century. A few selected cases of visions and apparitions are detected and analyzed, including personal interviews with some of the witnesses. Of special interest is the third strand of the book: the transposition of medieval and early modern representations of the relations between humans and the divine into the modern art of photography. Christian presents a pictorial examination of the phenomenon, and comments a large number of religious images, including commercial postcards and family photographs from the first half of past century Europe Title Page, Copyright, Dedication Table of Contents List of Figures Preface Chapter 1. Toribia del Val and the Mysterious Wayfarer of Casas de Benᅢᆳtez Chapter 2. Images as Beings: Blood, Sweat, and Tears1 Chapter 3. Presence, Absence and the Supernatural in Postcard and Family Photographs, Europe 1895¬タモ19201 Visions depicted [with Images] Connecting with the Absent and the Supernaturals [with Images] Supernaturals and the Absent in World War I postcards [with Images] Absence in family photographs around World War I [with Images] Summing up Endnotes Bibliography Index Back Cover