Power and Religion in Baroque Rome: Barberini Cultural Policies (Brill's Studies in Intellectual History) (Brill's Studies in Intellectual History)

In ten chapters, partly case-studies, this monograph analyzes the (new) ways in which cultural manifestations were used to create the necessary preconditions for (religious) policy and power in the Rome of Urban VIII (1623-1644). It was the intensified interaction between culture and power-politics that created what we now call 'the Baroque'. Based on a rich variety of, hitherto largely unexplored, primary sources, the book addresses the basic issues of papal power in the post-Tridentine period. It does not study actual papal politics, but rather the cultural forms that were essential to the representation and legitimatization of the papacy's power, both secular and religious and that (co-)determined the effectiviness of papal policy. Precisely during Urban's long pontificate, the manifold, always imaginative and often unexpected uses of power representation became, in the end, not so much a series of cultural forms as, in a sense, the structure of early modern (Roman) society. POWER AND RELIGION IN BAROQUE ROME COPYRIGHT CONTENTS FOREWORD ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS INTRODUCTION WHEN THE BEES FLEW... Historiography Sources Problems: power, religion and cultural policy in Baroque Rome PROLOGUE GIACINTO GIGLI, CHRONICLER, OR: POWER IN THE STREETS OF ROME Introduction The chronicler of Baroque Rome The powers of nature The powers of the world The “Urbs” as a physical manifestation of power Papal power The power of the papal relatives Ceremony and ritual: ephemeral power? Holy or unholy power? The ageing of power Conclusion CHAPTER ONE THE BARBERINI BUILD A CHAPEL, OR: RISING TO POWER IN POST-TRIDENTINE ROME Introduction From the periphery to the centre: the vicissitudes of the Barberini from the 12th to the 16th century A sense of family between Curial careers and social status Capella aedificatur Questions of iconography: the influence of Trent Opus finitum? Conclusion: Capella sanctificatur CHAPTER TWO MAFFEO BARBERINI—URBAN VIII, THE POET-POPE,OR: THE POWER OF POETIC PROPAGANDA Introduction A poetic program? “Levan di terra al Ciel nostr’intelletto”—‘they lift our understanding towards Heaven’ Maffeo’s early poetry: from the dangers of life’s pleasures and the obligations of family “pietas” to the glorification of Divine Wisdom The intermediate years: professional and poetic developments The last phase: the apogee of papal poetry The first collected edition The first ‘papal’ edition The editions in Italian Translations Contemporary explanations and interpretations: the poetics and perils of poetic propaganda Words and images: illustrating the Pope’s poems Words and sounds: the music of papal poetry Conclusion: “delectare et docere” APPENDIX Chronological list of the main (collected) editionsof the poems of maffeo barberini CHAPTER THREE THE ‘DAYS AND WORKS’ OF FRANCESCO, CARDINAL BARBERINI, OR: HOW TO BE A POWERFUL CARDINAL-PADRONE? Introduction How to be a cardinal? How to be a cardinal and a papal nephew? Baroque behaviour: Young Francesco’s ‘days and works’ Piety and patronage as politics: the roles of a cardinal-padrone Conclusion: the very model of a ‘modern’ cardinal-padrone? CHAPTER FOUR PRINCE ECKEMBERGH COMES TO DINNER, OR: POWER THROUGH CULINARY CEREMONY Introduction Preparations The first entry and the first audience A ceremonial society The second entry The second audience, and the papal banquet Continuing festivities A propagandistic display: food for thought The menu Further food inferences Table manners Conclusion CHAPTER FIVE THE BARE FEET OF ST. AUGUSTINE, OR: THE POWER OF RELIGIOUS IMAGES Introduction Prehistory An outline of the case The legal foundations of the case against the new image The historical reality of the new image The tradition of Augustinian iconography and the new image The new image: symbol, meaning and function The economic and financial significance of the new image Power politics and the new image Conclusion CHAPTER SIX LUCAS HOLSTE (1596–1661), SCHOLAR AND LIBRARIAN, OR: THE POWER OF BOOKS AND LIBRARIES Introduction The early years In the service of the Barberini The mind of the man Between North and South Printing and power: the Barberini Press Favours continued Holste and Alexander VII Buyers and sellers: bookmen at work Citizens of the Republic of Letters Conclusion CHAPTER SEVEN IBRAHIM AL-HAKILANI (1605–1664), OR: THE POWER OF SCHOLARSHIP AND PUBLISHING Introduction. Cross-cultural contacts in the Mediterranean The Maronites in history Ecchellen’s youth: 1605–1619 The first Italian period: 1620–1628 Mediterranean interlude—Ecchellen as diplomat and merchant: 1628–1633 The second Italian period: 1633–1640 Ecchellen’s first French period: 1640–1642 The third Italian period: 1642–1644 The second French period: 1644–1651 Back to Rome for the last time: 1651 and onwards Ecchellen, the Vatican Library and European Oriental studies Conclusion CHAPTER EIGHT URBAN VIII BETWEEN WHITE MAGIC AND BLACK MAGIC, OR: HOLY AND UNHOLY POWER Introduction. Three episodes Fear and violence in Baroque Rome Devotion and superstition in Baroque Rome Urban and his stars The abbot of Santa Prassede and the vicar of San Carlo How to murder a pope? Crime and punishment: the trial of Giacinto Centini Urban and Campanella Between two worldviews Conclusion. The pope’s power to punish, or: harmony restored EPILOGUE THE RETURN OF THE MUSES: INSTRUMENTS OF CULTURAL POLICY IN BARBERINI ROME, 1623–1644 Introduction. Rome: theatre state and court society Instruments of cultural policy: the court proper and the “famiglia” Instruments of cultural policy: the moral enchantment of religious music Instruments of cultural policy: the academies Instruments of cultural policy: relations with the Christian Near East Instruments of cultural policy: the ‘protectorates’ and the national colleges Instruments of cultural policy: the Vatican Library and the Barberini Library Instruments of cultural policy: the papal university, the Collegio Romano, and the problems of Church patronage of scholarship and science Instruments of cultural policy: printing and publishing Cultural policy and the printed word: the advance of ‘literal mindedness’ The Transposing Lyre: a cultural policy and its results CONCLUSION “L’ETÀ FORTUNATA DEL MELE”, OR, ‘HONEY’S HAPPY AGE’: THE BARBERINI PONTIFICATE AS A GENERATION, A CROSSROADS—PROBLEMS OF PERSPECTIVE INDEX Intro. When The Bees Flew. -- Prologue. Giacinto Gigli, Chronicler, Or: Power In The Streets Of Rome. -- Chap. 1. The Barberini Build A Chapel, Or: Rising To Power In Post-tridentine Rome. -- Chap. 2. Maffeo Barberini-urban Viii, The Poet-pope, Or: The Power Of Poetic Propaganda. -- Chap. 3. The 'days And Works' Of Francesco, Cardinal Barberini, Or: How To Be A Powerful Cardinal-padrone? -- Chap. 4. Prince Eckembergh Comes To Dinner, Or: Power Through Culinary Ceremony. -- Chap. 5. The Bare Feet Of St. Augustine, Or: The Power Of Religions Images. -- Chapt. 6. Lucas Holste (1596-1661), Scholar And Librarian, Or: The Power Of Books And Libraries. -- Chap. 7. Ibrahim Al-hakilani (1605-1664), Or: The Power Of Scholarship And Publishing. --chap. 8. Urban Viii Between White Magic And Black Magic, Or: Holy And Unholy Power. -- Epilogue. The Return Of The Muses: Instruments Of Cultural Policy In Barberini Rome, 1623-1644. -- Conclusion. I'età̀̀̀̀̀̀ Fortunata Del Mele Or 'honey's Happy Age': The Barberini Pontificate As A Generation, A Crossroads--problems Of Perspective. By Peter Rietbergen. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Intro. When the bees flew. Prologue. Giacinto Gigli, chronicler, or: power in the streets of Rome. Chap. 1. The Barberini build a chapel, or: rising to power in post-Tridentine Rome. Chap. 2. Maffeo Barberini-Urban VIII, the poet-Pope, or: the power of poetic propaganda. Chap. 3. The 'days and works' of Francesco, Cardinal Barberini, or: how to be a powerful cardinal-padrone? Chap. 4. Prince Eckembergh comes to dinner, or: power through culinary ceremony. Chap. 5. The bare feet of St. Augustine, or: the power of religions images. Chapt. 6. Lucas Holste (1596-1661), scholar and librarian, or: the power of books and libraries. Chap. 7. Ibrahim al-Hakilani (1605-1664), or: the power of scholarship and publishing. Chap. 8. Urban VIII between white magic and black magic, or: holy and unholy power. Epilogue. The return of the muses: instruments of cultural policy in Barberini Rome, 1623-1644. Conclusion. "i'Età̀̀̀̀̀̀ fortunata del Mele" or 'Honey's happy age': the Barberini pontificate as a generation, a crossroads problems of perspective. Offering a study, this volume analyzes the ways in which a variety of cultural manifestations were the necessary preconditions for (religious) policy and power in the Rome of Urban VIII (1623-1644). Precisely their interaction created is called as 'Baroque Culture'