The Bible account that inspired the painter follows underneath:
Matthew 5:1-10:
Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on
a mountainside and sat down.
His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
( New International Version )
The Eight Beatitudes
D
Every blessing is depicted separately:
- 3 on the left side, 2 in the middle (underneath the main picture)
and 3 on the right side. Bands of text, written in Old Dutch,
explain every image. Because of the Reformation it became common
in Catholic circles to translate Bible texts into the language
of the people. It is interesting to see how the Dutch language
was written (and also spoken) in those days. The pictures of
the beatitudes themselves are also very interesting.
Because we want to show every part, we will
use the next diagram.
The middle panel
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Text on top:
'Salich zijn sij die in uwen huyse wonen die zullen
hu louen inden tyt des eewicheijts – Psal LXXXIII'
Under the
Tetragrammaton: Hy heeft u ghegheuen eenen leeraer der
rechtueerdicheijt – Hoort hem – Matt XV
Around Jesus: Die gheest des Heren es up mij, daeromme
heeft hij mij ghesalft ende heeft mij ghesonden om te
prekene den aerme
Text below:
Ic ben van hem ghestelt een conynck up Syon sijnen heleghen
beerch prekende zijn ghebot – Psal II
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'Blessed are those who live in your house,
they will praise You to eternity - Psal LXXXIII'; is how we
would translate this text. At the top of the painting the master
painter has pictured the shining name of God. Under the cloud
is Jesus, sitting atop the mount, teaching the famous Sermon.
The city of Jerusalem is behind him. Above Jesus is written:
'He has given you a teacher of justice. Listen to him’
- Matthew 15. Beneath him the Holy Spirit is depicted in the
shape of a dove. The text says: 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon
me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the
poor'. Jesus is teaching the people who are sitting at his feet.
At the bottom of the picture is a band with text, which says:
'I am installed by him, King on Zion, his holy hill, preaching
his commands' - Psalm 2.
The Tetragrammaton is very nicely painted, including the
masoteric vowels. When we read the text with the vowels, we
read Yehowah.
It is also interesting to look at the separate parts.
Painting - part 1
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Text:
hoocheijt
heerghiericheijt
Begheerte des Weerlts
Text below:
Salich zijnse die aerme zijn
van gheeste, want dat rycke der hemelen behoort hemlien
toe
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Two men and two women are standing surrounded
by riches. The woman on the left side is holding a sceptre and
a crown. The other woman is wearing a crown with a cross. She
is pointing to a little box with valuables. Behind her is an
alcove with valuable things. The man on the left side is crossing
his arms and is pointing to heaven, to a figure with a sceptre
in his hands. The other man also sees the heavenly person and
is holding his hands together in prayer. On the left side of
the woman is a ladder with the word 'highness' written on it.
On the other side of the ladder, above the woman is written
'honourable'. Above the other woman is written: 'desire of the
world". On the ground are two more crowns, a sceptre and
a ladder.
The text below: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Painting - part 2
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Text inside:
Spijticheijt
Iniurie
Text below:
Salich zijn die Sachtmoedighe,
want zij besitten sullen die aerde
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A man in tattered clothing is holding on
to another man by the hair while making a fist as if to hit
him. Above him is written in Old Dutch: '‘Iniurie’,
which means 'villain'. The other man has a jar and bread in
his hands. Two women are on the left side of the picture. One
woman is looking on, surprised, while the other one is looking
to Christ, who appears with a crown of thorns and a cross. Above
the woman is the word 'regrettable'.
The text below: 'Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit
the earth.'
(Note: comparing to Matthew 5, we can see that the order
of the second and the third beatitudes are switched).
Painting - part 3
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Text inside:
Melijden
Berau der sonden
Apoca – 21
Text below:
Salich zijn sij die bedrouft
zijn, want zij vertroost zullen worden
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A man and woman are drying their tears.
Above them is written 'remorse of sins'. On the right side are
another man and woman. The woman is drying her tears while the
man is praying. He is looking to an angel, positioned beneath
a shining Tetragrammaton, who is offering him a cloth. On top
of the woman, in Old Dutch, is the word 'pity'. Under the angel
is written ‘Apoca – 21’, a reference to Revelation
21 where in verse 4 God promises that he will ‘wipe every
tear from their eyes'. This is why the angel is offering the
cloth.
The text below: 'Blessed are those who mourn, for they
will be comforted.'
The Tetragrammaton in detail:
Painting - part 4
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Text inside:
Toordeel gods
Gods rechtweerdicheyijt
op het zwaard: dwoord gods
op het boek: die wet gods
tussen de balans: gherechticheije
onder het brood: ghenaede
op de kruik en het brood: Gheeft d aermel meerighe brood
Text below:
Salich zijn sij die hongheren
ende dursten naerd die rechtweerdicheijt, want zij verseet
sullen worden.
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Under a shining Tetragrammaton is a woman
with a crown. On the left side of the Tetragrammaton is a palm
tree branch; and on the other side a sword. Above these is written:
'the judgement of God'. On the woman's head is written 'God’s
justice'. She is holding a sword and a scale. These are labelled
'the word of God' (sword) and 'justice' (scale). The scale,
of course, has to be in balance. In front of her is a book on
a table, together with a jar and bread. 'God's Law' is written
on the book. On the bread and the jar, ‘Give the poor
some bread. To the left of the woman is a man with a dish. To
her right is a man with bread. The word 'mercy' is written on
the bread.
The text below: 'Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for
righteousness, for they will be filled.'
The Tetragrammaton in detail:
Painting - part 5
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Text inside:
Goedertierenheijt
Baermherticheijt gods
Liefde
Mesdaet
Text below:
Salich zijn die baermhertighe,
want zij baermherticheijt verweeruen sullen.
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Under a shining Tetragrammaton is an angel
with a palm branch in his hand. The words 'God's Mercy' are
written in the cloud. On his left side are a wealthy man and
woman. Before them is a man on his knees, begging. Above the
man is the word 'Crime', above the woman the word 'Clemency'.
On the right side of the angel is a crippled man receiving gifts.
Above them is the word 'Love'.
The text below: 'Blessed are the merciful, for they will
be shown mercy.'
The Tetragrammaton in detail (with vowels showing clearly):
Painting - part 6
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Text inside:
Ghelooue
Duvels bedroch
Dexel der Soden
Lust des Weerlts
Der Sonde onreinheijt’
Onreijne liefde
Text below:
Salich zijn sij die suijver
van herten zijn, want zij sullen god sien
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A man and woman are standing under a cloud
in which the Tetragrammaton is written. A crowd of heavenly
beings surrounds the cloud. Above the woman is written 'Believe'.
On the left side of the man is a clothed devil. 'Deceipt of
the Devil' is written above him. The devil looks like a woman
but he has two horns, a tail and paws. In his hands he has a
golden drinking goblet with the text: 'lid of [Soden] on it.
Above the 0 is a line, which usually meant that the word had
been abbreviated. The word was very possibly 'Sonden' or 'Zonden'
- 'Sins' in English. At their feet of the man and woman is a
drinking goblet with the words 'the sin of impurity' written
on it. On the outside of the goblet are snakes. On the left
side of the woman are another man and woman. The woman is wearing
a crown with a cross. To the left of this crown is written 'desire
of the world'. At the feet of the woman is a nude, blindfolded
child with a bow in his hands and the words 'impure love.'
Text below: 'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will
see God.'
The Tetragrammaton in detail: (difficult to see)
Painting - part 7
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Text inside:
kinderen gods
Paysmaker
gramschepe
Crijghdheijt
De wille gods
Text below:
Salich zijn die vreedtsamighe,
want zij sullen kinderen gods gheheeten worden.
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Under a shining Tetragrammaton are two
angels. The text in between them says 'Children of God'. On
the left side are three men with another one standing behind
them. The man in the middle is preventing the other two from
fighting. The first man is raising his fist. The third man has
a sword. Above them is written, in very Old Dutch, 'peacemaker',
'wrath' and 'warlike'. Peacemaker is written here because of
the blessing portrayed in the picture. On the right side is
a man kneeling before a woman. The woman is holding two tablets
on which is written 'the Law'. Above her: 'God’s will'.
The text below: 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they
will be called sons of God.'
The Tetragrammaton in detail:
Painting - part 8
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Text inside:
Patientie
Steercke
Vulher
dicheijt
Text below:
Salich zijn
die ghene die vervolghinghe lijden om die rechtueerdigheijt,
want dat rijcke der hemelen behoort hem toe
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Three women are standing under a Tetragrammaton
that is surrounded by crowds of heavenly creatures. The woman
in the middle is holding a Bible, a sword and a pomegranate
with a cross. The woman on the left side is holding a cross
and a whip. Above her is written 'Patience'. She is standing
on a stone on which is an abbreviation for ‘Christ’.
To the left of the stone is a skull and a sphere with a cross.
The woman on the right side is holding a pillar with her left
arm and an escutcheon in her hand. Above her is written: 'Strong
persistency'. The woman in the middle is wearing a crown. Both
of the other women are receiving a crown. Behind them is the
image of a battle scene. Of course, there is a lot of symbolism
in this painting too. The pillar stands for persistence. The
whip symbolizes martyrdom. The skull is a symbol of the victims,
but Christ is the stone on which the congregation is built.
The text below: 'Blessed are those who
are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven.'
The Tetragrammaton in detail:
The iconoclasm or 'Beeldenstorm'
The name 'Beeldenstorm' was given to a
series of destructions which took place in the Netherlands between
August 10 and October of the year 1566. During these events
hundreds of Catholic churches were destroyed. Often it was the
valuable items within the church that were destroyed like altars,
statues, paintings, and pulpits. This series of destructions
were connected to the rising of Calvinism and Protestantism
in the Netherlands. The people were annoyed by the worship of
the Saints, the use of images and the wealth of the Church.
Of course, the Spanish oppressor did not let this go unpunished.
Fernando Alvarez de Toledo the Duke of Alba, was sent by Philip
II of Spain to the Netherlands. He is known in history by his
nickname 'the Iron Duke' because of his reign of terror.
About God's name in this painting
Knowing this, this painting... well, this
painting is very remarkable. No less than 7 times the artist
painted the Tetragrammaton, with vowel signs. The painting was
made just after the Iconoclams or 'Beeldenstorm'. On the reverse
of the painting are the coat of arms of Antoon van Hille and
his wife Martine van Zevecote. They were most likely the ones
that commissioned the work. Antoon van Hille was the Judge Officer
of Ghent and was known as a strong opponent of the Iconoclasm.
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