 |
| Cloister Containing Carthusian Series JLVwiki, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
A Guest Contribution by Ian Stone
"While the World Turns the Cross Remains;" the timeless motto goes on for the sons of St. Bruno. The Carthusian lifestyle and mode of existence have been one of great fascination and interest since the vastly popular 2005 documentary release: Into Great Silence. Since then, there have been book titles, released information and the ability of the general public to see into that world of silence, austerity and total detachment that has occurred around the world since Bruno and his six companions took to the rugged mountainous woods of Grenoble and established the Grande Chartreuse.
This way of life still occurs in the 21 open Charterhouses (Carthusian Monasteries) that exist around the world today. Carthusians have historically remained anonymous, authoring books simply as a Carthusian. This anonymity continues to the degree of grave stones not being identified by a person, but by a simple cross. Their existence is one of truly dying to the world and all that the world holds dear, even insisting on silence from the grave.
Of these mysterious cloisters, there are numerous elements to be found of great interest for both art and architecture, critics and fans around the world. The Baroque wonder of the Granada Charterhouse, the incredible royal tombs, frescos and architecture of Santa Maria de Miraflores in Burgos, and the stunning chapel and altar of the Charterhouse of Serra San Bruno in Calabria all exemplify the beauty of the Carthusian story.
There is one, however, that is less known, and is one of the most impressive demonstrations of Carthusian art. These would be the incredible, sweeping 54 panels of the Monastery of Santa María de El Paular by artist Vicente Carducho (ca. 1576-1638) called The Carthusian Series.
This series was commissioned in 1626 by King Philip IV, Vicente Carducho created an ambitious series of paintings celebrating the history and spirituality of the Carthusian Order. Conceived by Father Juan de Baeza, the project consisted of 54 large canvases depicting the life of Saint Bruno, founder of the order, along with key moments in Carthusian history from the 11th to the 16th centuries. The works emphasize themes of solitude, humility, prayer, and martyrdom, while also reflecting the religious conflicts of early modern Europe. Painted between 1626 and 1632, the canvases were designed to fit the Gothic arches of the monastery (1) (Ruiz, La recuperación de El Paular, 2013, pp. 185–190). These massive paintings are each around 337 cm x 298 cm and are all oil on canvas.
 |
| JLVwiki, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
Among these works, we can see a number of themed elements of the Carthusian foundations and history, emphasizing themes of detachment, martyrdom, mystical experiences and perseverance. Across various scenes of the Carthusian story we see as "Saint Bruno Refuses the Archbishopric of Reggio Calabria and Saint Bruno's Conversion before the Body of Diocrès," In the latter, Bruno famously witnessed the funeral of a renowned and known virtuous Parisian professor transformed by a miraculous event: the deceased rose before the assembled mourners and proclaimed, “By the just judgement of God I have been condemned to hell for ever!” This shocking occurrence is traditionally understood as the catalyst for Bruno's decision to abandon his worldly life. The paintings celebrate withdrawal from worldly ambition in favor of contemplation and ascetic devotion, reflecting the Carthusian ideals established by Saint Bruno.
 |
| Saint Bruno's Conversion before the Body of Diocrès Vincenzo Carducci, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons |
 |
| Bruno Refuses the Archbishopric of Reggio Calabria Vincenzo Carducci, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons |
 |
| The Virgin, Accompanied by Saint Joseph and Saint John the Baptist, Shelters the Carthusian Order Beneath her Robes Vincenzo Carducci, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons |
Other works include "The Martyrdom of Fathers John Rochester and James Walworth," "The Martyrdom of the Mauerbach Carthusians," and "The Burning of the Prague Charterhouse" and "The Martyrdom of the Priors of the English Charterhouses of London, Nottingham and Axholme." These pieces highlight suffering and steadfast faith during persecution, portraying the martyrs with greatness and boldness.
 |
| The Martyrdom of the Priors of the English Charterhouses of London, Nottingham and Axholme Vincenzo Carducci, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons |
In the middle of the seventeenth century, in the cemetery of the old Carthusian monastery in Paris, at the site of the current Luxembourg garden, miracles were multiplying on the grave of a lay brother who had died in the odor of sanctity. Dom Innocent says the prior came to the place to address the deceased: “In the name of holy obedience, I forbid you to perform miracles.” The extraordinary phenomena ceased immediately.
 |
| Carthusian Worship Beyond Death Vincenzo Carducci, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons |
 | |
|
Even scenes of death, such as "The Death of Saint Bruno and The Death of the Venerable Odón de Novara," are rendered as moments of triumph and spiritual victory. Rather than emphasizing loss, these works present death as the culmination of a lifelong struggle and the successful completion of the race of faith, won by those who persevered most steadfastly in their devotion.
 |
| The Vision of Denis the Carthusian Vincenzo Carducci, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons |
The preservation of these panels has been monumental. The closure and expulsion of the Carthusians occurred in 1835, and the monastery was eventually repopulated in the 1950s by Benedictine monks. Carducho's monumental work was dispersed after a number of nineteenth-century confiscations. Luckily, the 54 surviving works were restored by and are now owned by the Prado Museum; they have since been returned to their rightful home at El Paular, while two works have tragically been lost.
Because the cloister is seen as a gateway between the worlds of the cell and the community, the beauty of these baroque masterpieces takes on a depth and richness as it relates the monk to the hinge point of his own existence: both now and in eternity.
 |
| 19Tarrestnom65, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
These paintings allow for the world to see into another world, whose mode of life, Pius XI famously stated, is “the most perfect and at the same time useful and fruitful for the whole of Christendom” (2). May we all extract what we can, as our own judgment also awaits us, we who have not had the cloister to keep us on the narrow path.
Saint Bruno, Ora Pro Nobis
All Carthusian Saints, Ora Pro Nobis
-------
Link to the entire series of high definition photos: https://www.museodelprado.es/
1. Ruiz, La recuperación de El Paular, 2013, pp. 185–190
2. Pius XI. Umbratilem. 8 July 1924. Vatican, www.vatican.va/content/pius-xi/en/apostolic-constitutions/documents/hf_p-xi_ap-const_19240708_umbratilem.html.
-------
Do you like Liturgical Arts Journal's original content? You can help support LAJ in its mission and vision to promote beauty in Catholic worship either by:
You choose the amount! Your support makes all the difference.
