The Tree of Jesse refers to a passage in the Biblical Book of Isaiah which describes metaphorically the descent of the Messiah and is accepted by Christians as pertaining to Jesus, and is often represented in art, particularly in that of the Medieval period, the earliest dating from the 11th century. The Book of Isaiah ( Hebrew: Sefer Y'sha'yah ספר ישעיה is a book of the Bible traditionally attributed to the Prophet Isaiah, who lived This article is about the concept of a Messiah in religion notably in the Christian Islamic and Jewish traditions Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Medieval art covers a vast scope of time and place over 1000 years of Art history in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
Isaiah, Chapter 11, verses 1-3:-
| “ | And there shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. Isaiah (; Greek:, Ēsaiās; Arabic: اشعیاء, Ash-ee-yaa; "Salvation of/is YHWH " is . . [1] | ” |
In the Latin Vulgate Bible used in the Middle Ages this was: "et egredietur virga de radice Iesse et flos de radice eius ascendet " or ". The Vulgate is an early Fifth Century version of the Bible in Latin, and largely the result of the labours of Jerome, who was commissioned by . a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up. . . ". Flos, pl floris is Latin for flower. Virga is a "green twig", "rod" or "broom", as well as a convenient near-pun with Virgo or Virgin, which undoubtedly influenced the development of the image. Thus Jesus is the Virga Jesse or "shoot of Jesse".
In the New Testament the lineage of Jesus is traced by two of the Gospel writers, Matthew and Luke. This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament Matthew the Evangelist (מתי/מתתיהו "Gift of Yahweh " Standard Hebrew and Tiberian Hebrew: Mattay or Mattithyahu Luke the Evangelist ( Hebrew: לוּקָֻא Greek: Loukás) was an early Christian leader who is said by tradition to be the author of Luke describes the "generations of Christ" in Chapter 3 of Luke's Gospel, beginning with Jesus himself and tracing backwards through his "earthly father" Joseph all the way to Adam. The Gospel of Luke (Gk Κατά Λουκάν Ευαγγέλιον) is a synoptic Gospel, and is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels of the Joseph "of the House of David " ( Hebrew יוֹסֵף also known as Saint Joseph, Joseph the Betrothed, Joseph of Nazareth See also Adam and Eve Adam ( Hebrew: אָדָם was according to a literal interpretation of Genesis, the first man created by
Matthew's Gospel opens with the words:
| “ | The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, descendant of David, descendant of Abraham. The Gospel of Matthew (Gk Κατά Ματθαίον Ευαγγέλιον is one of the four Canonical gospels in the New Testament and is a Synoptic gospel | ” |
With this beginning Matthew makes clear Jesus' whole lineage:- He is of God's chosen people, by his descent from Abraham, and he is the "shoot of Jesse" by his descent from Jesse's son, King David. Abraham ( Ashkenazi Avrohom or Avruhom; ابراهيم, {{Unicode|Ibrāhīm}}; Ge'ez: Jesse or Yishai ( meaning "God's gift" is the father of the Biblical David mentioned in the Books of Samuel of the Hebrew Bible. David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible [2]
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The Jesse Tree in Christian art
Pictorial representations of the Jesse Tree show a symbolic tree or vine with spreading branches to represent the genealogy in accordance with Isaiah's prophecy. Isaiah (; Greek:, Ēsaiās; Arabic: اشعیاء, Ash-ee-yaa; "Salvation of/is YHWH " is The 12th century monk Hervaeus expressed the medieval understanding of the image, based on the Vulgate text: "The patriarch Jesse belonged to the royal family, that is why the root of Jesse signifies the lineage of kings. Hervé de Bourg-Dieu (c 1080 Le Mans -1150 Déols) was a French Benedictine exegete The Vulgate is an early Fifth Century version of the Bible in Latin, and largely the result of the labours of Jerome, who was commissioned by As to the rod, it symbolises Mary as the flower symbolises Jesus Christ. "[3] In the medieval period, when heredity was all-important, much greater emphasis than today was placed on the actual royal descent of Jesus, especially by royalty and the nobility, including those who had joined the clergy. Between them, these groups were responsible for much of the patronage of the arts.
During the Medieval era the symbol of the tree as an expression of lineage was adopted by the nobility and has passed into common usage initially in the form of the Family Tree and later as a mode of expressing any line of descent. A family tree is a chart representing family relationships in a conventional Tree structure. The form is widely used as a table in such disciplines as biology. Foundations of modern biology There are five unifying principles It is also used to show lines of responsibility in personnel structures such as government departments. [4]
The Jesse Tree has been depicted in almost every medium of Christian art. In particular, it is the subject of many stained glass windows and illuminated manuscripts. For the Blackford Oakes novel see Stained Glass (novel The term stained glass refers either to the material of coloured Glass or to the art An illuminated manuscript is a Manuscript in which the text is supplemented by the addition of decoration such as decorated Initials borders and It is also found in wall paintings, architectural carvings, funerary monuments, floor tiles and embroidery. Painting (pān'tīng in Art, is the practice of applying Color to a Surface (support base such as e Embroidery is the Art or Handicraft of decorating fabric or other Materials with designs stitched in strands of thread or
The first representations of the passage in Isaiah, from about 1,000 in the West, showed a "shoot" in the form of a straight stem or a flowering branch held in the hand by (most often) the Virgin, Jesus when held by Mary, or Isaiah or ancestor figures. The shoot as an attribute acted as a reminder of the prophecy,[5] In the Byzantine world, the Tree figures only as a normal-looking tree in the background of some Nativity scenes, also a reminder to the viewer. [6] Indeed, the Tree was always far more common in Northern Europe, where it originated, than Italy.
There exist also other forms of representation of the Genealogy of Jesus which do not employ the Jesse Tree, the most famous being that painted in the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo. The genealogy of Jesus through Joseph is given by two passages from the Gospels, Matthew and Luke. The Sistine Chapel ceiling, painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512 is one of the most renowned artworks of the High Renaissance. Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni Two biographies were published of him during his lifetime One of them by Giorgio Vasari, proposed that he was the pinnacle of all
The typical form of the image
The most typical form which the Jesse Tree takes is to show the figure of Jesse, often larger than all the rest, reclining or sleeping (perhaps by analogy to Adam when his rib was taken) at the foot of the pictorial space. Jesse or Yishai ( meaning "God's gift" is the father of the Biblical David mentioned in the Books of Samuel of the Hebrew Bible. From his side or his navel springs the trunk of a tree or vine which ascends, branching to either side. On the branches, usually surrounded by formally scrolling tendrils of foliage, are figures representing the ancestors of Christ. The trunk generally ascends vertically to Mary and then Christ at the top.
The number of figures depicted varies greatly, depending on the amount of room available for the design. As a maximum, if the longer ancestry from Luke is used, there are 43 generations between Jesse and Jesus. The identity of the figures also varies, and may not be specified, but Solomon and David are usually included, and often all shown wear crowns. King Solomon ( Ge'ez: ስለሞን Arabic: ar سليمان, Sulayman, all from the Triliteral root S-L-M, "peace" David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible Most Jesse Trees include Mary immediately beneath the figure of Jesus (or, in the Gothic period, show a Virgin and Child), emphasising that she was the means by which the shoot of Jesse was born. [7] Saint Joseph is rarely shown, although unlike Mary he is a link in the Gospel genealogies. Joseph "of the House of David " ( Hebrew יוֹסֵף also known as Saint Joseph, Joseph the Betrothed, Joseph of Nazareth It was believed in the Middle Ages that the House of David could only marry within itself, and that she was independently descended from Jesse. The Davidic line, known in Hebrew as Malkhut Beit David (מלכות בית דויד( "Monarchy of the House of David") refers to the Sometimes Jesus and other figures are shown in the cups of flowers, as the fruit or blossom of the Tree. [3]
The Jesse Tree was the only prophecy in the Old Testament to be so literally and frequently illustrated, and so came also to stand for the Prophets, and their foretelling of Christ, in general. Both the St-Denis and Chartres windows include columns of prophets, as do many depictions. Often they carry banderoles with a quotation from their writings, and they may point to Christ, as the foretold Messiah. [3]
While particularly popular in the Medieval era, there were also many depictions of the Jesse Tree in Gothic Revival art of the 19th century. The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement which began The 20th century has also produced a number of fine examples. In recent years the Jesse Tree has taken on a new significance, replacing the Advent calendar and the Christmas tree as a mode of celebrating the Advent Season by hanging a decoration on the tree each day in Advent. An Advent calendar is a special calendar used to count the days of Advent. A Christmas tree, Yule tree, holiday tree or Tannenbaum (fir tree is one of the most popular Traditions associated with the celebration Advent (from the Latin word la ''adventus'' meaning "coming" is a season of the Christian church, the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the
The Vysehrad Codex and Lambeth Palace Bible
The earliest known representation of the Jesse Tree can be firmly dated to 1086 and is in the Vyšehrad Codex, the Coronation Gospels of Vratislav II, the first monarch of Bohemia, which was previously a dukedom. The Codex Vyssegradensis, also known as the Vyšehrad Codex or the Coronation Gospels of Vratislav II, is a late 11th century Illuminated manuscript Vratislaus II or Wratislaus II (Vratislav II (died 14 January 1092) the son of Bretislaus I and Judith of Schweinfurt, daughter Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the [8]
In a paper analysing this image, J. A. Hayes Williams points out that the iconography employed is very different from that usually found in such images, which she argues relates to an assertion of the rightful kingship of the royal patron. The page showing the Jesse Tree is accompanied by a number of other illuminated pages of which four depict the Ancestors of Christ. An illuminated manuscript is a Manuscript in which the text is supplemented by the addition of decoration such as decorated Initials borders and The genealogy of Jesus through Joseph is given by two passages from the Gospels, Matthew and Luke. The Jesse Tree has not been used to support a number of figures, as is usual. Instead, the passage from Isaiah has been depicted in a very literal way. In the picture, the prophet Isaiah approaches Jesse from beneath whose feet is springing a tree, and wraps around him a banner with words upon it which translate literally as:- "A little rod from Jesse gives rise to a splendid flower", following the language of the Vulgate. Isaiah (; Greek:, Ēsaiās; Arabic: اشعیاء, Ash-ee-yaa; "Salvation of/is YHWH " is Jesse or Yishai ( meaning "God's gift" is the father of the Biblical David mentioned in the Books of Samuel of the Hebrew Bible. Instead of the ancestors seen in later depictions, seven doves (with haloes) perch in the branches. A halo (ἅλως also known as a nimbus, Aureole, glory, or gloriole) is a ring of light that surrounds a person in art These, in a motif from Byzantine art, represent the Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit as described by the Apostle Paul. Byzantine art is the term commonly used to describe the artistic products of the Byzantine Empire from about the 4th century until the Fall of Constantinople The Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are gifts which Anglicans, Roman Catholics, and Lutherans believe the Holy Spirit gives to people to Paul the apostle (שאול התרסי Šaʾul HaTarsi, meaning " Saul of Tarsus " Σαούλ Saul and Σαῦλος Saulos and [8][9] Williams goes on to compare it with two other famous images, theTree of Jesse window at Chartres Cathedral and the Lambeth Palace Bible in England. [8]
Williams says:-
"While depictions of the Jesse Tree originated in Bohemia, the concept became widely popular throughout Europe and the British Isles. Within sixty years the composition had exploded and expanded, with rearranged original elements and new ones added. "[8]
The Lambeth Palace Bible is dated between 1140 and 1150. The Jesse Tree illustration comes at the start of Isaiah and differs greatly from the earlier one, having much more the form that is familiar from both manuscript and stained glass versions. In it, Jesse lies at the border of the page with the tree springing from his side. The branches of the tree are depicted as highly formalised circular tendrils which enclose six pairs or trios of figures. At the centre, tall and highly stylised in the same manner as 12th century columnar statues, stands a full length Blessed Virgin Mary from whose head spring tendrils which enclose a bust of her Son, Jesus. This ecumenical article is about general Christian views on and veneration of the Virgin Mary Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) He is encircled by the seven doves, with outspread wings; this became the usual depiction of them. Four Prophets with scrolls occupy medallions in the corners.
The Jesse Tree at Chartres Cathedral
Among the famous stained glass windows of Chartres Cathedral in Northern France is the Jesse Tree window, of 1140-50, the far right of three windows above the Royal Portal and beneath the western rose window. A Rose window (or Catherine window) is often used as a generic term applied to a circular Window, but is especially used for those found in churches It derives from the oldest known (and almost certainly the original) complex form of the Jesse Tree, with the tree rising from a sleeping Jesse, a window placed in the Saint-Denis Basilica by Abbot Suger in about 1140, which is now heavily restored. The Basilica of Saint Denis ( French: Basilique de Saint-Denis, or simply Basilique Saint-Denis) is the burial site of almost all the French Suger (c 1081 &ndash 13 January 1151) was one of the last French abbot-statesmen a historian and the influential first patron of Gothic architecture [6] [6]
The Chartres window comprises eight square central panels, with seven rectangular ones on either side, separated, as is usual in 12th century windows with no stone tracery, by heavy iron armatures. In the lowest central panel reclines the figure of Jesse, with the tree rising from his middle. In each of the seven sections it branches out into a regular pattern of scrolling branches, each bearing a bunch of leaves that take on the heraldic form of the Fleur de Lys, very common in French stained glass. The fleur-de-lys (or fleur-de-lis, plural fleurs-de-lis ˌfləː(rdəˈliː (ˌfləː(rdəˈlɪs in Quebec) translated from French as "lily Central to each panel is a figure:- David, Solomon, two more crowned figures, the Blessed Virgin Mary and, surrounded by the doves bearing the Gifts of the Spirit, a majestic figure of Christ, larger than the rest. David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible King Solomon ( Ge'ez: ስለሞን Arabic: ar سليمان, Sulayman, all from the Triliteral root S-L-M, "peace" This ecumenical article is about general Christian views on and veneration of the Virgin Mary Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " In each of the narrower panels, edged by richly patterned borders, are the figures of fourteen prophets bearing scrolls. In Religion, a prophet (or prophetess) is a person who has encountered the Supernatural or the divine and serves as an intermediary
Apart from the theological importance, the design works very well as a unified composition for a tall vertical space; most other tall windows were divided into separate scenes. Saint-Denis and Chartres provided a model for many other such windows, notably the Jesse Tree windows of Canterbury Cathedral, c. The Tree of Jesse refers to a passage in the Biblical Book of Isaiah which describes metaphorically the descent of the Messiah and is accepted by Christians as pertaining Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a 1200, probably also made in France, and St. Kunibert, Cologne of 1220-35. Section references:- Brown,[10] Lee, Seddon and Stephens. [11]
The continuing tradition of the Jesse Tree in art
Illuminated Manuscripts
The Tree appears in several other Romanesque Bibles apart from the Lambeth Bible, usually as a large initial at the start of either Isaiah or Matthew. The Saint-Bénigne Bible is perhaps the earliest appearance, with just Jesse and the doves of the Seven Gifts. The Capuchin's Bible (Bibliotheque nationale de France - see picture) is a later example, c. 1180, in which a Jesse Tree forms the L of Liber generationis. . at the start of the Gospel of Matthew. [12]
The Tree is also often found in Psalters, especially English manuscripts, illustrating the B initial of Beatus Vir. A Psalter is a volume containing the Book of Psalms and which often contains other devotional material . , the beginning of Psalm 1, which often occupies a whole page. Sometimes this is the only fully illuminated page, and if it is historiated (ie contains a pictured scene) the Tree is the usual subject. When not historiated, the initial had for about two hundred years been most often made up of, or filled with, spiraling plant tendrils, often with animals or men caught up in them, so the development to the tree was a relatively easy step. Indeed, although Jesse's son David was believed to be the author of the Psalms, it has been suggested that the tradition of using a Jesse Tree here arose largely because it was an imposing design that worked well filling a large B shape. Psalms ( Hebrew: Tehilim, תהילים, or "praises" is a book of the Hebrew Bible (the Christian Old Testament) included
An early example is the late 12th century Huntingfield Psalter, and an especially splendid one from the early 14th century is the Gorleston Psalter in the British Library. The British Library ( BL) is the National library of the United Kingdom. [13] In these and most other examples Jesse lies at the bottom of the B, and the Virgin is no larger than other figures. In the recently re-discovered Macclesfield Psalter of about 1320 another very elaborate Tree grows beyond the B, sending branches round the sides and bottom of the text. The Macclesfield Psalter is a lavishly Illuminated manuscript from the English region of East Anglia, written in Latin and produced around In the Psalter and Hours of John, Duke of Bedford (British Library Ms Add 42131), of about 1420-23, the Tree frames the bottom and both sides of the page, whilst the initial B at the top of the page contains the anointing of King David. John of Lancaster 1st Duke of Bedford ( 20 June 1389 – 14 September 1435) also known as John Plantagenet, was the third surviving The British Library ( BL) is the National library of the United Kingdom.
Some continental manuscripts give the scene a whole page with no initial. "Various selections" of the elements appear, and prophets and sometimes even the Cumaean Sybil (Ingeburg Psalter c. The ageless Cumaean Sibyl was the priestess presiding over the Apollonian Oracle at Cumae, a Greek colony located near Naples, 1210) stand in the corners or to the side. A Lectionary of before 1164 from Cologne unusually shows Jesse dead in a tomb or coffin, from which the tree grows. A Lectionary is a book or listing that contains a collection of Scripture readings appointed for Christian or Judaic worship on a given day or occasion [6] Romanesque depictions usually show Jesse asleep on open ground or on a simple couch - all that can be told from the Bible about his circumstances is that he had sheep, which David herded. By the Gothic period small Trees are found in many types of manuscript, and Jesse is often more comfortably accommodated in a large bed, sometimes a luxurious one, as in the Beauvais window below.
Stained glass
Medieval
York Minster, England
A small and much fragmented panel from a Jesse Tree window, at York Minster is thought to be the oldest surviving stained glass in England, dating from perhaps as early as 1150. York Minster is a Gothic Cathedral in York, England and is the second largest of its kind in Northern Europe (largest is the [10]
Canterbury Cathedral, England
This window, dating from c. 1200, had an unfortunate history. Having survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the depredations of the Puritans and the ravages of time, it was dismantled and removed, with many other original windows during the 19th and early 20th centuries, and replaced by a copy. The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the formal process between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded A Puritan of 16th and 17th century England was an associate of any number of religious groups advocating for more "purity" of Worship and Doctrine, Fortunately two surviving panels were later returned and are in place in the Corona Chapel[14] at the eastern end of the building.
Other examples are at the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris (1247) and the Cathedral of Le Mans (13th century). La Sainte-Chapelle (The Holy Chapel is a Gothic Chapel on the Île de la Cité in the heart of Paris, France. Le Mans Cathedral ( Cathédrale St-Julien du Mans) is a Roman Catholic cathedral situated in Le Mans, France.
Renaissance and Classical
Dorchester Abbey, Dorchester, Oxfordshire
The north window in the sanctuary is unique as it combines tracery and sculpture with stained glass in a single theme. It shows the ascent of Christ from Jesse. Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " Jesse or Yishai ( meaning "God's gift" is the father of the Biblical David mentioned in the Books of Samuel of the Hebrew Bible. The tree with five undulating branches carved in foliage rises from the sculptured recumbent form of Jesse. Much of the 14th century glass is fragmentary, but still in its original tracery. The figures of Christ and the Virgin and Child with other figures are intact. The glass contains figures from a Tree of Jesse and additional figures are carved on stone mullions.
St. Leonard's Church, Leverington, Cambridgeshire
A 15th century restored Tree of Jesse window in the chapel of the east end of the church. Thirteen of the figures are original, seventeen are partly restored and thirty-one are modern. The kings are dressed in short doublets which are compared with similar figures in the manuscript of 1640 representing the victories of Edward IV which is in the British Library Harleian MS. 7353.
Holy Well and St. Dyfnog Church, Llanrhaeadr, Denbighshire, Wales.
The Tree of Jesse window was made in 1533. The window depicts Jesse asleep in a walled garden, from him springs a many branched family tree, in which can be seen the ancestor kings of christ. The figures resemble 'court' playing cards, which took their form at about the time the window was made. [15]
Saint-Étienne church, Beauvais, France
A magnificent Renaissance three-light window by Engrand Le Prince (1522-1524), with the royal ancestors richly-dressed in fashionable garments, rising from large flower-pods. Beauvais is a town and commune of northern France, Préfecture (capital of the Oise département. Jesse has a splendid four-poster bed. In the tracery, the central section has the form of a Sacred Heart and contains the Virgin and Christ Child rising from a lily and surrounded by radiant light. The Sacred Heart is a religious devotion to Jesus ' physical heart as the representation of the divine love for humanity
Cathedral Notre-Dame, Moulins, Central France
15th - 16th century Tree of Jesse window above Jesse can be seen a king on horseback. Moulins is a commune in central France, capital of the Allier department.
19th and early 20th century
St. Bartholomew's Church, Rogate, West Sussex.
The Jesse window of 1892 by Lavers & Westlake is a colourful design. All the figures are seated in the vine except for the Virgin Mary who is seated within a flowering virga, outside the vine. Above her head are seven doves representing the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. The figures in the window are; in the first light - Hezekiah, Solomon, Melchizedek. Hezekiah (or Ezekias) ( Hebrew: Ḥizqiyyāhu Khizkiyahu or Yəḥizqiyyāhu Y'khizkiyahu " the {{LORD}} has strengthened" compare King Solomon ( Ge'ez: ስለሞን Arabic: ar سليمان, Sulayman, all from the Triliteral root S-L-M, "peace" Melchizedek is an enigmatic figure twice mentioned in the Hebrew Tanakh and in the Christian Old Testament. Middle light - Jesse, David, the Virgin and Christchild on her knee. Third light - Jehoshaphat, Asa, and Isaiah. See Josaphat for other meanings of the name Jehoshaphat or Jehosaphat or Josaphat or Yehoshafat ( was the successor of Isaiah (; Greek:, Ēsaiās; Arabic: اشعیاء, Ash-ee-yaa; "Salvation of/is YHWH " is The three light window is dedicated to the Honourable J J Carnagie born 8 July 1807 died 18 January 1892, placed in the church by Henry Allen Rolls (brother of the co-founder of Rolls Royce Limited) in 1892. For the present day company see Rolls-Royce plc. For other uses see Rolls-Royce (disambiguation. [16]
Pusey House Chapel, Oxford, Oxfordshire.
In the east window there is a Tree of Jesse commemorating Pusey, who was one of the leaders of the nineteenth century Oxford Movement in the Church of England. The Oxford Movement or Tractarianism was an affiliation of High Church Anglicans, most of whom were members of the University of Oxford, who sought Pusey died in 1882 and Pusey House was established as his memorial. The window is by Sir Ninian Comper and contains figures of Old Testament prophets, and fathers of the Church, representing some of the areas of his study, surrounding Christ in Majesty and the Virgin and Child. Sir John Ninian Comper, ( June 10, 1864 – December 22, 1960) was a Scottish Architect. In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. Christ in Majesty, or Christ in Glory, in Latin Majestas Domini, is the Western Christian image of Christ seated on a throne as ruler of the world always The figure of Pusey can be seen, kneeling at the base of the second light from the right.
St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Froyle, Hampshire
The Tree of Jesse 5 light east window is by Kempe/Burlison & Grylls 1896. Nineteen figures can be seen including Jesse, King David, King Solomon, the Blessed Virgin Mary and Child. [17]
St. Matthew's Church, Newcastle, Northumberland.
Tree of Jesse window by Kempe 1899. [18]
St. Peter's Church, Stonegate, Wadhurst, E. Sussex
The 5 light west window is a Tree of Jesse window made by James Powell & Sons, London in 1910. Depicting 21 characters including Jesse, King David, King Solomon, The Virgin Mary and Child. [19]
All Saints Church, Hove, East Sussex
The Tree of Jesse window at the west end of the south aisle is by Clement Bell, installed by the firm Clayton & Bell in 1924. The window embodies a profusion of rich deep colours, reds, blues, dark green, mauve and gold. It has four upright sections, surmounted by quatrefoil insets depicting the Mother & Child, flanked by Joseph and Jacob. Joseph "of the House of David " ( Hebrew יוֹסֵף also known as Saint Joseph, Joseph the Betrothed, Joseph of Nazareth Jacob ( Hebrew: יַעֲקֹב, Standard Yaʿaqov Tiberian Yaʿăqōḇ; Below, shown in kingly attire is the genealogical lineage of Joseph with some of his forebears from the house of David, Salathiel, Zorobabel, Sadoc, Matthan, Ozias, Jehoshaphat, Ezekias, Josias, Roboam, King David, Solomon and Asa. Joseph "of the House of David " ( Hebrew יוֹסֵף also known as Saint Joseph, Joseph the Betrothed, Joseph of Nazareth The Davidic line, known in Hebrew as Malkhut Beit David (מלכות בית דויד( "Monarchy of the House of David") refers to the Shealtiel (שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל Shə’altî’ēl) or Greek-derived variant Salathiel ( Greek: σαλαθιηλ Salăthiēl) is a significant Zerubbabel (זְרֻבָּבֶל Zərubbāvel; Greek: ζοροβαβελ Zŏrobabel) was the grandson of Jehoiachin, penultimate King of The genealogy of Jesus through Joseph is given by two passages from the Gospels, Matthew and Luke. Matthan is an individual named in the Gospel of Matthew 's version (115-16 of the Genealogy of Jesus, as being the paternal grandfather of Joseph, the Ozias, King of Judah (809-759 B C son and successor of Amazias. See Josaphat for other meanings of the name Jehoshaphat or Jehosaphat or Josaphat or Yehoshafat ( was the successor of Hezekiah (or Ezekias) ( Hebrew: Ḥizqiyyāhu Khizkiyahu or Yəḥizqiyyāhu Y'khizkiyahu " the {{LORD}} has strengthened" compare Josiah or Yoshiyahu ( was king of Judah, and son of Amon and Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. Rehoboam ( Hebrew:רחבעם Rehav'am was a king of the ancient Kingdom of Judah, succeeding his father Solomon. David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible King Solomon ( Ge'ez: ስለሞን Arabic: ar سليمان, Sulayman, all from the Triliteral root S-L-M, "peace" Below these are the prophet Isaiah a recumbent Jesse (illustrated to the right), and in the bottom corner Matthew recording these details in the opening of his gospel. Isaiah (; Greek:, Ēsaiās; Arabic: اشعیاء, Ash-ee-yaa; "Salvation of/is YHWH " is Matthew the Evangelist (מתי/מתתיהו "Gift of Yahweh " Standard Hebrew and Tiberian Hebrew: Mattay or Mattithyahu [20]
St. George’s Church, Slough, Britwell, Berkshire.
A five light Tree of Jesse window is mentioned in the church inventory. A huge and spectacular window in one inch thick glass, set in concrete, and made by James Powell & Sons and John Baker in 1960, it was demolished in October 2004.
St. John the Baptist Church, Claines, Worcester
This church has a fine 19th century mosaic paving depicting the Tree of Jesse. It was designed and executed by Aston Webb. Sir Aston Webb, RA, FRIBA, ( May 22 1849 - August 21 1930) was an English Architect, active in [21]
Modern
St. James’s Church, Portsmouth, Milton, Hampshire
The consecration of St. James Church took place in 1913, built on a north-south axis in Gothic form. The addition of the Tree of Jesse stained glass east window, inserted to mark the church's 21st anniversary (1954). The window by Sir Ninian Comper shows the descent of Jesus, through Mary, from King David, the youngest son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite. Bethlehem ( بيت لحم,, lit "House of Meat" Βηθλεέμ Bethleém בית לחם Beit Lehem, lit "House of Bread" is a
St. Andrew’s Church, Swavesey, Cambridgeshire
The east window in the Lady Chapel contains a 1967 Tree of Jesse by Francis Skeat. In the letters to the incumbent and the churchwardens Skeat writes:-
"The window scheme of my design is intended to symbolise the descent of Our Lord from Abraham and the patriarchs as detailed in the opening chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel. It is not merely a Jesse Tree since it goes back before his time. . . . . . . . . . . "
Jesse appears in the right hand light and is in a standing position facing left. The figures in the window are:- first light, Boaz; second light, Ruth and above her Jacob; middle light, Abraham and Isaac; above them, the Blessed Virgin Mary and Child; at the top, Asa; fourth light, David with Solomon above him; fifth light, Jesse. Boaz ( Heb בועז) is a major figure in The Book of Ruth in the Bible. This article is about the ancient Hebrew religious text For the 20th-century English-language novel see The Book of Ruth (novel The Book of Ruth Jacob ( Hebrew: יַעֲקֹב, Standard Yaʿaqov Tiberian Yaʿăqōḇ; Abraham ( Ashkenazi Avrohom or Avruhom; ابراهيم, {{Unicode|Ibrāhīm}}; Ge'ez: According to the Hebrew Bible, Isaac ( Hebrew: Yitzchak יִצְחָק, Standard Yiẓḥaq
The text at the bottom of the window reads:-
| “ | Who for us men, and for our Salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. | ” |
Cathedral Notre-Dame, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Tree of Jesse rose window 1992; with at the centre the Virgin seated, crowned, and on her lap the Christ-child with his arms extended. A Rose window (or Catherine window) is often used as a generic term applied to a circular Window, but is especially used for those found in churches Eight glass medallions surrounding contain Jesse lying in the lower medallion, other figures including David and Solomon each holding scrolls, and in the top medallion the Holy Spirit represented by a Dove. In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance
Saint Louis Abbey, St. Louis. U. S. A.
This newly built abbey has Jesse Tree window, a fine arts project by students who made the window over a period of 4 1/2 years. Twenty-one panels make up the 16’ x 5’ Jesse Tree window, based on the twelfth century Jesse Tree from Chartres Cathedral. Inspired by the design, the students have begun creating their own stained glass window depicting the lineage of St. Louis Priory School.
Abbey Church, Buckfast Abbey, Devon
The church was rebuilt on medieval foundations between 1905 and 1937. History Buckfast Abbey was founded by Earl Aylward in the reign of King Cnut in 1018 The marble floor of the Lady chapel depicts the Tree of Jesse made in the Abbey's own workshops in Byzantine style mosaic.
Painting
The large flat wooden ceiling in the Church of St Michael, Hildesheim of c. The Church of St Michael (Michaeliskirche in Hildesheim, Germany, is an early- Romanesque church 1200 has the space to include a complex iconographic scheme based around the tree, which encompasses Adam and Eve, the Prophets and the Four Evangelists. See also Adam and Eve Adam ( Hebrew: אָדָם was according to a literal interpretation of Genesis, the first man created by In Genesis, Eve is the first woman the wife of Adam. God created her from Adam's rib as his helpmate The Four Evangelists refers to the authors of the four Gospel accounts in the New Testament that bear the following ancient titles Gospel according Panel paintings are rare, but a German example of c. 1470 (Darmstadt) shows a Tree on the outside of the wings of a tryptych. Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland A triptych (pronounced "trip-tick" trip'tik (or US: 'tɹʷɪp [6] A large Polish baroque oil by Michael Willmann (1678, Kościół Wniebowzięcia NMP, Krzeszów) shows a typically crowded Baroque apotheosis scene, with thin tendrils lacing round the figures, but not supporting them.
The nave ceiling of Ely Cathedral was painted with a scheme rather similar to Hildesheim by the gentleman artist Henry Styleman Le Strange, who began in 1858. Ely Cathedral (in full The Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Ely) is the principal church of the Diocese of Ely After his death (leaving no detailed drawings for the remainder) in 1862, it was completed by another amateur artist, Thomas Gambier Parry using his special Gambier Parry process of frescoes with lavender oil. Thomas Gambier Parry ( February 22, 1816 – September 28, 1888) was an English Artist and art collector The Gambier Parry process is a development of the classical technique of Fresco for painting Murals named for Thomas Gambier Parry. The Lavenders Lavandula are a Genus of about 25–30 species of Flowering plants in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to the Mediterranean [22]
Architectural stone-carving
Relatively small-scale Jesse Trees feature in prominent positions in many medieval churches, most notably under a statue of St James on the central column of the famous main entrance (the Portico de la Gloria of 1168-88) of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Santiago de Compostela Cathedral is situated in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain Another masterpiece of Romanesque stone-carving, the cloister of the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos, has a Tree on a flat panel carved in relief. Santo Domingo de Silos Abbey ( Spanish: Monasterio de Santo Domingo de Silos) is a Benedictine Monastery A relief is a Sculptured Artwork where a modeled form is raised (or alternatively lowered from a flattened background without being disconnected from it Several 13th century French cathedrals have Trees in the arches of doorways: Notre-Dame of Laon, Amiens Cathedral, and Chartres (central arch, North portal - as well as the window). The cathedral of Notre-Dame of Laon is one of the most important examples of the Gothic architecture of the 12th and 13th centuries ranking with the cathedrals of Saint-Étienne The Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens (French Cathédrale Notre-Dame d'Amiens) or simply Amiens Cathedral, is the tallest complete Cathedral in However these mostly show the ancestors in archivolts on both sides of an arch, and although they are connected by tendrils, the coherence of the image is rather lost. An archivolt is is an ornamental molding or band following the curve of the underside of an arch Another popular way of showing the ancestry of Christ was to have a row or gallery of statues of the Kings of Judah (part of the ancestral line from Jesse) on the facade, as at Notre Dame de Paris, but these too go beyond the image of the Tree. Judea is a term used for the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel. NotreDameFlyingButtressjpg|right|thumb|250px|Notre Dame de Paris Flying Buttress]] Notre Dame de Paris is a Gothic Cathedral on the eastern half of the [23] In a shorthand version, a statue of the Virgin and Child on an entrance trumeau to Freiburg Minster is supported by a Jesse sleeping on a chair (c. 1300). [6]
Other arts
Ivory from Bavaria
The rectangular back of an ivory comb (right) from Bavaria, from about 1200, is delicately carved with a Tree of Jesse scene, showing Jesse lying with the tree emerging from his navel. Cathedral of St Peter (German Wormser Dom) is the principal church and chief building of Worms, Germany. Bavaria ( German:, with an area of 70553 Km² (27241 square miles and almost 12 Two branches form a mandorla around the Blessed Virgin Mary who raises on hand to support the infant Christ, while with her other, she holds a scroll. An aureola or aureole (diminutive of Latin aurea, "golden" is the radiance of luminous cloud which in Paintings of sacred personages This ecumenical article is about general Christian views on and veneration of the Virgin Mary A prophet stands to either side.
San Zeno, Verona
A bronze west door from the Basilica of St Zeno in Verona has a Tree in relief of about 1138 on a single panel, with Jesse, Christ and four ancestors. Verona is a city and provincial capital in Veneto, Northern Italy.
St Mark's Basilica, Venice
A large mosaic Tree was put on the north wall of the north transept in the 1540s, by the Bianchini brothers as mosaicists, following a design by Salviati. Saint Mark's Basilica ( Italian: Basilica di San Marco a Venezia) the Cathedral of Venice, is the most famous of Francesco de' Rossi (1510-1563 was an Italian Mannerist painter from Florence, also active in Rome.
Monstrance from Augsburg
A late 17th century monstrance from Augsburg has an effective version of the traditional design, with Jesse asleep on the base, the tree as the stem, and Christ and twelve ancestors arranged around the holder for the host. A monstrance is the vessel used in the Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, and Anglican Churches to display the consecrated Eucharistic Host [6]
Church of Saint Francis, Oporto, Portugal.
An 18th century Tree of Jesse carved in wood in the Baroque style, it is three dimensional and has coloured and gilded figures perched among its branches. Thirteen figures with the black bearded figure of Jesse lying on the bottom. Jesse or Yishai ( meaning "God's gift" is the father of the Biblical David mentioned in the Books of Samuel of the Hebrew Bible. The tree culminates with a picture of the Madonna and Child and a dove above them. On either side of the tree are other figures who appear to be either singing or reading from an open book which they are holding. [24]
Abbotsford House Chapel, Abbotsford, Nr Melrose, Borders, Scotland
The Chapel of Abbotsford House was built in 1855 by Sir Walter Scott's granddaughter Charlotte, and her husband James Hope-Scott purchased a carved and painted wood altar front which depicts the Tree of Jesse, it is Gothic design and Flemish, dated c. A chapel is a holy place or area of Worship for Christians, which may be attached to an institution such as a large church, a College, a Abbotsford is a Historic house in the region of the Scottish Borders in the south of Scotland, near Melrose, on the south bank of the River Sir Walter Scott 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 &ndash 21 September 1832 was a prolific Scottish Historical novelist and Poet popular throughout The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement which began Flanders (Vlaanderen Flandre Flandern is a geographical region located in parts of present day Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. 1480. [25]
Cathedral Notre-Dame, Antwerp, Belgium.
Embroidered Cope depicting the Tree of Jesse. [26]
Modern use of Jesse Tree
The secular Christmas Tree, and the Advent calendar, have been adapted in recent years by some modern Christians, who may use the term "Jesse Tree", although the tree does not usually show Jesse or the Ancestors of Christ, and so may have little or no relation to the traditional Tree of Jesse. A Christmas tree, Yule tree, holiday tree or Tannenbaum (fir tree is one of the most popular Traditions associated with the celebration An Advent calendar is a special calendar used to count the days of Advent. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth This form is a poster or a real tree in the church or home, which over the course of Advent is decorated with symbols to represent stories leading up to the Christmas story, for the benefit of children. Advent (from the Latin word la ''adventus'' meaning "coming" is a season of the Christian church, the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the For depictions in painting and sculpture see Nativity of Jesus in art. The symbols are simple, for example a burning bush for Moses and a ram for Isaac. Moses ( Latin: Moyses,; Greek: grc Mωυσής in both the Septuagint and the New Testament; Arabic: ar موسىٰ According to the Hebrew Bible, Isaac ( Hebrew: Yitzchak יִצְחָק, Standard Yiẓḥaq [27]
Gallery
Click on the images to enlarge them.
 The beginning of the Gospel of Matthew from the Fécamp Bible shows the initial letter decorated with a Jesse Tree |  Scherenberg Psalter, c. 1260. Mary and Child, David and Solomon above, Isaiah and Jeremiah below. Jeremiah ( jirmɛ'jahu; Septuagint Greek: Ἰερεμίας was one of the 'greater prophets ' of the Hebrew Bible. Note the doves in the medallions. |  Wall painting c. 1380-90 from Torún in Poland. Unusually, a Crucifixion occupies the middle of the Tree, with Christ in Glory above. |  The bottom of a large stone relief from Worms Cathedral, end of the 15th century, previously in the demolished cloister. Cathedral of St Peter (German Wormser Dom) is the principal church and chief building of Worms, Germany. |
 16th (?)century painting from the Cathedral at Limburg |  Michael Willmann 1678 |  Basilique Saint-Quentin, France |
References
- ^ Isaiah, Chapter 11. The Catholic Cathedral of Limburg, also known as Georgsdom or Limburger Dom in German after its dedication to Saint George, is located above The Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version.
- ^ For a wider discussion of the metaphor in the Bible, see the section "Root, Branch and Stem" on the discussion page.
- ^ a b c Émile Mâle, The Gothic Image, Religious Art in France of the Thirteen Century, p 165-8, English trans of 3rd edn, 1913, Collins, London (and many other editions)
- ^ Tree structure, Root directory
- ^ See also the tradition, apparently older, of the Golden Rose given by the Pope [1]
- ^ a b c d e f G Schiller, Iconography of Christian Art, Vol. Émile Mâle ( June 2, 1862 - October 6, 1954) was a French Art historian, one of the first to study Medieval, mostly A tree structure is a way of representing the hierarchical nature of a Structure in a graphical form In computer File systems the root directory is the first or top-most directory in a hierarchy I,1971 (English trans from German), Lund Humphries, London, p15-22 & figs 17-42, ISBN 853312702
- ^ See for example, Sermon 24 of St Leo the Great: "In which rod, no doubt the blessed Virgin Mary is predicted, who sprung from the stock of Jesse and David and fecundated by the Holy Ghost, brought forth a new flower of human flesh, becoming a virgin-mother" S1 [2] A search on "Jesse" here produces many similar patristic references. Pope Saint Leo I or Pope Saint Leo the Great was Pope from September 29, 440 to November 10, 461.
- ^ a b c d Jean Anne Hayes Williams, The Earliest Dated Tree of Jesse Image: Thematically reconsidered. [3]
- ^ Epistle to the Romans, Chapter 12: verses 6-8. The Epistle of St Paul the Apostle to the Romans is one of the letters of the New Testament canon of the Christian Bible.
- ^ a b Sarah Brown, Stained Glass, an Illustrated History, Bracken books, ISBN 1-85891-157-5
- ^ Lawrence Lee, George Seddon, Francis Stephens, Stained Glass, Spring Books, ISBN 0-600-56281-6
- ^ Dijon, Public Library, Ms 12-15, and BnF, Paris Ms. lat 16746, f 7v, respectively. Both illustrated in Cahn, Walter, Romanesque Bible Illumination, Cornell UP, 1982, ISBN 0801414466
- ^ Pierpoint Morgan Library M. 43, f33v (Huntingfield Psalter); BL Add. Ms 49622 f8. Both illustrated in Otto Pächt, Book Illumination in the Middle Ages (trans fr German), 1986, Harvey Miller Publishers, London, ISBN 0199210608
- ^ The Corona Chapel was built to hold the relic of the top of Becket's head, severed at the time of his assassination.
- ^ Dr Charles Kightly, Enjoy Medieval Denbighshire, pub. Denbighshire County Council.
- ^ Malcolm Low, The Tree of Jesse Directory, private publication.
- ^ Church Guide for St Mary of the Assumption Church.
- ^ The Kempe Society, Through the Looking Glass, courtesy, Hon. Secretary Philip Collins MSIAD.
- ^ Malcolm Low, The Tree of Jesse Directory, quoting The Rev'd Clive Redknap.
- ^ G. E. Payne, The guide to All Saint's Church, Hove.
- ^ Claines Friends Claines
- ^ pdf on the ceiling from Ely Cathedral
- ^ Emile Male, op. cit. p166. Male refers to a full list by the Abbe Corblet in Rev. de l'art chretien, 1860
- ^ Malcolm Low, The Tree of Jesse Directory, quoting Ms Diane Cox.
- ^ Major-General Sir Walter Maxwell-Scott Bart. C. B. ,D. S. O. , Guide to Abotsford, revised edition by Dr James Corson, Honorary Librarian of Abbotsford. Whiteholme Ltd, Dundee.
- ^ Malcolm Low, The Tree of Jesse Directory, quoting Shelagh Addis.
- ^ [4][5] Examples of modern form
See also
External links
- Bibliotheque nationale de France Mandragore database 12 illuminated examples at a good size. The term Poor Man's Bible has come into use in modern times to describe works of art within churches and cathedrals which either individually or collectively have been created For the Blackford Oakes novel see Stained Glass (novel The term stained glass refers either to the material of coloured Glass or to the art In early 19th century Britain beginning with an armorial window created by Thomas Willement in 1811-12 there was a revival of the art and craft of Stained glass Medieval art covers a vast scope of time and place over 1000 years of Art history in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The genealogy of Jesus through Joseph is given by two passages from the Gospels, Matthew and Luke. Press "Images" at right.
- British Library manuscript image search 10 examples found by putting "Jesse" in "Image description" box. Many famous ones not included, & most enlargements seem not to work
- More manuscript images, details on site: [7],[8],
- 4 examples from the Getty
- Chartres Cathedral; many good images of glass and portal
- Various medieval works, including the original Saint Denis window, with many photos showing which parts are restored (click "France S. Denis")
- Jesse
- [9]Tree of Jesse Directory approx: 300 references to the Tree of Jesse listed.
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