Bidspirit auction | LACORDAIRE HENRI-DOMINIQUE: (1802-1861)

LACORDAIRE HENRI-DOMINIQUE: (1802-1861) - LACORDAIRE HENRI-DOMINIQUE: (1802-1861) French Dominican friar, preacher and theologian, one of the leading figures in the revival of Roman Catholicism in post-Revolutionary France and responsible for the re-establishment of the Dominican Order in the country. An attractive autograph manuscript signed, Fr. Henri-Dominique Lacordaire, des F. Prêch. , one large oblong folio sheet, Nancy, 17th November 1843, in French. Lacordaire's manuscript, charmingly arranged in two columns around a separately mounted illuminated panel, comprises a theological meditation upon Christ's words ´Le Christ a dit: ”Ils m'ont haï gratuitement”, et jusqu'à la fin des siècles un des caractères de l'Église sera d'être haïe gratuitement. Jamais les fausses religions n'ont été haïes. La véritable l'est´ (Translation: ´Christ said: ”They have hated me without cause”, and until the end of time one of the characteristics of the Church will be to be hated without cause. False religions have never been hated. The true religion is´ ). Lacordaire proceeds to enumerate the apparently contradictory reasons for such hostility, declaring that the Church is hated ´des rois, parce qu'elle est puissante; des grands, parce qu'elle élève les petits; des petits, parce qu'elle leur recommande l'obéissance aux grands et aux rois; des riches, parce qu'elle glorifie la pauvreté; des pauvres, parce qu'elle est riche elle-même; des savants, parce qu'elle prouve le néant de la science; des ignorants, parce que nul ne croit l'être´ (Translation: ´by kings, because it is powerful; by the great, because it raises up the humble; by the humble, because it recommends obedience to the great and to kings; by the rich, because it glorifies poverty; by the poor, because it is itself rich; by the learned, because it demonstrates the nothingness of human knowledge; by the ignorant, because no one believes himself to be ignorant´ ). Developing his paradox further, Lacordaire observes that despite possessing no natural constituency amongst mankind the Church nevertheless survives, proclaiming ´Et cependant cette religion sans amis naturels dans l'humanité, elle vit! Elle a plus vécu qu'aucune dynastie, qu'aucun empire, qu'aucune doctrine. De quoi vit-elle? Elle vit de la fortune que le Christ lui a faite…´ (Translation: ´And yet this religion, without natural friends amongst humanity, lives! It has lived longer than any dynasty, any empire, any doctrine. What does it live by? It lives by the inheritance which Christ bestowed upon it…´ ). Lacordaire continues by identifying that inheritance with Christ's humiliation unto death on Calvary and the gift of humility imparted by the Cross, concluding that one can no longer hate and despise anything except oneself. Lightly mounted at the centre of the sheet is a particularly attractive illuminated panel in the medieval revival manner, featuring the opening refrain and first verse of the Latin Advent Prose Rorate caeli desuper , written in black Gothic script and headed by a large decorative initial R in red and gold against a blue ground, the text enclosed within an elaborate polychrome border of interlaced strapwork, stylised foliage and geometric ornament in red, blue, green and gold, heightened with white. The text commences ´Rorate, caeli, desuper et nubes pluant justum. Ne irascaris Domine, ne ultra memineris iniquitatis…´ (Translation: ´Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down the Just One. Be not angry, O Lord, and remember no longer our iniquity…´ ), continuing with the lament for the desolation of Zion and Jerusalem. Signed C. Chasennay (?) immediately beneath the illumination. Lacordaire concludes his manuscript to the right of the panel, dating and signing it at Nancy on 17th November 1843. A visually impressive and highly appropriate conjunction of Lacordaire's autograph meditation upon Christ, humility and the Cross with an illuminated Advent text anticipating redemption and the coming of the Messiah. About EX