SUNDAY, JULY 28, 2024
Sushila Sawant Mendes
The words ‘Divine afflatus’ means an impulse of creative power or inspiration, especially in poetry or writing considered to be of divine origin. The legacy of the Jesuits in Goa goes beyond the transfer of the spiritual doctrines of Christianity, it also evolved down the ages with artistic representations of beliefs and practices, termed as ‘The Jesuit Modo Goano’. This book, ‘The Jesuits, Goa and the Arts’, is to be released on October 12, at the XCHR History Hour at Xavier Centre of Historical Research, Porvorim.
The book represents the religious and cultural syncretism that took place as a result of the encounter between the early Jesuit missions with the local Goan population. It has been pain painstakingly edited by the Provincial of Goa Province of the Society of Jesus, Rinald D’Souza SJ, and Director of the XCHR, Anthony da Silva SJ. This is a XCHR publication in association with the Goa Province of the Society of Jesus.
The seven contributors are giants in their own areas of work and research. Cristina Osswald, an art historian, discusses how Jesuit art and literature was fundamental in the definition of Modo Goano, which resulted from a unique blend of European and local artistic and architectural traditions. The hands that sculpted these icons, altars, tabernacles, confessionals, highly decorated candlesticks, reliquary boxes, Monstrance’s, sacristy chests, pulpits were Goan and therefore, incorporated the artist’s indigenous creative styles.
Roland Coelho in keeping with the theme of the Ignatian Year (May 2021 to July 2022) ‘to see all things new in Christ’ has entitled his foreword as “Nothing new, Everything New”. The reason for this book is the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the conversion of Saint Ignatius of Loyola in 1521 and the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the canonization of Saint Ignatius and Saint Francis Xavier in March 1622.
David de Souza, with the sensitivity of an ex-tribal activist, has captured the beauty and the spirit of the Jesuit art so well, that one needs to experience the awe on the faces of young students when they see these photographs. This work makes him not just a “professional amateur” but a professional of a very high international repute. His photography infuses blood in old and worn out pieces of art and his eye for detail is seen in the many close ups. The meaningful juxtaposition of the photos with the relevant information is the highlight of this monograph.
Natasha da Costa Fernandes discusses the image of the Infant Jesus Saviour of the World, on the cover page, which shows two independent styles–one purely European (the Infant) and the other Indo-Portuguese (the base)–that merge harmoniously. The European characteristics include the infant’s anatomical form and the use of silver plated tin and the flesh tints on the body. The image’s base of a globe on a silver clad wood base exhibits the Indian element with the Goan goldsmith’s treatment of the serpent with overlapping scales wrapped round the sphere and the water-leafed plant forms, nagas, and shell designs. The art of the north Indian gold thread zardozi is depicted by the gold-embroidered velvet gown.
Délio Mendonça, has relied on about 140 letters that Francis Xavier wrote between 1542 and 1552, of the time that he spent in Asia. These letters motivated several thousand Jesuits to work in the missions is Asia and Africa. His essay has “attempted to look at Ignatius of Loyola as an influencer of Francis Xavier and at Xavier as an influencer of Catholicism in India as well as of the Jesuits”. Both had shared a room at the University of Paris, when the life of Xavier was transformed by the spiritual influence of Ignatius.
Anthony da Silva, in his well-researched reflective article, ‘Art, a path to interiority’, elucidates on the use of art as a tool of communication as the missionaries lacked local language skills. So “they conveyed their Christian doctrine both cognitively and affectively”. He further discusses that for the new Christian communities formed by the Jesuits, art became a powerful instrument of community building.
Rinald D’Souza, in his article on, “The Cultural Encounter of the Jesuits in Goa”, has delved into the history of the Jesuits in the world till they reach the Goan waters. The Jesuit contribution in the advancement of Konkani literature and medicine to Church architecture, paintings and sculptures is well analysed. This syncretism is manifested in the pulpit of the Church of St. Anne (Santana), Talaulim where the mermaid meets the naga (snake). The author writes that the Modo Goana emanated from “this spiritual encounter where local sensibilities as well as building materials and expertise, native to this land shaped its artistic production”.
‘Forgotten Altarpieces in Goan Churches’ by Mónica Esteves Reis, goes beyond the churches of Old Goa, to unearth altarpieces in Neurá, Portais, Azossim, Taleigão with “due consideration to its uniqueness, historicity and identity”. The author calls for the need to see art as a reflection of culture, religion and the artist’s own perception of Christian art. “The preservation of our shared Indo-Portuguese heritage requires an inclusive dialogue and cultural humility, free of agendas” is the earnest appeal of this writer.
There is a blend of art and intellect in the pages of this book. The only typographical error of a digit in a date can be ignored. Any book on art and iconography, irrespective of the religion is always a welcome addition for future research.
Some books become a prized possession, this is one of them.
