Phyllis and Aristotle

Last updated

Woodcut of Aristotle ridden by Phyllis by Hans Baldung, 1515 Aristotle and Phyllis.jpg
Woodcut of Aristotle ridden by Phyllis by Hans Baldung, 1515

The tale of Phyllis and Aristotle is a medieval cautionary tale about the triumph of a seductive woman, Phyllis, over the greatest male intellect, the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. It is one of several Power of Women stories from that time. Among early versions is the French Lai d'Aristote from 1220.

Contents

The story of the dominatrix and the famous intellectual was taken up by artists from the 12th century onwards, in media from stone sculpture in churches to panels of wood or ivory, textiles such as carpets and tapestries, engravings, oil paintings, brass jugs (aquamanile), and stained glass. Artists attracted to the theme include Hans Baldung, Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach the Elder, and Alessandro Turchi.

Story

The tale varies in the telling, but the core of it is as follows: Aristotle advises his pupil Alexander to avoid Phyllis, the seductive mistress of his father, the king, but is himself captivated by her. She agrees to ride him, on condition that she play the role of dominatrix. Phyllis has secretly told Alexander what to expect, and he witnesses Phyllis proving that a woman's charms can overcome even the greatest philosopher's male intellect. Phyllis is also described as Alexander's mistress or possibly wife, rather than his father's. [1] [2] [3]

Origins

The entirely invented story is said by the Louvre to derive from the German work by Jacques de Vitry in the 13th century. [4] [5] The French work Le Lai d'Aristote  [ fr ] (The Lay of Aristotle) is known from manuscripts dating from as early as 1220, attributed by scholars to either Henri d'Andeli or Henri de Valenciennes  [ fr ]. [6] [7] [lower-alpha 1]

In 1386, the English poet John Gower included a summary of the tale in his Confessio Amantis (in English, unlike his other major works), a collection of stories of immoral love told in verse. It appears in the poem on Apollonius of Tyre (Book 8, 271–2018), where Gower quips that the philosopher's logic and syllogisms do not save him: [9]

I syh there Aristotle also,
Whom that the queene of Grece so
Hath bridled, that in thilke time
Sche made him such a Silogime,
That he foryat al his logique;
Ther was non art of his Practique,
Thurgh which it mihte ben excluded
That he ne was fully concluded
To love, and dede his obeissance

Also in the 14th century, the Dominican John Herold wrote a Latin version of the story. [10] [11]

In the 15th century, it was featured in the German comedy Ain Spil van Maister Aristotiles (A play of Master Aristotle). [4] [12]

Analysis

Comparison of French and German versions
Story elementLai d'Aristote – French [13] Aristoteles und Phyllis – German [14]
Alexander is a victorious king, conqueror of Indiais a young man in his father's court
The young womanis just called "the Indian"is Phyllis, of noble birth, in the queen's entourage
Situation: Alexanderis lectured by Aristotle for neglecting his duty as head of state and the armyignores the king's order not to see his lover, as requested by Aristotle for not concentrating on his lessons
The young womandecides to get revenge on the philosopherdecides to get revenge on the philosopher
The contract: Aristotlepromises he will speak to Alexander on her behalf, in return for her favoursasks her to spend the night with him, in return for money
The seduction scenetakes place in a gardentakes place in a garden
She rides on Aristotle's backobserved by a laughing Alexanderobserved by the queen and her retinue, and Phyllis roundly insults Aristotle
In the end, Aristotleexcuses himself to Alexander, saying
Amour vainc tot, et tot vaincra
tant com li monde durera

(Love conquers all, and all shall conquer
As long as the world shall last)
flees to a far country, where he meditates on the wickedness of feminine wiles.

Illustrations

Medieval

The cautionary tale of the dominatrix who made a fool of the famous philosopher became popular across medieval Europe. [2] Medieval sculptors in Maasland created aquamanile, jugs in the forms of scenes with human or other figures, depicting Phyllis and Aristotle. The story was depicted in a variety of media including stone, ivory, brass, carpet, tapestry, and engravings.

Early Modern to Enlightenment

Artists such as Hans Baldung, [lower-alpha 2] Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach the Elder, Bartholomeus Spranger and Jan Sadeler continued to exploit the theme, eventually with Phyllis entirely naked. [4] Alessandro Turchi called the woman Campaspe, the mistress of Alexander. The media used include engraving, stained glass, wood, and oil painting.

Nineteenth and twentieth centuries

Artists such as Julio Ruelas continued to adapt the Phyllis and Aristotle theme. Oscar Kokoschka produced a version in 1913. [15]

See also

Notes

  1. The source of the work was still contested in 2007. [8]
  2. See above for his woodcut illustration.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aristotle</span> Ancient Greek philosopher and polymath (384–322 BC)

Aristotle was an Ancient Greek philosopher and polymath. His writings cover a broad range of subjects spanning the natural sciences, philosophy, linguistics, economics, politics, psychology, and the arts. As the founder of the Peripatetic school of philosophy in the Lyceum in Athens, he began the wider Aristotelian tradition that followed, which set the groundwork for the development of modern science.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albrecht Dürer</span> German painter, printmaker and theorist (1471–1528)

Albrecht Dürer, sometimes spelled in English as Durer, was a German painter, printmaker, and theorist of the German Renaissance. Born in Nuremberg, Dürer established his reputation and influence across Europe in his twenties due to his high-quality woodcut prints. He was in contact with the major Italian artists of his time, including Raphael, Giovanni Bellini, and Leonardo da Vinci, and from 1512 was patronized by Emperor Maximilian I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominatrix</span> Woman who takes the dominant role in BDSM activities

A dominatrix, or domme, is a woman who takes the dominant role in BDSM activities. A dominatrix can be of any sexual orientation, but this does not necessarily limit the genders of her submissive partners. Dominatrices are popularly known for inflicting physical pain on their submissive subjects, but this is not done in every case. In some instances erotic humiliation is used, such as verbal humiliation or the assignment of humiliating tasks. Dominatrices also make use of other forms of servitude. Practices of domination common to many BDSM and other various sexual relationships are also prevalent. A dominatrix is typically a paid professional (pro-domme) as the term dominatrix is little-used within the non-professional BDSM scene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hans Baldung</span> German painter and printmaker (c. 1484–1545)

Hans Baldung, called Hans Baldung Grien,, was a painter, printer, engraver, draftsman, and stained glass artist, who was considered the most gifted student of Albrecht Dürer and whose art belongs to both German Renaissance and Mannerism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucas Cranach the Elder</span> German painter and printmaker (1472–1553)

Lucas Cranach the Elder was a German Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving. He was court painter to the Electors of Saxony for most of his career, and is known for his portraits, both of German princes and those of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation, whose cause he embraced with enthusiasm. He was a close friend of Martin Luther. Cranach also painted religious subjects, first in the Catholic tradition, and later trying to find new ways of conveying Lutheran religious concerns in art. He continued throughout his career to paint nude subjects drawn from mythology and religion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renaissance art</span> Visual arts produced during the European Renaissance

Renaissance art is the painting, sculpture, and decorative arts of the period of European history known as the Renaissance, which emerged as a distinct style in Italy in about AD 1400, in parallel with developments which occurred in philosophy, literature, music, science, and technology. Renaissance art took as its foundation the art of Classical antiquity, perceived as the noblest of ancient traditions, but transformed that tradition by absorbing recent developments in the art of Northern Europe and by applying contemporary scientific knowledge. Along with Renaissance humanist philosophy, it spread throughout Europe, affecting both artists and their patrons with the development of new techniques and new artistic sensibilities. For art historians, Renaissance art marks the transition of Europe from the medieval period to the Early Modern age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Étienne Gilson</span> French historian and philosopher (1884–1978)

Étienne Henri Gilson was a French philosopher and historian of philosophy. A scholar of medieval philosophy, he originally specialised in the thought of Descartes; he also philosophized in the tradition of Thomas Aquinas, although he did not consider himself a neo-Thomist philosopher. In 1946 he attained the distinction of being elected an "Immortal" (member) of the Académie française. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alte Pinakothek</span> Art museum in Munich, Germany

The Alte Pinakothek is an art museum located in the Kunstareal area in Munich, Germany. It is one of the oldest galleries in the world and houses a significant collection of Old Master paintings. The name Alte (Old) Pinakothek refers to the time period covered by the collection—from the fourteenth to the eighteenth century. The Neue Pinakothek, re-built in 1981, covers nineteenth-century art, and Pinakothek der Moderne, opened in 2002, exhibits modern art. All three galleries are part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections, an organization of the Free state of Bavaria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">German Renaissance</span> Renaissance in Germany

The German Renaissance, part of the Northern Renaissance, was a cultural and artistic movement that spread among German thinkers in the 15th and 16th centuries, which developed from the Italian Renaissance. Many areas of the arts and sciences were influenced, notably by the spread of Renaissance humanism to the various German states and principalities. There were many advances made in the fields of architecture, the arts, and the sciences. Germany produced two developments that were to dominate the 16th century all over Europe: printing and the Protestant Reformation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum</span> Art museum in Madrid, Spain

The Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, or simply the Thyssen, is an art museum in Madrid, Spain, located near the Prado Museum on one of the city's main boulevards. It is known as part of the "Golden Triangle of Art", which also includes the Prado and the Reina Sofía national galleries. The Thyssen-Bornemisza fills the historical gaps in its counterparts' collections: in the Prado's case this includes Italian primitives and works from the English, Dutch and German schools, while in the case of the Reina Sofía it concerns Impressionists, Expressionists, and European and American paintings from the 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Museum of Ancient Art</span> Art Museum in Lisbon, Portugal

The Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, also known in English as the National Museum of Ancient Art, is a Portuguese national art museum located in Lisbon. With over 40,000 items spanning a vast collection of painting, sculpture, goldware, furniture, textiles, ceramics, and prints, MNAA is one of the most visited museums in Portugal.

Henry d'Andeli was a 13th-century Norman poet notable for his work La Bataille des Vins, and for the satirical poem Battle of the Seven Arts. He also wrote Dit du Chancelier Philippe on the subject of his contemporary Philip the Chancellor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moses ben Joshua</span> 14th-century Catalan philosopher and physician

Moses Narbonne, also known as Moses of Narbonne, mestre Vidal Bellshom, maestro Vidal Blasom, and Moses Narboni, was a medieval Catalan philosopher and physician. He was born at Perpignan, in the Kingdom of Majorca, at the end of the thirteenth century and died sometime after 1362. He began studying philosophy with his father when he was thirteen and then studied with Moses and Abraham Caslari. He studied medicine and eventually became a successful physician, and was well versed in Biblical and rabbinical literature.

<i>Campaspe</i> (play) Elizabethan era stage play

Campaspe is an Elizabethan era stage play, a prose comedy by John Lyly based on the story of the love triangle between Campaspe, a Theban captive, the artist Apelles, and Alexander the Great, who commissioned him to paint her portrait. Widely considered Lyly's earliest drama, Campaspe was an influence and a precedent for much that followed in English Renaissance drama, and was, according to F. S. Boas, "the first of the comedies with which John Lyly inaugurated the golden period of the Elizabethan theatre".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon</span> Art museum in Lyon, France

The Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon is a municipal museum of fine arts in the French city of Lyon. Located near the Place des Terreaux, it is housed in a former Benedictine convent which was active during the 17th and 18th centuries. It was restored between 1988, and 1998, remaining open to visitors throughout this time despite the ongoing restoration works. Its collections range from ancient Egyptian antiquities to the Modern art period, making the museum one of the most important in Europe. It also hosts important exhibitions of art, for example the exhibitions of works by Georges Braque and Henri Laurens in the second half of 2005, and another on the work of Théodore Géricault from April to July 2006. It is one of the largest art museums in France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casket with Scenes of Romances (Walters 71264)</span> French Gothic ivory casket

The object called by the museum Casket with Scenes of Romances is a French Gothic ivory casket made in Paris between 1330 and 1350, and now in the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland. The casket is 4 5/8 inches high, 9 15/16 inches wide and 5 1/16 inches deep.

<i>Melencolia I</i> 1514 engraving by Albrecht Dürer

Melencolia I is a large 1514 engraving by the German Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. Its central subject is an enigmatic and gloomy winged female figure thought to be a personification of melancholia – melancholy. Holding her head in her hand, she stares past the busy scene in front of her. The area is strewn with symbols and tools associated with craft and carpentry, including an hourglass, weighing scales, a hand plane, a claw hammer, and a saw. Other objects relate to alchemy, geometry or numerology. Behind the figure is a structure with an embedded magic square, and a ladder leading beyond the frame. The sky contains a rainbow, a comet or planet, and a bat-like creature bearing the text that has become the print's title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe</span> Art museum in Karlsruhe, Germany

The Staatliche Kunsthalle is an art museum in Karlsruhe, Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Power of Women</span> Medieval artistic and literary topos

The "Power of Women" is a medieval and Renaissance artistic and literary topos, showing "heroic or wise men dominated by women", presenting "an admonitory and often humorous inversion of the male-dominated sexual hierarchy". It was defined by Susan L. Smith as "the representational practice of bringing together at least two, but usually more, well-known figures from the Bible, ancient history, or romance to exemplify a cluster of interrelated themes that include the wiles of women, the power of love, and the trials of marriage". Smith argues that the topos is not simply a "straightforward manifestation of medieval antifeminism"; rather, it is "a site of contest through which conflicting ideas about gender roles could be expressed".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry of Valenciennes</span>

Henry of Valenciennes was an early 13th-century French writer, historian and chronicler of the Latin Empire.

References

  1. "Aristotle and Phyllis". Art Institute of Chicago . Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  2. 1 2 Smith, Justin E. H. (2 April 2013). "Phyllis Rides Aristotle". Justin E. H. Smith. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  3. "Aristotle Plays Horsey and Other Strange Tales". Classical Wisdom Weekly. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 "Phyllis and Aristotle | The Triumph of Seduction over Intellect". Louvre . Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  5. "Object Lesson: Did Aristotle Really Humiliate Himself for Phyllis?". The National Endowment for the Humanities. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  6. Wathelet-Willem, Jeanne. "Henri d'Andeli. Le lai d'Aristote, publié d'après tous les manuscrits par Maurice Delbouille", in Revue belge de philologie et d'histoire, 1953, Vol. 31, n° 31-1, pp. 84–87.
  7. François Zufferey, "Un problème de paternité: le cas d'Henri d'Andeli. II. Arguments linguistiques", Revue de linguistique romane, n° 68, 2004, pp. 57–78, and "Henri de Valenciennes, auteur du Lai d'Aristote et de la Vie de saint Jean l'Évangéliste", in Revue de linguistique romane, n° 69, 2004, pp. 335–358.
  8. Mihai Cristian Bratu, L'Émergence de l'auteur dans l'historiographie médiévale en prose en langue française, Ph.D., New York University, 2007, p. 103.
  9. "Gower, John"  . Dictionary of National Biography . London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
  10. Sarton, George (1930). "Aristotle and Phyllis". Isis. 14: 8–19. doi:10.1086/346483. S2CID   144789717.
  11. "Phyllis and Aristotle" (in Latin). Archived from the original on 22 November 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2018. ARISTOTLES, cum doceret Alexandrum ut se contineret ab accessu frequenti uxoris suae, quae erat pulcra valde, ne animum suum a communi providentia impediret, et Alexander ei acquiesceret, hoc advertens regina et dolens, coepit Aristotelem trahere ad amorem suum, quia multociens sola transibat cum pedibus nudis et dissoluto crine, ut eum alliceret.
  12. Briski, Marija Javor (2004). Winkelman, Johan H.; Wolf, Gerhard (eds.). Eine Warnung vor dominanten Frauen oder Behajung der Sinnenlust? Zur Ambivalenz des 'Aristoteles-und-Phyllis-Motivs' as Tragezeichen im Spiegel deutscher Dichtungen des späten Mittelalters (in German). Rodopi. pp. 37–66. ISBN   90-420-1952-2.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  13. Twenty-Four Lays from the French Middle Ages. Liverpool University Press. 2017. pp. 130–133. ISBN   978-1-78138-368-1.
  14. Jeep, John M. (2017). Routledge Revivals: Medieval Germany (2001): An Encyclopedia. Taylor & Francis. pp. 22–23. ISBN   978-1-351-66540-7.
  15. Hayton, Darin. "The Curious History of Phyllis on Aristotle" . Retrieved 1 April 2018.