12: Diet, Health–and the Reformation

Religion and Foodways: the Reformation

Important changes, yet distinct from writings on food and health

  • Daily lived religion
  • understandings of the Eucharist

“The Reformation:” 16th c reforms in Latin Church that result in rupture; confessional identity becomes part of political identity

Two main generational waves beginning ca 1520 followed by warfare:
1648 (continent); 1688 (British Isles)

  • Luther, Zwingli
  • Calvin; Council of Trent (Catholic Reform)

polarization of goals, means; but all understood one single Church

Food and lived religious practice: how does fasting come into question?

  • better historical understanding of Christian history (traditions developed over time)
  • Sola scriptura: Paul’s letters as interpretive tool (Romans)
  • Increased use of exemptions from fasting requirements (“butter letters”)

Example: 1522 “Affair of the Sausages” Zurich (Zwingli)

 

Iconoclasm:THE BREAKING OF IMAGES | Philip Jenkins

Eucharist: nature of the sacraments: transubstantiation, real presence, “in remembrance of me”

Council of Trent (1545-63)

monstrance, 1629, Saint Mary church, Jettenhausen

  • asserts value of traditions, practices
  • reforms abuses
  • reasserts central role of Eucharist

Protestants: state-wide special fasts; food control and character

 

Alvise Cornaro (ca. 1484-1566)

exemplary figure:

  • Food production: Land use and crops
  • New world and the Columbian exchange
  • Ancient sources, modern application: architecture and land reclamation
  • Diet and health

Venice and Veneto ca 1500

Map: Euratlas

  • Oligarchy: Golden Book (1315): patricians, citizens; commoners
  • trade
  • new industry: print
  • stato di mar
  • stato di terrafirma

Ottoman expansion: turning point Battle of Lepanto (1571)

Italian Wars: 1494-1530 (some regions); 1559; Rome, Venice independent

1509 Battle of Agnadello: major loss of terrafirma, then regained

Padua: major university city, intellectual center

Cornaro: born in Venice, moves to Padua; inherits uncle’s lands

treatises on architecture, agriculture (lost), land reclamation

Odeon and Loggia, Padua

Veneto, land reclamation, crops

Brenta (river)

  • malaria
  • rice
  • corn (maize) cz. 1550

Padua: Accademia degli Infiammati (1542)

A friend: Daniele Barbaro

Venetian patrician; Padua educated; commentary on Vitruvius

botanical garden, Padua

Villa: Andrea Palladio

Maser, Villa Barbaro, Palladio

Images of new crop, maize, in art of Palladian villas: Villa Barbaro, Villa Emo:

Portrait of Cornaro by Tintoretto (Florence, Palazzo Pitti, Galleria Palatina