視覺感知‧宗教經驗‧性別言說－－從宗教改革前後德意志視覺圖像對「耶穌寶血」的表達談起

Visual Perception, Religious Experience and Gender Differences in Communication - A Case Study of German Pictorial Depictions of the Blood of Jesus in the Era of the Reformation

面對當前歐美基督教藝術研究，由於對圖像意義、圖像功能的認知不同，新、舊教藝術研究幾乎各走各的路，很難找到一個共通點，讓人可以透過對同一主題的分析，看出視覺圖像創作對宗教改革前後的新舊教究竟具有何種意義？所引發的問題又是什麼？一如宗教改革史學者Peter Blickle直截了當所提的問題：「為何1515年的人想要『望』彌撒；到了1525年，他們卻變得想『聽』上帝真實的話語？」當絕大部分藝術史研究的焦點集中在區分新舊教教義於視覺圖像創作上引發哪些不同的創作理念與題材語彙時，卻很少人注意到，從中世紀起，便有一個主題一直存在於基督教藝術創作傳統中；到了宗教改革時期，這個主題更被新教藝術家積極用來表達新教的改革教義－這也就是與「耶穌寶血」相關的母題。本文正希望藉由對耶穌寶血這個主題的探討，從宗教經驗形塑這個角度重新釐清宗教改革前後視覺圖像本質意義的變遷經過；並從視覺感知／圖像表達與語言文字認知的差異，重新省思性別發聲這個歷史問題，對普世人權建立所具有的特殊意義。本文對女性與聖餐禮關係的討論亦將特別著重對Caroline Walker Bynum近年來對中古女性宗教行為研究成果的省思。Owing to distinct conception of visual imagery, the methodologies for studying Pre-Reformation and Post-Reformation art history as well as for the studies of Catholic and Protestant art history vary quite a lot. This paper aims to trace the main causes of the transformation from the era of 'Image of Power' to the era of 'Reformation of Image' by exploring the German pictorial depictions of the blood of Jesus in the period of c. 1450-1565. With regard to gender communication, we will discuss how the distinct ways of conceiving visual imagery empower and discourage women in the ages of Pre-Reformation and Post-Reformation to express their religious yearnings for recognition. A special part of this paper will be directed to some reflections on Caroline Walker Bynum's thesis of 'Devotion to the Eucharist: A Female Concern.'