MADE A MARK: ‘The Lion of St. Mark’ by Vittore Carpaccio (1516)

The word ‘Gospel’ represents a record of Christ deeds and His life. It is equivalent to the Greek word ‘euangelion’ which translates as ‘good news’. The origins of this word can be traced to the Romans who designated the date of Caesar’s birth as ‘euangelion’ (good news) for the whole world. The four evangelists to announce the Good News of Christ in the Bible are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Inspired by the Revelation of St. John the Evangelist (4: 6 – 7) and the visions of Ezekiel (1: 5 -14), the Early Christian artist often depicted each gospel writer with a winged figure. Although subject to varied interpretation, St. Jerome envisioned the man (Matthew) as a representative of the Incarnation, the lion (Mark) a representative of the Resurrection, the bull (Luke) a representative of the Passion and the eagle (John) as a representative of the Ascension.

The painting ‘The Lion of St. Mark’ unfurls with a rumbling roar. In the central foreground of the painting stands the majestic creature of Venice. His soft bronze eyes betray his fierce being while his noble nose bridges onto an odd beam. The feline’s face is surrounded by a magnificent mane, unruly and unkempt, a threat to its tame. His sinewy silhouette shields the sea even as his glorious wings flutter against the volcanic breeze. In fight and flight this lion of Venice dons no crown rather the halo he sports hearkens to the saint he resounds. The book the lion upholds bears the long-established and honoured inscription. It reads: PAX TIBI MAR CE E VANGELIS TA MEUS which translates as ‘Peace to you, Mark the Evangelist.’

The Evangelist Mark never met the historical Christ, yet he was one of the most important figures to preach the Good News in the 1st century. It is rumoured that Mark was baptized by St. Peter. He was appointed Bishop of Aquileia in north east Italy. He often travelled by boat around the islands that surrounded Aquileia which was soon to become Venice. On one such journey an angel of the Lord, appeared to him as a winged lion and said, ‘Peace to you, Mark my Evangelist. Here will your body rest’.  This prophecy was adopted as the anthem of the Venetian state.

As legend states, on Peter’s advice Mark the Evangelist is said to have travelled to Egypt and was appointed the first Bishop of Alexandria. However, as fate would have it, in 68 AD on Easter day he was arrested and dragged through the streets until death. His followers buried him with great respect in the Church in town.

Centuries later, in 828 AD, two Venetian merchants discovered that the Khalif of Alexandria was planning to destroy the Church. They persuaded the priest to let them take the relics of St. Mark to Venice. They replaced his relics with that of St. Claudia, a less eminent Saint and placed the body of St. Mark in a chest and covered it with a layer of pork and cabbage. The Muslim officials on inspecting cried out ‘Kanzir, Kanzir’ (Oh horror).  Thus the ship set sail to Venice where the still lagoon silently awaited its most cherished crest. A renowned basilica was built to honour the relics while the Lion of St. Mark was adopted as city’s sovereign motif.

Notice the earth on which the simba stands. It sprouts with significant symbols summoning the life and death of the city’s patron saint and the virtues he graced. This includes the oak tree signifying strength, the calla lily representing purity and passion, blooming red cornflowers perhaps representing love and finally the arum italicum, a poisonous plant that possibly relates to the death of the saint. The flora blooms in a bed of spleenworts and ferns, of weeds and other botanical species echoing the affection of the artist for all things natural and allegorical.

The painting in consideration was executed by Vittore Carpaccio, a son of Venice and a brilliant Italian artist. He painted ‘The Lion of St. Mark’ in 1516 for the Magistrato dei Camerlenghi, a Renaissance palace that served seat to several financial magistrates of the serene city of Venice. At present, the painting forms a part of the impressive collections of the Doge’s Palace.

As the commanding creature stands with his hind legs in water and his forelegs on land, he reiterates with vigour the splendour of an exquisite empire enthroned over land and sea. As its wings set sail we are swooped to the majestic monuments looming through the lagoon in the background of the painting. We are greeted by the great basin of St. Mark in the Adriatic sea that cruises us towards the monastery of San Nicolo and onwards to the airy arcades of the Doge’s palace and the beautiful Basilica. The heart of the city also exults in its commanding columns dedicated to St Theodore and St Mark as they crown the sprawling Piazza and antiquate the Bell and Clock Tower. Each of these fascinating facades are festooned with multiple representations of the fierce feline.

Thus the painting titled ‘The Lion of St. Mark’ rumbles on to us a story set at sea and shore, a tale of trade, a song of state and a chronicle of faith that never fails to lure the viewer onto the floating city of meandering magic, drooling dreams and a cherished creed.

Joynel Fernandes- Ast. Director- Archdiocesan Heritage Museum