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DO MÉTODO PARA RECITAR O ROSÁRIO À VIDA ILUSTRADA DE CRISTO. SOBRE AS GRAVURAS CATÓLICAS DO ÚLTIMO PERÍODO DA DINASTIA MING

This article investigates Catholic copperplate engravings produced in the late Ming dynasty, linking them to the "method for reciting the Rosary" and the illustrated life of Christ. The central hypothesis is that such engravings functioned as a pedagogical and evangelizing tool, integrating the West...

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Published in:Review of Culture
Main Author: Mo Xiaoye
Format: Articles
Published: Instituto Cultural de Macau January 2003
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Articles
Online Access:https://www.icm.gov.mo/rc/viewer/pdfViewerParts/40005/2702
Summary:This article investigates Catholic copperplate engravings produced in the late Ming dynasty, linking them to the "method for reciting the Rosary" and the illustrated life of Christ. The central hypothesis is that such engravings functioned as a pedagogical and evangelizing tool, integrating the Western visual repertoire with strategies of cultural adaptation to attract the Chinese public. Methodologically, it undertakes an iconographic analysis of the engravings, a reading of missionary sources (letters by Ricci and Ruggieri), and a review of recently published paintings and engravings, situating itself within the context of the Jesuit mission and the circulation of religious images. The study challenges the historiography that privileges only Western painters at the Qing court, highlighting the role of Catholic engraving in the circulation of liturgical images in China between the end of the Ming and the beginning of the Qing. Results indicate that the engravings not only illustrated biblical scenes but were designed to facilitate the recitation of the Rosary, functioning as a memorable support and gateway to Christian doctrine among Chinese converts; the so-called "missionary line of adaptation" employed the Chinese language and graphic creativity to make biblical narratives more credible. Conclusion: the Catholic engravings of the late Ming reveal an essential component of Sino-Western visual exchange, expanding the repertoire of liturgical images circulating in pre-Qing China and offering new understanding of the role of liturgical art in the Jesuit mission.
ISSN:1682-1106

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