Gilvan Ventura da Silva

Original title: O fim do mundo antigo: uma discussão historiográfica

Published in Mirabilia 1

Keywords: Ancient World, Disintegration, Historiography..

With this article, we intend to discuss how some writers since 18th century treated the “decline” of the Roman Empire connected with their historical views. Therefore, we analyze the emergence of a new conception of time, the refutation of progress and decadence as useful historical concepts and the dissolution of the positivist paradigm trying to show how the theme of the passage from Antiquity to Medieval Age acquired a new meaning according to these deep and important theoretical changes.

Elena Ene D-VASILESCU

Published in Mirabilia Journal 

Keywords: Gregory of Nyssa, Macrina, On the Soul and the Resurrection, Progress (epektasis), Resurrection.

The paper refers to a notion central to Gregory of Nyssa’s theology – that of epektasis (ἐπέkτασις), i.e. progression of the soul (ἡ ψυχή) towards its Creator, as presented in the dialogue De anima et resurrectione/On the Soul and the Resurrection. he conversation between Nyssen and his sister Macrina, employing concepts peculiar to the most advanced science of their time, emphasizes that in the afterlife the soul does not leave the body (and neither does human memory). The interesting consequences of this state of affairs for both the resurrection of people and that of Jesus Christ are also discussed.

Mafalda Maria Leal de Oliveira e Silva FRADE

Original title: O imaginário feminino na Virtuosa Benfeitoria e sua mediação entre o Homem e o Paraíso

Published in Paradise, Purgatory and Hell: the Religiosity in the Middle Ages

Keywords: Infant D. Pedro, Middle Ages, Virgin Mary, Virtuosa Benfeitoria, Woman.

The main goal of this research is to study the female imagery in the medieval work Virtuosa Benfeitoria, written by Infante D. Pedro and based on Seneca’s book De Beneficiis. In this text, there are various ideas about the status of women, conveyed by three specific groups: the Graces, the six maidens and the Virgin Mary. Given the religiosity of Middle Ages, the latter is given a leading role (despite the mythological influences of the three Graces and the allegory of the six maidens): she is the epitome of perfection and is responsible for an important role of mediation between Man and Heaven.

Aurora GALISTEO RIVERO; Jorge RIVAS LÓPEZ

Original title: El pez, la perla y la margarita: admiración por Rafael y sus obras en las colecciones españolas

Published in Mirabilia Journal 34

Keywords: Art Collecting, Philip IV of Spain, Prado Museum, Raphael, Renaissance painting.

This article aims to make an appreciation about a specific artist, Raphael Sanzio, in the Spanish collections from the very XVIth century to the present. To focus on this matter, the three most representative paintings have been selected among all those which were at some point in Spain. It will try to reflect the great importance that these paintings had from the beginning, all of them being acquired in the XVIIth century during the reign of Philip IV of Spain. For this purpose, the consultation of different sources will be essential, among them, the descriptions of the Escorial monastery, artistic treatises, or news. The vicissitudes during the Peninsular War have been also considered, as well as the departure of artworks to France, their return, and their placement in the rooms of the newly opened Prado Museum. Taking all this into account, we will be able to evaluate the different stages through which the taste or esteem for this artist has been changing in our country, to understand his presence into the world of the art collecting and his influence in the artistic scene.