Silvester Petra Sancta
Encyclopedia
Silvester Petra Sancta (Rome 1590 – Rome, May 6, 1647) was an Italian Jesuit priest, and heraldist. His name is also spelt as Sylvester Petra Sancta, Petrasancta, in Italian Padre Silvestro da Pietrasanta. Pseudonym
: Coelius Servilius
of the Cardinal
Pier Luigi Carafa
(1581-1655) from a distinguished Neapolitan family. Between 1624 and 1634, Petra Sancta stayed with Carafa in Cologne
where he fought against rising Protestantism
through his sermon
s and religious discussions. He had emblem book
s published in 1634 and 1638, respectively. He was also Rector of the College of Loreto.
Later he settled in Rome
and published his treatise on heraldry
there. During the mid-1620s, he published a translation
in Liège
. and since 1631 he was also the editor
of a book
published from Antwerp. That means during the late 1620s and the early 1630s he stayed in the Spanish Low Countries
and the neighboring territories. In 1634 he published his first book touching the topic of heraldry in Antwerp; but his main heraldic work containing the hatching system was published in 1638 in Rome. In 1643, he was appointed the Apostolic Visitator for the Order of Piarists
. As a result of his critical visitation
, Pope
Innocent X reduced the order in his breve
Ea quae pro felice on March 16, 1646 into a secular congregation
subordinated to the local bishops. The order was rehabilitated in 1656 and renewed in 1669.
in heraldry published in 1638. However, his hatching system is identical with that of de la Colombière
from 1639. For this reason, de la Colombière accused Silvester Petra Sancta of copying his method and incorrectly publishing it in his 1638 work, one year before the same hatching system was published by de la Colombière.
Petra Sancta provided preliminary comprehensive studies on his heraldic work in Germany and the Netherlands. It is likely that he was acquainted with the idea of hatching
and the earlier existing hatching methods from the Dutch engravers before he developed his own hatching system. His 1638 book is sometimes dated between 1636 and 1638. His earlier work De Symbolis Heroicis, Libri IX (Antverpiae, 1634) already had a hatching table and a description of hatching system, but without any practical use. For example, the gules in the Carafa coat of arms being variably screened by vertical and horizontal lines (modern sable), vertical lines (modern gules), or horizontal lines (modern azure). According to the data from the Plantin-Moretus archive
, the book emblem
s were firstly prepared by artist-engravers in the service of the Jesuits. Between December 1631 and June 1634 these were redone by André Pauwels (Andries Pauli, 1600-1639) for Batlhasar Moretus (1574-1641). The allegorical title page of this book was prepared by Rubens
where Mercury
symbolizes the arts
. The explanation on the mentioned engraving
is given in page 480 of the book. Petra Sancta characterizes the title page of this book in the conclusion as an expression of the power of emblematic way of illustration
. The book also contains the portrait of Carafa, engraved in 1632 by Michel Natalis (Liège, 1610–1668). On the escutcheon of this engraving we can see a kind of a screening or hatching
as well.
Thus it’s obvious that Petra Sancta got the model for his heraldic hatching system
from the illustrator
s and publishers of his books in the Low Countries
. It is possible that these engravers also knew at least two earlier hatching systems by Zangrius
in 1600, and Francquart
in 1623. The techniques of heraldic hatching might have even been carried forward by the guilds of engravers one after another.
The arms on the title page of one of the Francesco Corbelletti’s 1639 publications, i. e. the Rome publisher of Petra Sancta, already represents a complete example of heraldic hatching. That means Corbelletti took over the heraldic hatching system already in the next year after the 1638 system of Petra Sancta appeared. If we consider the time needed to prepare the engravings and the approval by the censure
, Corbelletti must know the hatching system of Petra Sancta even before 1638.
Aegidius Gelenius
was deeply influenced by Petra Sancta; the men met several times in Cologne
. Gelenius's hatching system from 1645, however, is identical only at two points with that of Petra Sancta.
Published by Francesco Corbelletti.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
: Coelius Servilius
Biography
He was the confessorConfessor
-Confessor of the Faith:Its oldest use is to indicate a saint who has suffered persecution and torture for the faith, but not to the point of death. The term is still used in this way in the East. In Latin Christianity it has come to signify any saint, as well as those who have been declared...
of the Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
Pier Luigi Carafa
Pier Luigi Carafa
Pier Luigi Carafa was a cardinal of the Catholic Church, and a member of the Roman Curia.He was bishop of Tricarico and nuntius of Cologne....
(1581-1655) from a distinguished Neapolitan family. Between 1624 and 1634, Petra Sancta stayed with Carafa in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
where he fought against rising Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
through his sermon
Sermon
A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
s and religious discussions. He had emblem book
Emblem book
Emblem books are a category of mainly didactic illustrated book printed in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries, typically containing a number of emblematic images with explanatory text....
s published in 1634 and 1638, respectively. He was also Rector of the College of Loreto.
Later he settled in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and published his treatise on heraldry
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
there. During the mid-1620s, he published a translation
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
in Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
. and since 1631 he was also the editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
of a book
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
published from Antwerp. That means during the late 1620s and the early 1630s he stayed in the Spanish Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
and the neighboring territories. In 1634 he published his first book touching the topic of heraldry in Antwerp; but his main heraldic work containing the hatching system was published in 1638 in Rome. In 1643, he was appointed the Apostolic Visitator for the Order of Piarists
Piarists
The Order of Poor Clerics Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools or, in short, Piarists , is the name of the oldest Catholic educational order also known as the Scolopi, Escolapios or Poor Clerics of the Mother of God...
. As a result of his critical visitation
Canonical Visitation
A canonical visitation is the act of an ecclesiastical superior who in the discharge of his office visits persons or places with a view of maintaining faith and discipline, and of correcting abuses by the application of proper remedies.-Catholic usage:...
, Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Innocent X reduced the order in his breve
Breve
A breve is a diacritical mark ˘, shaped like the bottom half of a circle. It resembles the caron , but is rounded, while the caron has a sharp tip...
Ea quae pro felice on March 16, 1646 into a secular congregation
Congregation (catholic)
The term "congregation" has three usages specific to the Roman Catholic Church. One concerns the Roman Curia, the other two concern religious institutes.- Roman Curia :...
subordinated to the local bishops. The order was rehabilitated in 1656 and renewed in 1669.
The dispute between Petra Sancta and de la Colombière
Today Petra Sancta is known primarily as the inventor of the modern hatching methodHatching system
The system of heraldry has two main methods to designate the tinctures of arms in uncolored illustrations: hatching and tricking. Hatching, i.e. patterns of lines and dots, is the most common method to designate colours on uncoloured surfaces, like engravings, seals and coins.The present day...
in heraldry published in 1638. However, his hatching system is identical with that of de la Colombière
Marcus Vulson de la Colombière
Marcus Vulson de la Colombière or Sieur [Sir] de la Colombière was a French heraldist, historian, poet, minion of the royal court. His name is often spelt as Wulson and also as Volson....
from 1639. For this reason, de la Colombière accused Silvester Petra Sancta of copying his method and incorrectly publishing it in his 1638 work, one year before the same hatching system was published by de la Colombière.
Petra Sancta provided preliminary comprehensive studies on his heraldic work in Germany and the Netherlands. It is likely that he was acquainted with the idea of hatching
Hatching
Hatching is an artistic technique used to create tonal or shading effects by drawing closely spaced parallel lines...
and the earlier existing hatching methods from the Dutch engravers before he developed his own hatching system. His 1638 book is sometimes dated between 1636 and 1638. His earlier work De Symbolis Heroicis, Libri IX (Antverpiae, 1634) already had a hatching table and a description of hatching system, but without any practical use. For example, the gules in the Carafa coat of arms being variably screened by vertical and horizontal lines (modern sable), vertical lines (modern gules), or horizontal lines (modern azure). According to the data from the Plantin-Moretus archive
Archive
An archive is a collection of historical records, or the physical place they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organization's lifetime, and are kept to show the function of an organization...
, the book emblem
Emblem
An emblem is a pictorial image, abstract or representational, that epitomizes a concept — e.g., a moral truth, or an allegory — or that represents a person, such as a king or saint.-Distinction: emblem and symbol:...
s were firstly prepared by artist-engravers in the service of the Jesuits. Between December 1631 and June 1634 these were redone by André Pauwels (Andries Pauli, 1600-1639) for Batlhasar Moretus (1574-1641). The allegorical title page of this book was prepared by Rubens
Rubens
Rubens is often used to refer to Peter Paul Rubens , the Flemish artist.Rubens may also refer to:- People :Family name* Paul Rubens Rubens is often used to refer to Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), the Flemish artist.Rubens may also refer to:- People :Family name* Paul Rubens (composer) Rubens is...
where Mercury
Mercury (mythology)
Mercury was a messenger who wore winged sandals, and a god of trade, the son of Maia Maiestas and Jupiter in Roman mythology. His name is related to the Latin word merx , mercari , and merces...
symbolizes the arts
ARts
aRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
. The explanation on the mentioned engraving
Engraving
Engraving is the practice of incising a design on to a hard, usually flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or glass are engraved, or may provide an intaglio printing plate, of copper or another metal, for printing...
is given in page 480 of the book. Petra Sancta characterizes the title page of this book in the conclusion as an expression of the power of emblematic way of illustration
Illustration
An illustration is a displayed visualization form presented as a drawing, painting, photograph or other work of art that is created to elucidate or dictate sensual information by providing a visual representation graphically.- Early history :The earliest forms of illustration were prehistoric...
. The book also contains the portrait of Carafa, engraved in 1632 by Michel Natalis (Liège, 1610–1668). On the escutcheon of this engraving we can see a kind of a screening or hatching
Hatching
Hatching is an artistic technique used to create tonal or shading effects by drawing closely spaced parallel lines...
as well.
Thus it’s obvious that Petra Sancta got the model for his heraldic hatching system
Hatching system
The system of heraldry has two main methods to designate the tinctures of arms in uncolored illustrations: hatching and tricking. Hatching, i.e. patterns of lines and dots, is the most common method to designate colours on uncoloured surfaces, like engravings, seals and coins.The present day...
from the illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
s and publishers of his books in the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
. It is possible that these engravers also knew at least two earlier hatching systems by Zangrius
Jan Baptist Zangrius
Jan Baptist Zangrius was an Flemish engraver, publisher, typographer and bookseller.His name is mostly spelled as Johannes Baptista Zangrius, but is also known as de Sanger, de Zangre, Zangre, and Zangré.- Biographical Data :...
in 1600, and Francquart
Jacob Franquart
Jacob Franquart was a Flemish painter, court architect, and an outstanding copper plate engraver...
in 1623. The techniques of heraldic hatching might have even been carried forward by the guilds of engravers one after another.
The arms on the title page of one of the Francesco Corbelletti’s 1639 publications, i. e. the Rome publisher of Petra Sancta, already represents a complete example of heraldic hatching. That means Corbelletti took over the heraldic hatching system already in the next year after the 1638 system of Petra Sancta appeared. If we consider the time needed to prepare the engravings and the approval by the censure
Censure
A censure is an expression of strong disapproval or harsh criticism. Among the forms that it can take are a stern rebuke by a legislature, a spiritual penalty imposed by a church, and a negative judgment pronounced on a theological proposition.-Politics:...
, Corbelletti must know the hatching system of Petra Sancta even before 1638.
Aegidius Gelenius
Aegidius Gelenius
Aegidius Gelenius was one of the most respected Cologne historians of his time. He had also at his disposal some Roman age sources that are not in existence today.He developed a late hatching system but it did not gain popularity.- Life :...
was deeply influenced by Petra Sancta; the men met several times in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
. Gelenius's hatching system from 1645, however, is identical only at two points with that of Petra Sancta.
Works
- Silvestro Pietrasanta: Iter Fuldense ... Petri Aloysii Carafae ... in quo periocha historiae, visitatio, & reformatio ... abbatiae S. Salvatoris civitatis Fuldensis continetur / Caelius Servilius [i.e. Silvestro Pietrasanta] ... Roberto Canonico patritio Ferrariensi dicat. Leodii, 1627
- Silvester Petrasancta: Silvestri Petrasanctae Romani Soc. Iesv theologi Notae in epistolam Petri Molinaei ad Balzavm, cum responsione ad haereses, errores & calumnias eius, ac vindiciis urbis Romae & Pontificis Romani. Antverpiae, 1634
The book attacked the Protestant ideas of the French HuguenotHuguenotThe Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
theologian Pierre Du Moulin (1568-1658) and the French writer Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac (1594-1654).- Silvestro Petrasancta: De symbolis heroicis libri IX. Antverpiae, 1634
- Siluestri à Petrasancta: Symbola heroica. Amsterdami, 1682
- Pietrasanta, Silvestro: Oratio funebris ... habita ad Urbanum VIII ... dum iusta exequiarum Ferdinando II. austriaco electo imperatori persolverentur. Romae, typis F. Corbelletti, 1637
- The title of his 1638 book: Tesserae gentilitiae / a Silvestro Petra Sancta Romano Societatis Iesu ex legibus Fecialium descriptae. – Romae : typis haered[um] Francisci Corbelletti, 1638 (Note générale : Fig. coloriées pour la plus grande partie. -Note générale : Superbe ordinaire "avec figures à chaque page" table des noms de famille à la fin.)
- The title from the catalogues of Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF): Pietra Santa, Silvestro (S.J., pseud. Coelius Servilius, Le P.)
- Tesserae gentilitiae a Silvestro Petra Sancta,... ex legibus fecialium descriptae. - Romae : F. Corbelletti, 1638. - In-fol., pièces limin., 678 p., index, errata et vocabulaire, titre gr., portrait de Taddeo BarberiniTaddeo BarberiniTaddeo Barberini was an Italian nobleman of the House of Barberini who became Prince of Palestrina and Gonfalonier of the Church; commander of the Papal Army. He was a nephew of Pope Urban VIII and brother of Cardinals Francesco Barberini and Antonio Barberini...
, armoiries et planche.
Published by Francesco Corbelletti.
- According to the catalogue of the Hungarian Jesuit libraries, at the end of his life he published another work titled, P. Syluestri Petra Sancta, Thaumasiae Verae religionis Tomus I. Romae 1643. (In 4to membrana alba. Eiusdem tomus 2us Romae 1646. in 4to membrana alba et margine albo ut prior.)