Dissidium In Ecclesia, from Allegories of the Christian Faith, from Christian and Profane Allegories by Hendrick Goltzius

A central scene shows violent conflict breaking out within a vaulted cathedral-like space, where figures strike each other while others flee in panic. The scene is framed by a complex border containing symbolic animals, scriptural citations, and smaller vignettes such as Saul attempting to spear David and Joseph being sold by his brothers. The work uses various biblical precedents to illustrate the concept of internal religious strife and the persecution of the righteous by the worldly.

Created during the height of the Dutch Revolt, this work by Hendrick Goltzius utilizes biblical typology to comment on the religious turmoil and sectarian violence of the late 16th century. It reflects the Mannerist interest in complex allegorical framing and the visual encoding of moral philosophy, common in the circle of Philip Galle and the Haarlem humanists.

Inscriptions(Latin)

DISSIDIUM IN ECCLESIA. Cõsurrexit Cain aduersus frm suu Abel, et iterfecit eu. Gen. 4. 8. 5. Qui cõgregati aduer sus eu, miserut lapi des iuxta regis imperium, in atrio dom? Dni. 2. Para. 24. 21 Quoru De? ueter est et gloria in cõfusione ip soru qui terrena sapiūt Ad Philip 3. 19. 6. Ob hanc causum occidit eu, hoc est Jehu filiu Hunani prophetam. 3. Reg. 16. 7. Superbus est nihil sciens sed lāgues circa questiones et pugnas uerborū 1. ad timot. 6. 4. 7. Et percuβit Pha βur Jeremiã prophetā, et misit eu in neruum. Jeremiæ. 20. 2. 2. Cumque vidisset Sara filium Agar Aegiptiæ ludente cũ Isaac filio suo. Gen. 21. 9. Sciebāt enim quod per inuidiam tradidissent eum. Matt. 27. 18. 3. Videtes autem frs eius, quod a patre plus cũctis filijs amaret, oderūt eu. Ge. 37. 4. Amāt salutationes in foro, et primas cathedras in sinagogis Lu. 20. 4. Nisus est Saul configere Dauid lancea in pariete. 1. Regum 19. 10. Lucæ. 12. 45. Et cœperit percutere seruos et antillas, et edere, et bibere, et inebriari. 8. Fur non uenit nisi ut furetur et mactet et perdat. Lucæ 10. 10. Sed quomodo tunc is qui secundū carnem natus fuerat, persequebatur eum qui secundum spiritū: ita et nunc. Galat. 4. 29. Sed uenit hora, ut omnis qui interficit uos arbitretur obsequium se pstare Deo. Joan. 16. 2. Philip. Galle. excudebat. HG

Translation

DISSENSION IN THE CHURCH.
Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Gen. 4. 8.

5. They gathered against him and stoned him by the king’s command in the court of the house of the Lord. 2 Chron. 24. 21.

Whose god is their belly and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. Phil. 3. 19.

6. For this cause he killed him, that is, Jehu son of Hanani the prophet. 1 Kings 16. 7.

He is proud, knowing nothing, but obsessed with disputes and arguments over words. 1 Tim. 6. 4.

7. And Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet and put him in the stocks. Jeremiah 20. 2.

2. And when Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian playing with her son Isaac. Gen. 21. 9.

For they knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over. Matt. 27. 18.

3. His brothers seeing that he was loved by his father more than all his sons, they hated him. Gen. 37. 4.

They love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues. Luke 20. 46.

4. Saul sought to pin David to the wall with a spear. 1 Kings 19. 10.

Luke 12. 45. And begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk. 8.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. John 10. 10. But just as then he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is also now. Gal. 4. 29.
But the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. John 16. 2.

Philip Galle, publisher.

Dissidium In Ecclesia, from Allegories of the Christian Faith, from Christian and Profane Allegories

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