Heinrich Aldegrever (Paderborn 1502 - Soest ca. 1560), The Joy, 1549, engraving on paper, 7.2 x 5.2 cm, Paris, Musée du Louvre 

The Virtues: Joy 

We end our presentation of the virtues with which we have accompanied this year 2024 with an engraving by a refined German artist. In 1549 he engraved 14 small plates each representing a vice or a virtue.

We do not know who commissioned this work and for what purpose, but we are struck by the choice to entrust the description of each subject to a simple and apparently poor medium. The engraving, in fact, unlike the painting that in the use of colour finds a powerful ally for the rendering of figures and moods, plays everything on line and luminosity that is due to the lesser or greater incidence of solids and voids. Aldegrever was completely satisfied with the outcome of his work, so much so that in each of the 14 engravings we find both the year of composition and the initials of his name.

And so we come to how the virtue of Joy has been depicted. She is, of course, a woman and I think we can say that the artist has imagined her as an eminently spiritual figure. Indeed, we note the simplicity of the subject, the choice to place the figure in a landscape in which both land, sea and sky are present. We catch a glimpse of a building framed by the natural window and the woman is intent and concentrated on the gesture of playing. Joy has a crown, but it is made of flowers, her hair is loose in the wind, her bare feet tread on a ground where vegetation is absent.

From the sky, on the right, a dove seems to emerge and descend towards the earth, a clear sign of the Holy Spirit and thus of the divine origin of true Joy. And that we are in the presence of the divine also seems to be testified by the apparently excessive movement of the woman's garment: it is not the result of a natural event such as a more or less impetuous wind, but rather of a tremor that derives from something interior. Joy is not something exaggerated or excessive, but rather something profound and collected, arising from an experience of the divine.

The message that the artist seems to be entrusting to us is therefore that true joy originates in God, and He alone is the source from which it comes and from whom it is bestowed upon us.

For seven days you shall celebrate this pilgrim feast in honor of the LORD, your God, in the place which he chooses; since the LORD, your God, has blessed you in all your crops and in all your undertakings, you shall do nought but make merry. (Deuteronomy,16)

Thus the Israelites who were in Jerusalem celebrated the feast of Unleavened Bread with great rejoicing for seven days, and the Levites and the priests sang the praises of the LORD day after day with all their strength. Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who had shown themselves well skilled in the service of the LORD. And when they had completed the seven days of festival, slaying peace offerings and singing praises to the LORD, the God of their fathers, the whole assembly agreed to celebrate another seven days. With joy, therefore, they continued the festivity seven days longer. ( 2 Cronicles 30, 21-23)

That I may come to the altar of God, to God, my joy, my delight. Then I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God. (Psalm 43, 4)

When the LORD restored the captives of Zion,we thought we were dreaming.Then our mouths were filled with laughter; our tongues sang for joy.Then it was said among the nations,“The LORD had done great things for them.”The LORD has done great things for us;Oh, how happy we were! Restore our captives, LORD, like the dry stream beds of the Negeb.Those who sow in tearswill reap with cries of joy. Those who go forth weeping,carrying sacks of seed,Will return with cries of joy,carrying their bundled sheaves. (Psalm 126)

Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; They will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee. (Isaiah 35, 10)

Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The LORD has removed the judgment against you, he has turned away your enemies; The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear. On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem: Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged! The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior; He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, He will sing joyfully because of you. (Zephaniah 3, 14-17)

"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. (John 15,11)

And I wrote as I did so that when I came I might not be pained by those in whom I should have rejoiced, confident about all of you that my joy is that of all of you. (2 Corinthians 2, 3)

(Contribution by Vito Pongolini)