Preaching by Word and Image . Illustrated Catholic Sermon Collections Printed Until The Middle of the 16 th century / Precher par le mot et l' image . Collections illustres de sermons catholiques imprimes jusqu ' au milieu du XVI e siecle

Abstract

During Middle Ages sermons were a territory of negotiations between the oral and the written word. Additionally, the visual element came to support both the preaching event and the homiletic literature. This already complex equation was complicated even more by the media change that occurred in the mid-fifteenth century. The present paper addresses precisely the printed sermon collections, in order to examine the presence, nature and function of the illustration in the respective works. The analysis stretches up to the middle of the 16th century, when the wind of change brought by Reformation transformed the content and the functions attributed to images. At this point, I only assume the task of formulating some premises and general observations, starting from several examples that provide interesting suggestions regarding the mentioned issues.