DOVE. 414 DOVE. A very natural specialization of tliis idea was to make an approarliinj; dovp symbolize the di- vine soul or Holy .Spirit, first in theijeneral sense of heavenly niessen^ier (i.e. inspirerl, and next as the third person of the Trinity. In the former sense it is almost invariably placed in old pie- turcs near certain saints who are supposed to have been particularly inspired, as .Saint Thomas .Aquinas, Saint Hilary, and others. Kew, if anj*, early paintings of Pope (Saint) Gregory the Great exist in which a dove is not resting upon his shoulder or hovering at his ear, wliispering messages from on high. In this sense, but espe- cially in that of signifying the Holy Ghost, the dove ajipears in most of the early representations rounded with n golden nimbus, which is frequent- ly cruciform. Seven rays proceed from it. ter- minating in seven stars, signifying the 'seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.' In her Symbols and ^i3SS& -^illi^f^ Fio. 6. Dove typltylng g:race of the Holy Spirit d»- Bceiiiiiiifj^ upfui aChrlBtlau in baptinni. (From a painting, "Baptism of Verroccliio,'* in Florence.) Emblems of Christian Art, Louisa Twining gives varied examples of its treatment. Sometimes seven doves are attributes of the Virgin, occa- sionally within a vc.iicn pi.icis. .
English manu-
script poem of the fourteenth century is illus- trated by a series of .scrolls inscribed : "Ye gyfte of Wisdome; Ye gyfte of pite; Ye g>'fte of 1. Dove as Holy Spirit: sheddlne blessinKK on the Sav- iour (.pnns TM) at hig bnptlBm. Earliest example of the doTH in Christian art (From a bas-relief on the tomb of Junlu--^ Bari.sii8, A.n. :t'*9.) i. Descent of the Holy Spirit n» a dove upon Jesus; Hcavpn is represent<'ii as a circle studili-d with stars. (From a MS. of the ninth century in the British Musi-um.)
- ). The Holy Spirit as a dove speaking: intii the ear of
Jesus at his baptism. (From a French MS., a.d. 1100. in thi> Itritisli Museum.) 4. The hand of God extendinR grace or a blessini; as a dovi- from Heaven. (From a Saxon MS. In the British Must^um.) &. Dove Btandini; on the altar. (From aa Italian altar- stooe of the twelfth centur.v.) of scenes in Christ's lif(? — most frequently, per- haps, in pictures of His baptism, litiTally ren- dering Saint , John's words (i. .32): "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove." The earliest instance of it in Christian art known to Mrs. Jameson is a bas-relief from a tomb dated A.D. 359. "The next instance." she citesi "is from a mosaic in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, fifth century, and is the earliest representation of the .Annincialion." In the early pictures the dove's head is sur- 7. The Seven Oltts of the Spirit. Tills Is a clear rendering of a theme which appears under man.v and snmetimes com- fusluK <llst5Ulses. In this case It Is notable that no nimbus or aureole is prewnt. the circle id seven doves about the liead of JesuB themselvt'S formiuff a siirt. tA nurenle. M. The dove ' moving on the face of the wat4Ts' at thp creation. (From a Suxon .MS, i>f the eleventh century. In the British Musi'um. where thern'ator Is repn<sonted above this tijrure hnldluK contp(w*si's and scales.) 9. The Holy .'Spirit. In human form. holdiiiM: a dove as fi symbol. (From a wuiptun- of the slxti-entli centur.y, in tln» rhurcii of Ve^^l^n»s.) Strengthe : Ye gyfte of counsaill ; Ye p>'fte of I'nderstandinge : Ve g^'fte of connj-nge: Ye gyfte" of dieedc [a .misprint for drvrdi; meaning dread,
