Das Ampte des allerandechtigsten gruss. Il rapporto tra sguardo, corpo e devozione in una preghiera mariana del Quattrocento.

Dating back to the second half of the XV century, the Ampte des allerandechtigsten gruß is the first example of the latin-based Benedictus-prayer in the German south-west. This devotional text - an extended version of the Holy Mary blessing 23 parts of the Virgin’s body for having taken care of the Holy Child - is an expression of the characteristic late medieval Upper Rhine devotion to the Infant Jesus, but it also reflects the importance of body and emotions in defining identity and the relevance of vision and imagination in medieval spirituality. The transcription of the prayer is followed by a comparison with another form of Dominican prayer to the Virgin (a praise of 12 parts of her body), in order to get further insight into how inner and physical body were seen, and into different forms of their representation. This kind of prayers are defined by searching proximity: Mary handling the Holy Child, the praying nun observing the scene between Mary and her Son, the praying nun addressing Mary. Both the devotional act and the visualization of Virgin and Child, as well as the example of Mary’s virtues, were means of purification and salvation.