Three years ago I saw for the first time The Annunciation mosaic, my first reaction was of amazement and it still being. Each time I pass by the Annunciation mosaic I cannot miss giving a glance to it. There is something in the mosaic that is hiding and catches my attention every time I pass by. As Sister Hilda gave me some materials for class about icons, I have been discovering why the Annunciation mosaic always grabs my attention. The Annunciation mosaic is always inviting me to read between the lines in its color and in my life.
The Annunciation mosaic in Mount Angel Seminary is located at the main entrance of the Annunciation building named after the mosaic. Everyone that enters the building cannot pass by without see the mosaic. The mosaic is composed of the Archangel Gabriel to the left side and the Virgin Mary to the right side of the mosaic. The Archangel Gabriel and Mary are facing each other and at the same time looking up to the center where an image of the Holy Spirit represented by a dove is located. The Archangel Gabriel is in a position as if he were talking to Mary, we can noticed this by the position of hands, feet and since he is facing Mary. Mary is in front of a house or room as if she is going out of it. She is facing to the Archangel Gabriel and is holding a spindle. The Archangel Gabriel is holding a scroll on the left hand. To the upper center of the mosaic is a table with a linen, a book and a dove on top of the book. The beautiful scene invites one to pause for a second and read the message that it wants to transmit.
The mosaic is in a very illuminated area that allows the mosaic to show the beauty of its colors. I can always notice the gold color in the background, the red in Mary’s vestments, and th...
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...times I don not know the different ways in which my brothers react I had to reed between the lines what they actually mean when said something otherwise I can took it personal.
Sometimes is easier for me to see things as normal or to take things for granted and avoid thinking about its meaning and purpose. Sometimes I can be ungrateful with the things that happen in my life and I forget that maybe God is hidden there waiting for me. I can forget to see the red color that invites me to recognize the divine union to which God is inviting me everyday. Sometimes I cannot read the green color in life that wants to tell me the action and presence of the Holy Spirit in me and in those that I meet everyday. The colors of the Archangel Gabriel and Mary in the mosaic are not only telling me something divine, but also teaching me to always remember to read between the lines.
Another example of Christian iconography is The Transfiguration. It is located in the Church of Saint Catherine’s monaster...
When that room is entered all voices are hushed, and all merriment silenced. The place is as holy as a church. In the centre of the canvas is the Virgin Mother with a young, almost girlish face or surpassing loveliness. In her eyes affection and wonder are blended, and the features and the figure are the most spiritual and beautiful in the world's art.
I found the photography piece “From the Road to Tepeyac,” by Alinka Echeverria intriguing. This photography piece was a man kneeling down with a sculpture tied to his back. The woman in the statue had a green flag with multiple stars draped around her. This woman appeared to be the Virgin Mary. Underneath the Virgin Mary was an angel with green, white and red wings. The colors on the flag around the Virgin Mary and the angel’s wings represent Mexico. Also, the stars on the flag present the repetition constructed in this photography piece. There is no physical line for the foreground; however, this piece directs the eye from one point to another by implication. When I first saw this photography piece, I questioned why the statue of the Virgin Mary and an angel were on the man’s back. I realized the Virgin Mary and ...
At the top of the artwork the upper part of the cross extends beyond the altarpiece. The edge of John the Evangelist’s red robe on the left of the altarpiece and the edge of Mary Magdalene’s pale blue skirt on the right are cut off when the panel ends, giving the viewer the feeling that, rather than looking in on the scene, the viewer is actually taking part in the scene. This, added to the empathy invoked through the delicate, heart-wrenching rendering of the figures in the artwork, let the observer directly interact with the painting and places him/her within the narrative.
The Merode Altarpiece is a triptych painting that represents the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. This work displays the main characteristics of the Northern Late Gothic period. There is so much detail in this work of art. Campin utilizes many symbols in this altarpiec. The setting of the painting is in a Flemish middle class house. The Annunciation theme is being depicted in the central panel. A scene of Saint Joseph at work as a carpenter occupies the right-hand panel. The portraits of the donors are depicted in the left hand panel. Campin failed to understand the scientific perspective. To illustrate, there is no focal point in the painting and the table looks tilted. Campin used no aerial perspective. To illustrate, the background is still very crisp when seen from a distance. The most important aspect of the painting is the symbolism. For example, the lilies represent Mary's purity, the candle represents the Holy Spirit, even the mouse traps represent trapping evil. Campin also made use of bright, rich colors. In the central panel, the drapery of the figures are filled with colors of red and white. Campin has also made a good use of illusion of the space by making the town seem to be far away by distance by making them appear blurry. Furthermore, Campin has created figures that are not in proper proportion. To illustrate, the figure’s head is small and the bodies are big and it seems that if they get will hit their head if they get up. They look very unrealistic. Although they are not in proportion, the figures seem to have very sharp edges. The figures also look very stiff and rigid. In Merode Altarpiece, the light is arbitrary and the figures do not cast any...
This painting with the background and middle ground being mono-chromatic and the foreground and focal point being Christ in the two primary colors of red and blue. Mei is basically informing the viewer where he wanted them to look first. In this painting Christ is looking more aggressive, confronting an elderly women. With Christ right hand seems to be threatening as if it is to discipline her with the whip and the left hand restraining her rather than punishing the women. Dividing the composition diagonally with the strong inference of red. Bringing the doves to the bottom right corner. Looking closely you can see there is many hands within the left corner. Amongst them there is hands counting money and protecting their wares in the middle ground. Moving back to the focal point of Christ you can see that the face-to-face confrontation between Christ and the elderly women. Carefully you can see the realism within the facial features. Detail within the faces such as line and wrinkles suggest the age and creates’ tension between the two people evoking
...ic meanings that still are puzzling art historians today. Some of the key symbols that Stokstad points out in the text is the dove, representing the Holy Spirit; the white lilies as a symbol of the Virgin Mary. She also points out, two rather unknown symbols to the sacrilegious, the date of the Annunciation in signs of the zodiac on the floor, as well as the lone stained glass window that is symbolizing God rising above the three windows that are placed in the background behind Mary. These three windows represent the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The depiction of Madonna and Christ is among the most ancient and common in Christian iconography and has an extensive number of variations because apart from its symbolic religious functions, it allows one to interpret the link between mother and child in many aspects. (8)
Looking across the entire triptych certain visual elements can be seen. Lighting is carefully used to highlight many important details in the painting; the dramatic facial expressions of many of the people in this scene are clearly lighted and defined to illustrate the emotions felt by the witnesses. In the left panel of The Raising of the Cross, among the mourners appear to be St. John, another man that seems to be consoling St. John, Elizabeth (the mother of John the Baptist), St. Mary (the mother of Jesus) and Mary Magdalene (hoocher.com). One of the mourners is actually looking directly at the viewer with a very distraught expression on her face. The mourner that I suspect is St. John in the back appears to be almost nauseous and his face is surrounded by darkness and is subordinate and his face is being emphasized. Also, the rocky background is subordin...
This painting, measuring about six-by-seven feet, is a massive work that draws viewers directly to it once they enter the room in which its displayed. It is not covered by any glass and is in a very well-lit area, thus it allows viewers to stand as close as possible to see the details of how Peter Paul Rubens handled his medium. Looking at the painting from a photograph is much different than viewing it up close and in person, because when looking at a photograph, one cannot see the texture of the paint that gives the painting its very delicate, unique, and realistic quality. The work appears to be in very good condition because most of the colors are still very rich and vibrant, such as Adonis’ red garment (Rubens). Although one cannot tell when directly viewing the piece, it has been said that previous use of radiographs for further analysis on the painting uncovered that initially, “Rubens gave A...
First, the crosses are a representation of Man’s evil and God’s mercy. When guest arrive at my museum, there would be a “Wall of Thought.” On this wall are paintings with hidden crosses in them from different painters. Each painting would have a random person’s belief in what the interpretation of what the cross means to them.
When first approaching this work, one feels immediately attracted to its sense of wonder and awe. The bright colors used in the sun draws a viewer in, but the astonishment, fascination, and emotion depicted in the expression on the young woman keeps them intrigued in the painting. It reaches out to those who have worked hard in their life and who look forward to a better future. Even a small event such as a song of a lark gives them hope that there will be a better tomorrow, a thought that can be seen though the countenance by this girl. Although just a collection of oils on a canvas, she is someone who reaches out to people and inspires them to appreciate the small things that, even if only for a short moment, can make the road ahead seem brighter.
This identification of Mary of Burgundy is supported by the juxtaposition of the foreground Mary to the one in the church interior. The miniature presents a type of communication that is achieved by individuals, who are engaged in a meditative state. Either a devotional book or painting could be used to help them reach this state. In this meditative state, the individual would imagine themselves before the sacred figure. This is illustrated in the Hours of Mary Burgundy, where the ‘real’ Mary of Burgundy is reading the book in the foreground frame; the book of hours presumably enables her to achieve a meditative state shown through the window. The window-frame was used to make a transition from the foreground to the background and more importantly, work as a representation of a mode of communication with the divine. Framing plays a similar role in the triptychs we will examine in this
The positions of the stories in the apse show the importance of the figures represented in the images. Christ's placement the center of the apse holding a book with his left hand provides a direct relationship to the Bible. His right hand held up in blessing illustrates his divine power towards the people, who receive the sacrament on the altar below him. Christ is also surrounded by stars, wh...
The immediate background consists of natural mounds of dirt and a brick wall that enclose the Virgin, Child, and St. John, amplifying the protective effect that Mary’s figure has. The dirt mounds roll inward with a brick wall bordering them on the right, drawing the viewer’s attention towards the three figures. The background is painted in broad terms, with a simple, uniform depiction of tree leaves and smooth rock faces on the horizon. This contrasts with the fine-lined detail and texture of Mary’s hair, facial features, and veil, which further contribute to her elegance and highlight her