Art/ Heritage

TEMPLE TANTRUMS: ‘Christ cleansing the Temple’ by an unknown Netherlandish artist (1563 – 69); Kadriorg Art Museum, Tallinn

 We are in the Dutch provinces of the 1500’s. The Dutch Revolt (1568 – 1648) and the Reformation (1517 – 1648) brought a strain to the role of the artist. The Protestant insurgency and iconoclasm claimed violence all over the provinces. Churches were sacked, stained glasses crushed and images destroyed. As a result Dutch art witnessed a sharp shift from the sacred to the secular.

Artist like Jhernoimus Bosch, Lucas Van Leyden, Jan Sanders van Hemessen and Bruegel along with a host of other painters and printmakers started picturing pedlars, peasants, beggars, courting couples, money changers and other local figures in their art works. This gave rise to the ‘genre’ movement that led to the development of Dutch painting in the Golden Age. The humorous portrayal of the ‘uncivilised man’ in art was a call to reflect on human virtues and vices.

The essence of this genre is experienced through today’s painting in consideration. The subject is that of ‘Christ cleansing the Temple.’ The theme of the painting itself is revolutionary. Promoted by the Council of Trent, it symbolized the purification of the Catholic Church post the Protestant Reformation. The work is executed by an unknown Netherlandish artist who imitates the nuances set by the famous painters Jhernoimus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.

The painting beams with stories, scary characters, mysterious symbols, amusement, proverbs, word plays, moral philosophy and the psychology of 16th century Antwerp. A huge temple structure in a mystical style dominates the foreground of the painting. An apocalyptic clock with a hand shaped dial on the left wall of the Temple strikes 12 and thus announces the arrival of the hour of judgement.   

Spread the love ♥
14 1    
15
Shares
Continue Reading
Faith

 

Seeking the Lord of the Temple- 3rd Sunday in Lent- John 2: 13-25

This episode of cleansing of the temple is placed right at the beginning of John’s Gospel immediately after the wedding feast of Cana. This is quite different from the synoptic Gospel writers (Matthew, Mark and Luke) who place the incident at the end of Jesus’ ministry and as one of the inevitable consequences of Jesus’ death.

John also adds many more details to the incident. He will write about “sheep and oxen” along with the doves. He has Jesus make a whip out of chord and then turns to address the dove sellers separately as he overturns theirs tables too. In John’s Gospel, it will be the raising of Lazarus that sets in motion the last nail of hatred in the intention of the Jews to put Jesus to death. So why does this evangelist narrate this incident so differently from the other three?

John wants to make a point. We are told that the occasion for Jesus presence in the temple is the Passover. It is but natural that the activities of commerce will go hand in hand with the activity of religion. The Jews of the diaspora and the Jews in the area were not allowed to bring in any graven image into the temple and the coinage at that time had the head of Caesar on it. Thus the official currency had to be exchanged for the Jewish shekel and a fee was involved. This explained the presence of the money changers.

Much has also been said about the presence of the sellers of sheep, oxen or doves that were used for the sacrifice. These birds and animals had to be without blemish and it is held that many of the priests were in connivance with the sellers to sanction only the purchase of sacrificial animals from within the temple, as fit for sacrifice.

Spread the love ♥
10      
10
Shares
Continue Reading
Musings

Be a pinch of salt to pep up life

Today, you’ll probably get your salary, literally meaning ‘salt-money’. Two millennia ago, soldiers of the Roman Empire were paid a monthly salarium—from the Latin root sal, meaning ‘salt’—a fixed amount of salt for: (a) services rendered, and, (b) staying healthy. Interestingly, the English word ‘soldier’ derives from the Latin sal–dare, literally meaning ‘to give salt’. Salt seems too trifle a thing to spend time thinking and talking about. But, have you realised how indispensable salt is; and how happy life would be if you felt you were as dear as salt?

‘As dear as salt’ is the title of an unforgettable story in our English primer at school. It told of a king who was furious when his youngest son said, “You are as dear as salt!” The young prince was banished from the kingdom. However, fortune smiled on him and he became king in another faraway land. Decades later, he invited his aged father for a banquet and ordered that many sumptuous dishes be prepared without salt. The aged king felt insulted to be served saltless, tasteless food. He then realized the wisdom of his youngest son and appointed him his successor.

I love salt. It was so dear to me that, during childhood, I’d often get pinched by mom for adding extra pinches of salt into anything and everything I ate. “Careful about salt!” she would say. I now am. But, medicos swear that salt is good for water retention and muscle contraction, and contains nutrients vital to our bodies. Commonsense suggests that one be moderate with salt intake.

Salt has many properties and reconciles many polarities. Salt is cheap, yet indispensable. It is unseen in food, yet noticed only when there is either too much or too little of it. Salt is solid, yet dissolves. It is small, yet makes a world of difference when present. Amidst that aromatic array of exotic deshi spices from Kashmiri chillies to Keralite cardamom, salt seems so insignificant. But, it is of utmost importance to teach valuable lessons in the world’s great religions.

Spread the love ♥
16      
16
Shares
Continue Reading
Musings

The Saviour not the Sinner

So here is something that struck me at Mass and  while meditating over the readings of yesterday and today. I often think that Lent is a time when we focus on ourselves as sinners; introspecting our need to turn towards the Lord and turn away from sin.

And then just like that it struck me that Lent is not so much about the sinner but about the Saviour. It is a time we focus primarily on His Love for us and not merely feel sorry for what we chose to become over the years. Lent is a time we focus on ‘the love of the father’ of the two sons in Luke 15 (prodigal son) and on ‘the landlord’ in Matthew 21 who sent ‘his son’ with the hope that the tenants would listen to Him.

Lent is not so much about the SINNER as much as it is about the SAVIOUR. This Lent, savour the Saviour; taste and see that the Lord is good ( Psalm34:8)

Fr Warner D’Souza

#MarveRoadMusings

Spread the love ♥
24      
24
Shares
Continue Reading
Art/ Heritage

PICTURING THE PASSION: ‘The Mocking of Christ’ by Fra Angelico (1441)

 The Archdiocesan Heritage Museum, Mumbai brings to you the fourth article in the series titled ‘Picturing the Passion’

‘Upon His precious head they placed a crown of thorns

They laughed and said behold the king

They struck Him and they cursed Him and mocked His holy name

And all alone He suffered everything’

The lyrics of this beautiful hymn by Loretta Lynn find a deep rooted expression through today’s painting. It is titled ‘The Mocking of Christ’ by Fra Angelico. The honorary epithet ‘Fra Angelico’ or ‘the Angelic Brother’ was attributed to the painter after his death in 1455. Baptised Guido di Piero, his love for Christ led him to enter the religious order of the Dominicans in 1420.

Vasari, the great author of the ‘Lives of Artists’ (1550), describes Angelico as a ‘simple and most holy man who painted with facility and piety.’ Vasari goes on to describe his saintly life stating, ‘Fra Angelico never set his hand to a brush without first saying a prayer. He never painted a crucifix without tears streaming down his cheeks. He befriended the poor and now is befriended by Heaven.’ Truth as these words hold, in 1982, Pope John Paul II proclaimed the beatification of this ‘Blessed’ painter, recognising him as the ‘Saint of all Artists.’

But where and when did it all begin? In 1435 Cosimo de Medici, the rich banker and Gonfalonier of Florence, donated a sumptuous amount to renovate the Dominican convent and the Church of San Marco. Fra Angelico was given the task to paint the altar piece and decorate the walls of the Church and of the Convent.

Of all the religious orders, the Dominicans attributed great consideration to visual images as mediums of prayers, meditation and study. The cell of each friar was furnished with not only a bed, desk and kneeler but also a contemplative fresco representing an episode from the Story of Christ.  These paintings often depicted the Virgin Mary and Saint Dominic as witnesses of the scene, therefore serving as intermediaries between the Dominican friars who lived in the cells and Christ Himself.

One such Gospel synthesized fresco is the ‘Mocking of Christ’ situated in the East Corridor, also known as the Corridor of the Elderly clerics. The bitter humiliation that Christ suffered before being crucified is evoked through this painting in an atmosphere of divine stillness and mystical emotion.  

Spread the love ♥
11      
11
Shares
Continue Reading