Of course, in discussing the power of images, you'd be remiss in not bringing up Stendhal Syndrome as well....
Posted on 06/30/2008 10:43:44 PM PDT by annalex
Of course, in discussing the power of images, you'd be remiss in not bringing up Stendhal Syndrome as well....
But we are in luck: the early art is also rustic, and therefore can come from an unschooled source. Look, for example at the flourishing of Byzantine iconography that is happening today.
I was talking to Askel the other day how the Traditional Latin Mass has really late, Baroque to be precise, esthetics, whereas in the rustic simplicity of Novus Ordo may lie the roots of its eventual vindication.
Yes, I remembered your naked Jesus thread vividly, as I embarked on this one today. We are doing fine so far.
God bless.
I often wonder what some future archaeologist would make of a plastic Big Bird.
“Well, clearly, the Americans worshiped some sort of giant bird-god”
On the Catholic side, -- see my post 52 -- we really had a happy triumphant Church in the Renaissance, and that happy attitude leads to Mary. We have these magnificent images of her, that make her simultaneously very royal and also very much like beloved women in our own lives. This created, I think, an artistic bias in her favor.
Note, however, that at Fatima Our Lady's message is the message of John the Baptist, -- penance. She knows what we need.
I wish! If only! It's more often abused in sort of sit-com, variety-show manner.
Our Ordinary Rite Mass at our home parish is reverent, but I would hardly call it rustic!
What about the bones from a KFC family-size bucket?
Abused, yes.
But it has potential, if only they turned the priest in the right direction.
Interesting for our purposes (figuring out what's orthodox and what isn't) is that the most liberal Episcopal churches immediately went for the versus populi, while more conservative ones never stopped celebrating ad orientem. The ECUSA cathedral in Atlanta ripped the high altar out of its place and moved it out into the middle of the floor -- but my parents' little Victorian Gothic gingerbread church in S GA still has the high altar firmly against the east wall.
Our Catholic parish church is of recent vintage (1995) and has the altar in the middle of the sanctuary floor -- but you can see that it would be a relatively simple matter (given its weight) to move it back to the roodscreen (and to install altar rails).
In my opinion, Monsignor was covering his bets and leaving all options open. There's even room to install choir stalls along the sides of the lower area of the sanctuary . . . although it would be a bit of a squeeze.
The TLM undoubtedly has baroque externals (thinking here of decorative elements and esp. when the music goes over the top), but there remains a no-nonsense Roman core of simplicity and economy. It's easier for me to see near the altar than for the pew-sitter, I'll grant you. There are also remnants of Byzantine court ceremonial (the bows, the maniples, etc.) which are especially pronounced at pontifical liturgies.
Your point about art is well-made. The academic styles quickly become insipid except in the hands of the greatest artists. In sacred art the key thing is that the artist be a believer all the way down. That's something that can emerge in the occasional genius, but most reliably appears in a monastic setting -- which goes to explain the power of eastern iconography.
Would you remind me of what that lonesome Madonna on top of what looks like a white pyramid of flowers, in Mexico? It is on my rosary, but I’d like to be able to see her on the ‘net.
These images are clear reminders to us that in taking on human form, God subjected Himself to experiencing all aspects of the humanity He Himself created. While praying the rosary recently, I reflected on Mary's youthfulness and realized that her own mother, St. Ann, must have been a frequent visitor at their home. I had an image of Jesus as a happy little boy running to greet his grandparent, Sts. Ann and Joachim. It put such a big smile on my face :=)
I am at a different computer, and may not have the up-to-date ping list. If I missed you, I apologize.
This is not a "theological" thread in the sense non-Catholics understand theology. I posted a couple of threads on Catholic consecrated life earlier, that were not narrowly speaking theological as well. This one illustrates another aspect of Catholicism, its reliance on visual, iconographic message system that goes alongside the textual to provide a rich integral experience of worship and meditation.
Previously posted:
On Salvation Outside the Catholic Church
The Great Heresies
SALVATION PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
JUSTIFICATION IN CATHOLIC TEACHING
Hermits and Solitaries [Ecumenical]
THE PRIESTHOOD DEBATE
RIGHTEOUSNESS AND MERIT
A Well-Rounded Pope [Ecumenical]
A Monastery to Last 1,000 Years [Ecumenical]
Explaining Purgatory from a New Testament Perspective [Ecumenical]
In the Crosshairs of the Canon [How We Got The Bible] [Ecumenical]
'An Ordinance Forever' - The Biblical Origins of the Mass [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Church Authority In Scripture [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Catholic Tradition: Life in the Spirit [Ecumenical]
Christian Atheism
Mine is rustic :-).
I don’t recall the image you’re talking about.
Well, yes.
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