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Medieval symbolism in art
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The Lothar Crystal, also known as the Susanna Crystal or London Crystal is one of the most highly skilled extant examples of Carolingian engraving ever created and currently apart of the British Museum’s collection. Created in a style that appears to have already dwindling It is a single lentoid of clear quartz that measures some four and a half inches (11.5cm) in diameter and depicts the biblical scenes of Susanna’s Judgement from Daniel 13. There are some very fine flaws running horizontally through scene six and partly into scene seven, and one severe crack through it’s centre. Supposedly it was cracked when thrown into the Meuse during the sack of Waulsort by the French in 1793. The flaws do not obscure the engraved design but cause a slight sparkle when the stone is moved. The interpretation of this exquisite piece has been a point of contention among scholars of the Carolingian era for over a century as the engraving suffers considerably from a lack of contemporary sources. Conjecture and misinterpretation throughout history has been a constant hindrance to the understanding of this piece and the intended message conveyed within the eight scenes and forty figures of the Lothar Crystal. This intended meaning and to whom the Crystal was intended to be shown shall be the primary focus of this essay, as well as discerning the true intention of its creation.
The date of the origin on this gem is a debatable issue, It is popularly known as the Lothar Crystal because it has engraved upon it, encircling a central medallion, the legend “LOTHARIVS REX FRANC[ORVM ME F]IERI IVSST” (“Lothar King of the Franks ordered me to be made”). In order to understand the message conveyed, The issue that has caused much contention is to which Lo...
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... is done even at personal cost to himself. Justice is the defining royal virtue.
The Lothar Crystal is considered to be one of the earliest depictions of the rule of law in european art. Lothair needed to show his people how integral justice was to his reign, even at the expense of his empire. Made for a king without an heir in a kingdom without a future.
If he had divorced his Theutberga and consolidated his reign with a legitimate son, perhaps Lotharingia would be as powerful today as its fraternal territories Germany and France. However, even though Lotharingia is no more, the principal the crystal proclaims is still alive. By the presence of the public in scenes three through eight; and by the depiction of a prominent judge in the final scene. Just judgment seems undeniably to be at the iconographic heart of the Susanna Crystal and the key to it’s message.
he wishes he could be more honorable. It shows King Henry's lack of trust and
Symbols during the middle ages changed with the attitudes of the people. Over time, the Virtues were represented so plainly that they could be distinguished only by name, and again so ridiculously convoluted that again interpretation was difficult. In fifteenth-century cathedrals the virtues bore nothing more than a shield with emblem (1) . At roughly the same time they were also being illustrated as everyday characterizations, for example: Prudence was depicted as a woman sitting in a chair, with book in hand being read to disciples at her feet (2) . Slightly more obscure was Temperance, as a woman at a table motioning with her hands an inquiry at another woman, also at the table, for permission to speak. Under this table kneels a poor man who drinks from a goblet (3) . Here the Virtues are not singular entities which personify the attributes, but rather the attributes themselves. More typical were Virtues as maidens bearing symbols representing some aspect of their nature: Justice weighing the scales with sword in hand to execute a punishment, Faith a woman with a cross, Hope a winged woman with hands upraised towards the Lord (4) . Yet these depictions also could get out of hand. Faith came to grasp a book (the testaments) and a candle (with which to illuminate man's dark world) and wea...
It has been shown again and again throughout history and literature that if there is a perfect human he is not also the perfect ruler. Those traits which we hold as good, such as the following of some sort of moral code, interfere with the necessity of detachment in a ruler. In both Henry IV and Richard II, Shakespeare explores what properties must be present in a good ruler. Those who are imperfect morally, who take into account only self-interest and not honor or what is appropriate, rise to rule, and stay in power.
He feels up to the task , though . He feels superior to the monarchy and the aristocracy , who inherited their positions and have no real merits of the king .
King Edward I does a spectacular job of playing the evil King who doesn’t care about his
However, the artefacts brought to England from Benin in 1897 were an anomaly. The craftsmanship and sophistication were such that some were reminiscent of the beautiful figures in the Hofkiche, Innsbruck 1502-1563 (plate 3.1.12. Visited...
He was a noble man and a honourable one too. However, he is one of the
Rousseau, Theodore. "The Merode Altarpiece." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 16.4 (1957): 117-29. JSTOR. Web. 1 Apr. 2010.
Carved from alabaster the over-life-sized statue shows a idealized depiction of ruler Khafre sitting eloquently in his throne. Riddled with indicative symbols and motifs the written language of the ancient Egyptians allows for historian to interoperate the meanings and purpose of the sculpture, and decipher the statements of divinity and the king power left behind by this ancient people. This funerary statue represents Khafre’s eternity a well as utilizing the expensive material as a testament of his importance and
The tale of Sleeping Beauty is influenced by oral folklore and various written versions. Today fairytales are told as a domain for the entertainment and teachings of children. In traditional storytelling, peasants transmitted folklore orally around campfires to audiences of mixed ages. However, during the 17th century, peasant tales, such as Sleeping Beauty, were altered by writers like Charles Perrault’s, to appeal to the courts of aristocracy. Thus the characters of Sleeping Beauty adorned a courtly air to appeal to the crown, such as Louis XIV of France. Throughout history, various cultural influences transformed the tale of Sleeping Beauty through the manipulation of various social forces to achieve better entertainment purposes and reflect Christian beliefs and customs. In addition, the moral of the tale conveys a message that women remain passive in hope to marry her true lov...
Considering its age of over eight hundred years old, the Christ in Majesty with Symbols of the Four Evangelists remains in remarkable condition. However, pieces of the original apse, which originated in the Catalan chapel in Spain, have faded. Portions, especially along the bottom, have disappeared over time. Even though it was moved to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, it has not been fully restored. The artist identified each of the apostles in the Christ in Majesty with Symbols of the Four Evangelists, but the writing has grown fainter and this creates difficulty for art historians.
... not commit suicide because he realizes that it would be best to accomplish his goal and kill the king so he could avenge his fathers death.
The object of this book, Early Medieval Art, is to convey the theme “tradition not only receives and transforms, it literally invents a tradition upon which it founded itself” (p. 15) concerning art of the early medieval era. The purpose of this book is to summarize and offer knowledge of medieval art, that will then be included in the greater series of books by other specialists for Oxford University Press. Lawrence Nees accomplished his argument successfully by following the chronological production of the art and the traditions that are imbedded within them. Although, his thesis is strongly supported, Ness’ failure is found in his over reliance on the artwork itself, which then leads to the masking of his personal arguments.
First of all, the prince, the one whose families job is to protect their people and the domain in which they reside, abandoned those duties in possibly the worst time of all. The prince left his people, bringing with him his friends, to go hide away in a castle, while his people were outside suffering and dying horrifically. His actions were selfish and irresponsible, and he deserved a punishment for the things he lacked to accomplish, or at least attempt. The princes selfishness furthers, when he is said to be 'happy, dauntless, and sagacious'; he acts as if there wasn't a mass infection spreading across his people, he was again, ignoring his duties and thinking about himself more than anything.
“The Wife of Bath’s Tale” is written in an entertaining and adventurous spirit, but serves a higher purpose by illustrating the century’s view of courtly love. Hundreds, if not thousands, of other pieces of literature written in the same century prevail to commemorate the coupling of breathtaking princesses with lionhearted knights after going through unimaginable adventures, but only a slight few examine the viability of such courtly love and the related dilemmas that always succeed. “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” shows that women desire most their husband’s love, Overall, “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” shows that the meaning of true love does not stay consistent, whether between singular or separate communities and remains timeless as the depictions of love from this 14th century tale still hold true today.