Tuesday, March 29, 2005

The Angel of Death and the Sculptor from the Milmore Memorial (1889-1893) Posted by Hello

posted by Tish Grier at 8:50 AM

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

HOW IS IT YOU CAME TO POST THIS PHOTO?
HOW DOES IT TOUCH YOUR SOUL?
HAVE YOU SEEN IT IN PERSON?
WHAT DID IT FEEL LIKE?
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE ARCHANGEL AZRAEL?

12:34 PM  
Blogger Tish Grier said...

I don't quite remember why I posted this photo. I know it was during the time my mother was in the hospital, dying from a stroke...but I'm not sure if that was the reason why or not.

I haven't seen it in person, but I've been to the sculptor's home, Chesterwood, in the Berkshires. The artist was an interesting man--he also sculpeted the Lincoln Memorial.

I am indeed familiar with the Archangel Azarael--became quite familiar with Azarael during a very strange "mystical" period of my life (a time I don't talk all that much about these days--it was strange). Although I don't think this is a depiction of that Archangel.

This image touches me very profoundly. I am saddened by it--thinking of how so many are stopped in life from doing what we are meant to do. It could be by death, literally, or illness, or something else. I think of the young man this piece was sculpted for, how he was considered by the art world of the time, and how his contribution was cut short. I wonder how may others contributions are cut short not just by death, but by so many other life circumstances.

I also think of its beauty, and how there is beauty even in death. I think of how, nowadays, consider this kind of art "decorative" and "old fashioned" and do not see its beauty. because of this, we no longer understand the visual metaphors in a work like this. And, in a time of image-saturation, to not understand metaphor in imagery can only do us more harm than good.

4:34 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home