saw this striking photo of a withered Bird of Paradise blossom, by college friend Chris Hassett, and the phrase et in Arcadia ego came to mind. Those who took Art Appreciation in college might remember it means that death will be found even in the most idyllic earthly paradise. Of course, to make sure I had the correct spelling of that Latin phrase, I had to visit my old friend Wikipedia. And I learned some fascinating details about the paintings with that title: ...one of the two shepherds recognizes the shadow of his companion on the tomb and circumscribes the silhouette with his finger. According to an ancient tradition (see Pliny the Elder, nat. Hist. XXXV 5, 15), this is the moment in which the art of painting is first discovered. Thus, the shepherds shadow is the first image in art history. But the shadow on the tomb is also a symbol of death (in the first version symbolized by a skull on the top of the tomb). The meaning of this highly intricate composition seems to be that, from prehistory onward, the discovery of art has been the creative response of humankind to the shocking discovery of mortality. Thus, death’s claim to rule even Arcadia is challenged by art (symbolized by the beautifully dressed maiden), who must insist that she was discovered in Arcadia too, and that she is the legitimate ruler everywhere, whilst death only usurps its power. In the face of death, arts duty—indeed, her raison d’être--is to recall absent loved ones, console anxieties, evoke and reconcile conflicting emotions, surmount isolation, and facilitate the expression of the unutterable.[2] Hat tip: Chris Hassett
Posted on: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 13:45:51 +0000
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