Monday, 23 June 2014

Nativity of Saint John the Baptist - 55th anniversary of priest


Tuesday 24th. The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
William sends greeting for the 55th anniversary of Ordination of Priesthood.
His gift is the beautiful message and the amazing illuminated painting;
“Here, on a special day for you, is one of life’s strange antiquarian encounters, to illuminate with the brightness and joy of inquiry, Blog reflections as you celebrate the occasion of your 55th anniversary of your Ordination” ...
It is a lovely gift, and exciting to view the aspects of the painting. See below..
Thank you.



      
THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS (Lk. 16,19-31)

St Luke's parable is in its choice of word and in its vividness a challenge to the artist to take up his brush and depict the scene - Luke the painter! This illumination is indeed worthy of the precious and beautifully illustrated Gospel-book from which it is taken. A deep-set yet elegant Romanesque doorway is used as a frame. Lightly fluted, slender columns on fragile bases, crowned with Corinthian double-capitals bear the weight of the arch, which resembles more a garland of flowers than a work in stone. To the left and right of the arch there shine two red-gold medallions with human faces, held in position by gracefully twining tendrils. Inside the ornamental arch with its pillars one can see the simpler parts of the portal: first a broad border in blue, followed by a thin green one, then a white one. These are intended as a contrast to the gold which then appears and which symbolizes eternity. On this gold field the artist has placed three scenes which one should read beginning with the lowest. There are two circles, like magic globes, between them an elongated ellipse and they represent three kingdoms, Earth, Hell and Heaven.  
Lazarus Lk 16:19-31
  The first circle shows the rich man's festive table, rather in the manner of an early Christian 
Eucharistic celebration, where, however, the words of St. Paul in 1 Cor. 11,21 are not heeded:
"Each corner hastens to eat the supper he has brought for himself, so that one man goes hungry, while another drinks deep". Lazarus, sick and poor, can be seen to the left excluded from the gold-green circle, where the feast is in progress. Three dogs bound in from the other side and run towards him in order to lick his sores.


The three scenes here depicted relate what happened in order of time. In the dark oval- the abyss, the pit, the underworld we perceive the rich man who has meanwhile died and is now suffering the agonies of thirst. From here he cries out for pity to Abraham in the upper region, seated upon a golden throne in a golden circle. Lazarus is now in Abraham's bosom, where the angels have carried him, a reference to late Jewish representations of Paradise and its joys.  

       Abraham's rejection of the rich man's pleadings is clearly seen in the gesture of his right hand and in his stern unpitying eyes. We can almost hear the words: "There is a great gulf fixed between us", and, "if they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will be unbelieving still, though one should rise from the dead".

Abraham's words are not painted here, but they are in our ears, and make this picture into a cryptic Easter message, in which the admonition to love one's neighbour is irrevocably bound with the hope of rising to everlasting life.   
Der reiche Prasser und arme Lazarus – Evangeliar Otto III, Aachen.

 Beuroner Kunstkalender Fur Jahr 1983
Virtual Tour of Beuron Abbey

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