 |
 |
Many thanks for the detailed comments on reliquaries - do you have a reading list on this subject, by any chance? With regard to impassivity, an interesting aside is provided by the life of Anthony where, if I remember correctly, we are told that after spending decades out in the desert living on dried bread and water (and fighting demons on a regular basis) Anthony emerged looking like a handsome young man of 30 or so - something I do not recall ever being reflected in depictions of him! Meg > Well, I'd be interested to know if this is a religious attribute of > saintliness. I think, myself, that it is an artistic one, going back > ultimately to the idea of Idealisation - which requires an expressionless > face at all times (to avoid the uglifying distortion that necessarily ensues > from expressions) and absolute self-control in all circumstances. Hence, > note, Christ on the cross in the contrapposto stance. Was Agatha in the > contrapposto in your image? Nudity, or near nudity is also an essential > part of the depiction of Idealisation, which would suit both Agatha and > Christ. > I codified the artistic Idealisation, its meaning and context for my > students. You can find it on my web page if you click on "Course > Materials", "past courses", Spring 1999 Art 151, "terms and concepts" - > scroll down a little to find Classical Beauty and Idealisation (to be > updated and transferred to top page soon). We have to beware of seeing > these images as pure illustration. They are also commentaries, with their > own detailed language. > Pippin Michelli, Ph.D > Assistant Professor of Art History, St Olaf College > http://www.stolaf.edu/people/michelli/index4.html Margaret Cormack [log in to unmask] Dept. of Philosophy and Religion fax: 843-953-6388 College of Charleston tel: 843-953-8033 Charleston, SC 29424-0001 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%