Click here (flickriver.com) to view a small collection of Medieval Biblical illustrations depicting scenes from the prophets' careers... Any favorites??
9 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I really liked the 11th photo on the website. It's drawn so much more simplistically than the rest of them and you can plainly see that it was drawn out and the shading is really good. Most of the pictures that you see on the site have a lot of color or a lot of scripture and this one really doesn't have a lot of wording or color.
I thought all the photos were very interesting. It shows just how much people were enamored by the ascension and the fact that Elijah simply went away instead of dying. This would have been a very scarey and awe inspiring act for it's day.
The beginning of 2 Kings 2 says that "the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind". And later, the chariot of fire and horses only separates Elijah and Elisha (whatever the meaning of that is exactly), and Elijah ascends in a whirlwind into heaven. It is curious to me that, at least as far as I could tell, all the depictions had Elijah ascending into heaven via the chariot, and there was no whirlwind anywhere, even in the backgrounds. I wonder why so many artists decided to depict the ascension this way, as the chariot instead of through a whirlwind.
I really seem to like the 10th one. It seems so odd and the drawing is clearly a) not to scale, b)an accurate cultural representation, or c) incredibly intricate. However, there is something very human about the depiction. Something that makes it relatable. For some reason, the face on the Elijah character really reminds me of Snoop Dogg. I honestly have no idea why it reminds me of Snoop. But it's easily making this depiction of the scene my favorite.
Sydney, you make a sharp observation regarding 'whirlwind' vs. 'chariot'. I wonder whether this text preserves two related yet distinct traditions about Elijah's ascension (compare Job 38, where Yahweh confronts Job out of the whirlwind). Perhaps a chariot is just more concrete/adventurous to depict!
I kind of like the second illustration of Elijah ascending because it shows the firery chariot with and the horse. Notice the angel (the angel of the Lord possibly) on the back of the horse, it appears that he is holding something which I can't quite make out. To me it appears that it may be some time of instrument like a horn to sound the appearing of the Lord. It also looks like it could be the source in which the fire is coming from. I like it also because it displays the passing of the mantle from Elijah to Elisha.
The pictures show the times that they were made in. I found it especially interesting that some of the paintings even had people in modern armor and clothes. The ELIJAH ; ascension MS 677 f 311r painting is probably my favorite but again Elisha is shown as a modern monk.
9 comments:
I really liked the 11th photo on the website. It's drawn so much more simplistically than the rest of them and you can plainly see that it was drawn out and the shading is really good. Most of the pictures that you see on the site have a lot of color or a lot of scripture and this one really doesn't have a lot of wording or color.
Saryn
I really liked the first photo and the Flemish ink drawing 1460.
I thought they were nicely done.
Lisa
I thought all the photos were very interesting. It shows just how much people were enamored by the ascension and the fact that Elijah simply went away instead of dying. This would have been a very scarey and awe inspiring act for it's day.
Bob
The beginning of 2 Kings 2 says that "the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind". And later, the chariot of fire and horses only separates Elijah and Elisha (whatever the meaning of that is exactly), and Elijah ascends in a whirlwind into heaven. It is curious to me that, at least as far as I could tell, all the depictions had Elijah ascending into heaven via the chariot, and there was no whirlwind anywhere, even in the backgrounds. I wonder why so many artists decided to depict the ascension this way, as the chariot instead of through a whirlwind.
-- Sydney
My favourite photo is the 2nd one. I really like the detail of the flames surrounding the chariot, and the intricacy of the facial expressions.
Lauren Cavanagh
I really seem to like the 10th one. It seems so odd and the drawing is clearly a) not to scale, b)an accurate cultural representation, or c) incredibly intricate. However, there is something very human about the depiction. Something that makes it relatable. For some reason, the face on the Elijah character really reminds me of Snoop Dogg. I honestly have no idea why it reminds me of Snoop. But it's easily making this depiction of the scene my favorite.
Sophie
Great feedback!
Sydney, you make a sharp observation regarding 'whirlwind' vs. 'chariot'. I wonder whether this text preserves two related yet distinct traditions about Elijah's ascension (compare Job 38, where Yahweh confronts Job out of the whirlwind). Perhaps a chariot is just more concrete/adventurous to depict!
pdk
I kind of like the second illustration of Elijah ascending because it shows the firery chariot with and the horse. Notice the angel (the angel of the Lord possibly) on the back of the horse, it appears that he is holding something which I can't quite make out. To me it appears that it may be some time of instrument like a horn to sound the appearing of the Lord. It also looks like it could be the source in which the fire is coming from. I like it also because it displays the passing of the mantle from Elijah to Elisha.
Katrina
The pictures show the times that they were made in. I found it especially interesting that some of the paintings even had people in modern armor and clothes. The ELIJAH ; ascension MS 677 f 311r painting is probably my favorite but again Elisha is shown as a modern monk.
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