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Les Bourgeois de Calais - Auguste Rodin
Images de l'ensemble: www.flickr.com/photos/145400672@N02/52726136236/in/photos...
Les bourgeois se tiennent debout, sans contact physique, mais individualisés par une gestuelle propre à chacun. Ils correspondent à la description des Chroniques de Froissart, « tête nue, sans chausses, la corde au cou, les clefs de la ville et du château en leurs mains », c'est-à-dire dans la tenue déshonorante des condamnés. Au premier rang, le vieillard à l'allure vénérable et résignée représente Eustache de Saint-Pierre ; sa position centrale est une allusion à son statut de chef du groupe. À droite, Jean d'Aire tient fermement dans ses mains les clés de la ville qui doivent être remises à Edouard III. À gauche, Pierre de Wissant encourage d'un geste de la main Jacques de Fiennes, qui semble hésiter derrière lui. À côté, Jacques de Wissant, frère de Pierre, s'avance en vacillant, tandis qu'Andrieus d'Andres cède au désespoir en se tenant la tête entre les mains.
Source: histoire-image.org/etudes/bourgeois-calais
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The Burghers of Calais -
Auguste Rodin
Pics of the entire group: www.flickr.com/photos/145400672@N02/52726136236/in/photos...
The bourgeois stand upright, without physical contact, but individualized by a gesture specific to each. They correspond to the description of the Chroniques de Froissart, "bareheaded, without breeches, the rope around their necks, the keys of the city and the castle in their hands", that is to say in the dishonoring dress of the condemned. In the front row, the venerable and resigned old man represents Eustache of Saint-Pierre; his central position is an allusion to his status as leader of the group. On the right, Jean d'Aire holds firmly in his hands the keys of the city which must be given to Edward III. On the left, Pierre de Wissant encourages Jacques de Fiennes with a wave of his hand, who seems to be hesitating behind him. Beside, Jacques de Wissant, Pierre's brother, staggers forward, while Andrieus d'Andres gives in to despair, holding his head in his hands.
We need few words for summarizing the overcrowded scene carved on the surface of this sarcophagus: “ The entire Universe is involved in the birth and the death of this unknown boy”,
The sarcophagus is indeed dedicated to a boy shown on the lid as a sleeping kid dressed in a toga. The reliefs illustrate the creation of the first people by Prometheus and Athena, and also the death of the boy whose perfection is vaunted in the mythological allegory. The Sarcophagus probably dates from the late third or even early fourth century, and is thus one of the latest of all the mythological sarcophagi.
We shall consider it here briefly, in order to gain some idea of the opulence of such a tangle of figures and the range of associations and the problems of interpretation arising from it.
In the center the Titan Prometheus, larger than the rest, in his identity as creator of men, is portrayed as a sculptor modeling a little boy out of clay. Immediately to his right Athena, as goddess of reason and culture, sends the spirit (Psyche) in the form of a butterfly down to the completed body, which now stands on a pedestal like a work of art.
But behind Prometheus, Lachesis, one of the Parcae (Fates), is even at the very moment of ‘birth’ determining the horoscope of the newly born child on the celestial globe in which his early death is irrevocably laid down. Next to her is her sister Clotho, spinning the thread of life.
Immediately to the right of this central image and flowing straight on from it is a scene of mourning. The boy, now shown larger, has died, and is lying dead on the floor, lamented by a Cupid with an inverted torch. Next to him is again one of the Parcae, Atropos reading from the scroll of fate, while Hermes leads away the soul, freed from the body but still resisting in fear - Psyche is now depicted in the shape of a girl with butterfly wings. The figure between Athena and the mourning cupids could be the mother of the dead child. She is turned to face the observer, and perhaps has individualized features. On the other side of the image we see the earth goddess and the sea god; the chariots of Helios and Selene complete the scene. As on other sarcophagi of the third century, the entire universe is involved in the creation and the death of the boy.
Source, Zanker P. e Wwald B.C., “Vivere con I Miti – L’iconografia dei sarcophagi romani”
Reference for detailed Italian information:
Pentelic marble sarcophagus
Late 3rd early 4th century AD
From
Rome, Musei Capitolini
Palazzo Nuovo, Sala delle Colombe, Inv. No. 0329
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In Italy, in the first three decades of the nineteenth century, cholera began to penetrate into Europe, the states involved in commercial traffic (such as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies) established tight maritime health checks, placing great importance on the days of quarantine for all those boats that came from the infected areas (in this case the measures taken were those already tested at the time of the black plague), but it was not always so ... in fact other States like Genoa, Livorno and Venice, to avoid repercussions on the trade ... they avoided to adopt these measures giving weight to the "anti-contagion theories" (they accused the unhealthy air, the dirt, the bad diet, rather than giving importance to the contact): only in 1882 the vibrio of the cholera will be individualized by Robert Koch, the science up to at that time it was divided between "those who gave credit to the contagion" and "those who gave credit to environmental conditions", and also the Church gave its indications, invoking "hygiene of the soul", supporting the need to avoid debauchery, including food and sexual excesses. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1837 was affected by popular revolts carried out against the Bourbons, accused of having commissioned the "infectors" to kill the people. We are in 1854, in the city of Messina a devastating cholera epidemic breaks out, in just two months cholera leads to the death of about 30,000 people, the town of Castroreale not far away, seems to be immune from this disaster, until two of its fellow citizens, husband and wife, return to Castroreale from Messina, the lady shows the cholera symptoms very seriously ... the country is terrified fearing the spread of the contagion to the whole community: which Saint to vote themself then? To Saint Rosalia who had freed Palermo from the plague? To Saint Sebastiano protector from epidemics? In Castroreale it was thought to immediately ask for help to the Holy Crucifix (in the odor of being miraculous) whose life-size Christ, papier-mâché made by anonymous, was thus fixed on top of a 12-meter long pole, thus obtaining two advantages when carried in procession, the sick kept in quarantine on the highest floors of the houses, could have enjoyed the direct vision of Christ through the windows, but at the same time the religious could stay at a safe distance (!). The story goes that the lady suddenly recovered, Castroreale had no case of cholera: since then, on August 25th, the day of the miracle, the Holy Crucifix is celebrated (also called the feast of the Christ Long, in the dialect, feast of Cristu Longu or Signuri Longu). The pole on which the Christ is hoisted, presents at regular distances pins driven into the wood, to avoid the sliding of the long "perches with hairpins", with which the "hairpin masters" support the very high Crucifix during the procession that proceeds along the streets of the town, and to allow its lowering and raising through the entrance of the two churches (the Mother Church and the church of Saint Agatha) in which it is carried.
Small note in closing: in the Mother Church is the Chapel of the Assumption where the statuary complex of the Virgin Mary Assumed (1848) is located, whose author is Matteo Mancuso from Messina, to whom a son died while working on the statue, so he personified his son in the little angel with his eyes closed at the feet of the Virgin Mary; at the foot of the statue there is the statuette of the seventeenth century of baby Virgin Mary, which is carried in procession on 8th September by children receiving first communion.
Ezio Famà
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In Italia, nelle prime tre decadi dell’ottocento, il colera iniziò a penetrare in Europa, gli Stati interessati dai traffici commerciali (come il Regno delle Due Sicilie) istituirono dei serrati controlli sanitari marittimi, ponendo grande importanza ai giorni di quarantena per tutte quelle imbarcazioni che provenivano dalle zone infette (in questo caso i provvedimenti presi erano quelli già sperimentati ai tempi della peste nera), ma non sempre fu così…infatti altri Stati come Genova, Livorno e Venezia, per evitare ripercussioni sui commerci…evitarono di adottare tali provvedimenti dando peso alle “teorie anticontagioniste” (esse accusavano l’aria malsana, la sporcizia, la cattiva alimentazione, piuttosto che dare importanza al contatto): solo nel 1882 il vibrione colerico verrà individuato da Robert Koch, la scienza fino ad allora era divisa tra “contagionisti” ed “epidemiologi”, ed anche la Chiesa ci metteva del suo, invocando “l’igiene dell’anima”, sostenendo la necessità di evitare gli stravizi, inclusi gli eccessi alimentari e sessuali. Il Regno delle Due Sicilie nel 1837 fu interessato da rivolte popolari attuate contro i Borboni, accusati di aver incaricato gli “untori” di uccidere il popolo. Siamo nel 1854, nella città di Messina scoppia una devastante epidemia di colera, in soli due mesi il colera porta a morte circa 30.000 persone, la cittadina di Castroreale non molto distante, sembra essere immune da tale iattura, fino a quando due suoi concittadini, marito e moglie ritornano al paese provenienti da Messina, la signora mostra in forma gravissima i sintomi colerici…il paese è terrorizzato temendo il propagarsi del contagio a tutta la comunità: a quale Santo votarsi dunque? A Santa Rosalia che aveva liberato Palermo dalla Peste? A San Sebastiano protettore dalle epidemie? A Castroreale si pensò di chiedere subito aiuto al Santissimo Crocifisso (in odore di essere miracoloso) il cui Cristo, in grandezza naturale, realizzato da anonimo in cartapesta, venne così fissato in cima ad un palo lungo 12 metri, ottenendo così due vantaggi quando portato in processione, i malati tenuti in quarantena nei piani più alti delle abitazioni, avrebbero potuto godere della visione diretta del Cristo attraverso le finestre, ma al contempo i religiosi potevano mantenersi a debita distanza (!). La storia racconta che la signora improvvisamente guarì, Castroreale non ebbe nessun caso di colera: da allora, il 25 di Agosto, il giorno del miracolo, si festeggia il Santissimo Crocifisso (detta anche festa del Cristo Lungo, in dialetto, del Cristu Longu o Signuri Longu). Il palo sul quale viene issato il Cristo, presenta a distanze regolari dei perni infissi nel legno, per evitare lo scivolamento delle lunghe “pertiche con forcine” , con le quali i “maestri di forcina” sostengono l’altissimo Crocifisso durante la processione che procede lungo le strade della cittadina, ma anche per consentirne l’abbassamento e l’innalzamento attraverso l’ingresso delle due chiese nelle quali viene portato (la Chiesa Madre e la chiesa di Sant’Agata).
Piccola nota in chiusura: nella Chiesa Madre si trova la Cappella dell’Assunzione ove è sito il complesso statuario della Madonna Assunta (1848), il cui autore è il messinese Matteo Mancuso, al quale, durante la lavorazione della statua, morì un figlio che egli impersonò nell’angioletto con gli occhi chiusi ai piedi della Madonna; in basso sotto la statua si trova la statuetta del seicento di Maria Bambina, che viene portata in processione l’otto settembre dai bambini che ricevono la prima comunione.
Ezio Famà
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click to activate the icon of slideshow: the small triangle inscribed in the small rectangle, at the top right, in the photostream;
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www.fotografidigitali.it/gallery/2726/opere-italiane-segn...
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In Italy, in the first three decades of the nineteenth century, cholera began to penetrate into Europe, the states involved in commercial traffic (such as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies) established tight maritime health checks, placing great importance on the days of quarantine for all those boats that came from the infected areas (in this case the measures taken were those already tested at the time of the black plague), but it was not always so ... in fact other States like Genoa, Livorno and Venice, to avoid repercussions on the trade ... they avoided to adopt these measures giving weight to the "anti-contagion theories" (they accused the unhealthy air, the dirt, the bad diet, rather than giving importance to the contact): only in 1882 the vibrio of the cholera will be individualized by Robert Koch, the science up to at that time it was divided between "those who gave credit to the contagion" and "those who gave credit to environmental conditions", and also the Church gave its indications, invoking "hygiene of the soul", supporting the need to avoid debauchery, including food and sexual excesses. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1837 was affected by popular revolts carried out against the Bourbons, accused of having commissioned the "infectors" to kill the people. We are in 1854, in the city of Messina a devastating cholera epidemic breaks out, in just two months cholera leads to the death of about 30,000 people, the town of Castroreale not far away, seems to be immune from this disaster, until two of its fellow citizens, husband and wife, return to Castroreale from Messina, the lady shows the cholera symptoms very seriously ... the country is terrified fearing the spread of the contagion to the whole community: which Saint to vote themself then? To Saint Rosalia who had freed Palermo from the plague? To Saint Sebastiano protector from epidemics? In Castroreale it was thought to immediately ask for help to the Holy Crucifix (in the odor of being miraculous) whose life-size Christ, papier-mâché made by anonymous, was thus fixed on top of a 12-meter long pole, thus obtaining two advantages when carried in procession, the sick kept in quarantine on the highest floors of the houses, could have enjoyed the direct vision of Christ through the windows, but at the same time the religious could stay at a safe distance (!). The story goes that the lady suddenly recovered, Castroreale had no case of cholera: since then, on August 25th, the day of the miracle, the Holy Crucifix is celebrated (also called the feast of the Christ Long, in the dialect, feast of Cristu Longu or Signuri Longu). The pole on which the Christ is hoisted, presents at regular distances pins driven into the wood, to avoid the sliding of the long "perches with hairpins", with which the "hairpin masters" support the very high Crucifix during the procession that proceeds along the streets of the town, and to allow its lowering and raising through the entrance of the two churches (the Mother Church and the church of Saint Agatha) in which it is carried.
Small note in closing: in the Mother Church is the Chapel of the Assumption where the statuary complex of the Virgin Mary Assumed (1848) is located, whose author is Matteo Mancuso from Messina, to whom a son died while working on the statue, so he personified his son in the little angel with his eyes closed at the feet of the Virgin Mary; at the foot of the statue there is the statuette of the seventeenth century of baby Virgin Mary, which is carried in procession on 8th September by children receiving first communion.
Ezio Famà
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In Italia, nelle prime tre decadi dell’ottocento, il colera iniziò a penetrare in Europa, gli Stati interessati dai traffici commerciali (come il Regno delle Due Sicilie) istituirono dei serrati controlli sanitari marittimi, ponendo grande importanza ai giorni di quarantena per tutte quelle imbarcazioni che provenivano dalle zone infette (in questo caso i provvedimenti presi erano quelli già sperimentati ai tempi della peste nera), ma non sempre fu così…infatti altri Stati come Genova, Livorno e Venezia, per evitare ripercussioni sui commerci…evitarono di adottare tali provvedimenti dando peso alle “teorie anticontagioniste” (esse accusavano l’aria malsana, la sporcizia, la cattiva alimentazione, piuttosto che dare importanza al contatto): solo nel 1882 il vibrione colerico verrà individuato da Robert Koch, la scienza fino ad allora era divisa tra “contagionisti” ed “epidemiologi”, ed anche la Chiesa ci metteva del suo, invocando “l’igiene dell’anima”, sostenendo la necessità di evitare gli stravizi, inclusi gli eccessi alimentari e sessuali. Il Regno delle Due Sicilie nel 1837 fu interessato da rivolte popolari attuate contro i Borboni, accusati di aver incaricato gli “untori” di uccidere il popolo. Siamo nel 1854, nella città di Messina scoppia una devastante epidemia di colera, in soli due mesi il colera porta a morte circa 30.000 persone, la cittadina di Castroreale non molto distante, sembra essere immune da tale iattura, fino a quando due suoi concittadini, marito e moglie ritornano al paese provenienti da Messina, la signora mostra in forma gravissima i sintomi colerici…il paese è terrorizzato temendo il propagarsi del contagio a tutta la comunità: a quale Santo votarsi dunque? A Santa Rosalia che aveva liberato Palermo dalla Peste? A San Sebastiano protettore dalle epidemie? A Castroreale si pensò di chiedere subito aiuto al Santissimo Crocifisso (in odore di essere miracoloso) il cui Cristo, in grandezza naturale, realizzato da anonimo in cartapesta, venne così fissato in cima ad un palo lungo 12 metri, ottenendo così due vantaggi quando portato in processione, i malati tenuti in quarantena nei piani più alti delle abitazioni, avrebbero potuto godere della visione diretta del Cristo attraverso le finestre, ma al contempo i religiosi potevano mantenersi a debita distanza (!). La storia racconta che la signora improvvisamente guarì, Castroreale non ebbe nessun caso di colera: da allora, il 25 di Agosto, il giorno del miracolo, si festeggia il Santissimo Crocifisso (detta anche festa del Cristo Lungo, in dialetto, del Cristu Longu o Signuri Longu). Il palo sul quale viene issato il Cristo, presenta a distanze regolari dei perni infissi nel legno, per evitare lo scivolamento delle lunghe “pertiche con forcine” , con le quali i “maestri di forcina” sostengono l’altissimo Crocifisso durante la processione che procede lungo le strade della cittadina, ma anche per consentirne l’abbassamento e l’innalzamento attraverso l’ingresso delle due chiese nelle quali viene portato (la Chiesa Madre e la chiesa di Sant’Agata).
Piccola nota in chiusura: nella Chiesa Madre si trova la Cappella dell’Assunzione ove è sito il complesso statuario della Madonna Assunta (1848), il cui autore è il messinese Matteo Mancuso, al quale, durante la lavorazione della statua, morì un figlio che egli impersonò nell’angioletto con gli occhi chiusi ai piedi della Madonna; in basso sotto la statua si trova la statuetta del seicento di Maria Bambina, che viene portata in processione l’otto settembre dai bambini che ricevono la prima comunione.
Ezio Famà
Being one of the most significant archaeological excavations and cultural discoveries of the 20th century and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Terracotta Army was in our opinion a must-visit long overdue. Despite having seen countless of pictures beforehand, we were still deeply impressed by the sheer amount of warriors and amazed by the arduous work of uncovering, protecting and restoring such remarkable artifacts.
The Terracotta Army is a representation of the imperial military guard of Qin Shi Huang (259-210BC), first emperor of a unified China and founder of the Qin dynasty. The purpose of the army was likely to act as guardian figures for his imperial tomb or to serve the ruler in his afterlife. Qin Shi Huang died at 49 years of age after a futile search for an elixir of immortality. The cause of death was reportedly the ingestion of mercury pills that were ironically supposed to prolong his life. Being keen on acquiring immortality, his Terracotta Army has given the emperor just that, at least in name and deed. The massive tomb guarded by a sea of warriors is, however, not his only great achievement in life. By the time he died, Qin Shi Huang had left a legacy that would make him a towering figure in Chinese history: he had united warring kingdoms into one country, put an end to feudalism, built an extensive national road system and unified several state walls into one immense defensive wall, the precursor to the current Great Wall of China.
NO TWO ALIKE
The mix and particular arrangement of the (slightly larger than) life-size depictions of soldiers, - amongst other generals and lower-ranking officers, cavalrymen, archers and charioteers -, gives the illusion of a complete battlefield army poised for action. The figures vary in height (175–190 cm), uniform and hairstyle according to their rank, function and position in the formation, and are depicted in different builds and postures. Much effort was made to render each figure unique despite them all being made from a limited repertoire of assembled body parts made from moulds. Facial features and hairstyle in particular, even different emotions, added by hand after assembly, give the illusion of a real army composed of unique individuals. Hands, too, were modified with straight or bent fingers and changes in the angle of the thumb and wrist. Decorating the figures in vivid colours also contributed to the individuation. In fact, the details of the warriors are so intricate and individualized that it has been hypothesized that they were based on real soldiers who served in the emperor's army. New conservation techniques, performed on recently excavated figures, allow some of these patterns to be discerned. Every warrior appears to contain a stamp of the name of the foreman in charge of his creation. Nonetheless, it is astonishing to reflect that all of this variety and realism was never intended to be seen by anyone.
CONTROVERSIAL NEW THEORY
As the warrior statues were unlike anything ever uncovered before in China, the question was raised on how the royal craftsmen could have come up with such an idea. Putting several clues together, - amongst others the excavation of figures with evidence of Greek influence and the discovery of European-specific mitochondrial DNA recovered from skeletons at ancient sites throughout the province from the time of Qin Shi Huang and even before -, scientists worked out a new theory suggesting that Greek artisans inspired and trained the local craftsmen.
THE (RE)DISCOVERY
Work on the tomb, including the entire army of terracotta warriors, began in 246 BC soon after Emperor Qin Shi Huang (then aged 13) ascended the throne. The construction halted in 208 BC amid uprisings, a year after Huang's death. After completion of the funerary ceremonies the craftsmen and labourers - who had worked on mechanical devices designed to prevent entry into the burial chamber and knew of the tomb’s treasures - were trapped inside the tomb to prevent them from divulging these secrets. Beneath earth and vegetation, the clay army stood watch near the emperor's tomb for more than 2,000 years, their presence unknown to the world. Then, in 1974, the first clay warrior torso came to light when farmers were digging a well just to the east of Xi’an. Subsequent investigations not only led to the discovery of an entire terracotta army, but an elaborate mausoleum.
Studies have revealed that the mausoleum complex is a microcosm of the Emperor's empire and palace. Qin Shi Huang intended to design his afterlife to match his life on earth in every respect. This included his imperial court life and the external environment that surrounded his city. The interior of his unexcavated imperial tomb, according to ancient writings of court historian Siam Qian during the ensuing Han dynasty, describe the use of mercury to simulate rivers and the great sea, set to flow mechanically through bronze hills and mountains, and precious stones to mark the heavenly constellations. Among the structures within the mausoleum complex are several other tombs, models of offices and palaces, a horse stable, an armoury, as well a subterranean imperial park. Non-military terracotta figures were found such as acrobats, musicians and dancers caught in mid-performance, civil servants and various animals. Archaeologists further discovered burial sites of horses, exotic animals and hundreds of concubines and mass graves that appear to hold the remains of the craftsmen and labourers (including convicted criminals in chains) who died building the mausoleum.
WHAT LIES BENEATH?
To date, the majority of the estimated 8,000+ warriors, 130 chariots, 670 (cavalry) horses and 100,000+ weapons has not been unearthed yet. The great discoveries made so far are believed to be just the top of the iceberg, as the imperial tomb remains sealed as well. Further excavations are on hold due to (1) complex conditions, such as deadly traps and anomalously high levels of hypertoxic mercury, (2) the costs related to preservation and documentation of all that may be uncovered, and (3) concerns about current preservation techniques. Newly unearthed warriors and horses, for example, would bear traces of rare paint. But once exposed to air and light, the old pigments used in the paint began to change in just 15 seconds. The protecting lacquer coating that was bound with the pigments flaked off within only four minutes. Photographers did not even have the time to take a proper picture before the paints began to disappear.
The tomb of Qin Shi Huang continues to be a mystery. Will its interior and contents be THE discovery of the 21st century? We are itching with curiosity!
Sources: ancient.eu, national geographic, Wikipedia, ancient-origins.net
St. Peter and St. Paul's Church is a Roman Catholic church located in the Antakalnis neighbourhood of Vilnius, Lithuania.
Construction was begun in 1688 and the decorative works were completed in 1704.
It is the centerpiece of a former monastery complex of the Canons Regular of the Lateran.
Its interior has masterful compositions of some 2,000 stucco figures by Giovanni Pietro Perti and ornamentation by Giovanni Maria Galli and is unique in Europe.
The church is considered a masterpiece of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Baroque.
The interior of the church changed relatively little since that time.
The major change was the loss of the main altar. The wooden altar was moved to the Catholic church in Daugai in 1766.[4]
The altar is now dominated by the Farewell of St. Peter and St. Paul, a large painting by Franciszek Smuglewicz, installed there in 1805.
The interior was restored by Giovanni Beretti and Nicolae Piano from Milan in 1801–04.[11]
At the same time, a new pulpit imitating the ship of Saint Peter was installed.
In 1864, as reprisal for the failed January Uprising, Mikhail Muravyov-Vilensky closed the monastery and converted its buildings into military barracks.[11]
There were plans to turn the church into an Eastern Orthodox church, but they never materialized.[11] In 1901–05, the interior was restored again. The church acquired the boat-shaped chandelier and the new pipe organ with two manuals and 23 organ stops.[12]
The dome was damaged during World War II bombings, but was rebuilt true to its original design.[12]
When in 1956 Vilnius Cathedral was converted into an art museum by Soviet authorities, the silver sarcophagus with sacred relics of Saint Casimir was moved to the St. Peter and St. Paul's Church.[13] The sarcophagus was returned to its place in 1989.
Despite religious persecutions in the Soviet Union, extensive interior restoration was carried out in 1976–87.[11]
About the Decorative Scheme
St. Peter and St. Paul's is one of the most studied churches in Lithuania.[19]
Its interior has over 2,000 different decor elements that creates a stunning atmosphere.[20]
The main author of the decor plan is not known. It could be the founder Pac, monks of the Lateran, or Italian artists.
No documents survive to explain the ideas behind the decorations, therefore various art historians attempted to find one central theme: Pac's life and Polish–Lithuanian relations, teachings of Saint Augustine, Baroque theater, etc.[19]
Art historian Birutė Rūta Vitkauskienė identified several main themes of the decor: structure of the Church as proclaimed at the Council of Trent with Saint Peter as the founding rock, early Christian martyrs representing Pac's interest in knighthood and ladyship, themes relevant to the Canons Regular of the Lateran, and themes inherited from previous churches (painting of Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy and altar of Five Wounds of Christ).[21]
The decor combines a great variety of symbols, from local (patron of Vilnius Saint Christopher) to Italian saints (Fidelis of Como),[22] from specific saints to allegories of virtues.
There are many decorative elements – floral (acanthus, sunflowers, rues, fruits), various objects (military weapons, household tools, liturgical implements, shells, ribbons), figures (puttos, angels, soldiers), fantastical creatures (demons, dragons, centaurs), Pac's coat of arms, masks making various expressions – but they are individualized, rarely repeating.[23]
The architects and sculptors borrowed ideas from other churches in Poland (Saints Peter and Paul Church, Kraków, Sigismund's Chapel of Wawel Cathedral) and Italy (St. Peter's Basilica, Church of the Gesù).[22]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_St._Peter_and_St._Paul,_V...
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From the Church's Brochure
The church was erected after the Russian invasion that devastated Vilnius in the mid-17th century.
Barely a dozen years passed, and the capital of Lithuania began to recover.
In 1668 Mykolas Kazimieras Pacas, Hetman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and wojewode of Vilnius, embarked upon the Antakalnis.
The church is decorated by the stucco mouldings of two excellent Italian sculptors, Giovanni Pietro Petri and Giovanni Maria Galli.
The interior of the church consists of the main nave, six chapels on both sides, and the transept.
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www.fotografidigitali.it/gallery/2726/opere-italiane-segn...
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In Italy, in the first three decades of the nineteenth century, cholera began to penetrate into Europe, the states involved in commercial traffic (such as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies) established tight maritime health checks, placing great importance on the days of quarantine for all those boats that came from the infected areas (in this case the measures taken were those already tested at the time of the black plague), but it was not always so ... in fact other States like Genoa, Livorno and Venice, to avoid repercussions on the trade ... they avoided to adopt these measures giving weight to the "anti-contagion theories" (they accused the unhealthy air, the dirt, the bad diet, rather than giving importance to the contact): only in 1882 the vibrio of the cholera will be individualized by Robert Koch, the science up to at that time it was divided between "those who gave credit to the contagion" and "those who gave credit to environmental conditions", and also the Church gave its indications, invoking "hygiene of the soul", supporting the need to avoid debauchery, including food and sexual excesses. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1837 was affected by popular revolts carried out against the Bourbons, accused of having commissioned the "infectors" to kill the people. We are in 1854, in the city of Messina a devastating cholera epidemic breaks out, in just two months cholera leads to the death of about 30,000 people, the town of Castroreale not far away, seems to be immune from this disaster, until two of its fellow citizens, husband and wife, return to Castroreale from Messina, the lady shows the cholera symptoms very seriously ... the country is terrified fearing the spread of the contagion to the whole community: which Saint to vote themself then? To Saint Rosalia who had freed Palermo from the plague? To Saint Sebastiano protector from epidemics? In Castroreale it was thought to immediately ask for help to the Holy Crucifix (in the odor of being miraculous) whose life-size Christ, papier-mâché made by anonymous, was thus fixed on top of a 12-meter long pole, thus obtaining two advantages when carried in procession, the sick kept in quarantine on the highest floors of the houses, could have enjoyed the direct vision of Christ through the windows, but at the same time the religious could stay at a safe distance (!). The story goes that the lady suddenly recovered, Castroreale had no case of cholera: since then, on August 25th, the day of the miracle, the Holy Crucifix is celebrated (also called the feast of the Christ Long, in the dialect, feast of Cristu Longu or Signuri Longu). The pole on which the Christ is hoisted, presents at regular distances pins driven into the wood, to avoid the sliding of the long "perches with hairpins", with which the "hairpin masters" support the very high Crucifix during the procession that proceeds along the streets of the town, and to allow its lowering and raising through the entrance of the two churches (the Mother Church and the church of Saint Agatha) in which it is carried.
Small note in closing: in the Mother Church is the Chapel of the Assumption where the statuary complex of the Virgin Mary Assumed (1848) is located, whose author is Matteo Mancuso from Messina, to whom a son died while working on the statue, so he personified his son in the little angel with his eyes closed at the feet of the Virgin Mary; at the foot of the statue there is the statuette of the seventeenth century of baby Virgin Mary, which is carried in procession on 8th September by children receiving first communion.
Ezio Famà
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In Italia, nelle prime tre decadi dell’ottocento, il colera iniziò a penetrare in Europa, gli Stati interessati dai traffici commerciali (come il Regno delle Due Sicilie) istituirono dei serrati controlli sanitari marittimi, ponendo grande importanza ai giorni di quarantena per tutte quelle imbarcazioni che provenivano dalle zone infette (in questo caso i provvedimenti presi erano quelli già sperimentati ai tempi della peste nera), ma non sempre fu così…infatti altri Stati come Genova, Livorno e Venezia, per evitare ripercussioni sui commerci…evitarono di adottare tali provvedimenti dando peso alle “teorie anticontagioniste” (esse accusavano l’aria malsana, la sporcizia, la cattiva alimentazione, piuttosto che dare importanza al contatto): solo nel 1882 il vibrione colerico verrà individuato da Robert Koch, la scienza fino ad allora era divisa tra “contagionisti” ed “epidemiologi”, ed anche la Chiesa ci metteva del suo, invocando “l’igiene dell’anima”, sostenendo la necessità di evitare gli stravizi, inclusi gli eccessi alimentari e sessuali. Il Regno delle Due Sicilie nel 1837 fu interessato da rivolte popolari attuate contro i Borboni, accusati di aver incaricato gli “untori” di uccidere il popolo. Siamo nel 1854, nella città di Messina scoppia una devastante epidemia di colera, in soli due mesi il colera porta a morte circa 30.000 persone, la cittadina di Castroreale non molto distante, sembra essere immune da tale iattura, fino a quando due suoi concittadini, marito e moglie ritornano al paese provenienti da Messina, la signora mostra in forma gravissima i sintomi colerici…il paese è terrorizzato temendo il propagarsi del contagio a tutta la comunità: a quale Santo votarsi dunque? A Santa Rosalia che aveva liberato Palermo dalla Peste? A San Sebastiano protettore dalle epidemie? A Castroreale si pensò di chiedere subito aiuto al Santissimo Crocifisso (in odore di essere miracoloso) il cui Cristo, in grandezza naturale, realizzato da anonimo in cartapesta, venne così fissato in cima ad un palo lungo 12 metri, ottenendo così due vantaggi quando portato in processione, i malati tenuti in quarantena nei piani più alti delle abitazioni, avrebbero potuto godere della visione diretta del Cristo attraverso le finestre, ma al contempo i religiosi potevano mantenersi a debita distanza (!). La storia racconta che la signora improvvisamente guarì, Castroreale non ebbe nessun caso di colera: da allora, il 25 di Agosto, il giorno del miracolo, si festeggia il Santissimo Crocifisso (detta anche festa del Cristo Lungo, in dialetto, del Cristu Longu o Signuri Longu). Il palo sul quale viene issato il Cristo, presenta a distanze regolari dei perni infissi nel legno, per evitare lo scivolamento delle lunghe “pertiche con forcine” , con le quali i “maestri di forcina” sostengono l’altissimo Crocifisso durante la processione che procede lungo le strade della cittadina, ma anche per consentirne l’abbassamento e l’innalzamento attraverso l’ingresso delle due chiese nelle quali viene portato (la Chiesa Madre e la chiesa di Sant’Agata).
Piccola nota in chiusura: nella Chiesa Madre si trova la Cappella dell’Assunzione ove è sito il complesso statuario della Madonna Assunta (1848), il cui autore è il messinese Matteo Mancuso, al quale, durante la lavorazione della statua, morì un figlio che egli impersonò nell’angioletto con gli occhi chiusi ai piedi della Madonna; in basso sotto la statua si trova la statuetta del seicento di Maria Bambina, che viene portata in processione l’otto settembre dai bambini che ricevono la prima comunione.
Ezio Famà
Agnolo Bronzino -
Portrait of a Woman [~1550]
Cleveland Museum of Art
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Description
Bronzino was court painter to Cosimo I de’Medici, the Duke of Florence. Though the woman cannot be definitively identified, she was likely affiliated with the Medici court. As in most of the portraits in this gallery, Bronzino emphasizes wealth, status, and courtly refinement above personality or individualized expression. The plain background further accentuates the work’s monumentality and grandeur, despite its small scale. The hand placed against the chest with elegantly spread fingers extends back to an ancient Greek pose of modesty, here emphasizing the proper comportment of a woman of high status. The sitter wears a linen partlet (collar) delicately embroidered in matt stitch, part of which is, like her cuffs, trimmed in fine lace.
Source:
Miage lake is a so-called juxtaglacial lake because it is in direct contact with the Miage glacier that occupies the right side of the image.
This lake is dammed by the moraine ridges deposited by the glacier during the Little Ice Age (for the most recent ones). Depending on the level of the lake (which drains subglacially periodically), various ponds - also dammed by moraine ridges - are individualized. The color difference between these basins arise from density of glacial sediments suspended in the water column.
The Representative of Humanity (1922), a nine-meter high wood sculpture executed as a joint project with the sculptor Edith Maryon. This was intended to be placed in the first Goetheanum. It shows a central human figure, the "Representative of Humanity," holding a balance between opposing tendencies of expansion and contraction personified as the beings of Lucifer and Ahriman. It was intended to show, in conscious contrast to Michelangelo's Last Judgment, Christ as mute and impersonal such that the beings that approach him must judge themselves. The sculpture is now on permanent display at the Goetheanum.
Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner (27 or 25 February 1861– 30 March 1925) was an Austrian occultist, social reformer, architect, esotericist,and claimed clairvoyant. Steiner gained initial recognition at the end of the nineteenth century as a literary critic and published works including The Philosophy of Freedom. At the beginning of the twentieth century he founded an esoteric spiritual movement, anthroposophy, with roots in German idealist philosophy and theosophy. His ideas are largely pseudoscientific. He was also prone to pseudohistory.
In the first, more philosophically oriented phase of this movement, Steiner attempted to find a synthesis between science and spirituality. His philosophical work of these years, which he termed "spiritual science", sought to apply what he saw as the clarity of thinking characteristic of Western philosophy to spiritual questions, differentiating this approach from what he considered to be vaguer approaches to mysticism. In a second phase, beginning around 1907, he began working collaboratively in a variety of artistic media, including drama, dance and architecture, culminating in the building of the Goetheanum, a cultural centre to house all the arts. In the third phase of his work, beginning after World War I, Steiner worked on various ostensibly applied projects, including Waldorf education,biodynamic agriculture, and anthroposophical medicine.
Steiner advocated a form of ethical individualism, to which he later brought a more explicitly spiritual approach. He based his epistemology on Johann Wolfgang Goethe's world view, in which "thinking…is no more and no less an organ of perception than the eye or ear. Just as the eye perceives colours and the ear sounds, so thinking perceives ideas." A consistent thread that runs through his work is the goal of demonstrating that there are no limits to human knowledge.
Steiner first began speaking publicly about spiritual experiences and phenomena in his 1899 lectures to the Theosophical Society. By 1901 he had begun to write about spiritual topics, initially in the form of discussions of historical figures such as the mystics of the Middle Ages. By 1904 he was expressing his own understanding of these themes in his essays and books, while continuing to refer to a wide variety of historical sources.
A world of spiritual perception is discussed in a number of writings which I have published since this book appeared. The Philosophy of Freedom forms the philosophical basis for these later writings. For it tries to show that the experience of thinking, rightly understood, is in fact an experience of spirit.
(Steiner, Philosophy of Freedom, Consequences of Monism)
Steiner aimed to apply his training in mathematics, science, and philosophy to produce rigorous, verifiable presentations of those experiences. He believed that through freely chosen ethical disciplines and meditative training, anyone could develop the ability to experience the spiritual world, including the higher nature of oneself and others. Steiner believed that such discipline and training would help a person to become a more moral, creative and free individual – free in the sense of being capable of actions motivated solely by love. His philosophical ideas were affected by Franz Brentano, with whom he had studied, as well as by Fichte, Hegel, Schelling, and Goethe's phenomenological approach to science.
Steiner used the word Geisteswissenschaft (from Geist = mind or spirit, Wissenschaft = science), a term originally coined by Wilhelm Dilthey as a descriptor of the humanities, in a novel way, to describe a systematic ("scientific") approach to spirituality. Steiner used the term Geisteswissenschaft, generally translated into English as "spiritual science," to describe a discipline treating the spirit as something actual and real, starting from the premise that it is possible for human beings to penetrate behind what is sense-perceptible. He proposed that psychology, history, and the humanities generally were based on the direct grasp of an ideal reality, and required close attention to the particular period and culture which provided the distinctive character of religious qualities in the course of the evolution of consciousness. In contrast to William James' pragmatic approach to religious and psychic experience, which emphasized its idiosyncratic character, Steiner focused on ways such experience can be rendered more intelligible and integrated into human life.
Steiner proposed that an understanding of reincarnation and karma was necessary to understand psychology[81] and that the form of external nature would be more comprehensible as a result of insight into the course of karma in the evolution of humanity. Beginning in 1910, he described aspects of karma relating to health, natural phenomena and free will, taking the position that a person is not bound by his or her karma, but can transcend this through actively taking hold of one's own nature and destiny. In an extensive series of lectures from February to September 1924, Steiner presented further research on successive reincarnations of various individuals and described the techniques he used for karma research.
In his earliest works, Steiner already spoke of the "natural and spiritual worlds" as a unity. From 1900 on, he began lecturing about concrete details of the spiritual world(s), culminating in the publication in 1904 of the first of several systematic presentations, his Theosophy: An Introduction to the Spiritual Processes in Human Life and in the Cosmos. As a starting point for the book Steiner took a quotation from Goethe, describing the method of natural scientific observation,[136] while in the Preface he made clear that the line of thought taken in this book led to the same goal as that in his earlier work, The Philosophy of Freedom.
In the years 1903–1908 Steiner maintained the magazine Lucifer-Gnosis and published in it essays on topics such as initiation, reincarnation and karma, and knowledge of the supernatural world. Some of these were later collected and published as books, such as How to Know Higher Worlds (1904–5) and Cosmic Memory. The book An Outline of Esoteric Science was published in 1910. Important themes include:
the human being as body, soul and spirit;
the path of spiritual development;
spiritual influences on world-evolution and history; and
reincarnation and karma.
Steiner emphasized that there is an objective natural and spiritual world that can be known, and that perceptions of the spiritual world and incorporeal beings are, under conditions of training comparable to that required for the natural sciences, including self-discipline, replicable by multiple observers. It is on this basis that spiritual science is possible, with radically different epistemological foundations than those of natural science. He believed that natural science was correct in its methods but one-sided for exclusively focusing on sensory phenomena, while mysticism was vague in its methods, though seeking to explore the inner and spiritual life. Anthroposophy was meant to apply the systematic methods of the former to the content of the latter.
For Steiner, the cosmos is permeated and continually transformed by the creative activity of non-physical processes and spiritual beings. For the human being to become conscious of the objective reality of these processes and beings, it is necessary to creatively enact and reenact, within, their creative activity. Thus objective spiritual knowledge always entails creative inner activity. Steiner articulated three stages of any creative deed:[73]: Pt II, Chapter 1
Moral intuition: the ability to discover or, preferably, develop valid ethical principles;
Moral imagination: the imaginative transformation of such principles into a concrete intention applicable to the particular situation (situational ethics); and
Moral technique: the realization of the intended transformation, depending on a mastery of practical skills.
Steiner termed his work from this period onwards Anthroposophy. He emphasized that the spiritual path he articulated builds upon and supports individual freedom and independent judgment; for the results of spiritual research to be appropriately presented in a modern context they must be in a form accessible to logical understanding, so that those who do not have access to the spiritual experiences underlying anthroposophical research can make independent evaluations of the latter's results. Spiritual training is to support what Steiner considered the overall purpose of human evolution, the development of the mutually interdependent qualities of love and freedom.
Goethean science is not science, but pseudoscience. According to Dan Dugan, Steiner was a champion of the following pseudoscientific claims:
wrong color theory;
obtuse criticism of the theory of relativity;
weird ideas about motions of the planets;
supporting vitalism;
doubting germ theory;
weird approach to physiological systems;
"the heart is not a pump".
In his commentaries on Goethe's scientific works, written between 1884 and 1897, Steiner presented Goethe's approach to science as essentially phenomenological in nature, rather than theory- or model-based. He developed this conception further in several books, The Theory of Knowledge Implicit in Goethe's World-Conception (1886) and Goethe's Conception of the World (1897), particularly emphasizing the transformation in Goethe's approach from the physical sciences, where experiment played the primary role, to plant biology, where both accurate perception and imagination were required to find the biological archetypes (Urpflanze). He postulated that Goethe had sought, but been unable to fully find, the further transformation in scientific thinking necessary to properly interpret and understand the animal kingdom. Steiner emphasized the role of evolutionary thinking in Goethe's discovery of the intermaxillary bone in human beings; Goethe expected human anatomy to be an evolutionary transformation of animal anatomy. Steiner defended Goethe's qualitative description of color as arising synthetically from the polarity of light and darkness, in contrast to Newton's particle-based and analytic conception.
Particular organic forms can be evolved only from universal types, and every organic entity we experience must coincide with some one of these derivative forms of the type. Here the evolutionary method must replace the method of proof. We aim not to show that external conditions act upon one another in a certain way and thereby bring about a definite result, but that a particular form has developed under definite external conditions out of the type. This is the radical difference between inorganic and organic science.
— Rudolf Steiner, The Theory of Knowledge Implicit in Goethe's World Conception, Chapter XVI, "Organic Nature"
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Steiner
Rudolf Steiner developed exercises aimed at cultivating new cognitive faculties he believed would be appropriate to contemporary individual and cultural development. According to Steiner's view of history, in earlier periods people were capable of direct spiritual perceptions, or clairvoyance, but not yet of rational thought; more recently, rationality has been developed at the cost of spiritual perception, leading to the alienation characteristic of modernity. Steiner proposed that humanity now has the task of synthesizing the rational and contemplative/spiritual components of cognition, whereby spiritual perception would be awakened through intensifying thinking. He considered this relevant not only to personal development, but as a foundation for advanced scientific research
Moral background of spiritual development[edit]
A central principle of Steiner's proposed path to spiritual development is that self-development - inner transformation - is a necessary part of the spiritual path: "for every step in spiritual perception, three steps are to be taken in moral development." According to the spiritual philosophy Steiner founded, anthroposophy, moral development: reveals the extent to which a person has achieved control over his or her inner life;
ensures that he or she lives in harmony with the surrounding natural and social world;
correlates with his or her progress in spiritual development, the fruits of which are given in spiritual perception; and
guarantees the capacity to distinguish between true perceptions and illusions, or to distinguish in any perception between the influence of subjective elements and objective realities.
Meditative path.
Steiner described three stages of meditative progress: imaginative cognition, inspiration and intuition.
In imaginative cognition, the meditant aims to achieve thinking independent of sensory perception through concentration on either visual forms of symbolic significance never encountered in the sensory world (e.g. a black cross with a circle of seven red roses superimposed upon it), metamorphoses (e.g. the growth cycle of a plant from seed to mature flower), or mantric verses spoken aloud or silently (e.g. verses for each week of the year intended to connect the meditant with the rhythms of nature).
In inspiration, the meditant seeks to eliminate all consciously chosen meditative content to open a receptive space in which objective spiritual content (impressions stemming from objective spiritual beings) may be encountered. The meditative activity established in inspirative cognition is set forth without concrete content.
The stage of intuition is achieved through practicing exercises of will (e.g. reviewing the sequence of the day's events in reverse order). At this stage, the meditant seeks unity with the creative forces of the cosmos without any loss of his or her individualized consciousness.
This sequence of meditative stages has the ultimate goal of the meditant experiencing his or her own karma and previous incarnations, as well as the "Akashic record" of historical events.
Preliminary requirements for embarking on a spiritual training[edit]
Steiner believed that in order for a spiritual training to bear "healthy fruits," a person would have to attend to the following:
Striving to develop a healthy body and soul.
Feeling connected with all of existence; to recognize oneself in everything, and everything in oneself; not to judge others without standing in their shoes.
Recognizing that one's thoughts and feelings have as significant an influence as one's deeds, and that work on one's inner life is as important as work on one's outer life.
Recognizing that the true essence of a human being does not lie in the person's outer appearance, but rather in the inner nature, in the soul and spiritual existence of this person.
Finding the genuine balance between having an open heart for the demands of the outer world and maintaining inner strength and "unshakeable endurance."
The ability to be true to a decision once made, even in the face of daunting adversity, until one comes to the conclusion that it was or is made in error.
Developing thankfulness for everything that meets us, and that universal love which allows the world to reveal itself fully to oneself.
Supplementary exercises
Steiner suggested that certain exercises should accompany all meditational practices as a measure of protection against possible negative influences caused by the meditation in the life of the individual. These six exercises, meant to foster positive soul qualities, are:
Practice self-control over one's thinking. For example: for a period of time -at least five minutes- contemplate any object and concentrate one's thoughts exclusively on this object. (A pencil or a paper clip might do.)
Exercise willpower by choosing any free deed, i.e. one that nothing is influencing you to do, and choose a regular time of day or day of the week to practice this. (E.g. water plants at the same time each day.)
Practice equanimity: foster calm emotional responses.
Try to see positive aspects in everything and to make the best out of every situation.
Practice being open to new experiences and ideas, never letting expectations based upon the past close your mind to the lessons of the moment.
Find a harmonious, balanced relationship between the above five qualities, practicing each regularly and becoming able to move dynamically between them.
The initial three exercises are intended to enable a person to attain self-discipline in thinking, willing and feeling.[1] The second group of three involve cultivating attitudes toward the world.
Individual exercises
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Exercises developed in anthroposophy include:
Review of the day. Each evening, going backwards through the day recalling its events, its sequential unfolding (experienced here reversed in time), the people one has met, etc.
Experiencing the year's unfolding. Exercises Steiner suggested here include:[citation needed]
Drawing the same plant or tree or landscape over the course of a year.
Meditating the sequence of 52 mantric verses that Steiner wrote to deepen one's experience of the course of the seasons and the year and to bring the inner life of the soul into dialogue with nature, the Soul Calendar.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Steiner%27s_exercises_for_sp...
High altar by Girolamo Campagna, bronze, 1591 .. The pyramidal structure consists of a gilded copper globe supported by bronze Evangelists as Atlas figures. Their poses echo Michelangelo's four late "Slaves" but they are individualized and finished. The Dove of the Holy Spirit descends to a crucifix in front of the globe, on which stands God the Father, completing the Trinity on the central axis.
У алтаря, выполненного скульптором Джироламо Кампаньей, установлена фигура Христа, который стоит на золотом шаре, поддерживаемом четырьмя евангелистами.
There's just not enough pink in the world.
The hub-unit and I came up with 1/2 dozen sayings for the cupcake toppers, individualized for our friends who just had a baby girl after many losses. They have 2 older boys, the same age as my girls.
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click to activate the icon of slideshow: the small triangle inscribed in the small rectangle, at the top right, in the photostream;
clicca sulla piccola icona per attivare lo slideshow: sulla facciata principale del photostream, in alto a destra c'è un piccolo rettangolo (rappresenta il monitor) con dentro un piccolo triangolo nero;
Qi Bo's photos on Flickr Hive Mind
www.worldphoto.org/sony-world-photography-awards/winners-...
www.fotografidigitali.it/gallery/2726/opere-italiane-segn...
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In Italy, in the first three decades of the nineteenth century, cholera began to penetrate into Europe, the states involved in commercial traffic (such as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies) established tight maritime health checks, placing great importance on the days of quarantine for all those boats that came from the infected areas (in this case the measures taken were those already tested at the time of the black plague), but it was not always so ... in fact other States like Genoa, Livorno and Venice, to avoid repercussions on the trade ... they avoided to adopt these measures giving weight to the "anti-contagion theories" (they accused the unhealthy air, the dirt, the bad diet, rather than giving importance to the contact): only in 1882 the vibrio of the cholera will be individualized by Robert Koch, the science up to at that time it was divided between "those who gave credit to the contagion" and "those who gave credit to environmental conditions", and also the Church gave its indications, invoking "hygiene of the soul", supporting the need to avoid debauchery, including food and sexual excesses. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1837 was affected by popular revolts carried out against the Bourbons, accused of having commissioned the "infectors" to kill the people. We are in 1854, in the city of Messina a devastating cholera epidemic breaks out, in just two months cholera leads to the death of about 30,000 people, the town of Castroreale not far away, seems to be immune from this disaster, until two of its fellow citizens, husband and wife, return to Castroreale from Messina, the lady shows the cholera symptoms very seriously ... the country is terrified fearing the spread of the contagion to the whole community: which Saint to vote themself then? To Saint Rosalia who had freed Palermo from the plague? To Saint Sebastiano protector from epidemics? In Castroreale it was thought to immediately ask for help to the Holy Crucifix (in the odor of being miraculous) whose life-size Christ, papier-mâché made by anonymous, was thus fixed on top of a 12-meter long pole, thus obtaining two advantages when carried in procession, the sick kept in quarantine on the highest floors of the houses, could have enjoyed the direct vision of Christ through the windows, but at the same time the religious could stay at a safe distance (!). The story goes that the lady suddenly recovered, Castroreale had no case of cholera: since then, on August 25th, the day of the miracle, the Holy Crucifix is celebrated (also called the feast of the Christ Long, in the dialect, feast of Cristu Longu or Signuri Longu). The pole on which the Christ is hoisted, presents at regular distances pins driven into the wood, to avoid the sliding of the long "perches with hairpins", with which the "hairpin masters" support the very high Crucifix during the procession that proceeds along the streets of the town, and to allow its lowering and raising through the entrance of the two churches (the Mother Church and the church of Saint Agatha) in which it is carried.
Small note in closing: in the Mother Church is the Chapel of the Assumption where the statuary complex of the Virgin Mary Assumed (1848) is located, whose author is Matteo Mancuso from Messina, to whom a son died while working on the statue, so he personified his son in the little angel with his eyes closed at the feet of the Virgin Mary; at the foot of the statue there is the statuette of the seventeenth century of baby Virgin Mary, which is carried in procession on 8th September by children receiving first communion.
Ezio Famà
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In Italia, nelle prime tre decadi dell’ottocento, il colera iniziò a penetrare in Europa, gli Stati interessati dai traffici commerciali (come il Regno delle Due Sicilie) istituirono dei serrati controlli sanitari marittimi, ponendo grande importanza ai giorni di quarantena per tutte quelle imbarcazioni che provenivano dalle zone infette (in questo caso i provvedimenti presi erano quelli già sperimentati ai tempi della peste nera), ma non sempre fu così…infatti altri Stati come Genova, Livorno e Venezia, per evitare ripercussioni sui commerci…evitarono di adottare tali provvedimenti dando peso alle “teorie anticontagioniste” (esse accusavano l’aria malsana, la sporcizia, la cattiva alimentazione, piuttosto che dare importanza al contatto): solo nel 1882 il vibrione colerico verrà individuato da Robert Koch, la scienza fino ad allora era divisa tra “contagionisti” ed “epidemiologi”, ed anche la Chiesa ci metteva del suo, invocando “l’igiene dell’anima”, sostenendo la necessità di evitare gli stravizi, inclusi gli eccessi alimentari e sessuali. Il Regno delle Due Sicilie nel 1837 fu interessato da rivolte popolari attuate contro i Borboni, accusati di aver incaricato gli “untori” di uccidere il popolo. Siamo nel 1854, nella città di Messina scoppia una devastante epidemia di colera, in soli due mesi il colera porta a morte circa 30.000 persone, la cittadina di Castroreale non molto distante, sembra essere immune da tale iattura, fino a quando due suoi concittadini, marito e moglie ritornano al paese provenienti da Messina, la signora mostra in forma gravissima i sintomi colerici…il paese è terrorizzato temendo il propagarsi del contagio a tutta la comunità: a quale Santo votarsi dunque? A Santa Rosalia che aveva liberato Palermo dalla Peste? A San Sebastiano protettore dalle epidemie? A Castroreale si pensò di chiedere subito aiuto al Santissimo Crocifisso (in odore di essere miracoloso) il cui Cristo, in grandezza naturale, realizzato da anonimo in cartapesta, venne così fissato in cima ad un palo lungo 12 metri, ottenendo così due vantaggi quando portato in processione, i malati tenuti in quarantena nei piani più alti delle abitazioni, avrebbero potuto godere della visione diretta del Cristo attraverso le finestre, ma al contempo i religiosi potevano mantenersi a debita distanza (!). La storia racconta che la signora improvvisamente guarì, Castroreale non ebbe nessun caso di colera: da allora, il 25 di Agosto, il giorno del miracolo, si festeggia il Santissimo Crocifisso (detta anche festa del Cristo Lungo, in dialetto, del Cristu Longu o Signuri Longu). Il palo sul quale viene issato il Cristo, presenta a distanze regolari dei perni infissi nel legno, per evitare lo scivolamento delle lunghe “pertiche con forcine” , con le quali i “maestri di forcina” sostengono l’altissimo Crocifisso durante la processione che procede lungo le strade della cittadina, ma anche per consentirne l’abbassamento e l’innalzamento attraverso l’ingresso delle due chiese nelle quali viene portato (la Chiesa Madre e la chiesa di Sant’Agata).
Piccola nota in chiusura: nella Chiesa Madre si trova la Cappella dell’Assunzione ove è sito il complesso statuario della Madonna Assunta (1848), il cui autore è il messinese Matteo Mancuso, al quale, durante la lavorazione della statua, morì un figlio che egli impersonò nell’angioletto con gli occhi chiusi ai piedi della Madonna; in basso sotto la statua si trova la statuetta del seicento di Maria Bambina, che viene portata in processione l’otto settembre dai bambini che ricevono la prima comunione.
Ezio Famà
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet - 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Spanish Catalan architect from Reus and the best known practitioner of Catalan Modernism. Gaudí's works reflect an individualized and distinctive style. Most are located in Barcelona, including his magnum opus, the Sagrada Família.
Gaudí's work enjoys global popularity and continuing admiration and study by architects. His masterpiece, the still-incomplete Sagrada Família, is the most-visited monument in Spain.
Between 1984 and 2005, seven of his works were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
Gaudí's Roman Catholic faith intensified during his life and religious images appear in many of his works. This earned him the nickname "God's Architect and led to calls for his beatification.
Visually Inspired Behavior
“The primary cause of disorder in ourselves is the seeking of reality promised by another.”
― Krishnamurti
We teach our students content that makes sense but we do not teach skills in how to prepare for situations that do not make sense. Society works hard to present normality as that without disorder. That is to you know where you are; what you are expected to do; and that the flowers you pass every day are the same flowers. However, we do not teach students, to see different flowers on each passing and that the river is not the same. If one in every five adults experience mental illness why is it that schooling is predominately about 'promised' normality and not preparing for the disorder 'of the promise'. One in every four individuals will suffer from a mental health condition in their lives. Schooling for anxiety, depression, attention deficit disorder, post-traumatic stress, psychosis, and schizophrenia is required. Society could do well by flipping the school. Every student has a story to tell. School as a check-in rather than a check-out.
Are our students simply learning how to follow the path set by our teachers to prepare them for the path set by employers? Is it possible that schooling could be about enabling students to carve a new path that is not set by curriculum and teachers? Where students learn through trial and error and learn how to deal with success and failure? Where it is about making harmony within the wilderness? Where students are not learning about conventions but schools are learning about authentic self-expression as students create their own meaning?
As a tourist, I usually follow a designated tourist path, designed by the cultural perceptions of tourist authorities and like-minded tourists, and I take photos of the same artifact as taken by other tourists over and over again. Even though we pride ourselves on our capitalist freedoms and individualism we chose culturally similar destinations. Even when the pursuit of attaining personal goals is the backbone of capitalist democracies our behaviors are so much the same. Our systems sell us individualism but our perceptions are constructed on the best practices to succeed. Schools covertly teach individualism within their governing systems. That is, understanding individuality in regards to societal opportunity. The outcome is that capitalist society invests in the merit of acquisition. To access acquisitional power meritocratic individualism is gained via quantification, test-scoring, and qualifications. Whilst teachers work towards virtues such as developing intellectual abilities and moral values, the systematization of education is merit to consume.
A highly individualized society works against encouraging community development where collectives discuss problems, seek solutions, and disperse choice. Those in power and are the minority of people that form the top levels of the hierarchy contain the resources and provide the decision-making pathways that the majority travel. Schools formalize the process through 'soft' prison-like rules and regulations and via manipulation of choice. Those in power know that community voice is not best for a the economic freedoms of an individualist based capitalist democracy. Those in power know where the best tourist sites are and where to get the best selfie at the most photogenic location.
I am not writing about coercion and authoritarianism, I am writing about the freedom to acquire what is available. In the big picture, I am writing about designing pathways to secure corporation profitability or as William Sumner wrote in 1881 supporting the "...competition of man with man in the effort to win a limited supply." If individualism is the basis of civilization and capitalist civilization requires profit, herding is an absolute necessity. The herd becomes the resource.
Populations are herded through the promise of gaining individual freedom. The wilderness is clear-felled to make orderly sense.
Choice options are enabled by individual proximity to wealth.
Continuation of knowledge based on inter-generational understandings of societal power.
Similarity - herds are formed and based on the fear that if you operate outside of the system you are vulnerable.
Closure and satisfaction are guaranteed as unknown reckless risk-taking has been removed.
Visual psychological boundaries have been set into place by authorities to guide user behavior and expectations. What is perceived is governed by a consistent belief that there is a promised reality. What isn't understood and prepared for, is when ourselves our wilderness is once again experienced, and the external promise is seen as the disorder.
Read more: www.jjfbbennett.com/2020/07/visually-inspired-behavior.html
One-off sponsorship: www.paypal.me/bennettJJFB
Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi)
The musicians [1597]
Metmuseum AN 52.81
While Cupid confirms Caravaggio’s allegorical frame for representing Music, the artist equally engages with contemporary performance and individualized models, including a self-portrait in the second boy from the right. Caravaggio’s contemporary, Giovanni Baglione, recorded that the artist painted "a concert, with some youths portrayed from nature very well" immediately after joining the household of his first great patron, Cardinal Francesco Maria del Monte. Most likely, this is the same painting and is one of several employing the half-length, earthy yet sensual figures with which Caravaggio made his name upon arriving in Rome.
www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/435844
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Painted sounds
Why does Caravaggio (* September 29, 1571, t July 18, 1610), one of the most famous artists of the Baroque era, present four young men making music? An essential effect of the work is the life-size appearance of the figures in a sober interior, as if they were part of the viewer's world. And two of them look at us as if they saw us as we saw them. Measured against this sobriety, the other circumstances seem all the more strange: the bare shoulders, the uniform features, the close proximity. The boy in the back left, however, has wings and arrows protrude from behind him - it's Cupid. Despite the seemingly everyday scene, it is about a mythological-allegorical theme: “Music and love”, the sensual charm and spiritual harmony, conveyed through sweet grapes, heavy looks, groping fingers and glowing skin. It is characteristic that these hints cannot be tied down to a statement, at least there is as yet no catchy interpretation. Rather, it was precisely the floating, stimulating and impenetrable that struck the nerve of Rome's collectors.
"He was so conscientious, such an ingenious imitator of nature, that he was the only one to do what everyone else only promised."
G. Borsieri - II Supplimento della Nobiltà di Milano, 1619
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Gemalte Klänge
Warum präsentiert uns Caravaggio (* 29.9.1571, t 18.7.1610), einer der berühmtesten Künstler des Barock, vier musizierende Jünglinge? Ein wesentlicher Effekt des Werkes ist das lebensgroße Erscheinen der Figuren in einem nüchternen Innenraum, als wären sie Teil der Welt des Betrachters. Und zwei von ihnen schauen uns an, als sähen sie uns gerade so wie wir sie.
Gemessen an dieser Nüchternheit wirken die weiteren Umstände umso fremder: die nackten Schultern, die gleichförmigen Züge, das enge Beieinander. Der Junge hinten links trägt jedoch Flügel und Pfeile ragen hinter ihm hervor - es ist Amor. Trotz der scheinbaren Alltagsszene handelt es sich also um einen mythologisch-allegorischen Themenkreis: „die Musik und die Liebe“, der sinnliche Reiz und die seelische Harmonie, vermittelt über süße Trauben, lastende Blicke, tastende Finger und leuchtende Haut.
Kennzeichnend ist, dass sich diese Andeutungen nicht auf eine Aussage festlegen lassen, zumindest gibt es bisher noch keine griffige Deutung. Vielmehr traf genau das Schwebende, anregend Undurchschaubare den Nerv der Sammler Roms.
Source: gs; Harenberg Tischkalender Kunst, Blatt vom 28.12.2020
„Er war so gewissenhaft, ein so geistvoller Nachahmer der Natur, dass er das, was alle anderen nur versprachen, als Einziger durchführte.“
G. Borsieri - II Supplimento della Nobiltà di Milano, 1619
St. Peter and St. Paul's Church is a Roman Catholic church located in the Antakalnis neighbourhood of Vilnius, Lithuania.
Construction was begun in 1688 and the decorative works were completed in 1704.
It is the centerpiece of a former monastery complex of the Canons Regular of the Lateran.
Its interior has masterful compositions of some 2,000 stucco figures by Giovanni Pietro Perti and ornamentation by Giovanni Maria Galli and is unique in Europe.
The church is considered a masterpiece of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Baroque.
The interior of the church changed relatively little since that time.
The major change was the loss of the main altar. The wooden altar was moved to the Catholic church in Daugai in 1766.[4]
The altar is now dominated by the Farewell of St. Peter and St. Paul, a large painting by Franciszek Smuglewicz, installed there in 1805.
The interior was restored by Giovanni Beretti and Nicolae Piano from Milan in 1801–04.[11]
At the same time, a new pulpit imitating the ship of Saint Peter was installed.
In 1864, as reprisal for the failed January Uprising, Mikhail Muravyov-Vilensky closed the monastery and converted its buildings into military barracks.[11]
There were plans to turn the church into an Eastern Orthodox church, but they never materialized.[11] In 1901–05, the interior was restored again. The church acquired the boat-shaped chandelier and the new pipe organ with two manuals and 23 organ stops.[12]
The dome was damaged during World War II bombings, but was rebuilt true to its original design.[12]
When in 1956 Vilnius Cathedral was converted into an art museum by Soviet authorities, the silver sarcophagus with sacred relics of Saint Casimir was moved to the St. Peter and St. Paul's Church.[13] The sarcophagus was returned to its place in 1989.
Despite religious persecutions in the Soviet Union, extensive interior restoration was carried out in 1976–87.[11]
About the Decorative Scheme
St. Peter and St. Paul's is one of the most studied churches in Lithuania.[19]
Its interior has over 2,000 different decor elements that creates a stunning atmosphere.[20]
The main author of the decor plan is not known. It could be the founder Pac, monks of the Lateran, or Italian artists.
No documents survive to explain the ideas behind the decorations, therefore various art historians attempted to find one central theme: Pac's life and Polish–Lithuanian relations, teachings of Saint Augustine, Baroque theater, etc.[19]
Art historian Birutė Rūta Vitkauskienė identified several main themes of the decor: structure of the Church as proclaimed at the Council of Trent with Saint Peter as the founding rock, early Christian martyrs representing Pac's interest in knighthood and ladyship, themes relevant to the Canons Regular of the Lateran, and themes inherited from previous churches (painting of Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy and altar of Five Wounds of Christ).[21]
The decor combines a great variety of symbols, from local (patron of Vilnius Saint Christopher) to Italian saints (Fidelis of Como),[22] from specific saints to allegories of virtues.
There are many decorative elements – floral (acanthus, sunflowers, rues, fruits), various objects (military weapons, household tools, liturgical implements, shells, ribbons), figures (puttos, angels, soldiers), fantastical creatures (demons, dragons, centaurs), Pac's coat of arms, masks making various expressions – but they are individualized, rarely repeating.[23]
The architects and sculptors borrowed ideas from other churches in Poland (Saints Peter and Paul Church, Kraków, Sigismund's Chapel of Wawel Cathedral) and Italy (St. Peter's Basilica, Church of the Gesù).[22]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_St._Peter_and_St._Paul,_V...
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From the Church's Brochure
The church was erected after the Russian invasion that devastated Vilnius in the mid-17th century.
Barely a dozen years passed, and the capital of Lithuania began to recover.
In 1668 Mykolas Kazimieras Pacas, Hetman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and wojewode of Vilnius, embarked upon the Antakalnis.
The church is decorated by the stucco mouldings of two excellent Italian sculptors, Giovanni Pietro Petri and Giovanni Maria Galli.
The interior of the church consists of the main nave, six chapels on both sides, and the transept.
Being one of the most significant archaeological excavations and cultural discoveries of the 20th century and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Terracotta Army was in our opinion a must-visit long overdue. Despite having seen countless of pictures beforehand, we were still deeply impressed by the sheer amount of warriors and amazed by the arduous work of uncovering, protecting and restoring such remarkable artifacts.
The Terracotta Army is a representation of the imperial military guard of Qin Shi Huang (259-210BC), first emperor of a unified China and founder of the Qin dynasty. The purpose of the army was likely to act as guardian figures for his imperial tomb or to serve the ruler in his afterlife. Qin Shi Huang died at 49 years of age after a futile search for an elixir of immortality. The cause of death was reportedly the ingestion of mercury pills that were ironically supposed to prolong his life. Being keen on acquiring immortality, his Terracotta Army has given the emperor just that, at least in name and deed. The massive tomb guarded by a sea of warriors is, however, not his only great achievement in life. By the time he died, Qin Shi Huang had left a legacy that would make him a towering figure in Chinese history: he had united warring kingdoms into one country, put an end to feudalism, built an extensive national road system and unified several state walls into one immense defensive wall, the precursor to the current Great Wall of China.
NO TWO ALIKE
The mix and particular arrangement of the (slightly larger than) life-size depictions of soldiers, - amongst other generals and lower-ranking officers, cavalrymen, archers and charioteers -, gives the illusion of a complete battlefield army poised for action. The figures vary in height (175–190 cm), uniform and hairstyle according to their rank, function and position in the formation, and are depicted in different builds and postures. Much effort was made to render each figure unique despite them all being made from a limited repertoire of assembled body parts made from moulds. Facial features and hairstyle in particular, even different emotions, added by hand after assembly, give the illusion of a real army composed of unique individuals. Hands, too, were modified with straight or bent fingers and changes in the angle of the thumb and wrist. Decorating the figures in vivid colours also contributed to the individuation. In fact, the details of the warriors are so intricate and individualized that it has been hypothesized that they were based on real soldiers who served in the emperor's army. New conservation techniques, performed on recently excavated figures, allow some of these patterns to be discerned. Every warrior appears to contain a stamp of the name of the foreman in charge of his creation. Nonetheless, it is astonishing to reflect that all of this variety and realism was never intended to be seen by anyone.
CONTROVERSIAL NEW THEORY
As the warrior statues were unlike anything ever uncovered before in China, the question was raised on how the royal craftsmen could have come up with such an idea. Putting several clues together, - amongst others the excavation of figures with evidence of Greek influence and the discovery of European-specific mitochondrial DNA recovered from skeletons at ancient sites throughout the province from the time of Qin Shi Huang and even before -, scientists worked out a new theory suggesting that Greek artisans inspired and trained the local craftsmen.
THE (RE)DISCOVERY
Work on the tomb, including the entire army of terracotta warriors, began in 246 BC soon after Emperor Qin Shi Huang (then aged 13) ascended the throne. The construction halted in 208 BC amid uprisings, a year after Huang's death. After completion of the funerary ceremonies the craftsmen and labourers - who had worked on mechanical devices designed to prevent entry into the burial chamber and knew of the tomb’s treasures - were trapped inside the tomb to prevent them from divulging these secrets. Beneath earth and vegetation, the clay army stood watch near the emperor's tomb for more than 2,000 years, their presence unknown to the world. Then, in 1974, the first clay warrior torso came to light when farmers were digging a well just to the east of Xi’an. Subsequent investigations not only led to the discovery of an entire terracotta army, but an elaborate mausoleum.
Studies have revealed that the mausoleum complex is a microcosm of the Emperor's empire and palace. Qin Shi Huang intended to design his afterlife to match his life on earth in every respect. This included his imperial court life and the external environment that surrounded his city. The interior of his unexcavated imperial tomb, according to ancient writings of court historian Siam Qian during the ensuing Han dynasty, describe the use of mercury to simulate rivers and the great sea, set to flow mechanically through bronze hills and mountains, and precious stones to mark the heavenly constellations. Among the structures within the mausoleum complex are several other tombs, models of offices and palaces, a horse stable, an armoury, as well a subterranean imperial park. Non-military terracotta figures were found such as acrobats, musicians and dancers caught in mid-performance, civil servants and various animals. Archaeologists further discovered burial sites of horses, exotic animals and hundreds of concubines and mass graves that appear to hold the remains of the craftsmen and labourers (including convicted criminals in chains) who died building the mausoleum.
WHAT LIES BENEATH?
To date, the majority of the estimated 8,000+ warriors, 130 chariots, 670 (cavalry) horses and 100,000+ weapons has not been unearthed yet. The great discoveries made so far are believed to be just the top of the iceberg, as the imperial tomb remains sealed as well. Further excavations are on hold due to (1) complex conditions, such as deadly traps and anomalously high levels of hypertoxic mercury, (2) the costs related to preservation and documentation of all that may be uncovered, and (3) concerns about current preservation techniques. Newly unearthed warriors and horses, for example, would bear traces of rare paint. But once exposed to air and light, the old pigments used in the paint began to change in just 15 seconds. The protecting lacquer coating that was bound with the pigments flaked off within only four minutes. Photographers did not even have the time to take a proper picture before the paints began to disappear.
The tomb of Qin Shi Huang continues to be a mystery. Will its interior and contents be THE discovery of the 21st century? We are itching with curiosity!
Sources: ancient.eu, national geographic, Wikipedia, ancient-origins.net
Young Adults In Transition To College & Work
We often think of young adults as ready to launch easily into college, career and dynamic adult social scenes. Yet this transition from a supportive and protective home or school environment to independent living is a bridge to adulthood that many young adults find fraught with great difficulty, confusion and profound loneliness. Older teens and young adults in their twenties are often not adapting well to work place environments and find they do not possess the necessary interpersonal skills to succeed in adult and work relationships. Additionally, economic pressures are more extreme than ever and they often have unrealistic hopes of independence and financial self-direction. They feel thrown into a world without a real understanding of how to survive or succeed in it. Much is written about this "quarter life crisis." Young adults need to find a more realistic view for their own lives. They need help as they face the hard realities that they haven't accomplished certain necessary adult tasks and milestones of young adult success. These tasks include finding a college or career, mastering public transportation, navigating agreements with financial sponsors and parents, establishing adult roles in the home, dorm or apartment, managing a grocery budget, cooking, healthy living, multi-tasking, delayed gratification, or allotting appropriate time to significant priorities. Unexpected difficulties can derail even the most successful young adult or college student. Parents and their young adult sons and daughters who were once in alignment when planning the launch to college or independent living are often faced with the pain of unmatched expectations, disorganized time-lines, and resentful conversations. Young adult lives and good relationships can quickly turn upside down. Young adults in transition are students between high school and college, post-college, or returning home from boarding schools, gap-years, or military service. They seek to set new goals and define new directions for their future. These normal, yet rapid young adult changes can be especially tough on parents. Parents often need guidance and coaching as they redefine their new roles as parents to adult children. Young adults need adult wisdom and strong guidance, but in their need to differentiate, they often respond negatively to parental support. Coaching can change that dynamic by producing skill building and management practices that can benefit both the student and their parents.
What Do Young Adult Coaches Do? Encourage you to express yourself and your personal goals Advocate for you with your parents Establish appropriate areas of independence Navigate personal financial arrangements with sponsors & parents Teach time management
Help you devise a workable daily schedule Listen and learn from your ideas and dreams- take you seriously! Assign homework and tasks that move you towards your goals
Make necessary connections to adult mentors and guides Help you accomplish/produce results more quickly than you imagined Assist with applications to college and internships
Questions Young Adults & Parents Frequently Ask: What Is Young Adult Coaching?
With your young adult coach you will identity the actions and thoughts and words that best support and move you towards your goals. Often young adults create goals and then are challenged by staying aligned with them. Our coaches will help you develop the action plan and steps towards living a life that keeps you true to yourself and more accountable in your relationships.You may be facing a more conventional transition, such as moving away to college or starting a new job, or the unique challenges of beginning college as a student who has experienced physical, emotional, or mental health problems. Learning disorders or family crises may add additional stresses and young adults desire coaching support to be ready and able to meet these demands. Coaching can empower you and help you launch yourself with confidence and skill. How Does Coaching Differ From Counseling?
Coaching is not the same as therapy. It is a more immediate and directive process. Coaching involves action, action that meets goals. Although our coaches are credentialed therapists, their additional training in coaching allows them to better support you in present and future focus, whereas therapy often focuses on current emotional issues, and at times the past. Coaching is both in-person and in-the-moment by phone, text, and email; supporting you no matter where you are located and when you need it. Customized Coaching Options: Individualized Coaching Packages support you in academic skill building, as well as vocational and personal goals. Life skill development includes competency in money management, time and organizational management, and refining of executive thinking skills for greater success. Parent and Family Coaching to support your positive and personalized launch into adult life and your parent's adaptation to your new role as an adult Unique learning opportunities when in transition, such as internship programs, resume/portfolio building options, 5th or gap year choices, and more Accountability systems: ways to optimize the support & communication between young adults and their parents Supervised living and residential arrangements High School Diploma Completion
Top level tutors-current college and university level instructors to help you improve skills and provide learning support Each young adult transition plan is completely customized to your young adult and family needs.
“For a time, art was an escape, a way for her to express herself, but it could not carry her into a happy life." In 1909, occult scholar Arthur Edward Waite paid Colman Smith a flat fee to illustrate the seventy-eight cards of the tarot. An occult scholar, Waite had already published numerous books before embarking on a tarot project, volumes on alchemy and black magic as well as explorations of the work of famous mystics. The two knew each other from the Golden Dawn, a western mysticism order they both belonged to. The 15th century Sola Busca tarot—the only tarot to use pictorial images and not repetitive numbers—was used as a guide; the collaborators viewed the Italian deck when the Sola family gave a set of photographs of it to the British Museum in 1907. Some images, like the iconic, piercing Three of Swords, are clearly lifted from the older deck, while others are less obviously derivative. The style, however, is a huge departure: simpler, modern, less muscular, more romantic. Colman Smith finished the deck, a total of eighty cards, in just six months. In a letter to Stieglitz, she wrote, “I’ve just finished a big job for very little cash!”
enchantedlivingmagazine.com/divine-mystery-pamela-colman-...
She’s the world’s most famous occult artist but her name is almost unknown.
When Pamela Coleman Smith was attending the Pratt Institute of Art, she realized that she possessed a high degree of sound-color synesthesia, i.e., she was able to visualize colors and forms while listening to music and could transmit those visualizations into tangible works of art. Modern psychologists define synesthesia as a crossing-over of sensory input. Depending upon the type of synesthesia, individuals are able to hear colors, see music, smell words, etc. Many people, particularly artists, possess this phenomenon to some extent; however, Pamela possessed sound-color synesthesia to an exceptionally high degree. She was able to create sound paintings just by unconsciously drawing while listening to passages of music. She embodied the Symbolist ideal in this area. Many examples of her work in this area have survived, including three watercolors in the possession of the Stieglitz/Georgia O'Keeffe Archive. Probably the most complete commentary regarding Pamela's unique type of synesthesia was published in the October 1912 issue of The Craftsman. In that issue appeared a 14 page, illustrated article by the American writer, M. Irwin MacDonald, entitled "The Fairy Faith and Pictured Music of Pamela Colman Smith." The article is available on the Internet here and I recommend that everyone interested in Miss Smith's art peruse it. MacDonald provides enthusiastic support for Pixie Smith's artistic style and work. Unfortunately, it is the last published reference to her work of which I am aware. The fundamental problem was that the Arts and Crafts Movement, of which Pamela was a member, was undergoing a rapid decline in popularity. World War I was only two years away. With the coming of that terrible war and the rise of that schizophrenic disease called Modernism in the post-war era, sweet little Pamela Colman Smith became obsolete!
As a final comment re Pixie Smith's plight, I'd like to quote some remarks of Stuart R. Kaplan given during a recent interview with Malcolm Muckle:
Malcolm Muckle: "In reviewing what I know and have read about Pixie, I can't help but be struck by a sense of sadness at her life; she seemed to have such extraordinary gifts, and yet her life seemed to have gone into reverse after about 1908/9 with her art undergoing enhanced inappreciation, if I can put it that way, despite the superb artistic reviews she had received earlier in New York. There was almost a long, slow retreat from the world and from people. Why do you think that was?"
Stuart Kaplan: "I believe that after her exciting life with Ellen Terry, Pamela was very lonely. Her poem, Alone, is a sad commentary to her feelings of inadequacy and lack of recognition. In 1914 she gave away her personal Visitors Book with the sad inscription inside the back cover stating that she didn’t like people any more. She withdrew because people did not appreciate her. She didn’t really fit into the British life as we imagine it. She would sit on the floor before a group of her friends and tell Jamaican stories. She was very esoteric in her life style."
Malcolm Muckle: "In common with many people who have had a childhood in more than one country, PCS seems to have experienced a sense of dislocation from ordinary life. Was art a way of assuaging this?"
Stuart Kaplan: "Actually, I think for a while Pamela thrived in her unusual life style. She would hold soirees with intimate friends, sitting on the floor and was, for a short period of time, the center of attraction for a small group who found her different, childlike, amusing, talented, but it all eventually faded. For a time, art was an escape, a way for her to express herself, but it could not carry her into a happy life."
pcs2051.tripod.com/synesthesia.htm
Such is the enigma of Pamela Colman Smith (1878–1951), an early 20th-century artist, writer, and mystic. Smith created dreamy, Symbolist-inspired watercolors that won her acclaim in her youth, including three successful exhibitions at Alfred Stieglitz’s famed New York gallery, 291, where she was the first non-photographic artist to have a show. She was also an intimate friend of Dracula writer Bram Stoker, poet William Butler Yeats, and the actress and artistic muse Ellen Terry, for whom Smith designed illustrations and stage sets. However, Smith’s most lasting artistic contribution was undoubtedly her designs for the Rider-Waite tarot deck. Made in collaboration with mystic and scholar A.E. Waite, Smith created the Art-Nouveau-inspired imagery of mythical archetypes set against luminous monochromatic backgrounds. Released in 1909, the deck is now regarded as the standard set, with more than 100 million copies in circulation. Smith’s imagery has become synonymous with tarot itself.
And yet, for more than a century, Smith went wholly uncredited for her contribution. Her claim to the deck was only cemented by her iconic serpentine signature, a monogram she created while studying Japanese design, and which she embedded into the decoration for every Tarot card.
news.artnet.com/art-world/pamela-colman-smith-rider-waite...
The Latin motto TRAHOR FATIS (I am drawn by Fate) appears but four times in the Tarot masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, the Sola Busca deck, and yet it hangs unmistakably over the cards’ entire colorful procession of ancient Greek and Roman heroes. Armored in the style of late-fifteenth century northern Italy, they bear bagpipes, shields, lyres, pennants, staffs, and torches, while accompanied by basilisks, crows, falcons, doves, and eagles. Every single card is a miniature drama — the expressions of the highly individualized figures inviting us to speculate, like the Tarot itself, on the past and future of this cryptic world. When the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage in Milan purchased the Sola Busca tarot deck in 2009, it had existed for five hundred years, and yet had barely ever been seen — a very strange thing for a deck of playing cards. Before a spate of studies appeared in Italian after 1990, it had only been written about three times: by Count Leopold Cicognara in Memoirs to Serve the History of Intaglio Printing (1831); by William Hughes Willshire in A Description of Playing and Other Cards (1876); and in 1935, when British Museum art historian Arthur Mayger Hind’s Early Italian Engravings advanced the first hypothesis about the origin of the deck and its author. Although still hotly debated, the contemporary scholarly consensus is that the Sola Busca deck — now housed at the Pinacoteca de Brera — was engraved in 1491, most likely in Ferrara, and was colored by hand about a decade later, in Venice. (Other versions of this deck exist in fragmented, unpainted form, preserved by the Albertina in Vienna, the British Museum, and elsewhere.)
Considered the oldest complete seventy-eight card tarot deck in existence, the Sola Busca — named for the family of Milanese nobles who owned it for some five generations — was the first to be produced using copperplate engraving. It is also the earliest known tarot deck that illustrates the Major and Minor Trumps in the way that has become the standard, with characters and objects depicting allegorical scenes. In the Renaissance era this would have been revolutionary, while, today, some of these cards may seem familiar. In 1909, when Arthur Edward Waite commissioned artist Pamela Colman–Smith to illustrate his The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1910), she drew inspiration — and for nearly a dozen cards, the exact imagery — from the Sola Busca deck, black-and-white photographs of which were exhibited at the British Museum in 1908.The genius of the Tarot is its multivocality, its ability to convey manifold meanings independent of the interrogator. Shorn from the historical, mythological, and pictorial associations that would have been available to its users in fifteenth-century Venice or Ferrara, the Sola Busca deck is limited in its use for divinatory purposes today, and yet, since its enigmatic imagery irresistibly invites decoding, the deck nonetheless beckons twenty-first century cartomancers into a game of high imagination. Online Tarot forums host the most ingeniously freewheeling speculation about the Sola Busca’s sources and meanings, while the scholarly interpretations continue to be tentative and provisional, offering space for amateurs to make their own discoveries. In talismanic publisher Scarlet Imprint’s The Game of Saturn: Decoding the Sola-Busca Tarocchi (2017), Peter Mark Adams proposes a baroque hypothesis that the Sola Busca deck was a dark grimoire to aid the black magical operations of a secret Venetian elite cabal.
Some believe that Nicola di Maestro Antonio d'Ancona, “one of the most eccentric painters of the Renaissance”, may have been the artist behind the Sola Busca deck, although “the arguments are not entirely convincing”. Beyond the mystery of their creator lie the many puzzles embedded in these cards. Why does Alexander the Great (King of Swords) figure so largely in this deck? Is the “M.S.” on the Aces referring to Marin Sanudo, consigliere to the aristocratic Ferrrara D’Este family? Is Catone (XIII) a reference to Cato the Younger, who conquered Cyprus in 58 BCE, and thus an allusion to Venice’s annexation of Cyprus in 1489, two years before the deck’s creation? Whenever the TRAHOR FATIS inscription appears, it is accompanied by a seven–pointed “bearded” star (pogonius), raining influence toward Earth and its denizens. Is this the malefic Caput Algol in the head of the Medusa? Or the Great Comet of 1472? The fatis of the Tarot, and particularly of this magnificent work of Renaissance art, truly remains “in the stars”, pulling us fatefully toward its endless riddles.
publicdomainreview.org/collection/sola-busca/
Pamela Colman Smith (16 February 1878 – 18 September 1951), nicknamed "Pixie", was a British artist, illustrator, writer, publisher, and occultist. She is best-known for illustrating the Rider–Waite tarot deck (also called the Rider–Waite–Smith or Waite–Smith deck) for Arthur Edward Waite. This tarot deck became the standard among tarot card readers, and remains the most widely used today. Die meisten von Smith also illustrated over 20 books, wrote two collections of Jamaican folklore, edited two magazines, and ran the Green Sheaf Press, a small press focused on women writers. Smith was born at 28 Belgrave Road in Pimlico, part of central London.[5] She was the only child of a merchant from Brooklyn, New York (before it was part of New York City), Charles Edward Smith (son of Brooklyn mayor Cyrus Porter Smith), and his wife Corinne Colman (sister of the painter Samuel Colman). The family was based in Manchester for the first decade of Smith's life, but they moved to Jamaica when Charles Smith took a job in 1889 with the West India Improvement Company (a financial syndicate involved in extending the Jamaican railroad system). The Smiths lived in the capital, Kingston, for several years, traveling to London and New York.. By 1893, Smith had moved to Brooklyn, where, at the age of 15, she enrolled at the Pratt Institute, which had been founded six years earlier. There she studied art under Arthur Wesley Dow, painter, print maker, photographer, and influential arts educator.[6] Her mature drawing style shows clear traces of the visionary qualities of fin-de-siècle Symbolism and the Romanticism of the preceding Arts and Crafts movement. While Smith was in art school, her mother died in Jamaica, in 1896. Smith herself was ill on and off during these years and in the end left Pratt in 1897 without a degree. She became an illustrator; some of her first projects included The Illustrated Verses of William Butler Yeats, a book on actress Dame Ellen Terry by Bram Stoker, and two of her own books, Widdicombe Fair and Fair Vanity (a reference to Vanity Fair).. In 1899 her father died, leaving Smith at the age of 21 without either parent. She returned to England that year, continuing to work as an illustrator, and branching out into theatrical design for a miniature theatre. In London, she was taken under the wing of the Lyceum Theatre group led by Terry (who is said to have given her the nickname 'Pixie'), Henry Irving, and Bram Stoker and traveled with them around the country, working on costumes and stage design. In 1901, she established a studio in London and held a weekly open house for artists, authors, actors, and others involved with the arts. Arthur Ransome, then in his early 20s, describes one of these "at home" evenings, and the curious artistic circle around Smith, in his 1907 Bohemia in London.Folk Stories from Jamaica (1905). These books included Jamaican versions of tales involving the traditional African folk figure Anansi the Spider.[7] She also continued her illustration work, taking on projects for William Butler Yeats and his brother, the painter Jack Yeats. She illustrated Bram Stoker's last novel, The Lair of the White Worm in 1911, and Ellen Terry's book on Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, The Russian Ballet in 1913. Smith supported the struggle for the right to vote, and through the Suffrage Atelier, a collective of professional illustrators, she contributed artwork to further the cause of women's suffrage in Great Britain. Additionally, Smith donated her services for more poster designs and toys to the Red Cross during World War. In 1903, Smith launched her own magazine under the title The Green Sheaf, with contributions by Yeats, Christopher St John (Christabel Marshall), Cecil French, A. E. (George William Russell), Gordon Craig (Ellen Terry's son), Dorothy Ward, John Todhunter, and others. The Green Sheaf survived for a little over a year, a total of 13 issues. Discouraged by The Green Sheaf's lack of financial success, Smith shifted her efforts towards setting up a small press in London. In 1904, she established The Green Sheaf Press which published a variety of novels, poems, fairy tales, and folktales until at least 1906, mostly by women writers. In 1907, Alfred Stieglitz gave an exhibition of Smith's paintings in New York at his Little Galleries of the Photo-Secession (also known as gallery , making Smith the first painter to have a show at what had been until then a gallery devoted exclusively to the photographic avant-garde. Stieglitz was intrigued by Smith's synaesthetic sensibility; in this period, Smith would paint visions that came to her while listening to music. The show was successful enough that Stieglitz issued a platinum print portfolio of 22 of her paintings and showed her work twice more, in 1908 and 1909. Some Smith works that did not sell remained with Stieglitz and ended up in the Stieglitz/Georgia O'Keeffe Archive at Yale University. Yeats introduced Smith to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, which she joined in 1901 and in the process met Waite. When the Golden Dawn splintered due to personality conflicts, Smith moved with Waite to the Independent and Rectified Rite of the Golden Dawn (or Holy Order of the Golden Dawn). In 1909, Waite commissioned Smith to produce a tarot deck with appeal to the world of art, and the result was the unique Waite–Smith tarot deck. Published by William Rider & Son of London, it has endured as the world's most popular 78-card tarot deck. The innovative cards depict full scenes with figures and symbols on all of the cards including the pips, and Smith's distinctive drawings have become the basis for the design of many subsequent packs. Apart from book illustration projects and the tarot deck, her art found little in the way of commercial outlets after her early success with Stieglitz in New York. Several examples of her works done in gouache were collected by her cousin, the American Sherlock Holmes actor William Gillette, and may be found today prominently displayed in his castle in Connecticut. In 1911, Smith converted to Roman Catholicism. After the end of the First World War, Smith received an inheritance from an uncle that enabled her to lease a house on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall, an area popular with artists. For income, she established a vacation home for Catholic priests in a neighboring house. Her longtime friend, Nora Lake, joined her in Cornwall and helped to run the vacation home. After several years of financial difficulty, Smith left the Lizard and relocated first to Exeter in 1939, and then to Bude in the early 1940s. Although she continued writing and illustrating, she was unable to find publishers for her work, probably due to changes in public taste following the First World War. Smith died in her apartment at the Bencoolen House in Bude on 18 September 1951. Her possessions were auctioned off to pay her debts. The location of her gravesite is unknown, but it is likely that she was buried in an unmarked grave in St. Michael's Cemetery in Bude.
Waite–Smith Tarot
"The Fool" card from the Waite–Smith tarot deck
The 78 illustrations that make up the Waite–Smith tarot deck "represent archetypal subjects that each become a portal to an invisible realm of signs and symbols, believed to be channeled through processes of divination." They are original works of art and unique in terms of the cards' stylization, draftsmanship, and composition, which is a significant aesthetic achievement. They are one of the best examples of Smith's imagination for fantasy, folly, ecstasy, death, and the macabre. When Smith's tarot was first published by Rider, in England, in December 1909, it was simply called Tarot Cards and it was accompanied by Arthur Edward Waite's guide entitled The Key to the Tarot. The following year Waite added Smith's black-and-white drawings to the book and published it as The Pictorial Key to the Tarot. In 1971, U.S. Games bought the right to publish the deck and published it under the title The Rider Tarot Deck (because of differences in U.S. and U.K. copyright law, the extent of their copyright in the Waite–Smith deck is disputed). In later editions they changed the name to Rider Tarot and then Rider Waite Tarot. Today most scholars, in order to recognize the importance of Smith's contribution, refer to the deck as the Waite–Smith Tarot.[16] Tarot writers often refer to the deck with the simple abbreviation of RWS, for Rider–Waite–Smith. In the century since the deck's first printing, there have been dozens of editions put out by various publishers; for some of these the Smith drawings were redrawn by other artists, and for others the cards were rephotographed to create new printing plates. Many versions have been recolored as the coloration is rather harsh in the original deck, due to the limitations of color printing at the time. One example is the 1968 Albano-Waite tarot, which has brighter colors overlaid on the same pen-and-ink drawings. Some recent U.S. Games editions have removed Smith's hand-drawn titles for each card, substituting text in a standard typeface. Altogether, these decks encompass the full range from editions very closely based on the original printings to decks that can at most be termed 'inspired' by the Waite–Smith deck. Waite is often cited as the designer of the Waite–Smith Tarot, but it would be more accurate to consider him as half of a design team, with responsibility for the major concepts, the structure of individual cards, and the overall symbolic system. Because Waite was not an artist himself, he commissioned Smith to create the actual deck. It is likely that Smith worked from Waite's written and verbal instructions rather than from sketches; that is, from detailed descriptions of the desired designs. This is how illustrators often work, and as a commercial illustrator, Smith would probably have been comfortable with such a working process. It appears that Waite provided detailed instructions mainly or exclusively for the Major Arcana, and simple lists of meanings for the Minor Arcana or 'pip' cards. Thus the memorable scenes of the Minor Arcana owe largely to Smith's own invention. The Minor Arcana are indeed one of the notable achievements of this deck, as most earlier tarot decks (especially those of the Marseilles type) have extremely simple pip cards. Smith's innovative illustrations for the Minor Arcana, with their rich symbolism, made the Waite–Smith deck a widely imitated model for other tarot decks.
Smith and Waite drew on a number of sources as inspirations for the deck's designs. In particular, it appears that Waite took his inspiration for the trumps mainly from the French Tarot of Marseilles (although the oldest date from the 16th century, his model was possibly a Marseilles deck from the 18th century). It is not unlikely that other Marseilles-type Italian tarot decks from the 18th or 19th century were used as additional models. For the pips, it appears that Smith drew mainly on the 15th century Italian Sola Busca tarot;[19] the 3 of Swords, for example, clearly shows the congruity between the two decks. In addition, there is evidence that some figures in the deck are portraits of Smith's friends, notably actresses Ellen Terry (the Queen of Wands) and Florence Farr (the World).
Smith completed the art for the deck in the six months between April and October 1909. This is a short period of time for an artist to complete some 80 pictures (the number claimed by Smith in a letter to Stieglitz in 1909 and corresponding almost exactly to the standard 78-card tarot deck). The illustrations were most likely done in pen and ink, possibly over a pencil underdrawing; the original drawings are lost so this cannot be determined with certainty at present. They were either colored with watercolor by Smith or colored by someone else after the fact.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamela_Colman_Smith
The occult has moved from secrecy to mainstream acceptance, and tarot card reading stands as a testament to this shift. The Rider-Waite deck, named after the mystic A.E. Waite and publisher William Rider and Son, is considered the definitive tarot deck. However, the captivating imagery and symbolism that define this deck come from the artistic genius of Pamela Colman Smith, a woman often forgotten in the history of the occult.
Smith, an artist with possible Jamaican roots, led a bohemian lifestyle and was introduced to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn by the renowned poet William Butler Yeats. She joined the secret society, which explored occult and paranormal aspects, as well as philosophy and magic. There, she met A.E. Waite, who would later request her artistic talents in creating a new deck of divination cards. Despite the immense popularity of the Rider-Waite deck, Smith’s role in its creation was largely forgotten.
However, many tarot enthusiasts today have started acknowledging her contributions by calling it the “Smith-Waite” deck or using decks that feature her name prominently.
culture.org/the-unseen-mothers-of-the-occult-pamela-colma...
Thoth's declaration to the Ennead, based on the weighing of the heart of the scribe Ani. Created1250 BCE (circa), 19th Dynasty. From the Book of the Dead. At the top the gods of Heliopolis, acting as jury. p. 257 in: HAMMERTON , J.A. (W.J. Ankersmit; Dr. P.A.A. Boeser) (1925). Wonderen der Oudheid. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
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The Papyrus of Ani is a papyrus manuscript in the form of a scroll with cursive hieroglyphs and color illustrations that was created c. 1250 BCE, during the nineteenth dynasty of the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt. Egyptians compiled an individualized book for certain people upon their death, called the Book of Going Forth by Day, more commonly known as the Book of the Dead, typically containing declarations and spells to help the deceased in their afterlife. The Papyrus of Ani is the manuscript compiled for the Theban scribe Ani.
The scroll was stolen from an Egyptian government storeroom in 1888 by Sir E. A. Wallis Budge, as described in his two-volume By Nile and Tigris, for the collection in the British Museum where it remains today. Before shipping the manuscript to England, Budge cut the seventy-eight-foot scroll into thirty-seven sheets of nearly equal size, damaging the scroll's integrity at a time when technology had not yet allowed the pieces to be put back together (Wikipedia).
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On October 11, 1975, in San Francisco, Archangel Zadkiel announced the transfer from the priests and priestesses of the Violet Planet of the Cathedral of the Violet Flame. We will continue working with the Six Rays of God to transmute any elements from the previous day’s journey. Saint Germain will guide us to Table Mountain, Wyoming to the “Cave of Symbols” which is a cave in the mountain lined with pink and white crystals that gives way to a gigantic chamber covered with rainbow colored stalactites that form symbols representing sacred geometry.
Each participant will work through the revelations they received from the Royal Teton Retreat. This retreat houses the “Cosmic Mirror” in which an individual will see the cause and effect of their karma along with the “Atomic Accelerator” which brings forth electrons in the Light Body to make the necessary changes, and lastly, the “Sphere of Light” which is a room that will help an initiate in their ascension process.We now start the work within the 7th Ray of the Violet/Purple Flame with the Archangels Zadkiel and Amethyst along with the Elohim Masters Arcturus and Virginia.Students of Ascended Master Teachings organizations (also known as Ascended Master Activities) believe that their doctrine has been given to humanity by the Ascended Masters, individuals believed to have lived in physical bodies, acquired the wisdom and mastery needed to become immortal and free of the cycles of "re-embodiment" and karma, and have attained their "ascension", a state of "one-ness" with God. This knowledge is believed to have previously been taught for millions of years only within "Ascended master retreats" and "Mystery schools".
Adherents of the Ascended Master Teachings believe that this wisdom was partially released by the Theosophical Society beginning in 1875, by C.W. Leadbeater and Alice A. Bailey, and began to have more detailed public release in the 1930s by the Ascended Masters through Guy Ballard in the I AM Activity.[1][2] However, Theosophists maintain the concept of Ascended Masters are a corruption of the original Theosophical concept of the Masters of the Ancient Wisdom.
The term Ascended Master was first introduced in 1934 by Guy Ballard with the publication of Unveiled Mysteries, a book which he said was dictated to him by the Ascended Master: St. Germain. Other Ascended Master Teachings are contained in The Bridge to Freedom The Summit Lighthouse (1958), (Known also as The Church Universal and Triumphant[6] The Aetherius Society (1955),[7] The Temple of The Presence (1995),[8] the I AM University (2004), the White Eagle Lodge (1936) and the Aquarian Christine Church Universal, Inc. (2006)
Our first visitation on this day will be “The Cathedral of the Violet Flame” in the Rocky Mountains which includes all Violet Flame Angels and Priests and Priestesses of the Violet Planet representing elemental life. This retreat represents to ability to be cleared of human burdens and densities.
Our second visitation will be the “Temple of Purification”with Archangels Zadkiel and Amethyst which is located over the islands of Cuba (previously known to be the location of Atlantis). Part of the initiation for this journey will represent the work with the Order of Melchizedek as training as a Priest/Priestess along with learning the true meaning of “spiritual freedom.
The third visitation will be the “Temple of Freedom” with Elohim Masters Arcturus and Virginia which is located over Luanda, Angola; they release the violet, purple and pink flames of mercy, forgiveness, transmutation and freedom for the entire planet, as a giant fiery pillar. We will be utilizing the Violet Flame to overcome difficult situations on a personal and planetary scale, to transmute darkness into light.
Universal All-Pervading Presence of Life[edit]
Students of the Ascended Master Teachings believe that there is One God, the "Universal All-Pervading Presence of Life", "The One", Who is the Source of all Life, Light, and Love in existence, and that all forms of existence and consciousness emanate from this "Allness of God" - "The One". The Voice of the I AM states "All Life is One" [11] and that there is "One Substance, One Energy, One Power, One Intelligence" as the Source of all consciousness and creation.[12] This Divine Being and Mind is considered to be above and distinct from all creation (in the sense of classical theism), transcending all creation yet interpenetrating all existence. Belief in this "One God" stresses the essential unity of the spiritual and material components of the universe. God creates through Individualized Identities that have distinct Self-Consciousness and that make up the Spiritual Hierarchy of Creation, yet remain connected through the flow of the "River of Life" and "Lifestream" to the "One Undivided God" - the "All in All" - the "Good" - the "Source from which all Life, Light, and Love come." There is always an uninterrupted "Oneness" that is maintained with the "Allness" of God. From the "One God" all other realities, including hierarchy, humanity and the material universe, are the result of a process of emanation.[2]
The Individualized "I AM" Presence[edit]
Adherents of the Ascended Master Teachings believe that each person is an incarnation of an "Individualized Presence" of the "Most High Living God" - the "Mighty I AM Presence" - as part of our very Nature and Being. God (as Life and Love) manifests in the 7 octaves of the created universe through individual Divine Identities. As embodied individuals, we are the outer expression of that God Self in form. It is our unique and immortal True Identity, yet always sharing in the Allness of the ONE GOD.[2]
Ascended Master Saint Germain, believed by those adherent to the Ascended Master Teachings to have previously been embodied as Plato, Proclus, Roger Bacon, Francis Bacon, and numerous others, was quoted as saying:
"When one individualizes within the Absolute, All-Pervading Life, he chooses of his own free will to become an intensified individual focus of Self-Conscious Intelligence. He is the conscious director of his future activities. Thus, having once made his choice, he is the only one who can fulfill that Destiny — which is not inflexible circumstance but a definitely designed Plan of Perfection." [13] When You, the 'Mighty I AM Presence,' will to come forth into an Individualized Focus of Conscious Dominion and use the Creative Word, 'I AM,' Your First Individual Activity is the Formation of a Flame. Then you, the 'Individualized Focus' of the 'Mighty I AM Presence,' begin your Dynamic Expression of Life. This Activity, We term Self-consciousness, meaning the Individual who is conscious of his Source and Perfection of Life, expressing through himself." [1]
Twin Flames[edit]
Saint Germain explained through Guy Ballard:
"The 'Almighty God Flame,' breathing within Itself, projects Two Rays into the 'Great Sea of Pure Electronic Light.' This Intelligent Light-substance becomes the clothing, as it were, for these Rays of the 'Mighty I AM Presence.' Each Ray has all the Attributes of the Godhead within It, and no imperfection can ever enter into or register upon It. The Individualized Flame sends down into each Ray a Focal Point, or Spark, forming a Heart Center upon which gathers the 'Electronic Light Substance,' creating the Electronic Body." [1]
In 1937, The Voice of the I AM article on this subject elaborated:
"When the Ascension of both has taken place, each is the complete balance of all masculine and all feminine qualities within himself. Then the Threefold Flame of Life is completely unfolded, the individual becomes Master at Cosmic Levels of creation and does work with systems of worlds, as well as in this physical world. Thus, that which came out of the Great Central Sun as One Flame becomes Three complete Flames, each of the same full Limitless Power and Activity as the Great Central Sun. This becomes the Cosmic Activity of the Power of the 'Three times Three'. "When both Rays have made the Ascension, then the individual works with systems of worlds instead of just in one world. This is the way the Godhead is ever expanding the Perfection of Itself throughout Infinity and keeping order throughout interstellar space." [14]
Beliefs about Ascended Masters[edit]
It is believed that Ascended Masters are individuals who were once embodied on Earth and learned the lessons of life in their incarnations. They gained mastery over the limitations of the matter planes, balanced at least 51% of negative karma, and fulfilled their Dharma (Divine Plan). An Ascended Master has become God-like and a source of unconditional Love to all life, and through the Ascension has united with his or her own God Self, the "I AM" Presence. It is claimed that they serve as the teachers of mankind from the realms of Spirit, and that all people will eventually attain their Ascension and move forward in spiritual evolution beyond this planet. According to these teachings, they remain attentive to the spiritual needs of humanity, and act to inspire and motivate its spiritual growth. In many traditions and organizations, they are considered part of the Spiritual Hierarchy for Earth, and members of the Great Brotherhood of Light, also known as the Great White Lodge or Great White Brotherhood.[2]
Belief in the Brotherhood and the Masters is an essential part of the beliefs of various organizations that have continued and expanded the concepts released in the original Saint Germain instruction in the 1930s through The "I AM" Activity.[15][16][17][18][19] Examples of those believed by the ones proposing these teachings to be Ascended Masters would be the Master Jesus, Confucius, Gautama Buddha, Mary the Mother of Jesus, St. Paul of Tarsus (aka Hilarion), Melchizedek, Archangel Michael, Metatron, Kwan Yin, Saint Germain and Kuthumi, as well as dozens of others.[20]
Unveiled Mysteries records:
"Truly the Great Ascended Masters are Gods. It is no wonder in the mythology of the ancients that their activities have been brought down to us in the guise of myth and fable. They wield Tremendous God Power at all times because they hold with unwavering determination to the Great God Presence and hence all Power is given unto them for they are All-Perfection. "'When Jesus said, All these things I have done, ye shall do and even greater things shall ye do, he knew whereof he spoke,' continued Saint Germain. 'He came forth to reveal the Conscious Dominion and Mastery that it is possible for every human being to attain and express while still here on Earth." [13]
Great Sea of Universal Light, Life, and Love[edit]
Unveiled Mysteries states:
"Try to think upon this Power, which is within you. Call into use the Great Sea of Universal Substance from which you may draw without limit. It obeys, without exception, the direction of thought, and records any quality imposed upon it, through the activity of the feeling nature in mankind. Universal Substance is obedient to your conscious will at all times. It is constantly responding to humanity's thought and feeling whether they realize it or not. There is no instant at which human beings are not giving this Substance one quality or another, and it is only through the knowledge that the individual has conscious control and manipulation of a Limitless Sea of It that he begins to understand the possibilities of his own Creative Powers, and the responsibilities resting upon him in the use of his thought and feeling." [13]
Spiritual Hierarchy[edit]
Main article: Spiritual Hierarchy
Adherents of these Ascended Master Teachings believe that the All-Pervading Presence of God does not act nor create except through Its Individualizations. All creation comes forth through These Individual Identities and is sustained by Them. According to Elizabeth Clare Prophet, this Spiritual Hierarchy is a "Universal Chain" of Individualized God Free Beings fulfilling Attributes and Aspects of God's Infinite Selfhood. Included in this Cosmic Hierarchical scheme are Solar Logoi, Elohim, Sons and Daughters of God, Ascended Masters, Cosmic Beings, the Twelve Solar Hierarchies, Archangels, Angels, Beings of the Elements, and Twin Flames of the Alpha-Omega Polarity sponsoring Systems of Worlds and entire Galactic Systems. This Universal Order of Divine Self-Expression is the means whereby God in the Great Central Sun steps down [ spiritual energy from ] the Presence and Essence of His Universal Being / Consciousness in order that all Life in time and space might give and receive Unconditional Divine Love. One's placement on this "Ladder of Life" in the Spirit / Matter Universes is determined by one's level of Spiritual Attainment - measured by Awareness and Manifestation of balanced Love, Wisdom, and Power - as well as the embodying of other Divine Qualities."
Use of "I AM" in decrees, affirmations, and invocations[edit]
A characteristic of students of the Ascended Master Teachings is the use of God's Creative Name - "I AM" - in the use of Decrees, Fiats, Adorations, and Affirmations to invoke and send forth the Light of God to Bless Life, to bring forth the Perfect Divine solution for every situation, and to fulfill the Divine Plan. It is believed to be a way of externalizing more Divine Light, Divine Love, and Divine Life into the lower planes of creation through the dynamic force of sound vibration as creative energy.[2]
The Magic Presence states:
"Only the Self-conscious Individual has ALL the Attributes and Creative Power of the 'Mighty I AM Presence.' Only He can know who and what He is, and express the Fullness of the Creative Power of God whenever He decrees, by the use of the Words, 'I AM.' The outer human part of this activity is what We call the personality. It is but the vehicle through which Perfection should be expressed into the outer substance of the Universe.
"Within the 'Pure God-Flame' is a Breath that pulsates constantly. This `Great Fire-Breath' is a Rhythmic Outpouring of Divine Love, Its Three Attributes being 'Love, Wisdom, and Power in action.' These pour out constantly, into the 'Infinite Sea of Pure Electronic Light.' This Light is the Universal Substance or Spirit, out of which all forms are composed. It is intelligent, mark you, because It obeys law through the command of the Individual who says, or is conscious of, 'I AM.' These Two Words are the Acknowledgment and Release of the Power to Create and bring forth into outer existence, whatever quality follows That Acknowledgment. For Intelligence to act there must be Intelligence to be acted upon, and the Universal Substance, being like a photographic film, takes the record of what-ever quality the Individual imposes upon It through his thought, feeling, and spoken word. The Words 'I AM' whether thought, felt, or spoken, release the Power of Creation instantly. Make no mistake about this. Intelligence is Omnipresent, and It is within the Electronic Light." [1]
Violet Flame[edit]
Use of the "Violet Flame of Divine Love" is considered to be the 7th Ray aspect of the Holy Spirit and the "Sacred Fire" that transmutes and consumes the "cause, effect, record, and memory" of sin or negative karma. Also called the "Flame of Transmutation", the "Flame of Mercy", the "Flame of Freedom", and the "Flame of Forgiveness". "Our God is a Consuming Fire" in Deuteronomy 4:24 (KJV) and Hebrews 12:29 (KJV) is believed to be refer to this "Sacred Fire of God".
The "Violet Fire" is held to be a raising, transforming, purifying action of "Divine Love" from the "Heart of God" in the "Great Central Sun". It acts to transmute and consume human creation that is not worthy of becoming Immortal, and all negative karmic causes, effects, records, and memories, without the need to individually balance that karma face-to-face with each person back to the earliest beginning of one's individualized manifestation on this or any other world.[2]
Ascension[edit]
Main article: Initiation (Theosophy)
The Ascension is believed to be the returning to complete "Oneness with God" - "raising the outer atomic structure of the physical, emotional, and mental bodies into the Electronic Structure of the I AM Consciousness", becoming an Ascended Master, eventually a Cosmic Being, and beyond. The Ascension into Immortality through reunion with the God Self requires the consuming of at least 51% of the records and memories of "negatively qualified karma" as well as:
Mastery of the matter planes[edit]
It is believed that the "Individualized Flames of Perfection", emanating as lifestreams taking physical embodiment, can develop further attributes that express a unique Identity, and attain the fullness of the use of Light. This is done by mastery over matter planes that have a slower vibratory action, thus requiring more energy and concentration to externalize form. This allows for the development of greater skills of creation and "Causal Body Momentums" of various "Divine Qualities". Physical embodiment gives each individual the opportunity to expand these attributes and faculties through matter substance, and to become a "master of energy" through thought and feeling. This allows for accomplishments and added power which one who does not ever embody on a planet does not possess. Thus an individual may expand the "Flame in the Heart", and expand the "Perfection of the Allness of God's Love" in the created universe, eventually becoming an Ascended Master and later a Cosmic Being.
According to the Ascended Master Teachings, gaining "mastery over matter planes" means learning to consciously use 100% of one's Creative Power of thought, feeling, and spoken word to create greater perfection, joy, and love in the world, as opposed to using thoughts, feelings, and words to create greater limitations, bondage, and chaos in one's own experience and in the world at large through carelessness and lack of awareness of the extent of one's influence in the world. "Matter planes" refers to the differentiations of atomic and molecular structure in which evolution takes place, the lower planes (dimensions / wavelength frequency resonance) sometimes correlated with physical solids, liquids, and gases; the higher subplanes of the Physical Octave are sometimes referred to as "etheric" and are not normally perceivable by the physical senses. The emotional and mental octaves are also made up of electrons and atoms of feeling and thought substance and differentiated into levels of density and vibratory rate.[2]
"To understand the above explanation concerning the electron and the conscious control the individual has through his thought and feeling to govern the atomic structure of his own body is to understand the One Principle Governing form throughout Infinity. When man will make the effort to prove this to himself or within his own atomic flesh body, he will then proceed to Master Himself. When he has done that, all else in the Universe is his willing co-worker to accomplish whatsoever he wills through Love." [13]
Fulfillment of the Divine Plan[edit]
"Within the Life of every human being is the Power by which he can express all that the Ascended Masters express every moment — if he but chooses to do so. All Life contains Will but only Self-Conscious Life is free to determine upon its own course of expression. Hence, the individual has free choice to express either in the human, limited body or the Super-Human, Divine Body. He is the chooser of his own field of expression. He is the Self-determining Creator. He has willed and chosen to live as Self-Conscious Life. . . . When one individualizes within the Absolute, All-Pervading Life he chooses of his own free will to become an intensified individual focus of Self-Conscious Intelligence. He is the conscious director of his future activities. Thus, having once made his choice, he is the only one who can fulfill that Destiny - which is not inflexible circumstance but a definitely designed Plan of Perfection.[13]
Threefold Flame[edit]
The Threefold Flame of Life is the Immortal Flame within the Heart of the children of Light and Sons and Daughters of God, and is an actual extension of the Heart of the I AM Presence of each Lifestream in embodiment on Earth.[2]
The fall of man[edit]
It is believed that since the "fall of man" during the time of the incarnation of the Fourth Root Race, imperfection, limitations and discord increasingly entered into our world. The memory body is considered to have become known as a "soul", and this temporary personality has taken on the sense of a self that is separated and not connected to God. It is believed that a "Dictation" from Maitreya further clarified this matter through the "Messenger", Geraldine Innocente, on September 27, 1954 when what occurred during the time of the "Fourth Root Race" was described:
"Curiosity, rebellion against holding true to the Divine Pattern and the use of thought and feeling in creation of imperfection, began the building of what you call the 'soul'. It is a consciousness apart from the full Purity of God. The first thought a man had that was imperfect and impure, energized by a secret feeling, was a cause and that, sent out into the atmosphere, created an effect. Like a boomerang, the effect came back into the consciousness and made a record. That record was the beginning of an impression. Energy sent out in a certain manner returned to affect the lifestream who had sent it forth and there began to be created a shadow between the I AM Presence and the human consciousness. Endeavoring to contact the Presence, the individual would find these 'tramp' thoughts and feelings flowing through that line of contact until more and more imperfect was the conscious use of them. Finally, those centers got completely away from the control of the ego and acted independently.[21]
Dictations[edit]
Within The "I AM" Activity, contact and cooperation with the Ascended Masters became a central part of each member's life. Through the Ballards as "Messengers", the Ascended Masters were believed to have regularly communicated with the students of The "I AM" Activity. Those Addresses (known as "Dictations") were delivered before gatherings of members in Conclaves held throughout the United States of America, published in the monthly periodical, The Voice of The "I AM", and some were collected and reprinted in the books of The Saint Germain Series. In all, 3,834 Dictations from the Masters were received through Guy and Edna Ballard. Other "Ascended Master Activities" believed that the Ascended Masters, Cosmic Beings, Elohim, and Archangels continued to present a program for both individual development and spiritual transformation in the world.[22] They believe that further instruction from the Ascended Masters and the rest of the Spiritual Hierarchy continued through new Dispensations with new Messengers, such as The Bridge to Freedom,[23] The Summit Lighthouse,[6] and The Temple of The Presence.
Dawning Golden Age[edit]
Students of the Ascended Master Teachings believe that this world is destined to again have a Golden Age, a "Heaven on Earth", that will be permanent, unlike previous Golden Ages millions of years ago.[2]
"In your beloved America, in the not so far distant future, will come forth a similar recognition of the Real Inner Self, and this her people will express in high attainment. She is a Land of Light, and Her Light shall blaze forth, brilliant as the sun at noonday, among the nations of the Earth. She was a Land of Great Light, ages ago, and will again come into her spiritual heritage, for nothing can prevent it." [13]
"The Divine Plan for the future of North America is a condition of intense activity in the greatest peace, beauty, success, prosperity, spiritual illumination, and dominion. She is to carry the Christ Light and be the Guide for the rest of the Earth, because America is to be the Heart Center of the 'Golden Age' that is now dimly touching our horizon. The greater portion of the land of North America will stand for a very long time." [13]
The Aquarian Church[edit]
The Aquarian Christine Church Universal, Inc. (ACCU) is a denomination founded in 2006 based on The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ transcribed from the Akashic Records by Levi H. Dowling. The Aquarian Christine Church actively promotes Ascended Master Teachings and shares many beliefs in common with the I AM Movement, White Eagle Lodge and New Thought and Theosophical groups. The book "Initiations of the Aquarian Masters: The Theosophy of the Aquarian Gospel" by ACCU founder Rev. Dr. Jacob L. Watson, expounds on the church's teachings which draw heavily from the writings of A.D.K. Luk, the Saint Germain Series published Saint Germain Press (The Saint Germain Foundation), and especially from "The Lost Years of Jesus" compiled by Elizabeth Clare Prophet and published by The Summit Lighthouse.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascended_Master_Teachings
Archangel Zadkiel said:
"In this moment it is being transported by angelic hosts as they carry this giant cathedral to be placed in the etheric plane of earth's atmosphere for the consecration of the violet flame and as another focal point for souls desiring to be free to frequent while their bodies sleep at night. And therefore, the Cathedral of the Violet Flame is placed in the heart of the Rocky Mountains in commemoration of the light of freedom of the Ruler of the Violet Planet, Omri-Tas, who does respond to the calls of men and women who pursue the light of freedom, yet do not know of the violet flame.
"Hail unto the children of light! Hail to the elementals! For they are invited also to enter into the Cathedral of the Violet Flame to be saturated with that light, to be cleared of all of the burdens of the planes of mankind's consciousness...
"The focuses of light in this Cathedral are the jewels of the amethyst and violet crystals of many varieties that also hold the action of the violet flame. And these crystals are not native to Terra but come from the Violet Planet as specimens of that which coalesces there as the crystallization of the Christ mind...
"Remember To Enter The Violet Flame Cathedral.
"You will find violet flame angels tending there, tending the flame of sacred fire, and you will also find on the altar, the central altar, a focus of jade, the gift of the Angel Deva of the Jade Temple, placed there as the offering of healing for those who come to have their substance transmuted—a focus of jade, healing jade, for the removal of the cause and core of that sin and that struggle that produce disease in mind, in souls, in bodies.
"And you will see also certain angels, twelve in number, who come from the Temple of the Angel Deva. You will also see an arc of light from that temple in China to the temple in North America. And if you are fortunate in the flame of living Truth, you may also find the Angel Deva standing there also officiating at the altar with the violet-flame angels.
"So I have come in the midst of the judgment to tell you of this gift of the priests and priestesses of the sacred fire. So make your way to the Cathedral of the Violet Flame and be blessed as you carry that flame north and south and east and west."1
Call to Give Violet Flame at the Cathedral of the Violet Flame Retreat
In the name of the Christ, my own Real Self, I call to the heart of the I AM Presence and to the angel of the Presence, to Archangel Michael and Archangel Zadkiel and your legions of light to take me in my soul and in my soul consciousness to the Cathedral of the Violet Flame, that I may join the heavenly hosts and elementals in invoking the violet flame for the freeing of elementals and mankind from the burdens of mankind's karma. And I ask that all information necessary to the fulfillment of my divine plan be released to my outer waking consciousness as it is required. I thank thee and I accept this done in the full power of the risen Christ.
Spiritual Books on the Saint Germain & the Violet Flame:
Books by Mark and Elizabeth Clare Prophet on the Great Divine Director, Saint Germain, and the Violet Flame. Spiritual books showing how to work with the violet flame to clear the obstacles to your divine plan for effect personal change and world spiritual transformation:
Saint Germain on Alchemy: Formulas for Self-Transformation
The Soulless One: Cloning a Counterfeit Creation by the Great Divine Director
Saint Germain: Master Alchemist
Violet Flame to Heal Body, Mind and Soul
Alchemy of the Heart: How to Give and Receive More Love
The Masters and their Retreats
Lords of the Seven Rays: Mirror of Consciousness
The Chela and the Path: Keys to Soul Mastery in the Aquarian Age by El Morya
www.ascendedmastersspiritualretreats.org/ascended-master-...
Saint Germain's Spiritual Retreat, Chohan of the 7th Ray
Saint Germain's Cave of Symbols retreat is in Table Mountain near North America's Rocky Mountains. This is an important focus, and many inventions are to be released from this retreat. Saint Germain uses this retreat along with the Rakoczy Mansion in Transylvania, the Cave of Light in the Himalayas and the nearby Royal Teton Retreat in the Grand Teton range.
Interior of the Cave of Symbols
One enters through a cavern in the mountain lined with pink and white crystal and then moves on into a vaulted chamber two hundred feet wide covered with stalactites of rainbow hue in the formation of occult symbols. As focuses of the rainbow rays of God and geometric keys to the release of fohat, the energy that blazes through these symbols extends throughout the United States. This energy has a most significant influence upon her people, keying into their consciousness the matrix of the golden age and the remembrance of their lost inheritance. The cave derives its name from these symbols.
Ascended master Saint Germain, violet flame alchemist. On the opposite wall, at the far side of the chamber, there are three arches, spaced twenty feet apart: the first a deep rose, the second a penetrating white and the third a cobalt blue. These are the focuses of great cosmic beings for the victory of the Christ consciousness in America.
Accompanied by the ascended master Saint Germain, who raises his hand toward the center archway, we gain entrance to a tunnel that opens at his command. After several hundred feet, he shows us through a door on which there are more ancient symbols into a twelve-sided, domed room sixty feet in diameter. Immediately we notice that four of the twelve sides are a brilliant white (focusing the purity of the Christ consciousness in the four elements and the four lower bodies of the planet). The remainder are the pastel hues of the rays.
Cave of Symbols: Home to Many Inventions
In this room we are shown the fantastic radio invented by the ascended lady master Leonora, by which one can communicate with other planets in this solar system, with the center of the earth, or with any point on the surface of the earth. There are chemical and electrical laboratories where scientists are perfecting formulas and inventions they have been permitted to take from the hermetically-sealed cities at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. These cities have been protected since the sinking of Atlantis. These discoveries will be brought forth for mankind's use in the golden age, just as soon as man has learned to harness greed, selfishness and the desire to control others through war and dishonest financial policies.
When the Sons of God are once again in control of the great nations of the world, the ascended masters will step forth with a tremendous wealth of information that has been guarded in their retreats for ages. Unascended scientists come here in their finer bodies while asleep or between embodiments.
Opportunity to Spiritually Travel to Saint Germain's Retreat
Students of the light can also ask to be taken to Saint Germain's Cave of Symbols. Saint Germain is training a large cadre of souls devoted to the Christ and to the science of the Christ, who at the proper time will have lowered into the outer consciousness all that they have learned in this and other retreats of the Great White Brotherhood.
The Golden Atomic Accelerator Chair
There is an "atomic accelerator"—a golden chair through which are passed electronic currents that quicken the vibratory pattern of the atoms and electrons within the four lower bodies. Initiates of the Brotherhood who have proven their merit by service and devotion to the light and who have already balanced a considerable amount of their karma are allowed to sit in this chair for a length of time prescribed by the master Saint Germain and the Lords of Karma. By accelerating the light frequency in the four lower bodies, a portion of one's karma is balanced and a portion of one's misqualified substance is thrown off by the centrifugal action produced by the revolving electrons and transmuted by the sacred fire.
Thus, the individual's four lower bodies can be accelerated in ascension currents and the soul raised into the ascension. Under the sponsorship of Saint Germain, many lifestreams have ascended from this room.
Entering Further into the Retreat
Entering an elevator, we descend a hundred feet into the heart of the mountain, emerging in a circular room having a diameter of twenty feet. We are led through a door into a huge hall equipped with furnaces and machines for the production of materials used in the experimental work carried on in the chemical and electrical laboratories in the upper level of the retreat.
Returning to the upper level, we are shown a reception hall with a domed ceiling, adjoining sleeping quarters, and an audience hall also with a domed ceiling of sky blue with painted clouds, giving the impression of being in the open air. Here there is a magnificent organ and piano that is used by the masters to focus the harmonizing currents of the music of the spheres on behalf of the freedom of sons and daughters of God on earth.
The Cosmic Mirror
The Cosmic Mirror in the Cave of Symbols. The Cosmic Mirror is on the east wall of the Crystal Chamber. When the disciple has reached a certain degree of attainment, he is taken by the master before the Cosmic Mirror, which keys into his etheric body and reflects his past lives, including the cause and effect upon his world of every thought, feeling, word and deed he has ever manifested. The Cosmic Mirror also reflects the original blueprint of his divine plan that is placed upon the etheric body when the soul is born in the heart of God.
In viewing his past lives, the disciple then may learn what portion of the divine plan he has outpictured. He may see what conditions in his world must be corrected and what good momentums he has developed that he can now use to overcome the difficulties of the past and the present and thus fulfill his divine plan in the very near future.
The Sphere of Light
At the far end of the audience hall, through a concealed door, one enters the Sphere of Light, a spherical-shaped room where the focus of the sacred fire is used to intensify the expansion of the light within those who are permitted to enter there. The function of this room correlates with the action of the light in the Cave of Light in the charge of the Great Divine Director in India.
Together with the Atomic Accelerator, these focuses serve to bring the disciples of the masters closer to their ascension and to provide them with the assistance to accelerate the process that could not be achieved in the outer world.
It is a very real and enlivening experience to stand before the Cosmic Mirror in this retreat. The disciple needs to be ready to look through the illusions, the fantasies and the synthetic self. He must be able to own up to the deceits that the ego continually practices against itself. It is not possible to hide anything from God.
The sincere student who would like to get rid of these illusions may call to Saint Germain to be taken to stand before the Cosmic Mirror.
Violet Flame Call by Saint Germain
Violet flame alchemy for spiritual transformationThis violet flame mantra for the Aquarian age is for accelerating personal and planetary spiritual transmutation of past errors in thought, feeling and action.
I AM a being of violet fire,
I AM the purity God desires.
Call to be Taken to Saint Germain's Violet Flame Retreat.
In the name of the Christ, my own Real Self, I call to the heart of the I AM Presence and to the angel of the Presence to take me in my soul and in my soul consciousness to the Cave of Symbols retreat of Saint Germain. I ask that I be saturated with the violet flame focused there and be taught the mastery of the ritual of the atom for the Aquarian age. And I ask that all information necessary to the fulfillment of my divine plan be released to my outer waking consciousness as it is required. I thank thee and I accept this done in the full power of the risen Christ.
Ascended Master Retreats of the Chohans
Fourteen-Day Cycles at the Universities of the Spirit Chart (PDF)
El Morya and the Temple of Good Will near Darjeeling India
Lord Lanto and the Royal Teton Retreat in Wyoming
Paul the Venetian Le Château De Liberté In Southern France
Serapis Bey and the Ascension Temple and Retreat at Luxor
Hilarion and the Temple of Truth over Crete
Lady Master Nada and the Arabian Retreat
Saint Germain and the Cave of Symbols in the Rocky Mountains
Maha Chohan and the Temple of Comfort over Sri Lanka
Summit Lighthouse Books on the Chohans of the Rays
The Book of Apocalypse explained. Like the captain of the Host of the Lord, I invite you to stand up in honor of your Powerful Presence I AM, because I release upon you the power of the sword of the Spirit and I will increasing its power, according to the measure which you are able to receive it! Holding this sword, that my mentor give me long time ago, I direct its power to consume the cause and nucleus of all the negative conditions that can be upon you or in your interior! wields the flaming sword and direct its omniconsuming fire to the insane areas of your subconscious and unconscious minds. My Friends, adverse conditions like those that you have allowed to poison the organs of your physical body, affects also the astral body, the mental and also the etheric body, dimming the mind and preventing that you assume the divine control on your conscious mind! Therefore, I hold my sword of the Spirit and I let that it traverse you! I traverse you! I traverse you with the power of First Ray of the Sacred Will of God! With my sword I extirpate any precancerous conditions in your four lower bodies, from the etheric body to the mental, from the body of desires where its tentacles reaches the physical body and strangle the body as well your soul. Therefore, if you want to save yourself and save others, Call me, and with my sword of blue flame I will extirpate those conditions inside you and your beloveds, close or far to you.
www.ascendedmastersspiritualretreats.org/chohan-retreats/...
THIS idea of the group-soul seems to many students novel and difficult; perhaps an Oriental simile may help us to understand it more readily. They tell us that the group-soul is like the water in a bucket, while if we suppose a tumbler full of water withdrawn from that bucket, we shall have a representation of the soul of the single animal. The water in the glass is for the time quite separate from that in the bucket, and it takes the form of the glass which contains it. Suppose that we put into that glass a certain amount of color-ing matter, so that the water in it acquires a distinctive hue of its own; that coloring matter will represent the qualities developed in the temporarily separated soul by the various experiences through which it passes.
The death of the animal will be typified by pouring back the water from the glass into the bucket, when the coloring matter will at once spread through the whole of the water, tinting it faintly. In exactly the same way, whatever qualities have been developed during the life of the separated animal will be distri-buted through the whole group-soul after his death.
It would be impossible to take again out of the bucket the same glass of water, but every glassful taken out afterwards will necessarily be colored by the matter brought in from that first glass. If it were possible to take out of the bucket exactly the same molecules of water, to reproduce the first glassful exactly, that would be a veritable reincarnation; but since that is not possible, we have instead the re-absorption of the tem-porary soul into the group-soul - a process in which, nevertheless, everything that has been gained by the temporary separation is carefully preserved.
Not one glass at a time only, but many glasses simultaneously, are filled from each bucket; and each one of them brings back to the group-soul its own quota of evolved quality. Thus in time many different qualities are developed within each group-soul, and of course manifest themselves as inherent in every animal which is an expression of it. Hence came the definite instincts with which certain creatures are born. The duckling, the moment it is set free from the egg, seeks the water and can swim fearlessly, even though it may have been hatched by a hen which dreads water, and is terribly worried to find her charges rushing to what she supposes to, be destruction. But that fragment of a group-soul which is functioning through the duckling knows perfectly well from previous experience that the water is its natural element, and the tiny body fear-lessly carries out its behests.
All the while within each group-soul the tendency to further and further subdivision is steadily working. It manifests itself in a phenomenon, which, though upon a higher plane, has a curious resemblance to the way in which a cell divides. In the group-soul, which may be thought of as vividly animating a great mass of matter on the mental plane, a kind of scarcely per-ceptible film appears, as we might suppose a sort of barrier gradually to form itself across the bucket. The water at first filters through this barrier to some extent, but nevertheless the glasses of water taken out from one side of that barrier are always returned to the same side, so that by degrees the water on one side becomes differentiated from the water on the other, and then the barrier gradually densifies and becomes impene-trable, so that we have eventually two buckets instead of one.
This process is constantly repeated, until by the time that we reach the really higher animals a com-paratively small number of bodies is attached to each group-soul. It is found that the individualization which lifts an entity definitely from the animal kingdom into the human, can take place only from certain types of animals. Only among domesticated creatures, and by no means among all classes of even those, does this individualization occur. It must of course be remem-bered that we are very little more than half through the evolution of this chain of worlds, and it is only at the end of this evolution that the animal kingdom is expected to attain humanity. Naturally, therefore, any animal which is now attaining or even approaching individualization must be very remarkably in advance of the others, and the number of such cases is con-sequently very small. Still they do occasionally occur, and they are of extreme interest to us as indicating the manner in which we ourselves came into existence in the remote past. The lunar animal kingdom, out of which we were individualized, was at a somewhat lower level than the animal kingdom of the present day; but the principle adopted seems to have been almost precisely the same.
BEFORE explaining this in detail we must refer once more to Pictured Knight. It will be remembered that the variously black bands which occupy the principal part of this diagram are intended to signify various stages in the upward progress of the monadic essence. In its downward course, which is indicated by the column to the left of the diagram, it simply aggregates round itself the different kinds of matter on the various planes, evolving that matter by accustoming and adapt-ing it to convey vibrations and impressions, and at the same time acquiring for itself the power to receive and respond readily to these impressions at their respective levels. But when it has reached the lowest point of its immersion in matter, and turns to begin the grand upward sweep of evolution towards divinity, its work then is somewhat different. Its object then is to develop its consciousness fully at these various levels, learning to control the bodies which it constructs from them, and to use them definitely as vehicles, so that they shall not only serve as bridges to carry impressions from without to the soul, but shall also enable that soul to express itself on their several planes through their instrumentality.
In this effort it naturally begins with the lowest matter, since its vibrations, though they are the largest and coarsest, are also the least powerful or penetrating, and therefore the easiest to control. Thus it happens that man, although possessing in a more or less latent condition so many higher principles, is yet at first for a long time fully conscious only in his physical body, and afterwards very gradually develops the consciousness in his astral vehicle, while in his mental body it comes at a still later stage.
Turning to picture, we see that we have a separate band or ribbon to represent each of the kingdoms. It will be noticed that in the band corresponding to the mineral kingdom we have the full width developed only in the denser part of the physical plane, and that in the part of the band which corresponds to etheric physical matter the band grows steadily narrower as we approach the higher planes. This of course indi-cates that in the mineral kingdom the control of the soul over the higher part of the etheric matter is not yet perfectly developed. It will be noticed also that there is a small point of red, showing that a certain amount of consciousness is already working through astral matter - that is to say, that a certain amount of desire is already manifesting itself.
It may seem strange to many people to speak of desire in connection with the mineral kingdom; but every chemist knows that in chemical affinity we have already a very distinct manifestation of preference on the part of various elements; and what is that but a commencement of desire? One element has so strong a desire for the company of another that it will instantly forsake, in order to join it, any other substance with which it may happen to be in association. Indeed, it is by means of our knowledge of these likes and dislikes of the various elements that we obtain various gases when we want them. For example, oxygen and hydrogen are combined in water, but if we throw sodium into the water we find that oxygen likes sodium better than hydrogen, and promptly deserts the latter to combine with the former; so we have a compound called sodium hydroxide instead of water, and the released hydrogen escapes. Or if we put zinc filings into diluted hydrochloric acid (which is hydrogen combined with chlorine) we find that the chlorine proceeds to abandon the hydrogen in order to join the zinc, so that zinc chloride remains, while hydrogen is given off and may be collected. So it will be seen that we are justified in speaking of the action of desire in the mineral kingdom.
If we now look at the band which symbolizes the vegetable kingdom we shall see that it is of full width not only in the dense physical, but also in the etheric part. We shall see also that the point typifying desire is more fully developed, betokening a far greater capa-city of utilizing the lower astral matter. Those who have studied botany will be aware that likes and dis-likes (that is to say, forms of desire) are very much more prominent in the vegetable world than in the mineral, and that many plants exhibit a great deal of ingenuity and sagacity in attaining their ends, limited though these ends may be from our point of view.
When we turn to the band representing the animal kingdom we find that consciousness has advanced very much further. It will be noticed that the band is of full width not only through the whole of the physical plane, but in the lowest sub-plane of the astral as well, showing that the animal is capable to the fullest possible extent of experiencing the lower desires, although the rapid narrowing of the band as we reach the higher sub-planes proclaims that his capacity for the higher desires is much more limited. Still it does exist; and so it happens that in exceptional cases he may manifest an exceedingly high quality of affection or devotion
It will be observed also that the band representing the animal kingdom ends in a point of green, signifying that at this stage there is already a development of intelligence, employing mental matter for its manifes-tation. It used at one time to be supposed that reason was the quality which distinguished man from the animals - that he possessed this faculty, while they had only instinct. As regards the higher domestic animals, however, that is certainly a mistake; anyone who has kept a dog or a cat, and made a friend of him will surely have observed that such creatures un-doubtedly do exercise the power of reason from cause to effect, although naturally the lines along which their reason can work are few and limited, and the faculty itself is far less powerful than ours. In the case of the average animal the point is quite correctly shown as embracing only the lowest variety of reason, acting in the matter of the lowest subdivision of the mental plane; but with the highly developed domestic animal the point might readily extend even to the highest of the four lower levels, though, of course, it would remain only a point, and by no means the full width of the band.
Man Visible and Invisible
Examples of Different Types of Men as
Seen by Means of Trained Clairvoyance
C. W. Leadbeater
WITH FRONTISPIECE, THREE DIAGRAMS,
AND TWENTY-TWO COLOURED ILLUSTRATIONS
THE THEOSOPHICAL PUBLISHING HOUSE
Adyar, Madras 600 020, India
Wheaton Ill., USA. London, England
First Edition 1902
Second Edition: revised and enlarged
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In Italy, in the first three decades of the nineteenth century, cholera began to penetrate into Europe, the states involved in commercial traffic (such as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies) established tight maritime health checks, placing great importance on the days of quarantine for all those boats that came from the infected areas (in this case the measures taken were those already tested at the time of the black plague), but it was not always so ... in fact other States like Genoa, Livorno and Venice, to avoid repercussions on the trade ... they avoided to adopt these measures giving weight to the "anti-contagion theories" (they accused the unhealthy air, the dirt, the bad diet, rather than giving importance to the contact): only in 1882 the vibrio of the cholera will be individualized by Robert Koch, the science up to at that time it was divided between "those who gave credit to the contagion" and "those who gave credit to environmental conditions", and also the Church gave its indications, invoking "hygiene of the soul", supporting the need to avoid debauchery, including food and sexual excesses. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1837 was affected by popular revolts carried out against the Bourbons, accused of having commissioned the "infectors" to kill the people. We are in 1854, in the city of Messina a devastating cholera epidemic breaks out, in just two months cholera leads to the death of about 30,000 people, the town of Castroreale not far away, seems to be immune from this disaster, until two of its fellow citizens, husband and wife, return to Castroreale from Messina, the lady shows the cholera symptoms very seriously ... the country is terrified fearing the spread of the contagion to the whole community: which Saint to vote themself then? To Saint Rosalia who had freed Palermo from the plague? To Saint Sebastiano protector from epidemics? In Castroreale it was thought to immediately ask for help to the Holy Crucifix (in the odor of being miraculous) whose life-size Christ, papier-mâché made by anonymous, was thus fixed on top of a 12-meter long pole, thus obtaining two advantages when carried in procession, the sick kept in quarantine on the highest floors of the houses, could have enjoyed the direct vision of Christ through the windows, but at the same time the religious could stay at a safe distance (!). The story goes that the lady suddenly recovered, Castroreale had no case of cholera: since then, on August 25th, the day of the miracle, the Holy Crucifix is celebrated (also called the feast of the Christ Long, in the dialect, feast of Cristu Longu or Signuri Longu). The pole on which the Christ is hoisted, presents at regular distances pins driven into the wood, to avoid the sliding of the long "perches with hairpins", with which the "hairpin masters" support the very high Crucifix during the procession that proceeds along the streets of the town, and to allow its lowering and raising through the entrance of the two churches (the Mother Church and the church of Saint Agatha) in which it is carried.
Small note in closing: in the Mother Church is the Chapel of the Assumption where the statuary complex of the Virgin Mary Assumed (1848) is located, whose author is Matteo Mancuso from Messina, to whom a son died while working on the statue, so he personified his son in the little angel with his eyes closed at the feet of the Virgin Mary; at the foot of the statue there is the statuette of the seventeenth century of baby Virgin Mary, which is carried in procession on 8th September by children receiving first communion.
Ezio Famà
---------------------------------------------------------------
In Italia, nelle prime tre decadi dell’ottocento, il colera iniziò a penetrare in Europa, gli Stati interessati dai traffici commerciali (come il Regno delle Due Sicilie) istituirono dei serrati controlli sanitari marittimi, ponendo grande importanza ai giorni di quarantena per tutte quelle imbarcazioni che provenivano dalle zone infette (in questo caso i provvedimenti presi erano quelli già sperimentati ai tempi della peste nera), ma non sempre fu così…infatti altri Stati come Genova, Livorno e Venezia, per evitare ripercussioni sui commerci…evitarono di adottare tali provvedimenti dando peso alle “teorie anticontagioniste” (esse accusavano l’aria malsana, la sporcizia, la cattiva alimentazione, piuttosto che dare importanza al contatto): solo nel 1882 il vibrione colerico verrà individuato da Robert Koch, la scienza fino ad allora era divisa tra “contagionisti” ed “epidemiologi”, ed anche la Chiesa ci metteva del suo, invocando “l’igiene dell’anima”, sostenendo la necessità di evitare gli stravizi, inclusi gli eccessi alimentari e sessuali. Il Regno delle Due Sicilie nel 1837 fu interessato da rivolte popolari attuate contro i Borboni, accusati di aver incaricato gli “untori” di uccidere il popolo. Siamo nel 1854, nella città di Messina scoppia una devastante epidemia di colera, in soli due mesi il colera porta a morte circa 30.000 persone, la cittadina di Castroreale non molto distante, sembra essere immune da tale iattura, fino a quando due suoi concittadini, marito e moglie ritornano al paese provenienti da Messina, la signora mostra in forma gravissima i sintomi colerici…il paese è terrorizzato temendo il propagarsi del contagio a tutta la comunità: a quale Santo votarsi dunque? A Santa Rosalia che aveva liberato Palermo dalla Peste? A San Sebastiano protettore dalle epidemie? A Castroreale si pensò di chiedere subito aiuto al Santissimo Crocifisso (in odore di essere miracoloso) il cui Cristo, in grandezza naturale, realizzato da anonimo in cartapesta, venne così fissato in cima ad un palo lungo 12 metri, ottenendo così due vantaggi quando portato in processione, i malati tenuti in quarantena nei piani più alti delle abitazioni, avrebbero potuto godere della visione diretta del Cristo attraverso le finestre, ma al contempo i religiosi potevano mantenersi a debita distanza (!). La storia racconta che la signora improvvisamente guarì, Castroreale non ebbe nessun caso di colera: da allora, il 25 di Agosto, il giorno del miracolo, si festeggia il Santissimo Crocifisso (detta anche festa del Cristo Lungo, in dialetto, del Cristu Longu o Signuri Longu). Il palo sul quale viene issato il Cristo, presenta a distanze regolari dei perni infissi nel legno, per evitare lo scivolamento delle lunghe “pertiche con forcine” , con le quali i “maestri di forcina” sostengono l’altissimo Crocifisso durante la processione che procede lungo le strade della cittadina, ma anche per consentirne l’abbassamento e l’innalzamento attraverso l’ingresso delle due chiese nelle quali viene portato (la Chiesa Madre e la chiesa di Sant’Agata).
Piccola nota in chiusura: nella Chiesa Madre si trova la Cappella dell’Assunzione ove è sito il complesso statuario della Madonna Assunta (1848), il cui autore è il messinese Matteo Mancuso, al quale, durante la lavorazione della statua, morì un figlio che egli impersonò nell’angioletto con gli occhi chiusi ai piedi della Madonna; in basso sotto la statua si trova la statuetta del seicento di Maria Bambina, che viene portata in processione l’otto settembre dai bambini che ricevono la prima comunione.
Ezio Famà
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click to activate the icon of slideshow: the small triangle inscribed in the small rectangle, at the top right, in the photostream;
clicca sulla piccola icona per attivare lo slideshow: sulla facciata principale del photostream, in alto a destra c'è un piccolo rettangolo (rappresenta il monitor) con dentro un piccolo triangolo nero;
Qi Bo's photos on Flickr Hive Mind
www.worldphoto.org/sony-world-photography-awards/winners-...
www.fotografidigitali.it/gallery/2726/opere-italiane-segn...
-------------------------------------------------------------------
In Italy, in the first three decades of the nineteenth century, cholera began to penetrate into Europe, the states involved in commercial traffic (such as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies) established tight maritime health checks, placing great importance on the days of quarantine for all those boats that came from the infected areas (in this case the measures taken were those already tested at the time of the black plague), but it was not always so ... in fact other States like Genoa, Livorno and Venice, to avoid repercussions on the trade ... they avoided to adopt these measures giving weight to the "anti-contagion theories" (they accused the unhealthy air, the dirt, the bad diet, rather than giving importance to the contact): only in 1882 the vibrio of the cholera will be individualized by Robert Koch, the science up to at that time it was divided between "those who gave credit to the contagion" and "those who gave credit to environmental conditions", and also the Church gave its indications, invoking "hygiene of the soul", supporting the need to avoid debauchery, including food and sexual excesses. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1837 was affected by popular revolts carried out against the Bourbons, accused of having commissioned the "infectors" to kill the people. We are in 1854, in the city of Messina a devastating cholera epidemic breaks out, in just two months cholera leads to the death of about 30,000 people, the town of Castroreale not far away, seems to be immune from this disaster, until two of its fellow citizens, husband and wife, return to Castroreale from Messina, the lady shows the cholera symptoms very seriously ... the country is terrified fearing the spread of the contagion to the whole community: which Saint to vote themself then? To Saint Rosalia who had freed Palermo from the plague? To Saint Sebastiano protector from epidemics? In Castroreale it was thought to immediately ask for help to the Holy Crucifix (in the odor of being miraculous) whose life-size Christ, papier-mâché made by anonymous, was thus fixed on top of a 12-meter long pole, thus obtaining two advantages when carried in procession, the sick kept in quarantine on the highest floors of the houses, could have enjoyed the direct vision of Christ through the windows, but at the same time the religious could stay at a safe distance (!). The story goes that the lady suddenly recovered, Castroreale had no case of cholera: since then, on August 25th, the day of the miracle, the Holy Crucifix is celebrated (also called the feast of the Christ Long, in the dialect, feast of Cristu Longu or Signuri Longu). The pole on which the Christ is hoisted, presents at regular distances pins driven into the wood, to avoid the sliding of the long "perches with hairpins", with which the "hairpin masters" support the very high Crucifix during the procession that proceeds along the streets of the town, and to allow its lowering and raising through the entrance of the two churches (the Mother Church and the church of Saint Agatha) in which it is carried.
Small note in closing: in the Mother Church is the Chapel of the Assumption where the statuary complex of the Virgin Mary Assumed (1848) is located, whose author is Matteo Mancuso from Messina, to whom a son died while working on the statue, so he personified his son in the little angel with his eyes closed at the feet of the Virgin Mary; at the foot of the statue there is the statuette of the seventeenth century of baby Virgin Mary, which is carried in procession on 8th September by children receiving first communion.
Ezio Famà
---------------------------------------------------------------
In Italia, nelle prime tre decadi dell’ottocento, il colera iniziò a penetrare in Europa, gli Stati interessati dai traffici commerciali (come il Regno delle Due Sicilie) istituirono dei serrati controlli sanitari marittimi, ponendo grande importanza ai giorni di quarantena per tutte quelle imbarcazioni che provenivano dalle zone infette (in questo caso i provvedimenti presi erano quelli già sperimentati ai tempi della peste nera), ma non sempre fu così…infatti altri Stati come Genova, Livorno e Venezia, per evitare ripercussioni sui commerci…evitarono di adottare tali provvedimenti dando peso alle “teorie anticontagioniste” (esse accusavano l’aria malsana, la sporcizia, la cattiva alimentazione, piuttosto che dare importanza al contatto): solo nel 1882 il vibrione colerico verrà individuato da Robert Koch, la scienza fino ad allora era divisa tra “contagionisti” ed “epidemiologi”, ed anche la Chiesa ci metteva del suo, invocando “l’igiene dell’anima”, sostenendo la necessità di evitare gli stravizi, inclusi gli eccessi alimentari e sessuali. Il Regno delle Due Sicilie nel 1837 fu interessato da rivolte popolari attuate contro i Borboni, accusati di aver incaricato gli “untori” di uccidere il popolo. Siamo nel 1854, nella città di Messina scoppia una devastante epidemia di colera, in soli due mesi il colera porta a morte circa 30.000 persone, la cittadina di Castroreale non molto distante, sembra essere immune da tale iattura, fino a quando due suoi concittadini, marito e moglie ritornano al paese provenienti da Messina, la signora mostra in forma gravissima i sintomi colerici…il paese è terrorizzato temendo il propagarsi del contagio a tutta la comunità: a quale Santo votarsi dunque? A Santa Rosalia che aveva liberato Palermo dalla Peste? A San Sebastiano protettore dalle epidemie? A Castroreale si pensò di chiedere subito aiuto al Santissimo Crocifisso (in odore di essere miracoloso) il cui Cristo, in grandezza naturale, realizzato da anonimo in cartapesta, venne così fissato in cima ad un palo lungo 12 metri, ottenendo così due vantaggi quando portato in processione, i malati tenuti in quarantena nei piani più alti delle abitazioni, avrebbero potuto godere della visione diretta del Cristo attraverso le finestre, ma al contempo i religiosi potevano mantenersi a debita distanza (!). La storia racconta che la signora improvvisamente guarì, Castroreale non ebbe nessun caso di colera: da allora, il 25 di Agosto, il giorno del miracolo, si festeggia il Santissimo Crocifisso (detta anche festa del Cristo Lungo, in dialetto, del Cristu Longu o Signuri Longu). Il palo sul quale viene issato il Cristo, presenta a distanze regolari dei perni infissi nel legno, per evitare lo scivolamento delle lunghe “pertiche con forcine” , con le quali i “maestri di forcina” sostengono l’altissimo Crocifisso durante la processione che procede lungo le strade della cittadina, ma anche per consentirne l’abbassamento e l’innalzamento attraverso l’ingresso delle due chiese nelle quali viene portato (la Chiesa Madre e la chiesa di Sant’Agata).
Piccola nota in chiusura: nella Chiesa Madre si trova la Cappella dell’Assunzione ove è sito il complesso statuario della Madonna Assunta (1848), il cui autore è il messinese Matteo Mancuso, al quale, durante la lavorazione della statua, morì un figlio che egli impersonò nell’angioletto con gli occhi chiusi ai piedi della Madonna; in basso sotto la statua si trova la statuetta del seicento di Maria Bambina, che viene portata in processione l’otto settembre dai bambini che ricevono la prima comunione.
Ezio Famà
Here are some tips on how to eat to preserve your memory and keep your brain healthy.
Key Points
Limiting candy in your diet may support brain health, as high added sugar intake could increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
A brain-healthy lifestyle includes regular exercise, managing chronic diseases, staying socially engaged and following diets like the MIND diet.
Making mindful dietary and lifestyle choices can enhance cognitive health and overall well-being over time.
More than 55 million people have dementia worldwide, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common form, contributing to 60% to 70% of dementia cases. Having Alzheimer’s disease means living with a progressive disorder that causes brain cells to degenerate and die, leading to a continuous decline in memory, thinking skills and the ability to perform everyday tasks. Sadly, as the disease progresses, even basic activities and communication become challenging.
Several factors influence the risk of developing dementia, with some being completely beyond your control. Aging is the most significant risk factor, as individuals over the age of 65 are more susceptible. Genetics also play a crucial role, with specific genetic mutations directly linked to Alzheimer’s disease. However, along with unchangeable factors, certain lifestyle choices can help lower the risk of cognitive decline, with diet being a pivotal piece of the puzzle. “Some of the best foods for brain health are antioxidant-rich wild blueberries, salad greens for B vitamins, salmon for its anti-inflammatory fatty acids, fiber-rich black beans, and walnuts, the best source of plant-based omega-3 ALA among nuts,” says Maggie Moon, M.S., RD. There are some foods you should avoid when focusing on brain health support too, with candy being the #1 food on that list.
Why You Should Limit Candy for Brain Health
Taking steps to reduce dementia risk is one positive step for brain health. While there isn’t one food that will cause dementia, high-added-sugar candy tops the list of foods that should be limited on a brain-healthy diet.
“Candies are not your brain’s friend,” Moon says. She points to a study that found that eating too much added sugar more than doubled the risk for dementia. “That includes added sugar from candies, as well as other sweets like pastries, sweetened café drinks and sodas,” she says. Researchers think that high blood sugar and insulin levels are risk factors for Alzheimer’s because insulin resistance may also occur in the brain, which may impact memory.
Never Miss What's New. Follow EatingWell.
Of course, everything can be eaten in moderation in a healthy, balanced eating plan. “While fine once in a while, research has found that a diet that is consistently high in added sugar may increase the amyloid plaque buildup in the brain,” says Laura M. Ali, M.S., RDN. "These plaques disrupt the communication system in our brain, and scientists have found that people with Alzheimer’s disease tend to have more of these plaques.”
In fact, says Ali, one study found that every 10 grams of added sugar consumed per day (equivalent to 2½ teaspoons of sugar or 8 gummy candies) was associated with a 1.3% to 1.4% increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Those with the highest daily added sugar intake had 19% higher odds of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Don't Miss
The #1 Habit to Start Now to Reduce Your Dementia Risk
Other Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Dementia
Limiting sweetened candy doesn't guarantee that you won't get dementia, but it is a positive step forward. Along with limiting added sugar in your diet, here are some other ways to reduce your dementia risk:
Exercise by participating in both aerobic activity and resistance exercise.
If you smoke cigarettes, take the first steps to quit.
Limit alcohol intake. If you regularly drink alcohol, try to do so in moderation. Excessive drinking is linked to cognitive decline. Moderate drinking means two drinks or less in a day for men and one drink or less in a day for women.
Stay socially engaged. Maintaining social connections builds your cognitive reserve to maintain good brain function with age.
If you have chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, make sure you’re managing these well. Stiffness in arteries and blood vessels can damage the brain. If you need help or individualized advice, reach out to a healthcare professional.
Include brain-healthy foods in your diet. The MIND diet emphasizes foods like whole grains, nuts, berries, vegetables and olive oil, which research shows may help support brain health. “The brain-healthy MIND diet limits foods high in saturated fats and added sugars because both are linked to oxidative stress, inflammation and the brain plaques and tangles associated with Alzheimer’s disease,” says Moon. She clarifies that this diet limits—but does not eliminate—fried foods, pastries and sweets, red meat, whole-fat cheese and butter.
Our Expert Take
Nothing will guarantee that you will live a life free from dementia. But certain steps may help reduce your risk, with your dietary choices being one factor. And along with eating brain-healthy foods, limiting your candy intake can help keep you cognitively sharp. Enjoying a small handful of candy corn on Halloween or conversation hearts on Valentine’s Day won’t “cause” dementia. “It’s important to remember that no single food eaten once, or even once in a while, is going to make or break your brain health,” Moon adds.
8 Sources:
World Health Organization. Dementia.
Alzheimer’s Association. What is Alzheimer’s Disease?
National Institute on Aging. Thinking about your risk for Alzheimer’s Disease? Five questions to consider.
Dhana K, James BD, Agarwal P, Aggarwal NT, et al. MIND Diet, Common Brain Pathologies, and Cognition in Community-Dwelling Older Adults. J Alzheimers Dis.;83(2):683-692. doi: 10.3233/JAD-210107.
Agarwal P, Ford CN, Leurgans SE, Beck T, Desai P, Dhana K, Evans DA, Halloway S, Holland TM, Krueger KR, Liu X, Rajan KB, Bennett DA. Dietary sugar intake associated with a higher risk of dementia in community-dwelling older adults. J Alzheimers Dis. 2023;95(4):1417-1425. doi:10.3233/JAD-230013
Liu L, Volpe SL, Ross JA, Grimm JA, Van Bockstaele EJ, Eisen HJ. Dietary sugar intake and risk of Alzheimer's disease in older women. Nutr Neurosci. 2022 Nov;25(11):2302-2313. doi:10.1080/1028415X.2021.1959099
Alzheimer’s Association. Risk reduction.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dietary guidelines for alcohol.
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click to activate the icon of slideshow: the small triangle inscribed in the small rectangle, at the top right, in the photostream;
clicca sulla piccola icona per attivare lo slideshow: sulla facciata principale del photostream, in alto a destra c'è un piccolo rettangolo (rappresenta il monitor) con dentro un piccolo triangolo nero;
Qi Bo's photos on Flickr Hive Mind
www.worldphoto.org/sony-world-photography-awards/winners-...
www.fotografidigitali.it/gallery/2726/opere-italiane-segn...
-------------------------------------------------------------------
In Italy, in the first three decades of the nineteenth century, cholera began to penetrate into Europe, the states involved in commercial traffic (such as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies) established tight maritime health checks, placing great importance on the days of quarantine for all those boats that came from the infected areas (in this case the measures taken were those already tested at the time of the black plague), but it was not always so ... in fact other States like Genoa, Livorno and Venice, to avoid repercussions on the trade ... they avoided to adopt these measures giving weight to the "anti-contagion theories" (they accused the unhealthy air, the dirt, the bad diet, rather than giving importance to the contact): only in 1882 the vibrio of the cholera will be individualized by Robert Koch, the science up to at that time it was divided between "those who gave credit to the contagion" and "those who gave credit to environmental conditions", and also the Church gave its indications, invoking "hygiene of the soul", supporting the need to avoid debauchery, including food and sexual excesses. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1837 was affected by popular revolts carried out against the Bourbons, accused of having commissioned the "infectors" to kill the people. We are in 1854, in the city of Messina a devastating cholera epidemic breaks out, in just two months cholera leads to the death of about 30,000 people, the town of Castroreale not far away, seems to be immune from this disaster, until two of its fellow citizens, husband and wife, return to Castroreale from Messina, the lady shows the cholera symptoms very seriously ... the country is terrified fearing the spread of the contagion to the whole community: which Saint to vote themself then? To Saint Rosalia who had freed Palermo from the plague? To Saint Sebastiano protector from epidemics? In Castroreale it was thought to immediately ask for help to the Holy Crucifix (in the odor of being miraculous) whose life-size Christ, papier-mâché made by anonymous, was thus fixed on top of a 12-meter long pole, thus obtaining two advantages when carried in procession, the sick kept in quarantine on the highest floors of the houses, could have enjoyed the direct vision of Christ through the windows, but at the same time the religious could stay at a safe distance (!). The story goes that the lady suddenly recovered, Castroreale had no case of cholera: since then, on August 25th, the day of the miracle, the Holy Crucifix is celebrated (also called the feast of the Christ Long, in the dialect, feast of Cristu Longu or Signuri Longu). The pole on which the Christ is hoisted, presents at regular distances pins driven into the wood, to avoid the sliding of the long "perches with hairpins", with which the "hairpin masters" support the very high Crucifix during the procession that proceeds along the streets of the town, and to allow its lowering and raising through the entrance of the two churches (the Mother Church and the church of Saint Agatha) in which it is carried.
Small note in closing: in the Mother Church is the Chapel of the Assumption where the statuary complex of the Virgin Mary Assumed (1848) is located, whose author is Matteo Mancuso from Messina, to whom a son died while working on the statue, so he personified his son in the little angel with his eyes closed at the feet of the Virgin Mary; at the foot of the statue there is the statuette of the seventeenth century of baby Virgin Mary, which is carried in procession on 8th September by children receiving first communion.
Ezio Famà
---------------------------------------------------------------
In Italia, nelle prime tre decadi dell’ottocento, il colera iniziò a penetrare in Europa, gli Stati interessati dai traffici commerciali (come il Regno delle Due Sicilie) istituirono dei serrati controlli sanitari marittimi, ponendo grande importanza ai giorni di quarantena per tutte quelle imbarcazioni che provenivano dalle zone infette (in questo caso i provvedimenti presi erano quelli già sperimentati ai tempi della peste nera), ma non sempre fu così…infatti altri Stati come Genova, Livorno e Venezia, per evitare ripercussioni sui commerci…evitarono di adottare tali provvedimenti dando peso alle “teorie anticontagioniste” (esse accusavano l’aria malsana, la sporcizia, la cattiva alimentazione, piuttosto che dare importanza al contatto): solo nel 1882 il vibrione colerico verrà individuato da Robert Koch, la scienza fino ad allora era divisa tra “contagionisti” ed “epidemiologi”, ed anche la Chiesa ci metteva del suo, invocando “l’igiene dell’anima”, sostenendo la necessità di evitare gli stravizi, inclusi gli eccessi alimentari e sessuali. Il Regno delle Due Sicilie nel 1837 fu interessato da rivolte popolari attuate contro i Borboni, accusati di aver incaricato gli “untori” di uccidere il popolo. Siamo nel 1854, nella città di Messina scoppia una devastante epidemia di colera, in soli due mesi il colera porta a morte circa 30.000 persone, la cittadina di Castroreale non molto distante, sembra essere immune da tale iattura, fino a quando due suoi concittadini, marito e moglie ritornano al paese provenienti da Messina, la signora mostra in forma gravissima i sintomi colerici…il paese è terrorizzato temendo il propagarsi del contagio a tutta la comunità: a quale Santo votarsi dunque? A Santa Rosalia che aveva liberato Palermo dalla Peste? A San Sebastiano protettore dalle epidemie? A Castroreale si pensò di chiedere subito aiuto al Santissimo Crocifisso (in odore di essere miracoloso) il cui Cristo, in grandezza naturale, realizzato da anonimo in cartapesta, venne così fissato in cima ad un palo lungo 12 metri, ottenendo così due vantaggi quando portato in processione, i malati tenuti in quarantena nei piani più alti delle abitazioni, avrebbero potuto godere della visione diretta del Cristo attraverso le finestre, ma al contempo i religiosi potevano mantenersi a debita distanza (!). La storia racconta che la signora improvvisamente guarì, Castroreale non ebbe nessun caso di colera: da allora, il 25 di Agosto, il giorno del miracolo, si festeggia il Santissimo Crocifisso (detta anche festa del Cristo Lungo, in dialetto, del Cristu Longu o Signuri Longu). Il palo sul quale viene issato il Cristo, presenta a distanze regolari dei perni infissi nel legno, per evitare lo scivolamento delle lunghe “pertiche con forcine” , con le quali i “maestri di forcina” sostengono l’altissimo Crocifisso durante la processione che procede lungo le strade della cittadina, ma anche per consentirne l’abbassamento e l’innalzamento attraverso l’ingresso delle due chiese nelle quali viene portato (la Chiesa Madre e la chiesa di Sant’Agata).
Piccola nota in chiusura: nella Chiesa Madre si trova la Cappella dell’Assunzione ove è sito il complesso statuario della Madonna Assunta (1848), il cui autore è il messinese Matteo Mancuso, al quale, durante la lavorazione della statua, morì un figlio che egli impersonò nell’angioletto con gli occhi chiusi ai piedi della Madonna; in basso sotto la statua si trova la statuetta del seicento di Maria Bambina, che viene portata in processione l’otto settembre dai bambini che ricevono la prima comunione.
Ezio Famà
The lionskin draped over his arm identifies this youth as the Greek hero Herakles. Although it is now missing, Herakles once held a drinking horn or cup in his outstretched right hand. Greek mythology tells the story of a drinking contest between Herakles and Dionysos, the god of wine, and artists often portrayed the two deities relaxing and drinking. This bronze statuette depicts Herakles in an unusual fashion. Although the figure is very muscular as is fitting for the hero, neither his long, slender build nor the boyish face with small jaw and delicate features is in keeping with the standard image of Herakles. This type of slender Herakles holding a drinking vessel appears sporadically in Hellenistic art. It appears to have originated in Italy in the 200s BCE. For example, the long proportions of this statuette find parallels in those favored in the contemporary sculpture of the Greek colony of Tarentum in South Italy. The unusual and somewhat individualized facial features of this statuette have raised the possibility that it is actually a Hellenistic ruler represented in the guise of Herakles. The peaked diadem elaborated with a lotus leaf may support this interpretation.
Greek (South Italian?), Italy?, ca. 300-200 BCE. Bronze.
Object (With Tang): 19.5 × 5 × 5 cm (7 11/16 × 1 15/16 × 1 15/16 in.)
Object (Without Tang): 17.4 × 5 × 5 cm (6 7/8 × 1 15/16 × 1 15/16 in.)
Getty Villa Museum (96.AB.148)
Netherlands, Rotterdam, Kop van Zuid, Laan op Zuid, Rotterdam Marathon 2013 , Replenisher, Water (uncut).
The zone captured here belongs to the water replenishment station at almost 25 km from the start. The first part of the station is for the pro-runners with individualized services, the second part is for the amateur runners. This one is shot at the latter section. The transfer of the carton with water (with a little white sponge on top of it) needs concentration of both the runner and the volunteers because the runners don’t stop for it.
Various techniques are developed by the replenishers : from just extending the arm and holding it stationary, via moving the arm during the transfer to moving the arm and turning the upper torso with it. But sometimes the transfer fails ;-)
The station is sponsored by our local water company ‘Evides’ and staffed with a hard working crew of replenishment volunteers. Evides, since their modern UV-treatment water purification plant came on line, produces water that tastes as good as bottled mineral water :-)
Check out Melissa Etheridge – Bring me some water for the soundtrack
My thoughts go out to the ones that lost their life and were hurt during the attack on the Boston marathon. And of course to their families and friends too.
GET CASUAL
TwinkieBean steps out in comfort with a twist of runway attitude.
Some off duty looks turn heads because they are loud. Others turn heads because they are effortless. This week, TwinkieBean proves that casual can still be luxe with a relaxed streetwear moment built from two standouts in the SL fashion scene: Blande’s Revised Campus Sweats and the wildly customizable Veltrix Sneakers from Unfolded for Happy Weekend.
BLANDE
Revised Campus Sweats
This set takes the idea of campus comfort and gives it a glow up. The cropped zip sweatshirt hits that perfect blend of cozy softness and on trend attitude, while the relaxed joggers keep the silhouette balanced and easy. The fabric has that lived in, real world warmth everyone loves in a good sweat set, but the fit has been reworked to flatter the avatar without losing its casual identity.
The Revised Campus Sweats come in multiple color and logo variations, so whether you want a classic neutral or a college inspired print, the collection has a vibe for every mood. It is comfort with intention, the kind of loungewear that makes you feel put together even when you are keeping it easy.
And here is the best hidden feature. The sweats include an interactive click to undress option that can remove pieces or detach them completely if the wearer allows. It keeps things playful and creates a little space for sexy fun while still staying true to the relaxed look.
Visit Blande at Velour Mall
VELOUR/86/125/84
Blande on Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/militarybunny/with/27017149299
UNFOLDED
Veltrix Sneakers for Happy Weekend
Check out the Veltrix Sneakers, available in 20 vibrant colors. Each individual color comes with a Texture HUD that lets you customize laces, charms, chains, the plastic lace tag, and even toggle metal accents. They are the kind of sneakers that become a signature because you can make them completely your own.
For those who love options, the FATPACK (50 percent off) includes all 20 base colors plus 7 exclusive bonus shades for a total of 27. The advanced HUD lets you customize twelve different faces of the shoe for a fully individualized look.
The Veltrix Sneakers fit Legacy M, Legacy A, Jake, Legacy F, Reborn, and Maitreya Lara X, making them one of the most inclusive releases of the weekend.
Be sure to try the free demo before purchasing to find your perfect fit.
UNFOLDED MAINSTORE
secondlife/UNFOLDED/
Effortless, elevated, and everyday ready
TwinkieBean combines both pieces with playful accessories, a clean ponytail, and a quiet confidence that makes the entire look feel real and relatable. It is the kind of outfit you can imagine wearing while running errands, meeting friends for coffee, or snapping that perfect street style photo.
Comfort is not the opposite of style. When done right, comfort becomes the style.
Jennie Augusta Brownscombe
American, 1850-1936
The Choir Boys, ca.1895
oil on canvas
Jennie Augusta Brownscombe was born in rural Pennsylvania and later moved to New York to study art at The Cooper Union and subsequently at the National Academy of Design. She was professionally trained and well-travelled, two characteristics of a new generation of female artists at the time who had access to art education. Brownscombe became known for her American genre scenes (scenes of everyday life) that appeared in popular magazines.
In this painting, which was published as an etching, the painter demonstrates her knowledge of European art and architecture. The detailed rendition of the altarpiece and reredos (the ornamental screen behind it) evokes the ornamented European cathedrals with which Brownscombe was familiar. The figures, both the young boys in the choir and the adult members of the clergy appear individualized; the artist emphasizes their facial features, making them relatable to contemporary viewers.
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click to activate the icon of slideshow: the small triangle inscribed in the small rectangle, at the top right, in the photostream;
clicca sulla piccola icona per attivare lo slideshow: sulla facciata principale del photostream, in alto a destra c'è un piccolo rettangolo (rappresenta il monitor) con dentro un piccolo triangolo nero;
Qi Bo's photos on Flickr Hive Mind
www.worldphoto.org/sony-world-photography-awards/winners-...
www.fotografidigitali.it/gallery/2726/opere-italiane-segn...
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In Italy, in the first three decades of the nineteenth century, cholera began to penetrate into Europe, the states involved in commercial traffic (such as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies) established tight maritime health checks, placing great importance on the days of quarantine for all those boats that came from the infected areas (in this case the measures taken were those already tested at the time of the black plague), but it was not always so ... in fact other States like Genoa, Livorno and Venice, to avoid repercussions on the trade ... they avoided to adopt these measures giving weight to the "anti-contagion theories" (they accused the unhealthy air, the dirt, the bad diet, rather than giving importance to the contact): only in 1882 the vibrio of the cholera will be individualized by Robert Koch, the science up to at that time it was divided between "those who gave credit to the contagion" and "those who gave credit to environmental conditions", and also the Church gave its indications, invoking "hygiene of the soul", supporting the need to avoid debauchery, including food and sexual excesses. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1837 was affected by popular revolts carried out against the Bourbons, accused of having commissioned the "infectors" to kill the people. We are in 1854, in the city of Messina a devastating cholera epidemic breaks out, in just two months cholera leads to the death of about 30,000 people, the town of Castroreale not far away, seems to be immune from this disaster, until two of its fellow citizens, husband and wife, return to Castroreale from Messina, the lady shows the cholera symptoms very seriously ... the country is terrified fearing the spread of the contagion to the whole community: which Saint to vote themself then? To Saint Rosalia who had freed Palermo from the plague? To Saint Sebastiano protector from epidemics? In Castroreale it was thought to immediately ask for help to the Holy Crucifix (in the odor of being miraculous) whose life-size Christ, papier-mâché made by anonymous, was thus fixed on top of a 12-meter long pole, thus obtaining two advantages when carried in procession, the sick kept in quarantine on the highest floors of the houses, could have enjoyed the direct vision of Christ through the windows, but at the same time the religious could stay at a safe distance (!). The story goes that the lady suddenly recovered, Castroreale had no case of cholera: since then, on August 25th, the day of the miracle, the Holy Crucifix is celebrated (also called the feast of the Christ Long, in the dialect, feast of Cristu Longu or Signuri Longu). The pole on which the Christ is hoisted, presents at regular distances pins driven into the wood, to avoid the sliding of the long "perches with hairpins", with which the "hairpin masters" support the very high Crucifix during the procession that proceeds along the streets of the town, and to allow its lowering and raising through the entrance of the two churches (the Mother Church and the church of Saint Agatha) in which it is carried.
Small note in closing: in the Mother Church is the Chapel of the Assumption where the statuary complex of the Virgin Mary Assumed (1848) is located, whose author is Matteo Mancuso from Messina, to whom a son died while working on the statue, so he personified his son in the little angel with his eyes closed at the feet of the Virgin Mary; at the foot of the statue there is the statuette of the seventeenth century of baby Virgin Mary, which is carried in procession on 8th September by children receiving first communion.
Ezio Famà
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In Italia, nelle prime tre decadi dell’ottocento, il colera iniziò a penetrare in Europa, gli Stati interessati dai traffici commerciali (come il Regno delle Due Sicilie) istituirono dei serrati controlli sanitari marittimi, ponendo grande importanza ai giorni di quarantena per tutte quelle imbarcazioni che provenivano dalle zone infette (in questo caso i provvedimenti presi erano quelli già sperimentati ai tempi della peste nera), ma non sempre fu così…infatti altri Stati come Genova, Livorno e Venezia, per evitare ripercussioni sui commerci…evitarono di adottare tali provvedimenti dando peso alle “teorie anticontagioniste” (esse accusavano l’aria malsana, la sporcizia, la cattiva alimentazione, piuttosto che dare importanza al contatto): solo nel 1882 il vibrione colerico verrà individuato da Robert Koch, la scienza fino ad allora era divisa tra “contagionisti” ed “epidemiologi”, ed anche la Chiesa ci metteva del suo, invocando “l’igiene dell’anima”, sostenendo la necessità di evitare gli stravizi, inclusi gli eccessi alimentari e sessuali. Il Regno delle Due Sicilie nel 1837 fu interessato da rivolte popolari attuate contro i Borboni, accusati di aver incaricato gli “untori” di uccidere il popolo. Siamo nel 1854, nella città di Messina scoppia una devastante epidemia di colera, in soli due mesi il colera porta a morte circa 30.000 persone, la cittadina di Castroreale non molto distante, sembra essere immune da tale iattura, fino a quando due suoi concittadini, marito e moglie ritornano al paese provenienti da Messina, la signora mostra in forma gravissima i sintomi colerici…il paese è terrorizzato temendo il propagarsi del contagio a tutta la comunità: a quale Santo votarsi dunque? A Santa Rosalia che aveva liberato Palermo dalla Peste? A San Sebastiano protettore dalle epidemie? A Castroreale si pensò di chiedere subito aiuto al Santissimo Crocifisso (in odore di essere miracoloso) il cui Cristo, in grandezza naturale, realizzato da anonimo in cartapesta, venne così fissato in cima ad un palo lungo 12 metri, ottenendo così due vantaggi quando portato in processione, i malati tenuti in quarantena nei piani più alti delle abitazioni, avrebbero potuto godere della visione diretta del Cristo attraverso le finestre, ma al contempo i religiosi potevano mantenersi a debita distanza (!). La storia racconta che la signora improvvisamente guarì, Castroreale non ebbe nessun caso di colera: da allora, il 25 di Agosto, il giorno del miracolo, si festeggia il Santissimo Crocifisso (detta anche festa del Cristo Lungo, in dialetto, del Cristu Longu o Signuri Longu). Il palo sul quale viene issato il Cristo, presenta a distanze regolari dei perni infissi nel legno, per evitare lo scivolamento delle lunghe “pertiche con forcine” , con le quali i “maestri di forcina” sostengono l’altissimo Crocifisso durante la processione che procede lungo le strade della cittadina, ma anche per consentirne l’abbassamento e l’innalzamento attraverso l’ingresso delle due chiese nelle quali viene portato (la Chiesa Madre e la chiesa di Sant’Agata).
Piccola nota in chiusura: nella Chiesa Madre si trova la Cappella dell’Assunzione ove è sito il complesso statuario della Madonna Assunta (1848), il cui autore è il messinese Matteo Mancuso, al quale, durante la lavorazione della statua, morì un figlio che egli impersonò nell’angioletto con gli occhi chiusi ai piedi della Madonna; in basso sotto la statua si trova la statuetta del seicento di Maria Bambina, che viene portata in processione l’otto settembre dai bambini che ricevono la prima comunione.
Ezio Famà
"Is this going to be a stand-up fight, sir, or another bug hunt?"
I outfitted my little half-platoon here with individualized faces and some upgraded weaponry. I based this gun on, what else - the smart gun from Aliens. It's pretty easy to build - made from fairly common parts.
St. Peter and St. Paul's Church is a Roman Catholic church located in the Antakalnis neighbourhood of Vilnius, Lithuania.
Construction was begun in 1688 and the decorative works were completed in 1704.
It is the centerpiece of a former monastery complex of the Canons Regular of the Lateran.
Its interior has masterful compositions of some 2,000 stucco figures by Giovanni Pietro Perti and ornamentation by Giovanni Maria Galli and is unique in Europe.
The church is considered a masterpiece of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Baroque.
The interior of the church changed relatively little since that time.
The major change was the loss of the main altar. The wooden altar was moved to the Catholic church in Daugai in 1766.[4]
The altar is now dominated by the Farewell of St. Peter and St. Paul, a large painting by Franciszek Smuglewicz, installed there in 1805.
The interior was restored by Giovanni Beretti and Nicolae Piano from Milan in 1801–04.[11]
At the same time, a new pulpit imitating the ship of Saint Peter was installed.
In 1864, as reprisal for the failed January Uprising, Mikhail Muravyov-Vilensky closed the monastery and converted its buildings into military barracks.[11]
There were plans to turn the church into an Eastern Orthodox church, but they never materialized.[11] In 1901–05, the interior was restored again. The church acquired the boat-shaped chandelier and the new pipe organ with two manuals and 23 organ stops.[12]
The dome was damaged during World War II bombings, but was rebuilt true to its original design.[12]
When in 1956 Vilnius Cathedral was converted into an art museum by Soviet authorities, the silver sarcophagus with sacred relics of Saint Casimir was moved to the St. Peter and St. Paul's Church.[13] The sarcophagus was returned to its place in 1989.
Despite religious persecutions in the Soviet Union, extensive interior restoration was carried out in 1976–87.[11]
About the Decorative Scheme
St. Peter and St. Paul's is one of the most studied churches in Lithuania.[19]
Its interior has over 2,000 different decor elements that creates a stunning atmosphere.[20]
The main author of the decor plan is not known. It could be the founder Pac, monks of the Lateran, or Italian artists.
No documents survive to explain the ideas behind the decorations, therefore various art historians attempted to find one central theme: Pac's life and Polish–Lithuanian relations, teachings of Saint Augustine, Baroque theater, etc.[19]
Art historian Birutė Rūta Vitkauskienė identified several main themes of the decor: structure of the Church as proclaimed at the Council of Trent with Saint Peter as the founding rock, early Christian martyrs representing Pac's interest in knighthood and ladyship, themes relevant to the Canons Regular of the Lateran, and themes inherited from previous churches (painting of Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy and altar of Five Wounds of Christ).[21]
The decor combines a great variety of symbols, from local (patron of Vilnius Saint Christopher) to Italian saints (Fidelis of Como),[22] from specific saints to allegories of virtues.
There are many decorative elements – floral (acanthus, sunflowers, rues, fruits), various objects (military weapons, household tools, liturgical implements, shells, ribbons), figures (puttos, angels, soldiers), fantastical creatures (demons, dragons, centaurs), Pac's coat of arms, masks making various expressions – but they are individualized, rarely repeating.[23]
The architects and sculptors borrowed ideas from other churches in Poland (Saints Peter and Paul Church, Kraków, Sigismund's Chapel of Wawel Cathedral) and Italy (St. Peter's Basilica, Church of the Gesù).[22]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_St._Peter_and_St._Paul,_V...
========================================================
From the Church's Brochure
The church was erected after the Russian invasion that devastated Vilnius in the mid-17th century.
Barely a dozen years passed, and the capital of Lithuania began to recover.
In 1668 Mykolas Kazimieras Pacas, Hetman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and wojewode of Vilnius, embarked upon the Antakalnis.
The church is decorated by the stucco mouldings of two excellent Italian sculptors, Giovanni Pietro Petri and Giovanni Maria Galli.
The interior of the church consists of the main nave, six chapels on both sides, and the transept.
The boat dates to the renovation of 1901-1905.
====================
St. Peter and St. Paul's Church is a Roman Catholic church located in the Antakalnis neighbourhood of Vilnius, Lithuania.
Construction was begun in 1688 and the decorative works were completed in 1704.
It is the centerpiece of a former monastery complex of the Canons Regular of the Lateran.
Its interior has masterful compositions of some 2,000 stucco figures by Giovanni Pietro Perti and ornamentation by Giovanni Maria Galli and is unique in Europe.
The church is considered a masterpiece of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Baroque.
The interior of the church changed relatively little since that time.
The major change was the loss of the main altar. The wooden altar was moved to the Catholic church in Daugai in 1766.[4]
The altar is now dominated by the Farewell of St. Peter and St. Paul, a large painting by Franciszek Smuglewicz, installed there in 1805.
The interior was restored by Giovanni Beretti and Nicolae Piano from Milan in 1801–04.[11]
At the same time, a new pulpit imitating the ship of Saint Peter was installed.
In 1864, as reprisal for the failed January Uprising, Mikhail Muravyov-Vilensky closed the monastery and converted its buildings into military barracks.[11]
There were plans to turn the church into an Eastern Orthodox church, but they never materialized.[11] In 1901–05, the interior was restored again. The church acquired the boat-shaped chandelier and the new pipe organ with two manuals and 23 organ stops.[12]
The dome was damaged during World War II bombings, but was rebuilt true to its original design.[12]
When in 1956 Vilnius Cathedral was converted into an art museum by Soviet authorities, the silver sarcophagus with sacred relics of Saint Casimir was moved to the St. Peter and St. Paul's Church.[13] The sarcophagus was returned to its place in 1989.
Despite religious persecutions in the Soviet Union, extensive interior restoration was carried out in 1976–87.[11]
About the Decorative Scheme
St. Peter and St. Paul's is one of the most studied churches in Lithuania.[19]
Its interior has over 2,000 different decor elements that creates a stunning atmosphere.[20]
The main author of the decor plan is not known. It could be the founder Pac, monks of the Lateran, or Italian artists.
No documents survive to explain the ideas behind the decorations, therefore various art historians attempted to find one central theme: Pac's life and Polish–Lithuanian relations, teachings of Saint Augustine, Baroque theater, etc.[19]
Art historian Birutė Rūta Vitkauskienė identified several main themes of the decor: structure of the Church as proclaimed at the Council of Trent with Saint Peter as the founding rock, early Christian martyrs representing Pac's interest in knighthood and ladyship, themes relevant to the Canons Regular of the Lateran, and themes inherited from previous churches (painting of Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy and altar of Five Wounds of Christ).[21]
The decor combines a great variety of symbols, from local (patron of Vilnius Saint Christopher) to Italian saints (Fidelis of Como),[22] from specific saints to allegories of virtues.
There are many decorative elements – floral (acanthus, sunflowers, rues, fruits), various objects (military weapons, household tools, liturgical implements, shells, ribbons), figures (puttos, angels, soldiers), fantastical creatures (demons, dragons, centaurs), Pac's coat of arms, masks making various expressions – but they are individualized, rarely repeating.[23]
The architects and sculptors borrowed ideas from other churches in Poland (Saints Peter and Paul Church, Kraków, Sigismund's Chapel of Wawel Cathedral) and Italy (St. Peter's Basilica, Church of the Gesù).[22]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_St._Peter_and_St._Paul,_V...
========================================================
From the Church's Brochure
The church was erected after the Russian invasion that devastated Vilnius in the mid-17th century.
Barely a dozen years passed, and the capital of Lithuania began to recover.
In 1668 Mykolas Kazimieras Pacas, Hetman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and wojewode of Vilnius, embarked upon the Antakalnis.
The church is decorated by the stucco mouldings of two excellent Italian sculptors, Giovanni Pietro Petri and Giovanni Maria Galli.
The interior of the church consists of the main nave, six chapels on both sides, and the transept.
Los acontecimientos alrededor del sismo del pasado 19 de septiembre ponen a la vista la estrategia que adoptó el Estado mexicano para administrar la tragedia en su beneficio, ocultar su negligencia, lucrar con ella y aprovechar la oportunidad que se viene para engrosar los bolsillos de quienes más tienen. Es esto lo que convierte un desastre natural en una tragedia.
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La omisión del Estado y la administración de la tragedia | Por Tejiendo Organización Revolucionaria | 25 de septiembre de 2017 - tejiendorevolucion.org/190917.html
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Quien protagoniza la tragedia es la negligencia, no el temblor; evidencia de ello es que éste fue presentado como inesperado, aunque es por demás sabido que se dio en zona sísmica; evidencia son los más de treinta años en que no se avanzó en la prevención: las revisiones fallidas después del temblor del 7 de septiembre no arrojaron datos de que hubiera escuelas mal construidas o con daños estructurales; evidencia es que los reglamentos de construcción son letra muerta, asesinada por la corrupción de los diversos niveles de gobierno y los negocios inmobiliarios.
La urgencia de la tragedia convocó a la solidaridad inmediata y la presión del tiempo urgente ocultó un hecho fundamental: el Estado sí cuenta con los recursos materiales y humanos para enfrentar la catástrofe; cuenta con maquinaria pesada, equipo y personal especializado, infraestructura de comunicación, dinero, etc., si no los ocupó fue porque deicidio no hacerlo, no porque se viera rebasado.
El Estado mexicano tiene recursos de alta tecnología para espiarnos, por ejemplo, pero no los puso al servicio de los rescatistas para localizar vida dentro de los escombros. Tampoco se usó la estructura estatal para proporcionar información fidedigna y pronta que pudiera salvar vidas y canalizar la ayuda. Es más, ni los rescatistas internacionales fueron bien aprovechados, aunque los había.
La participación del Estado en las zonas más afectadas fue bajo la lógica de contener y controlar. Así actuaron sus efectivos castrenses, la milicia y la marina, al presentarse con armas de alto calibre a establecer perímetros de seguridad, que no sólo obstaculizaban el pronto rescate de vidas humanas, sino que pretendían cohibir la organización de la gente. Es importante mencionar que hubo elementos del ejército y policía custodiando las tiendas trasnacionales de supuestos intentos de rapiña. No es difícil concluir que su plan era lavarle la cara al ejército, cuya presencia fue más evidente en aquellos puntos que mediáticamente eran más explotables. Todo esto bajo una lógica de guerra y de barrer de manera pronta con los escombros.
El Estado permitió y fomentó que se le pidiera a la población gastar su salario en acopios individuales, que luego buscó administrar de forma clientelar y asistencialista, mientras, los impuestos que de por si paga el pueblo fueron a parar al fideicomiso “Fuerza México”, fideicomiso que canalizará los recursos públicos y privados generando una acumulación de capital nada desdeñable para quienes lo administran: las grandes empresas; esas, que brillaron por su ausencia cuando se hizo el llamado general a la solidaridad y que ahora piden donaciones como si fuesen la víctimas de la tragedia.
Para el Estado y los grandes capitalistas, a quienes realmente representa, el territorio de la tragedia –Oaxaca, Guerrero, Tlaxcala, Morelos, Puebla, Ciudad de México– es visto como un espacio para generar ganancias, invirtiendo y especulando con las vidas de la gente.
Lo único que podrá detenerlos es la organización de los afectados por el sismo, la organización de la gente solidaria que desbordó las calles y acudió segura de que su ayuda era indispensable, porque sabíamos que el gobierno no haría nada.
El triple propósito de la estrategia estatal fue primero, ponernos a resolver la situación como pudiéramos y así canalizar la energía social, segundo, aparecer codo a codo con la gente para lavar su imagen y, tercero, aumentar las ventas de las grandes empresas.
Si algo aprenden los que insisten en dominarnos es que abajo siempre nos organizamos en su contra, así sucedió con el terremoto de 1985, así sucede ahora. Eso es lo que temen los de arriba y lo que intentaran contener a cualquier costo. El caos que han fomentado en forma de vacío institucional, desinformación, tragedia y muerte tiene por primer objetivo ese: imposibilitar la organización. Después de largos años atacando las múltiples formas de organización popular y social han dejado a una sociedad aislada, dividida, individualizada; no obstante, esta sociedad ahora intenta restablecer los lazos, buscamos reconocernos como compañeros de los mismos problemas.
Junto a la desorganización hay un segundo objetivo del Estado, encauzar nuestra indignación y nuestra solidaridad. Dejar que la “sociedad civil” tenga que resolver lo urgente y vital de la tragedia para así impedir que lo denunciemos; con estas formas el Estado nos desgasta, nos va quitando esperanzas y evita que nos organicemos para cambiarlo en el futuro. Nos quieren dejar la carga de la tragedia, quieren que seamos los responsables del fracaso.
La apuesta desde arriba es que no vamos a ser capaces de organizarnos pero están equivocados, nosotros, desde abajo, vamos a demostrarlo porque nos va la vida en ello.
Por eso llamamos a la organización solidaria y no sólo a la solidaridad. Hay que organizarnos que esto va pa' largo, hay que reconocernos con un enemigo en común: el sistema capitalista al que defiende y representa el Estado. Pero además, y más importante, hay que reconocernos con una causa común: tener una vida digna, digna porque podemos organizarnos para salvar vidas sin que ninguna instancia autoritaria nos lo impida; digna porque podemos participar y garantizar que la reconstrucción de las viviendas afectadas se haga con los requerimientos necesarios. Denunciemos la omisión, la negligencia y la administración que el Estado hace de la tragedia. Impulsemos la autoorganización de los de abajo para la reconstrucción del país desde los escombros.
Tejiendo Organización Revolucionaria
25 de septiembre de 2017
___
The events surrounding the September 19 earthquake expose the Mexican state's strategy to manage the tragedy on its behalf, to hide its negligence, to profit from it and to seize the opportunity that has come to swell the pockets of those who have. This is what turns a natural disaster into a tragedy.
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The omission of the State and the administration of the tragedy | By Tejiendo Revolutionary Organization | September 25, 2017
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The protagonist of the tragedy is negligence, not trembling; Evidence of this is that it was presented as unexpected, although it is well known that it occurred in seismic zone; evidence is more than thirty years in which there was no progress in prevention: failed reviews after the earthquake of September 7 did not report that there were poorly constructed or structurally damaged schools; evidence is that building regulations are dead letter, murdered by the corruption of various levels of government and real estate business.
The urgency of the tragedy called for immediate solidarity and the urgent pressure of time concealed a fundamental fact: the State does have the material and human resources to face the catastrophe; has heavy machinery, equipment and specialized personnel, communication infrastructure, money, etc., if not occupied was because deicide not to do it, not because it was exceeded.
The Mexican state has high-tech resources to spy on us, for example, but did not put them at the service of rescuers to locate life inside the rubble. Nor was the state structure used to provide reliable and timely information that could save lives and channel aid. Moreover, not even the international rescuers were well exploited, although there were.
The participation of the State in the most affected areas was under the logic of containing and controlling. This was how their military officers, the militia and the navy acted, by introducing themselves with high-caliber weapons to establish security perimeters, which not only hindered the prompt rescue of human lives, but also sought to restrain the organization of the people. It is important to mention that there were elements of the army and police guarding the transnational tents of alleged predatory attempts. It is not difficult to conclude that his plan was to wash the face to the army, whose presence was more evident in those points that mediatically were more exploitable. All this under a logic of war and sweep quickly with the rubble.
The state allowed and encouraged that the population be asked to spend their salary in individual stores, which later sought to manage clientele and welfare, while the taxes paid by the people went to the trust "Fuerza México" trust that will channel the public and private resources generating a capital accumulation not negligible for those who administer it: large companies; those that shone by their absence when the general call for solidarity was made and now ask for donations as if they were the victims of the tragedy.
For the state and the great capitalists it represents, the territory of the tragedy - Oaxaca, Guerrero, Tlaxcala, Morelos, Puebla, Mexico City - is seen as a space to generate profits, investing and speculating with the lives of people.
The only thing that can stop them is the organization of those affected by the earthquake, the organization of the people of solidarity who overflowed the streets and came safe that their help was indispensable, because we knew that the government would do nothing.
The threefold purpose of the state strategy was first, to resolve the situation as we could and thus channel social energy, second, to appear side by side with people to wash their image and, thirdly, to increase the sales of large companies.
If there is something learned by those who insist on dominating us, it is that below we always organize against him, so it happened with the earthquake of 1985, this is what happens now. That's what they fear from above and what they try to contain at any cost. The chaos that they have fomented in the form of institutional vacuum, disinformation, tragedy and death has the first objective that: to prevent the organization. After many years attacking the multiple forms of popular and social organization have left an isolated, divided, individualized society; nevertheless, this society now tries to reestablish the bonds, we seek to recognize ourselves as companions of the same problems.
Along with the disorganization there is a second objective of the State, to channel our indignation and our solidarity. Let the "civil society" have to solve the urgent and vital of the tragedy in order to prevent denouncing it; with these forms the State wears us, takes away our hopes and prevents us to organize to change it in the future. They want to leave us the burden of tragedy, they want us to be responsible for the failure. The bet from above is that we will not be able to organize but they are wrong, we, from below, we are going to prove it because we are going to live in it.
That's why we call solidarity organization and not just solidarity. We have to organize that this goes for long, we have to recognize ourselves with a common enemy: the capitalist system that defends and represents the State. But more importantly, we must recognize ourselves with a common cause: having a dignified, dignified life because we can organize ourselves to save lives without any authoritarian instance preventing us; dignified because we can participate and ensure that the reconstruction of affected housing is made with the necessary requirements. Let us denounce the omission, neglect and administration that the State makes of the tragedy. Let us encourage the self-organization of those below for the reconstruction of the country from the rubble.
Tejiendo Organización Revolucionaria
25 September 2017
Right side: Athenian priests.
The right side shows an elderly bearded man in a three-quarter pose to left, head in profile.
He wears along thin chiton with short sleeves, which adheres onto his body and is arranged with few folds around the points of greatest projection. In his lowered right hand, the figure holds a sacrificial knife with a wide blade, which characterizes him as a priest. His head is individualized, almost portrait-like, with an aquiline nose and very pronounced eyebrows, which lend the face an intense gaze. His hair is rendered impressionistically on the calotte and ends in wavy strands at the temples. The beard, too, is carved impressionistically, except at the point where it grows from the cheeks, where it is rendered as a series of parallel vertical strokes.
Source: Kosmopoulou A., A Funerary Base from Kallithea
Pentelic marble base
Height: 83 cm; width: 31 cm; Length: 50 cm.
410 – 400 BC
From Kallithea, Athens
Athens, National Museum Inv. No. 4502
About the Frescoes
The ceiling is decorated with five frescos that cover 14.94 m2 (160.8 sq ft) which are the second largest ceiling frescoes (after the Pažaislis Monastery) in Lithuania.
The three smaller frescoes above the organ form a triptych from Saint Peter's life: healing a cripple, escape from prison, and vision of a sheet with animals.
The other two frescoes depict Quo vadis? and Peter's confrontation with Simon Magus.
These frescoes are of a rather simple composition, poorly executed, and lack background detail, but the figures are expressive, making complex, dynamic, almost theatrical movements.
The authorship of the frescoes is unknown. Vladas Drėma attributed them to Martino Altomonte, while Mieczysław Skrudlik suggested Michelangelo Palloni.
Mindaugas Paknys, using surviving written records, disproved both hypotheses and attributed the frescoes to Johann Gotthard Berchhoff.
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From Wikipedia
St. Peter and St. Paul's Church is a Roman Catholic church located in the Antakalnis neighbourhood of Vilnius, Lithuania.
Construction was begun in 1688 and the decorative works were completed in 1704.
It is the centerpiece of a former monastery complex of the Canons Regular of the Lateran.
Its interior has masterful compositions of some 2,000 stucco figures by Giovanni Pietro Perti and ornamentation by Giovanni Maria Galli and is unique in Europe.
The church is considered a masterpiece of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Baroque.
The interior of the church changed relatively little since that time.
The major change was the loss of the main altar. The wooden altar was moved to the Catholic church in Daugai in 1766.[4]
The altar is now dominated by the Farewell of St. Peter and St. Paul, a large painting by Franciszek Smuglewicz, installed there in 1805.
The interior was restored by Giovanni Beretti and Nicolae Piano from Milan in 1801–04.[11]
At the same time, a new pulpit imitating the ship of Saint Peter was installed.
In 1864, as reprisal for the failed January Uprising, Mikhail Muravyov-Vilensky closed the monastery and converted its buildings into military barracks.[11]
There were plans to turn the church into an Eastern Orthodox church, but they never materialized.[11] In 1901–05, the interior was restored again. The church acquired the boat-shaped chandelier and the new pipe organ with two manuals and 23 organ stops.[12]
The dome was damaged during World War II bombings, but was rebuilt true to its original design.[12]
When in 1956 Vilnius Cathedral was converted into an art museum by Soviet authorities, the silver sarcophagus with sacred relics of Saint Casimir was moved to the St. Peter and St. Paul's Church.[13] The sarcophagus was returned to its place in 1989.
Despite religious persecutions in the Soviet Union, extensive interior restoration was carried out in 1976–87.[11]
About the Decorative Scheme
St. Peter and St. Paul's is one of the most studied churches in Lithuania.[19]
Its interior has over 2,000 different decor elements that creates a stunning atmosphere.[20]
The main author of the decor plan is not known. It could be the founder Pac, monks of the Lateran, or Italian artists.
No documents survive to explain the ideas behind the decorations, therefore various art historians attempted to find one central theme: Pac's life and Polish–Lithuanian relations, teachings of Saint Augustine, Baroque theater, etc.[19]
Art historian Birutė Rūta Vitkauskienė identified several main themes of the decor: structure of the Church as proclaimed at the Council of Trent with Saint Peter as the founding rock, early Christian martyrs representing Pac's interest in knighthood and ladyship, themes relevant to the Canons Regular of the Lateran, and themes inherited from previous churches (painting of Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy and altar of Five Wounds of Christ).[21]
The decor combines a great variety of symbols, from local (patron of Vilnius Saint Christopher) to Italian saints (Fidelis of Como),[22] from specific saints to allegories of virtues.
There are many decorative elements – floral (acanthus, sunflowers, rues, fruits), various objects (military weapons, household tools, liturgical implements, shells, ribbons), figures (puttos, angels, soldiers), fantastical creatures (demons, dragons, centaurs), Pac's coat of arms, masks making various expressions – but they are individualized, rarely repeating.[23]
The architects and sculptors borrowed ideas from other churches in Poland (Saints Peter and Paul Church, Kraków, Sigismund's Chapel of Wawel Cathedral) and Italy (St. Peter's Basilica, Church of the Gesù).[22]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_St._Peter_and_St._Paul,_V...
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From the Church's Brochure
The church was erected after the Russian invasion that devastated Vilnius in the mid-17th century.
Barely a dozen years passed, and the capital of Lithuania began to recover.
In 1668 Mykolas Kazimieras Pacas, Hetman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and wojewode of Vilnius, embarked upon the Antakalnis.
The church is decorated by the stucco mouldings of two excellent Italian sculptors, Giovanni Pietro Petri and Giovanni Maria Galli.
The interior of the church consists of the main nave, six chapels on both sides, and the transept.
Museum Fünf Kontinente, Munich, Germany.
Moche portrait vessels are ceramic vessels featuring highly individualized and naturalistic representations of human faces that are unique to the Moche culture of Peru.
These portrait vessels are some of the few realistic portrayals of humans found in the Precolumbian Americas.[1]
The Moche culture thrived from 100—800 CE on the north coast of Peru. Their lands sat between the Pacific Ocean and the Andean cordillera. They were a stratified, agrarian society that also heavily relied on fishing.[1]
While most Moche portrait vessels feature heads, some portray full human figures. They are meant to hold liquids. Almost all of the portraits of are adult men.
In some rare instances, young boys are represented, but no portrait vessels of adult women have yet been found.
The portraits are not idealized, some feature abnormalities, such as harelips and missing eyes.[1]
The vessels range from 6–45 cm in height, with most being between 15–30 cm.[1]
Typically, Moche pottery features red slip painted on a pale cream background; however, white-on-red and black paint is also found.[2] While most portraits are three-dimensional portrayals of human, some have additional fineline paintings on their surface.[1]
Over 900 separate portrait vessels have been photographed by the University of California, Los Angeles.
An estimated 95% of these portrait vessels were collected by looters instead of archaeologists, so the initial provenance of the vessels are unknown. Mostly they have been retrieved from graves but were used during people's lives, as evidenced by wear marks[1] and repairs.[2]
One particularly famous Moche portrait vessel is known as the Huaco Retrato Mochica. The portrait was made during the Late Moche period (ca. 600 CE), according to the chronology made by Rafael Larco Hoyle in 1948.
The ceramic portrait is also an example of a stirrup spout vessel of a Moche ruler. The ruler is depicted wearing a material turban on which there is a headdress decorated by a two-headed bird with feathers on side. The effigy also wears tubular earrings that can be found in the "Gold and Silver Gallery" of the Larco Museum.
The exact archaeological context in which it was found in is unknown. Nonetheless, information gained from various archaeological discoveries in the North Coast over the past 20 years suggests that it belonged to the tomb of a member of the Moche elite.
Archaeologists found this type of headdress, made of reed, in the tomb of the warrior priest god in the Huaca de la Cruz, an archaeological site situated in the Virú Valley, 40 km (25 mi) south of Trujillo, explored by Strong and Evans in 1940. It may also have been excavated from within the Moche Valley in the southern Moche region.
Rafael Larco Hoyle received this piece from his father, Rafael Larco Herrera. It is said[by whom?] that this was the only ceramic piece Herrera kept when he bequeathed his private collection to the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain and that Herrera gave it to his son who later opened his private collection to the public at the Larco Museum.
Location: Berlin - 865km from home.
What a nice spot! The plate already is a cool spot, since it's an individualized Latvian plate, something which is of course rare among Latvian plates in Berlin. But even more special is this one-off Rolls-Royce by Jankel. Jankel is a UK based coachbuilder, usually specialized in armoured vehicles. This particular Phantom is armoured, too, however the most important conversion is the ramp to meet the owner's need of being able to enter with his wheelchair. In order to make him fit with his wheelchair, the roof was raised as well, which leads to weird proportions from the backside. However, that's quite a bossy way to drive around when you have to use a wheelchair.
Beginning in the 4th century BCE, portrait statues quickly became the most popular form of votive offering displayed in sanctuaries. The facial features and hairstyle of men became increasingly individualized over time, but those of women remained largely generalized and patterned on abstract ideals of virtue and beauty. In fact, without supplemental evidence, it is difficult to determine whether a female head carved during the Hellenistic period (323-30 BCE) represents a goddess or depicts a mortal. This girl's hair is fashioned in a contemporary style, but the delicate features of her face reveal nothing of her actual appearance.
Greek, late 3rd-2nd century BCE.
Art Institute of Chicago, anonymous loan (18.2012)
SoulRider.222 / Eric Rider © 2020
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has five Super Bowl rings. He will not, however, have a Tom Brady special edition Aston Martin sports car that he helped design.
Those cars will go to 12 other people who will pay about $360,000 each for the dark blue convertibles.
The (take a deep breath) Aston Martin Vanquish S Volante Tom Brady Signature Edition costs roughly $50,000 more than your run-of-the-mill Aston Martin Vanquish S Volante. The Vanquish S Volante is an open-topped version of Aston Martin's Vanquish S sports car. It's powered by a 6.0-liter 580-horsepower V12.
For the extra money, buyers will get a number of special features. Besides Tom Brady's signature on the metal door sill plates, the car will get "Ultramarine Black" exterior paint, a very dark blue, and "Dark Knight" interior leather, which is, basically, black. There are also exposed carbon fiber aerodynamic features on the exterior and gold Aston Martin badges along with Tom Brady's TB12 logo just behind the front wheels.
The number 12 is significant here. Besides being the number of cars being offered, it's Brady's jersey number. All 12 cars are expected to be quickly spoken for, according to an Aston Martin spokesperson.
Brady himself helped to choose the color combination, according to an announcement by Aston Martin.
Aston Martin draws record $22.6 million
"Going through the process of curating a unique Aston Martin has been fascinating," Brady said in the announcement. "We started with a blank canvas and finished with this beautiful car."
Brady is a long-time Aston Martin customer who already owns an Aston Martin DB11. He signed on as the company's official endorser earlier this year.
The Tom Brady version was created by Aston Martin's new "Q by Aston Martin" customization division, a department that works with customers to create individualized color and trim packages for their cars. The department's name is a reference to the James Bond character Q who created special gadgets and cars -- sometimes Aston Martins - for the fictional British super-spy.
Athletes usually make such deals with more mainstream car brands like Ford (F) or Toyota (TM), but there are exceptions. Basketball player Stephen Curry, for instance, recently became a "brand ambassador" for Infiniti, Nissan's (NSANF) luxury division.
It is possible for the consciousness of the nature spirits to evolve to become individualized so that they become highly aware of their surrounding and of their interaction with the forces around them.
"We have been described as ""one of the best immigration law firms in the world"". We exclusively practice immigration law and our experienced USA immigration lawyers rank amongst the best immigration lawyers in the markets they serve. Our policy is to offer the best and most individualized client service and immigration solutions available.
Being one of the most significant archaeological excavations and cultural discoveries of the 20th century and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Terracotta Army was in our opinion a must-visit long overdue. Despite having seen countless of pictures beforehand, we were still deeply impressed by the sheer amount of warriors and amazed by the arduous work of uncovering, protecting and restoring such remarkable artifacts.
The Terracotta Army is a representation of the imperial military guard of Qin Shi Huang (259-210BC), first emperor of a unified China and founder of the Qin dynasty. The purpose of the army was likely to act as guardian figures for his imperial tomb or to serve the ruler in his afterlife. Qin Shi Huang died at 49 years of age after a futile search for an elixir of immortality. The cause of death was reportedly the ingestion of mercury pills that were ironically supposed to prolong his life. Being keen on acquiring immortality, his Terracotta Army has given the emperor just that, at least in name and deed. The massive tomb guarded by a sea of warriors is, however, not his only great achievement in life. By the time he died, Qin Shi Huang had left a legacy that would make him a towering figure in Chinese history: he had united warring kingdoms into one country, put an end to feudalism, built an extensive national road system and unified several state walls into one immense defensive wall, the precursor to the current Great Wall of China.
NO TWO ALIKE
The mix and particular arrangement of the (slightly larger than) life-size depictions of soldiers, - amongst other generals and lower-ranking officers, cavalrymen, archers and charioteers -, gives the illusion of a complete battlefield army poised for action. The figures vary in height (175–190 cm), uniform and hairstyle according to their rank, function and position in the formation, and are depicted in different builds and postures. Much effort was made to render each figure unique despite them all being made from a limited repertoire of assembled body parts made from moulds. Facial features and hairstyle in particular, even different emotions, added by hand after assembly, give the illusion of a real army composed of unique individuals. Hands, too, were modified with straight or bent fingers and changes in the angle of the thumb and wrist. Decorating the figures in vivid colours also contributed to the individuation. In fact, the details of the warriors are so intricate and individualized that it has been hypothesized that they were based on real soldiers who served in the emperor's army. New conservation techniques, performed on recently excavated figures, allow some of these patterns to be discerned. Every warrior appears to contain a stamp of the name of the foreman in charge of his creation. Nonetheless, it is astonishing to reflect that all of this variety and realism was never intended to be seen by anyone.
CONTROVERSIAL NEW THEORY
As the warrior statues were unlike anything ever uncovered before in China, the question was raised on how the royal craftsmen could have come up with such an idea. Putting several clues together, - amongst others the excavation of figures with evidence of Greek influence and the discovery of European-specific mitochondrial DNA recovered from skeletons at ancient sites throughout the province from the time of Qin Shi Huang and even before -, scientists worked out a new theory suggesting that Greek artisans inspired and trained the local craftsmen.
THE (RE)DISCOVERY
Work on the tomb, including the entire army of terracotta warriors, began in 246 BC soon after Emperor Qin Shi Huang (then aged 13) ascended the throne. The construction halted in 208 BC amid uprisings, a year after Huang's death. After completion of the funerary ceremonies the craftsmen and labourers - who had worked on mechanical devices designed to prevent entry into the burial chamber and knew of the tomb’s treasures - were trapped inside the tomb to prevent them from divulging these secrets. Beneath earth and vegetation, the clay army stood watch near the emperor's tomb for more than 2,000 years, their presence unknown to the world. Then, in 1974, the first clay warrior torso came to light when farmers were digging a well just to the east of Xi’an. Subsequent investigations not only led to the discovery of an entire terracotta army, but an elaborate mausoleum.
Studies have revealed that the mausoleum complex is a microcosm of the Emperor's empire and palace. Qin Shi Huang intended to design his afterlife to match his life on earth in every respect. This included his imperial court life and the external environment that surrounded his city. The interior of his unexcavated imperial tomb, according to ancient writings of court historian Siam Qian during the ensuing Han dynasty, describe the use of mercury to simulate rivers and the great sea, set to flow mechanically through bronze hills and mountains, and precious stones to mark the heavenly constellations. Among the structures within the mausoleum complex are several other tombs, models of offices and palaces, a horse stable, an armoury, as well a subterranean imperial park. Non-military terracotta figures were found such as acrobats, musicians and dancers caught in mid-performance, civil servants and various animals. Archaeologists further discovered burial sites of horses, exotic animals and hundreds of concubines and mass graves that appear to hold the remains of the craftsmen and labourers (including convicted criminals in chains) who died building the mausoleum.
WHAT LIES BENEATH?
To date, the majority of the estimated 8,000+ warriors, 130 chariots, 670 (cavalry) horses and 100,000+ weapons has not been unearthed yet. The great discoveries made so far are believed to be just the top of the iceberg, as the imperial tomb remains sealed as well. Further excavations are on hold due to (1) complex conditions, such as deadly traps and anomalously high levels of hypertoxic mercury, (2) the costs related to preservation and documentation of all that may be uncovered, and (3) concerns about current preservation techniques. Newly unearthed warriors and horses, for example, would bear traces of rare paint. But once exposed to air and light, the old pigments used in the paint began to change in just 15 seconds. The protecting lacquer coating that was bound with the pigments flaked off within only four minutes. Photographers did not even have the time to take a proper picture before the paints began to disappear.
The tomb of Qin Shi Huang continues to be a mystery. Will its interior and contents be THE discovery of the 21st century? We are itching with curiosity!
Sources: ancient.eu, national geographic, Wikipedia, ancient-origins.net
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In Italy, in the first three decades of the nineteenth century, cholera began to penetrate into Europe, the states involved in commercial traffic (such as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies) established tight maritime health checks, placing great importance on the days of quarantine for all those boats that came from the infected areas (in this case the measures taken were those already tested at the time of the black plague), but it was not always so ... in fact other States like Genoa, Livorno and Venice, to avoid repercussions on the trade ... they avoided to adopt these measures giving weight to the "anti-contagion theories" (they accused the unhealthy air, the dirt, the bad diet, rather than giving importance to the contact): only in 1882 the vibrio of the cholera will be individualized by Robert Koch, the science up to at that time it was divided between "those who gave credit to the contagion" and "those who gave credit to environmental conditions", and also the Church gave its indications, invoking "hygiene of the soul", supporting the need to avoid debauchery, including food and sexual excesses. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1837 was affected by popular revolts carried out against the Bourbons, accused of having commissioned the "infectors" to kill the people. We are in 1854, in the city of Messina a devastating cholera epidemic breaks out, in just two months cholera leads to the death of about 30,000 people, the town of Castroreale not far away, seems to be immune from this disaster, until two of its fellow citizens, husband and wife, return to Castroreale from Messina, the lady shows the cholera symptoms very seriously ... the country is terrified fearing the spread of the contagion to the whole community: which Saint to vote themself then? To Saint Rosalia who had freed Palermo from the plague? To Saint Sebastiano protector from epidemics? In Castroreale it was thought to immediately ask for help to the Holy Crucifix (in the odor of being miraculous) whose life-size Christ, papier-mâché made by anonymous, was thus fixed on top of a 12-meter long pole, thus obtaining two advantages when carried in procession, the sick kept in quarantine on the highest floors of the houses, could have enjoyed the direct vision of Christ through the windows, but at the same time the religious could stay at a safe distance (!). The story goes that the lady suddenly recovered, Castroreale had no case of cholera: since then, on August 25th, the day of the miracle, the Holy Crucifix is celebrated (also called the feast of the Christ Long, in the dialect, feast of Cristu Longu or Signuri Longu). The pole on which the Christ is hoisted, presents at regular distances pins driven into the wood, to avoid the sliding of the long "perches with hairpins", with which the "hairpin masters" support the very high Crucifix during the procession that proceeds along the streets of the town, and to allow its lowering and raising through the entrance of the two churches (the Mother Church and the church of Saint Agatha) in which it is carried.
Small note in closing: in the Mother Church is the Chapel of the Assumption where the statuary complex of the Virgin Mary Assumed (1848) is located, whose author is Matteo Mancuso from Messina, to whom a son died while working on the statue, so he personified his son in the little angel with his eyes closed at the feet of the Virgin Mary; at the foot of the statue there is the statuette of the seventeenth century of baby Virgin Mary, which is carried in procession on 8th September by children receiving first communion.
Ezio Famà
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In Italia, nelle prime tre decadi dell’ottocento, il colera iniziò a penetrare in Europa, gli Stati interessati dai traffici commerciali (come il Regno delle Due Sicilie) istituirono dei serrati controlli sanitari marittimi, ponendo grande importanza ai giorni di quarantena per tutte quelle imbarcazioni che provenivano dalle zone infette (in questo caso i provvedimenti presi erano quelli già sperimentati ai tempi della peste nera), ma non sempre fu così…infatti altri Stati come Genova, Livorno e Venezia, per evitare ripercussioni sui commerci…evitarono di adottare tali provvedimenti dando peso alle “teorie anticontagioniste” (esse accusavano l’aria malsana, la sporcizia, la cattiva alimentazione, piuttosto che dare importanza al contatto): solo nel 1882 il vibrione colerico verrà individuato da Robert Koch, la scienza fino ad allora era divisa tra “contagionisti” ed “epidemiologi”, ed anche la Chiesa ci metteva del suo, invocando “l’igiene dell’anima”, sostenendo la necessità di evitare gli stravizi, inclusi gli eccessi alimentari e sessuali. Il Regno delle Due Sicilie nel 1837 fu interessato da rivolte popolari attuate contro i Borboni, accusati di aver incaricato gli “untori” di uccidere il popolo. Siamo nel 1854, nella città di Messina scoppia una devastante epidemia di colera, in soli due mesi il colera porta a morte circa 30.000 persone, la cittadina di Castroreale non molto distante, sembra essere immune da tale iattura, fino a quando due suoi concittadini, marito e moglie ritornano al paese provenienti da Messina, la signora mostra in forma gravissima i sintomi colerici…il paese è terrorizzato temendo il propagarsi del contagio a tutta la comunità: a quale Santo votarsi dunque? A Santa Rosalia che aveva liberato Palermo dalla Peste? A San Sebastiano protettore dalle epidemie? A Castroreale si pensò di chiedere subito aiuto al Santissimo Crocifisso (in odore di essere miracoloso) il cui Cristo, in grandezza naturale, realizzato da anonimo in cartapesta, venne così fissato in cima ad un palo lungo 12 metri, ottenendo così due vantaggi quando portato in processione, i malati tenuti in quarantena nei piani più alti delle abitazioni, avrebbero potuto godere della visione diretta del Cristo attraverso le finestre, ma al contempo i religiosi potevano mantenersi a debita distanza (!). La storia racconta che la signora improvvisamente guarì, Castroreale non ebbe nessun caso di colera: da allora, il 25 di Agosto, il giorno del miracolo, si festeggia il Santissimo Crocifisso (detta anche festa del Cristo Lungo, in dialetto, del Cristu Longu o Signuri Longu). Il palo sul quale viene issato il Cristo, presenta a distanze regolari dei perni infissi nel legno, per evitare lo scivolamento delle lunghe “pertiche con forcine” , con le quali i “maestri di forcina” sostengono l’altissimo Crocifisso durante la processione che procede lungo le strade della cittadina, ma anche per consentirne l’abbassamento e l’innalzamento attraverso l’ingresso delle due chiese nelle quali viene portato (la Chiesa Madre e la chiesa di Sant’Agata).
Piccola nota in chiusura: nella Chiesa Madre si trova la Cappella dell’Assunzione ove è sito il complesso statuario della Madonna Assunta (1848), il cui autore è il messinese Matteo Mancuso, al quale, durante la lavorazione della statua, morì un figlio che egli impersonò nell’angioletto con gli occhi chiusi ai piedi della Madonna; in basso sotto la statua si trova la statuetta del seicento di Maria Bambina, che viene portata in processione l’otto settembre dai bambini che ricevono la prima comunione.
Ezio Famà
Giovanni Bellini, Venedig 1437 - 1516
Porträt des Dogen Leonardo Loredan - Portrait of the Doge Leonardo Loredan (1501)
National Gallery, London
The portrait, the largest of Bellini's portraits, was probably painted around 1501, the year in which this aristocrat rose to the dogate. The age of the person portrayed, who held office from the age of sixty-five to eighty-five, does not indeed allow to it to be any later. The teaching of Antonello da Messina had clearly been absorbed in the subtle realism of the facial wrinkles and the garments and, even before this, in the sitter's three-quarter turn, rather than the profile pose which was prescribed by dogal iconographical tradition and also adopted by Gentile Bellini.
The artist s progress from the early portraits is apparent, and particularly from the still pre-Antonellian Portrait of Jörg Fugger, fixed and linked as it is to the analytical realism of late-Gothic art. In this figure, that fixity now assumes the quality of an emblem of his own highest dignity of office: a "denaturalization" almost that crystallizes, but does not dim, the psychological make-up of this highly cultivated man, even in spite of the fact that he is rendered with solemn detachment. Any psychological excess or a too penetrating individualization were prohibited in the name of official and hierarchical decorum. For this reason the portrait finishes by being placed in a line that is consistent more with the Venetian portraiture tradition than with the revolutionary and hyper-real portraits of Antonello da Messina.
Source: Web Gallery of Art
Wishing you a new month full of love in all of the myriad, diverse forms that come to mind whenever you hear that word...love, so mysterious, so universal, yet so unique and individualized to all 7 billion of us...
"Truth" is the sort of painting that was popular a decade after Baudelaire wrote that photography, incapable itself of becoming an art, threatened the "divine art of painting" (see www.flickr.com/photos/frame_maker/4891173069). In 1870, when the impressionists were just emerging and their works were unwelcome at the salon, this painting was all the rage in Paris, earning its creator the Legion of Honor award. It is instructive to contrast this painting with impressionism, expressionism, and the emergence of photography as an art form.
To us, "Truth" looks the height of artificiality. A nude woman posing as if she were a statue holds a shining mirror up over her head, the symbol of Truth (indeed she resembles the well-clothed Statue of Liberty -- see www.flickr.com/photos/frame_maker/5196723179/). No ordinary woman ever stood in this position in the course of her everyday life (and unclothed to boot), only a model assuming a pose imagined by a nineteenth century male artist with an Idealist aesthetic.
The painting was obviously done in a studio despite the hints of foliage. There is hardly a sign of a brush stroke, only a fine, glossy surface. While the model may have felt a bit off-balance with her right foot raised at an angle and most of her weight on her left leg, the image itself is very balanced. The model's left hand holding a rope nicely balances her raised right foot, the light shining on her torso balances the shining mirror. While the model with her mirror represents a Platonic ideal, she does so very sensuously, her curvaceous torso highlighted by a very strong studio light coming into the frame from the upper left.
The model's body is idealized, possessed of a universal sensuality, but her face is individualized and quite expressive. The model was in fact a well-known actress of the time, Sophie Croizette. When the connoisseurs at the salon looked at this painting, they probably knew who they were looking at. Nudity in art was nothing new, but it could be said that this painting legitimized its soft pornography by clothing it in an abstract Ideal. The artist, Jules Lefebvre, soon moved on from this sort of painting and produced portraits that emphasized the individuality of his subjects, who now represented not ideals but personalities.
Simultaneously, the impressionists emerged. Instead of painting models in artists' studios posed artificially in timeless, almost abstract space under artificial light, they went outside to paint real life in the streets and parks and fields. (The recently developed paint tube made this possible.) Natural light was their preference and rendering it in new ways under diverse conditions, using impasto and other visible brush techniques, was their passion. Instead of timeless images, they gave us momentary "impressions," the precursor of "decisive moments." The eternal shining mirror of Truth was replaced by momentary glitter from an earring (see Degas' "Dancing Lesson," www.flickr.com/photos/frame_maker/4835655383/in/set-72157...). An idealist aesthetic was replaced by an aesthetic of perception. Rather than being a product of the artist's imagination, the painting became a creative rendition of what the artist saw.
Put the emphasis on "creative rendition." In the end, it turns out that "what one sees" is not purely "objective" and not independent of the imagination. Impressionism morphed into Expressionism via Van Gogh's very creative renditions of what he saw. Van Gogh wrote his brother, "This morning I saw the country from my window a long time before sunrise, with nothing but the morning star, which looked very big." Then he rendered this as "The Starry Night," of which The New York Museum of Modern Art writes: "The painting...is rooted in imagination and memory. Leaving behind the Impressionist doctrine of truth to nature in favor of restless feeling and intense color, as in this highly charged picture, van Gogh made his work a touchstone for all subsequent Expressionist painting." In a sense, Expressionism was the "truth" of Impressionism, the realization that what one sees is not objective, but subjective.
See The Starry Night at:
www.flickr.com/photos/nycandre/3072052829/in/set-72157603...
(Thanks to the "Birth of Impressionism" exhibit at the San Francisco De Young Museum for the idea of using "Truth" as a foil for understanding the innovations of impressionism.)