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September 8, 2006

Fine Art Friday

My entries in today's Fine Art Friday come from an artist whose website is here: Gryphon Rampant. The artist's name is Lawrence Klimecki, and he and his wife, AnNita, have graciously allowed me to use these images today. (They are also the ones selling the cool t-shirts which I blogged a few entries down.) Be sure to read their mission statement on the home page of their website. All the words following the art are from the Klimeckis. Now, on to the ART!


stmichael.jpg

St. Michael, Archangel

Michael bears some of his traditional attributes. The scales decorating his outer tunic refer to his role as the weigher of souls in the last judgement. He wears armor and bears a sword as a member of the heavenly army. The red dragon recalls Satan, Michael's first and last foe. Surrounding this image is the prayer to Saint Michael written by Pope Leo XIII.


StGabriel.jpg

St Gabriel, Archangel

Gabriel is the angel of the Annunciation. He carries a horn as a symbol of his role as God's herald. He is dressed in the vestmenta of a deacon, a servant of the church. The wind which swirls his garments around him represents the presence of God. The lilys are his attibute and refer to the virginity of Mary. The spear is a symbol of his heavenly authority.

StRaphael.jpg
St. Raphael, Archangel

Raphael bears a pilgrim's staff he is the traditional protector of pilgrims and travellers. His name translates as "God heals" and the healing power of God is represented by the fish on his stole. This is a reference to the Book of Tobit wherein Raphael directs Tobias to use a fish to cure his fathers blindness.

In traditional iconography the three archangels share some symbolism. All three are depicted with a disk bearing the abbreviated name of Jesus Christ. Wings symbolize their divine office of messenger. The ribbons that lead to the ears tells us that they always hear the divine word. In my depictions of these three great persons, I have given them elaborate halos to reflect the splendor of the angeleic beings who stand before the throne of God.


Posted by MamaT at September 8, 2006 7:37 AM

Comments

My initial reaction: It's beautiful, but it's not iconographic in the strict sense. One is confronted with the figures represented rather than drawn into contemplation by them.

But it's still beautiful.

Posted by: Klaus der Grosse at September 8, 2006 9:08 AM

Those are sooo beautiful!

Posted by: Ellyn at September 8, 2006 4:34 PM

Glad to see St Raphael there Muma T, my favourite archangel. You can get rid of the other two and just keep him. My son has Raphael as one of his midle names. The picture you have of him remids me of one we have in our bedrooom that is a print of a stained glass window in England done by one fo the PreRaphaleites. It has all four angels including Uriel who is accepted as a legimate angel by Jewish people

Posted by: Karnak at September 11, 2006 9:42 AM

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