Assignment 2: Cloisters Museum Visit
Title: Religious Artistic Interpretation is Fundamentally Flawed
Student: Enid Farber
Mentor: Raul Manzano
Date: October 4th, 2008
I believe: religious art is prone to excessive subjective interpretation, depending on the background and strength of the viewer’s own religious convictions, therefore it is fundamentally flawed. Prior to our class group visit to The Cloister’s Museum, I had, for the most part, resisted viewing and expressing an opinion on artistic expressions that are faith driven, whether classical or avant-garde pieces as exemplified by a provocative artist such as Andres Serrano of Piss Christ infamy. As someone who is not of the dominant American religious faith, and who is not particularly enamored with organized religion, I am somewhat uncomfortable looking beyond the surface of the art and searching for the symbolic religious associations.
I was however, admittedly fascinated with the sculptures of Jesus and Mary that we were lectured about. Although they could be construed as hard core religious art that are meant to convey an obedience to the church and the state that sponsored the art, they are also fascinating portraits of the mass minds of the divergent societies to which they belonged.
The first sculpture we viewed from the early 12th century, a combination of burgundy birch and polychromy, (www.metmuseum.org) entitled, “The Throne of Wisdom” and characterized by a less than realistic style, seems to reflect a culture that had little room for frivolity or a sense of humor. In fact, it evokes a stern, serious, dark and cold societal climate fraught with an ambience of fear and repression. The posture, the separation of mother and child, the no nonsense expressions, and the monochromatic muddy color punishes my senses. I would conjecture that during those Medieval times, a period when heretics defied the church, religious art was about promoting the absolute authority of church and state.
Relative to that grand scale religious curio, the next sculpture of Mary and Jesus that we visited, from the French Gothic period, was much more soothing, inviting, friendly, heavenly and relatable. I did not sense the same kind of religious intimidation that registered for me when I viewed The Throne of Wisdom but instead saw this as a pleasant and acceptable representation of the love, warmth, and inimitable bond between mother and child, above and beyond the Mary/Jesus connotation. The obvious softness of the Angelic faces, the flowing clothes, the touch of warm colors, Mary’s curvy feminine body and the cherubic baby Jesus, were all potential clues that the society was less rigid and instead of fearful of the church, perhaps comforted by it’s offerings.
As I endeavor to interpret these sculptures, I will reiterate that I have a fundamental opposition to religious dogma, just as religious fundamentalists are intolerant for anyone who does not definitively agree with their interpretation of the Bible and scripture. I believe if I did adhere to a particular strict religious code, I might see these wholly differently and with a reverence or an excitement that at this time, I just cannot relate to. I am pressing this point to enforce my belief that interpretation is inseparable from one’s perspective. This is not a new concept but the interpretation of religious oriented art emboldens this argument for me. I am quite sure that had I grown up with Christian curios all around me, I would have had a more profound and positive experience viewing these sculptures and the other religious art we focused on.
One of those in particular that also caught my attention more than others was the 14th century painting, The Annunciation Triptych. The first impression I had upon viewing this painting was that the artist was portraying an idyllic, youthful, promising life surrounded by common lives lived and another one almost expired. The three notable stages of life, youth, mid-life and old age are displayed together yet separately. Equal weight is given to the two side panels, mid-life and old age, while youth is the centerpiece which is blessed and graced by the presence of an angel with her wings of protection and watchful gaze directed towards the developing girl who seems not to be aware of her heavenly guardian. But surely this painting has a deeper religious context that I cannot detect without the proper religious training. According to The Cloister’s website the meaning is associated with the incarnation which alludes to “the moment God became man” (www.metmuseum.org).
There is one reference in the painting that offers some familiarity to me as the non-pious viewer whose born religious identity is that of Judaism. It is the symbolic Hebraic tallis or prayer shawl that hangs curiously on the boudoir wall behind the young girl. The tour guide explained that this particular chosen reference and the faux Hebrew writing is suggesting “the Jewish roots of Christianity” (Mary Halbach). This again confirms my position that all valid and intelligent interpretation is contingent on facts and knowledge as much as experience, perspective and cultural background.
I might fail at this exercise of commenting on and sharing my ideas and thoughts about these religious iconic paintings and sculptures, but what I do know is that the art leaves me feeling somewhat alienated. As a student of interpretation, what I have taken away from this particular museum visit is not so much the goal of the course, that is, to teach us how to express the meaning of art, but instead I have learned that one must have at least a modicum of knowledge to offer a legitimate interpretation and summation of any given artwork.
Citations:
Encyclopedia Britannica. 9 Oct. 2008 <http://www.britannica.com/ebchecked/topic/215768/france/40314/french-society-in-the-early-middle-ages>.
“Robert Campin and Assistant: The Annunciation Triptych (56.70)”. In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/08/euwl/ho_56.70.htm (October 2006) Tour Guide, Cloisters, 10-4-08
Halbach, Mary. “The Cloisters Museum Tour.” The Cloisters/ Ft. Tryon Park, New York. 4 Oct. 2008.
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