Quote:
Originally Posted by DixieGal
Speaking of Satan's munchies, have you ever seen Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights and it's accompanying side pieces in person? I knew the drill, supposed to be scary, etc. I'd seen pics of it in books and was never that impressed. Then in Madrid, I stood in front of it and starting shaking from a panic attack. Live and large, it really is frightening. After a couple of minutes, it gets to you in a very visceral way. Pun intended.
|
No, I haven't, and wish I could. I have reproductions of it, but the sheer scale will be important.
One of the books in my library is a title called "The Gothic Cathedral: Origins of Gothic Architecture and the Medieval Concept of Order". The author points out that the times when these things were built were pious in a way we probably can't comprehend. He mentions a ceremony where a cathedral was dedicated, attended by the King of England and all of his major nobles. When the choir sang "Oh Lord, how awesome is this place", the King clapped a hand to the hilt of his sword, and swore his royal oath "by the death of God", that indeed, the cathedral was awesome.
That was part of the intention of the builders. For the medieval folks, the cathedral was literally on divine ground, and an entrance to Heaven, and God was assumed to be present within it.
Given that sort of attitude, I can only imagine how people reacted to the Garden when Bosch painted it.
______
Dennis