What piece of art made you cry the hardest?
Aug 2nd, 2003, 05:34 AM
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What piece of art made you cry the hardest?
I never expected to, but seeing Michelangelo's 17' tall David in Florence and reading the small description of how important it was had me in tears.
The other tie for first place was Michelangelo's 1rst of his 4 Pieta's
http://www.abcgallery.com/M/michelan...elangelo6.html
(meaning: pity, compassion, sorrow). What really got me was reading the black and white book they sell there of this work.
"There is so much in the Pieta that if you lived a thousand years and wrote a thousand books you can never express it. In other words, there is a divine quality in it. It must have been inspired, because how could a boy, twenty-four year old, create a work like that? You can't imagine how. It was a special grace from God. It it is true, he had to be an artist, but art alone could not transform the Pieta. The Pieta transforms you inwardly. A prayerful spirit comes over you... Prayerfulness...it changes people.
What makes the Blessed Virgin remarkable is that it is his whole love of her that is in that face. You get an idea of what Michelangelo was by looking at that face - not what the Blessed Virgin was, but the faith that was in him to have ever done that. You couldn't describe her in words, that is, that effable expression. It tells you more about Michelangelo than anything else. This is his tremendousness, excelling even the Sistene Chapel. The Sistene Chapel reveals artistic grandeur. The Pieta portrays simple faith. There is sanctity in that statue.
All the sorrows in life are assuaged by looking at the Pieta. How we should love the Florentine sculpture for having given to the world so glorious a work. Michelangelo's statue is a ray from heaven, giving us a glimpse of the beauty awaiting us when we get there" sob, sniffle...
Thanks for letting me share! Can't wait to take my new wife to Rome one day to cry again with me - together. And I'm jewish!
What made you cry the hardest? Unexpectantly maybe?
Steve R
Silver Spring MD USA
[email protected]
The other tie for first place was Michelangelo's 1rst of his 4 Pieta's
http://www.abcgallery.com/M/michelan...elangelo6.html
(meaning: pity, compassion, sorrow). What really got me was reading the black and white book they sell there of this work.
"There is so much in the Pieta that if you lived a thousand years and wrote a thousand books you can never express it. In other words, there is a divine quality in it. It must have been inspired, because how could a boy, twenty-four year old, create a work like that? You can't imagine how. It was a special grace from God. It it is true, he had to be an artist, but art alone could not transform the Pieta. The Pieta transforms you inwardly. A prayerful spirit comes over you... Prayerfulness...it changes people.
What makes the Blessed Virgin remarkable is that it is his whole love of her that is in that face. You get an idea of what Michelangelo was by looking at that face - not what the Blessed Virgin was, but the faith that was in him to have ever done that. You couldn't describe her in words, that is, that effable expression. It tells you more about Michelangelo than anything else. This is his tremendousness, excelling even the Sistene Chapel. The Sistene Chapel reveals artistic grandeur. The Pieta portrays simple faith. There is sanctity in that statue.
All the sorrows in life are assuaged by looking at the Pieta. How we should love the Florentine sculpture for having given to the world so glorious a work. Michelangelo's statue is a ray from heaven, giving us a glimpse of the beauty awaiting us when we get there" sob, sniffle...
Thanks for letting me share! Can't wait to take my new wife to Rome one day to cry again with me - together. And I'm jewish!
What made you cry the hardest? Unexpectantly maybe?
Steve R
Silver Spring MD USA
[email protected]
Aug 2nd, 2003, 05:57 AM
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Wow i love your post. Like you,
David and the Pieta at St.Peters
were so overpowering and overwhelming. My favorites. I also felt a spiritual connection when seeing the Mona Lisa, PrimaVera and the Birth of Venice. Buildings do this to me also. The Duomo in Florence, St. Marks in Venice and the Eiffel Tower at night. The Trevi fountain too.
David and the Pieta at St.Peters
were so overpowering and overwhelming. My favorites. I also felt a spiritual connection when seeing the Mona Lisa, PrimaVera and the Birth of Venice. Buildings do this to me also. The Duomo in Florence, St. Marks in Venice and the Eiffel Tower at night. The Trevi fountain too.
Aug 2nd, 2003, 06:00 AM
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Steve, The Pieta in St. Peters affected me that way. You must read The Agony and the Ecstasy. It will really give you some wonderful background on what made Michaelangelo tick and details about his creation of both of those amazing works.
Aug 2nd, 2003, 07:02 AM
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I agree that certain buildings and sights can have an overwhelming emotional effect, too. The Grand Canal in Venice had that effect on me the first time I cruised down "the most beautiful street in the world."
Aug 2nd, 2003, 08:34 AM
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Cool - glad to know there are some similar minded people.
to grogger69: I checked out Hug a Cactus on google but no art info came up!
to grasshopper: Thanks for the recommendation for Irving Stone's The Agony and the Ecstasy. I'll have to check it out at the library. I know I've seen it in my parents house when I grew up... So cool that on Amazon.com you can read the 1rst 13 pages!
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...9866?vi=glance
to JandaO: Ditto on the Mona Lisa (how is it that her eyes follow you all around the room but NONE of the other great paintings in that room do the same thing? Genious and beauty. Ditto to the all the buildings you listed. Been there, loved them too.
Statia: Thanks for reminding me of the Grand Canal in Venice. My new wife's never seen anything in Europe and wants to go to all the places I've just been in the last 6 years... I thought - "how dull-been there done that". But your reply reminded me that sharing them all with her would be tremendous.
to Degas: Yes, Monet's - Gare St Lazare is magic! I forgot about it till you replied.
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/cg...kNumber=NG6479
Anyone else? Anyone ever see "The Blue Madonna" from an unknown artist during the 1600's at the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Fl. (of all places)? It's divine.
Steve R
Silver Spring MD USA
to grogger69: I checked out Hug a Cactus on google but no art info came up!
to grasshopper: Thanks for the recommendation for Irving Stone's The Agony and the Ecstasy. I'll have to check it out at the library. I know I've seen it in my parents house when I grew up... So cool that on Amazon.com you can read the 1rst 13 pages!
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...9866?vi=glance
to JandaO: Ditto on the Mona Lisa (how is it that her eyes follow you all around the room but NONE of the other great paintings in that room do the same thing? Genious and beauty. Ditto to the all the buildings you listed. Been there, loved them too.
Statia: Thanks for reminding me of the Grand Canal in Venice. My new wife's never seen anything in Europe and wants to go to all the places I've just been in the last 6 years... I thought - "how dull-been there done that". But your reply reminded me that sharing them all with her would be tremendous.
to Degas: Yes, Monet's - Gare St Lazare is magic! I forgot about it till you replied.
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/cg...kNumber=NG6479
Anyone else? Anyone ever see "The Blue Madonna" from an unknown artist during the 1600's at the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Fl. (of all places)? It's divine.
Steve R
Silver Spring MD USA
Aug 2nd, 2003, 10:38 AM
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definitely raphael's "pieta" in the prado which makes michaelangelo's look like the stone it is in comparison.
the difference between the restored sistine ceiling and the one i saw in 1971.
the realisation that bernini's "david" was the hallmark break between rennaisance conception of mass in space to the baroque idea of movement in space.
any vermer... the technical genius is awesome.
the difference between the restored sistine ceiling and the one i saw in 1971.
the realisation that bernini's "david" was the hallmark break between rennaisance conception of mass in space to the baroque idea of movement in space.
any vermer... the technical genius is awesome.
Aug 2nd, 2003, 11:02 AM
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What made you cry the hardest. Unexpectantly maybe?
Well, your post just about did it for me. Reading about your personal feelings when you saw these magnificent works was fascinating.
You must answer this quesion. Exactly where did your new wife find you?
Well, your post just about did it for me. Reading about your personal feelings when you saw these magnificent works was fascinating.
You must answer this quesion. Exactly where did your new wife find you?
Aug 2nd, 2003, 12:57 PM
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Oh Calamari - those aren't my words! I WISH I spoke with such eloquent flair, but that is from the black and white famous picture book I got at St Peter's describing the Pieta. The guy that took the pictures for the book gained special permission to photograph and fully document it after it had been restored from that whacko that took a hammer to it 20 years ago.
Uh, I met my wife at a jewish singles dance Dec 21rst 5 years ago and the rest is history. Love at first sight! I think it's kind of odd that a jewish guy like me finds the Pieta (at St Peters) the most moving artwork I've ever seen (odd in the sense that it's a very Christian piece) but it just works for me.
Steve R
Silver Spring MD USA
Uh, I met my wife at a jewish singles dance Dec 21rst 5 years ago and the rest is history. Love at first sight! I think it's kind of odd that a jewish guy like me finds the Pieta (at St Peters) the most moving artwork I've ever seen (odd in the sense that it's a very Christian piece) but it just works for me.
Steve R
Silver Spring MD USA
Aug 2nd, 2003, 01:24 PM
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Raffael's painting "Sistin Madonna" in Dresden's picture gallery Old Masters. In particular the expression on little Jesus face. It is like he knows he will be crucified one day. And this is exactly what Raffael's intention was (corresponding to the former location of the painting on an altar in a convent church).
Aug 2nd, 2003, 03:43 PM
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SteveR
1. La Pieta's magnificance surpasses the contstraints of relgious affiliations, as you have seen for yourself. Beauty is beauty for sure. Sadly, I was there when that nut job hacked away at perfection.
2. I will suggest to my "not yet spoken for friends" to go to a Jewish singles thing. Maybe they will be as fortunate as you and your wife! Shalome
1. La Pieta's magnificance surpasses the contstraints of relgious affiliations, as you have seen for yourself. Beauty is beauty for sure. Sadly, I was there when that nut job hacked away at perfection.
2. I will suggest to my "not yet spoken for friends" to go to a Jewish singles thing. Maybe they will be as fortunate as you and your wife! Shalome
