Oedipus and The Sphinx

Gustave Moreau

Paris, France 1864

Wikipedia Source

The Classical Era gave rise to the revitalization of many ancient Greek and Roman works, including the Greek story of Oedipus The King. The story of Oedipus in summary is a tale of a young boy, who after being orphaned by his parents after a grave fortune telling, was adopted off a mountainside, rose to be quite powerful, and in the end unintentionally made the telling true and ended up killing his father for a throne and marrying his mother. The influence of this work at the time, was a portrayal of the controversial moral dilemma that Oedipus faces within his tragedy.  Many saw the “apparent” immoral acts (copulation with thy mother, slaying of thy father), but even throughout much of this controversy there is still sense of sorrow reflected to the reader as Oedipus faces each of these trials. It can be extrapolated that this sense of remorse is not from the neglect to acknowledge a seemingly bad deed, but rather the character that Sophocles builds around Oedipus that makes his moral and intellectual qualities appear admirable for change (Lawrence,Pg 139, 2013). Although he may falter many times, he has the intention to right his wrongs and make the “best” decision.

Moreau’s choice to depict this scene as Oedipus solves the riddle from the Sphinx, after which he travels to the town of Thebes and becomes king, is a key point in which Oedipus is challenged by the identity of self as well his fate.

He is asked by the Sphinx,

“What walks on four feet in the morning, two in the afternoon and three at night?”

To which Oedipus replies,

“Man: as an infant, he crawls on all fours; as an adult, he walks on two legs and; in old age, he uses a walking stick”

After solving this riddle correctly, the Sphinx is astonished and chooses to kill herself, and ends up freeing the Thebians.

The connection the audience creates with Oedipus, is not one surrounding a fatal flaw as so common in many Greek tragedies, but rather Oedipus’ lack of one. He “need not be morally immaculate for the spectators to feel sorry for his downfall. If a character is too perfect, the audience reacts to its downfall with shock, rather than pity and terror” (Carel, 2006). I feel that Moreau choses to use this relatability in his depiction of Oedipus, as he lacks many of the strong, courageous conquering leadership characteristics often found on men in his position. The gracefulness that is bestowed upon both Oedipus and the Sphinx creates an interesting dynamic as it is apparent that she is attempting a unfocused and unentranced temptation for Oedipus as his piercing gaze seeks to discover the answers that lay beneath. Moreau’s choice of a bare breasted woman gently clawing at Oedipus’ loins creates an in-dismissible sexual tension that may or may not have been present in the Sophocles original work, but further enforces the questionable morality of Oedipus’ choices. Mangled decaying bodies of previous challengers to the Sphinx’s riddle lay inches before Oedipus’ feet, one of which appears to have the crown of his deceased father, adding to the challenge presented before him.

I enjoy Moreau’s work for the delicate intricacies he provides, in the intense gazes, vast oblivious canyon beyond, to the individual feathers gracefully outlined on the wings of the Sphinx. He has chosen a very interesting perspective to outline and embody the famous Greek work of Sophocles, keeping a tension alive as moral ambiguity thrives on.

Lawrence, Stuart. “Moral Awareness In Greek Tragedy”. 2013. Web. https://books.google.com/books?id=bjwfAQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Moral+Awareness+in+Greek+Tragedy&hl=en&sa=X&ei=eUWSVfyICci0oQTj1Y2wCA&ved=0CB8Q6wEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

Magdalen with the Smoking Flame

by Georges de La Tour

Circa 1640 in Lunéville, France

Wikipedia Source

As the saint Mary Magdalen holds such a prominent role in Christian religions as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, there is an extensive amount of symbolism embedded within any work depicting her. In de La Tour’s work, Magdalen is depicted with a very strong chiaroscuro by candelight, which brings attention and her facial features and the few items around her within arms reach. The books upon the table are a common theme in depictions of Magdalen to represent her dedication to reading the holy works as well as the wooden cross and whip laid beside them to exemplify her faith. Magdalen is shown as gazing deeply, yet passively, into the smoking flame before her, as to portray a sense of contemplation into things potentially outside of the physical realm. Her very fair skin appears almost porcelainly angelic in combination with the headdress she adorns to contain her flowing locks, however as the stories of Christ remark her as a passionate sinner, her clothing choices are somewhat low cut in the combination with a shorter skirt-dress possibly representing her bodily sins, with new aims to purify herself from the soul (head/face). She is depicted holding delicately an aged skull in her lap, which universally is often depicted as a symbolism for death and the afterlife, all the while she is gazing into the flame of the lamp, which can be symbolic of the continuation of life in its “burning, purifying and consuming any form of existence” (Blasone 2009). This combination of life and death places Magdalen in a limbo-like contemplation of existence.

Cultural influences and transformations of the time can be recognized in this depiction of Mary Magdalen as the Council of Trent regards her as a very promising saintly figure and the “paradigm of the redeemed sinner” (Hamerman 1997). She gives hope that there can be salvation for those that sin, by following the teachings of Christ. The influence of the Thirty Years war can also be seen in the symbolism of death as the lands of Lorraine were ravaged and many lost their lives, even the bareness of Magdalen’s feet can be thought to represent the bareness of resources and amenities to many common folk. These times of great hardship are often said to drive people to find new forms of livelihood, which in many cases are in such desperation that they take the form of many sinful acts, Magdalen was said to have had “seven demons had gone out” by the works of Christ.

I enjoy this work by de La Tour as he takes a very symbolic approach to subtly recount common themes present in many works created in rendition of Mary Magdelen, but choses to present it as a very common folk perspective. Magdalen is not highly glorified in any form other than her simplistic beauty gently lit by the flame of the candle atop the desk. The inquisitive look of thought and longing to understand the connections and correlations between life and death is very well represented. La Tour has much skill in the use of gentle shading and angles in which light from a flickering candlelight would softly project in a darkened room, highlighting subtly sensual areas of Magdalens body, her upper knee and a graceful collarbone and shoulder. This contrast provides many polar balances including lustful sin and spiritual dedication (through the Bible) and the ever burning life of flame and mortal death.

Blasone, Pino. 2009. “Magdalene’s Iconography”. Web.  http://www.academia.edu/4072926/Magdalenes_Iconography.

Hamerman, Nora. 1997. “Conversion by Candlelight: LaTour’s Four Magdalenes”. Arlington’s Catholic Herald. Web.  http://catholicherald.com/stories/Conversion-by-Candlelight-LaTours-Four-Magdalenes,5421.

Wikipage Source

The Fall of the Rebel Angels

by Pieter Bruegel

1562 in Antwerp, Belgium.

Bruegel was very strongly influenced by the works of Hieronymous Bosch and presented that influence in the great tides of the Northern Renaissance when the Protestant Reformation was taking hold of Europe. His work The Fall of The Rebel Angels is depicts a great battle between the angels of heaven and the grotesque forms of the fallen angels. Bruegel depicts the angels battling this creature as a “war in heaven” as the tides of creatures representing “domestic” sin emerge from the darkness (Lubbock 2008). Examples of this sin are apparent in creatures such as the yellow bellied form in the bottom right that has been slit across the stomach and is ripping its outer layer apart to reveal what appears to be some form of eggs or neonates. This exposure could represent the sinful acts of over exposure of the bottom, and infidelity of a female “releasing” ones eggs out to many suitors. Other examples include, the figures in the bottom left corner, which appear to lack breasts, and would therefore lead one to believe it is two male chests/bodies upon one another that are so deeply twined one cannot tell the difference between them. This combination of torsos could be representative of the sin of same sex intercourse, as the act of copulation can often be interpreted as a melding of two bodies so deeply that they cannot be told apart. Many other creatures are depicted within this scene, many lacking any true reason or naturalistic qualities other than misshapen deformities of various forms of animals, such as the large fish with arms in the bottom left, or the puffer fish in the top right.

Within this chaotic sea of civil unrest, Bruegel presents some very influential themes for his time. This battle between the heavens and the fallen angels could be representative of the Protestant Reformation and the need to abolish these vile creatures of sin. Although the Reformation is deemed as a positive change for society, it can also be viewed as an Apocalyptic divide that distinguishes the duality between good and evil (Boult). Bruegel creates the good distinction obvious with the angels flying down from above, although they bear swords and weapons, they are not depicted as losing any of their angelic composure and bear not the faces of men and women going into battle against wretched creatures but rather an innocent humility of a job that must be done. The depiction of evil is embodied by the vile creatures rising up from the darkness, wearing faces of despair, bearing sharp teeth, and contortioned bodies that go against all plausible forms of nature, which in turn lack true beauty. This divide is made triumphant and euphoric as it is accompanied by many trumpeting angels found within the heap of the battle. Although there is no clear winner presented in this scene, the apparent ease and lack of concern makes one presume that once again, good was victorious over evil and the Reformation of society would be a battle with little doubt in its success.

Boult, Josephine. BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL. Imagining the Apocalypse in Northern Renaissance Art.http://www.academia.edu/5103438/BETWEEN_HEAVEN_AND_HELL_Imagining_the_Apocalypse_in_Northern_Renaissance_Art

Lubbock, Tom. Bruegel, Pieter: The Fall Of The Rebel Angels (1562). (2008) http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/great-works/bruegel-pieter-the-fall-of-the-rebel-angels-1562-897006.html