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October 27, 2003
Recent Reading Raises a Question
As part of a book group I have recently read Henri Nouwen's Return of the Prodigal Son. Not a book I would recommend to everyone--seems to be very good for the depressives among us. However, the genesis of the book raised an interesting question that I thought I would ask of all:
If you had the leisure to spend a week or two weeks really examining and studying any one artwork, which would you choose and why? More importantly, would you spend a week or two examining just that one work? And what might be the good results of taking such time?
Posted by Steven Riddle at October 27, 2003 7:36 AM
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Comments
I think I would choose the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel since there's so much there. It might also have an evangelistic effect.
Posted by: TSO at October 27, 2003 9:06 AM
First, I'd take a week choosing the work.
Posted by: Tom at October 27, 2003 10:46 AM
Are we allowed to consider the entire Vatican a single work of art? If so, that's my choice.
Posted by: William Luse at October 27, 2003 3:20 PM
That's a difficult question. With my short attention span, I'd be hard-pressed to study one thing for a week -- no matter how grand a thing it may be.
The suggestion of the Sistine Chapel is a good one, of course. I'd suggest Milan's Duomo as a place I might be able to tarry.
Of course spending a week or more solely in considering a sacred work would have the salutary effect of disciplining (I originally wrote discipling, which works too) the unruly consciousness, unless I got too frustrated at my lack of progress. Any time spent considering the holy is time spent well, though not so well as time spent being holy.
Posted by: Gregg the obscure at October 27, 2003 4:41 PM
Does it have to be a work of visual or plastic art? If so, it's a poser. I'm torn between Rublev's Trinity and almost anything by Matisse. If music is allowed, then, at the risk of being profane, I'd have to listen over and over to Rush's La Villa Strangiato. I'm sure that would have some sort of interesting effect!
Peace to all.
Posted by: Thomas at October 28, 2003 12:54 AM