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| Lot 377 Oak Interiors Bonhams January 2014 |
Where are Justice, Hope and Charity in this scene? We have an angel in the middle with a horn in one hand blowing out a horn in the other. And a woman with a bird on her hand holding palm leaves. The palm leaves on women in 17th century embroidery often signify Victory or Peace. Could this be a substitute for hope with the bird on her hand (usually bent pecking the hand if for Touch) represent charity? I could see the angel calling for Justice in the way that justice for the soul on the last day.
This piece is still a bit of a conundrum. Maybe there is a scholar of allegories out there that would like to weigh in.
and dont forget the leopard and the lion~ what ever it is, I like it. I looked thru all the pieces the other day, and this was by far my favorite...second piece being lot 387, in particular the shading of the blues~ FABULOUS!
ReplyDeleteReally interesting find, Trish - and one which points to a statement of religious protest in an culture of repression. I've seen a book binding on a religious text which conspicuously leaves out charity but includes faith, hope, and the Catholic symbol of a Pyx. Faith holding the snake seems to point in the same direction and holds, as was typical of the time, bivalency, allowing it to be interpreted in several possible ways - one way if you're 'in the know' and another way if you want to protect your thoughts from prying hostile minds. This need for self-expression, yet safety in these conditions can be found in other societies and situations - look up 'ketman', for example.
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