When this image peered out at me
from my picture file I was reminded that Halloween is just around the corner.
While in Rome not long ago, I dragged Mrs. Chatterbox to one of the gazillion
churches to see a few famous Caravaggios. After viewing the paintings, I saw
this sculpture by the door on our way out. At first I was startled by it, but
not so much that I couldn’t snap a picture.
This is referred to as a vanitas, a reminder that life is short and all is vanity; in
time we all return to dust. Interesting sentiment, but friggin’ creepy if you
ask me. And what is the purpose of that elaborate ironwork—bars to keep people
from touching this exquisite yet revolting sculpture, or a barrier to keep this
masterpiece of the macabre from escaping?
Check it out.
CC
Not even the bars can contain that thing. Creepy! Looking forward to the new look!
ReplyDeleteWhoever put that together must be a fairly serious, introspective type. Seriously, over thinking the concept of vanity but not so much that they didn't pick fancy ironwork instead of ugly bars.
ReplyDeleteAnorexic?
ReplyDeleteYep that sure is creepy, I have to agree with you there! :D I'm kinda amazed it was actually in a church.
ReplyDeleteThe purpose of the ironwork could be for a number of reasons. It may be part of the artwork itself, but somehow I doubt that. Security to protect the artwork would seemingly be the logical explanation.
ReplyDeleteEarthly belongings cannot follow once you're in deaths embrace.
Yep, creepy but oh so true. I think the bars are to keep the artwork from escaping. Much more interesting.
ReplyDeleteWe are in Benicia, CA this morning and will be heading to San Rafael as soon as the fog lifts a bit and the tide changes in our favor.
Have a terrific day. :)
SCARY!!
ReplyDeleteI would have left a couple of Snickers.
ReplyDeleteS
How strange....perhaps the bars represent how we are shackled in life, freed in death?
ReplyDeleteGeesh, that's one creepy picture!
ReplyDeleteIt's been a long time since I had Latin in school... does the phrase Neove Illic Mortuus mean "Neove died here" or "Here is Neove dead?" The elaborate ironwork reminds me of that in front of a window - did Neove spend a lot of time looking out a window?
ReplyDeleteIt is a bit creepy. Not artwork I would display in my house.
creepy. Hate this stuff...sorry, but I really do.
ReplyDeleteonly the body is constrained by bars.
ReplyDeleteCreepy...but true. Life is so short.
ReplyDeleteYikes! That's almost as scary as the headless apparition I saw in my basement. But not quite. Because the vanitas is in Rome, not in my basement.
ReplyDeleteIt would be a Halloween decoration worthy of my strange #2 Son.
ReplyDeletehalloween is starting to be celebrated by the young in oz nowadays. years ago no-one did. we even have a zombie walk :) http://www.adelaidezombiewalk.vacau.com/ it is a most interesting vanita. a little bit creepy yes.
ReplyDeleteWell I can say with some certainty that he's dead ... or perhaps in desperate need of a sandwich.
ReplyDeleteOMG!! EEWW.....I know life is short,but, wasn't there a better way to depict it?????!!!
ReplyDeleteBars probably used to symbolize the eternal chains of death!
ReplyDeleteNice, what a grand way to point out the fragility of life, as for the iron bars they are most likely intended to work both directions.
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine having that thing in your house as part of your Halloween decor? Could scare the pants off of people.
ReplyDeleteLife is short, I agree. But this is not exactly the best way to remind me of that.
ReplyDeleteThe great certainty, they should have had another with the tax man in it then they would have had two of the great certainties in life
ReplyDeleteThere are so many ways of looking at that creepy McCreeperson and reading the intent for its display. But the overriding sentiment is just CREEPY!
ReplyDeletegood question ...
ReplyDeleteExquisite yet revolting indeed. Again, you write what I am thinking. But I am so glad you got this picture.
ReplyDeleteThe bars because you are caged within your vanity, perhaps? Well not YOU.
ReplyDeletecage to keep her in!
ReplyDeleteWe all return to dust... I just saw the movie "Sunshine" which is a science-fiction thriller. The crew goes into a derelict spacecraft orbiting the planet Mercury and the first thing one of them says is: "There's dust covering everything." Shortly after that, a scientist says, "Human skin. Dust is 90% human skin." Very morbid...but a reminder that we are all "dust".
ReplyDeleteack- not my idea of reminding us to live each day to the fullest- I'd rather see a grinning Bacchus....and the bars are there to keep fingers from being bitten off! bwaa haa haa!
ReplyDeleteYes, that's certainly a creepy piece! As an ever evolving art student I know it's certainly in the eye of the beholder so one can only imagine what the intent was behind the aspects of this piece!
ReplyDeleteProbably seen too many Walking Dead episodes, of course it's to keep that thing in!
ReplyDeleteYes, she (or he) is not pretty.
ReplyDeletexoRobyn
"Neove Illic Mort"
ReplyDeleteLatin for "Open the GD Window and Let me Outta Here!"
Seriously, kinda creepy. Then again, when you had the Black Plague and all those whacky guys lopping off peoples heads for being the wrong religion, a little skeleton or two shouldn't frighten anyone.
Yep, it seems like they had a lot of those kind of artworks... I remember one statue of a lovely lady, you saw her face, and she was wearing this nice gown, but when you went by her, and saw her back, she was dissolving, skin gone, bones and bugs and gross... The same vanity, beauty is fleeting thing. In short, EEEEEEEWWWW!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteCat
Life is short and all is vanity, huh?!? But I notice the artist used a model with excellent bone structure.
ReplyDelete