Last week’s blog introduced the work, Benard Tolomei and the Plague in Siena; this illustrated manuscript was 300-400 years after the Black Plague had made its mark on Europe. The “personality” of death that had been apparent in these manuscripts after the Black Death extended hundreds of years. This week’s work, The Dead Lovers is a much earlier example of the personality of death in the sense of the harsh reality of it.
http://www.historyofpainters.com/grunwald_painting.jpg
The Dead Lovers shows two individuals, presumably husband and wife. The condition that this couple is in is troubling to say the least. Both the man and woman show various signs of being close to death or being already dead. Besides the physical condition, the painting shows a variety of oddly placed animals; all which have different meanings. For example, the insect on the right arm of the man represents the theme of death. The presence of a serpent on both the man and woman represents the fall of man. The last important detail is the white robe that is being stripped away from the figures; the color white represents a sign of innocence, and that innocence is being taken. [1]
The symbolism in this illustrated manuscript is important as the creator is relating the horrific nature of the plague with the idea that death is real and it is harsh.
If you remember some of my previous blog entries, I mentioned that art after the Black Death became, well, dark. The Dead Lovers is a prime example of just that; the Black Death brought death to society in a way that never had been seen before. Sure, society was used to death as death was common and a part of life; however, mass death wasn't. The Dead Lovers isn't the only illustrated manuscript that uses symbolism to explain it's meaning. In the up and coming weeks I will try to find more manuscripts like these and relate it to the attitudes of society.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteI had a thought regarding the picture. Perhaps the man and women are not man and wife but as your title suggests…lovers. The symbolism that you explained made me think that the biblical references may have had deeper meaning. If indeed the man and wife are lovers and not married, maybe the painting is depicting why the plague affected them. Society may have seen an unmarried couple as a sin and therefore being punished by God in the form of Black Death. This manuscript may have been a guide about what not to do in order to stay away from the plague.
I really like looking at paintings while thinking about the symbolism they hold. I think Dawn has a really good point about that particular painting. It could very well be that the painting could have been used as a way to scare the society into being more Christian-like and doing what God asks of them or they will suffer the consequences.
ReplyDeleteWhat does the frog mean??
ReplyDelete