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Home Poetry Beauty

‘Darkest Before Dawn’ by Jason Larsen

August 11, 2015
in Beauty, Poetry
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MEMLING, Hans
(b. ca. 1440, Seligenstadt, d. 1494, Bruges)

Angel Musicians
1480s
Oil on wood, 165 x 230 cm (each panel)
Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp

Memling produced this three-part panel painting more than half a century after the Ghent Altar-piece of the van Eyck brothers. The central panel not reproduced here shows the figure of Christ surrounded by· singing angels. Thus, laudative music again accompanies the theme of "Majestas Domini". Formalistically, however, the artist does not follow the famous example. One explanation for this is the original purpose of the panels and their horizontally rectangular shape. They used to decorate the organ loft in the church of the Castilian city of Najera. Located relatively high, they were placed in a long, horizontal row, hence the large and bust-like appearance of the figures.

The accurate rendering of the numerous players may create the impression that the painter wanted to present an ensemble of contemporary musical instruments. In fact, however, the composition reveals an arrangement of strict symmetry, partly suggested by the hierarchical order of angels and the related symbolism of instruments, although the classification is not as clear as in the works of Giotto or Geertgen. In the central panel depicting Christ, six singing angels represent music of the highest order. On each side of Him (on the right of the first panel, and on the left of the second), in a mirror arrangement, are two wind instruments: one trumpet on each side and a zink and busine, representing the order of "trumpeting" herald angels. Moving further away from the centre, on the left we see stringed instruments: a lute, a tromba marina and a psaltery, while on the right the mellower, quieter instruments, a portative organ, a harp and a fiddle. The psaltery, for example, was used exclusively to accompany psalms and beseeching prayers.






--- Keywords: --------------

Author: MEMLING, Hans
Title: Angel Musicians
Time-line: 1451-1500
School: Flemish
Form: painting
Type: religious

MEMLING, Hans (b. ca. 1440, Seligenstadt, d. 1494, Bruges) Angel Musicians 1480s Oil on wood, 165 x 230 cm (each panel) Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp Memling produced this three-part panel painting more than half a century after the Ghent Altar-piece of the van Eyck brothers. The central panel not reproduced here shows the figure of Christ surrounded by· singing angels. Thus, laudative music again accompanies the theme of "Majestas Domini". Formalistically, however, the artist does not follow the famous example. One explanation for this is the original purpose of the panels and their horizontally rectangular shape. They used to decorate the organ loft in the church of the Castilian city of Najera. Located relatively high, they were placed in a long, horizontal row, hence the large and bust-like appearance of the figures. The accurate rendering of the numerous players may create the impression that the painter wanted to present an ensemble of contemporary musical instruments. In fact, however, the composition reveals an arrangement of strict symmetry, partly suggested by the hierarchical order of angels and the related symbolism of instruments, although the classification is not as clear as in the works of Giotto or Geertgen. In the central panel depicting Christ, six singing angels represent music of the highest order. On each side of Him (on the right of the first panel, and on the left of the second), in a mirror arrangement, are two wind instruments: one trumpet on each side and a zink and busine, representing the order of "trumpeting" herald angels. Moving further away from the centre, on the left we see stringed instruments: a lute, a tromba marina and a psaltery, while on the right the mellower, quieter instruments, a portative organ, a harp and a fiddle. The psaltery, for example, was used exclusively to accompany psalms and beseeching prayers. --- Keywords: -------------- Author: MEMLING, Hans Title: Angel Musicians Time-line: 1451-1500 School: Flemish Form: painting Type: religious

 

The sorrows of many pulls upon heart strings
To accomp’ny angelic voices that sing
Voices so sweet but pain too intense to soothe
Roads traveled so rough only time’s sands can smooth
No chariot to ride worn feet wear no shoes
Seems no choice left to make but still we must choose
Don’t succumb to pain always refuse to lose

Just as before we walk we learned how to fall
Can’t stand any more? then remember to crawl
Listen to the angels they’re singing your song
“Pain is only temporal it won’t last long
You can pass the test it shall help make you strong
Don’t feel so alone we are here all along
Do the best that you can and nothing is wrong”

Let harmonious voices return your feet
Hit the ground running from the jaws of defeat
Survive the night and a new dawn will arrive
In a flash of brilliance you finely realize
It always seems darkest before the sunrise
Feel the sunshine and wipe the tears from your eyes
Watch as dawn’s grandeur reveals a blessed surprise

 

Featured Image: “Angel Musicians” by Hans Memling.

 

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