The Churches of Paris, from Clovis to Charles XBeale, Sophia
History
The Churches of Paris, from Clovis to Charles X
Beale, Sophia
Church buildings -- France -- Paris; Paris (France) -- Buildings, structures, etc.
This is followed by The Adoration of the Magi and Balaam, the text
being: "_Habitantibus in regione umbrae ... lux orta est_" (Isaiah ix.
2). The Old Testament subject depicts the moment when Balaam, taken to
the top of Pethor by Balak, blesses instead of curses the enemy. Before
them is the altar; around them are the princes of Moab, angry and
threatening; in the background are the tents of the children of Israel.
The victims are ready for the sacrifice, but to the astonishment of the
king and his followers, Balaam lifts up his voice and blesses those he
was brought to curse. _How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy
tabernacles, O Israel!_ This is one of the finest of the series.
In The Baptism we see the ascetic figure of S. John the Baptist pouring
water upon Our Lord's head, while three Angels kneel upon the bank of
the river, doing homage. Above is the descending dove and the verse:
_Erit Sanguis Vobis in Signum_ (Exodus xii. 13). In the Passage of the
Red Sea, the majestic figure of Moses stands upon the shore, his hair
and drapery blown by the wind. He raises his hand, and the waters close
over the Egyptians, while the Israelites lift up their voices in
triumphant songs, Miriam leading them to the sound of the timbrel: _Sing
ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his
rider hath he thrown into the sea._
The Institution of the Eucharist is treated from the purely Roman
Catholic point of view. Our Blessed Lord is standing, holding up the
wafer for adoration, while He places the other hand upon His side,
symbolical of the gift of the sacred heart combined with His precious
body. The Apostles form two groups, one on each side: _Novi Testamenti
Mediator est_ (Hebrews ix. 15). The Old Testament type is Melchizedek
appearing to Abram: _And Melchizedec King of Salem brought forth bread
and wine; and he was the priest of the most high God._
The next pictures, close to the choir, are badly lighted, but both are
very fine. The Treason of Judas, and Joseph sold by his Brethren: _Pro
salute vestra misit me Deus_ (Genesis xiv. 5).
And now we come to a subject into which Flandrin threw all his
strength--The Crucifixion--which is not inferior in feeling to the great
Angelico in the Convent of San Marco at Firenze. The divine expression
of the dying Saviour, the heart-rending sorrow of the Mother, and the
passionate grief of the Magdalen, are all exquisitely portrayed. So,
too, The Sacrifice of Isaac, which is its type, is full of pathos and
true religious sentiment. _Proprio filio non pepercit_ (Romans viii. 32)
is the text.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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