Gluttony, greed, laziness, lust, arrogance, jealousy. The Seven Deadly Sins are God's summary of the seven sins of mankind in the Bible. It has also become a subject that artists are keen to express.
In the last issue, we talked about some paintings. Today, I will continue to talk to you about the Seven Deadly Sins from the artwork.
William van Miris, Dionysian
In the artistic works depicting Dionysus (Bacchus), the god of wine, gluttony and greed are often depicted. In this indulgent dionysian scene painted by William van Miris, a naked female "Dionysian" believer is squeezing a bunch of grapes into a glass while another person is reveling, dancing with a tambourine and dancing.
George Crook shank, "Worship of Dionysus"
The huge panoramic portrait of Victorian artist George Crookshank, Worship of Dionysus, contains a large number of scenes depicting the adverse effects of excessive drinking. The work depicts British society as a society destroyed by the public's thirst for alcohol, hoping to persuade British audiences to live a more comfortable life without drinking. Other artists were critical of those who were insatiable and hoarded wealth, rather than over-drinking or overeating.
Hogarth", "Gin Street"
The sin of depravity caused by excessive drinking is also vividly expressed in Hogarth's "Gin Street". Poor people paralyzed themselves with alcohol, and drunken mothers threw their children down the steps.
George Frederick Watt, "Because He Owns a Huge Fortune"
The title of George Frederick Watt's 1894 painting "Because He Owns a Great Possession" is taken from a biblical story about a rich man who approached Christ and asked to become a disciple. When told that he must first sell all his worldly possessions, he refused, rejected the spiritual path, and instead pursued material wealth.
Gabriel Mechu, "The Old Woman Who Fell Asleep"
Dutch artist Gabriel Mechu's "The Sleeping Old Woman" is a visual representation of the sin of laziness: an old woman falls asleep while reading the Bible. Her negligence with the behavior manifested itself at her feet with the hungry cat, which was preparing to pounce on the plate of fish. Similar to the debauched family painted by Steen, the painter expressed loose moral behavior with good humor.
In another painting from the painter's early years, two men and a sleeping woman are depicted, and a woman is drunk and asleep in a tavern. The cards and backgammon show that she had been gambling except for the pipe she smoked. Because smoking is considered a C drug, the pipe is always opened with a frown.
Gabriel Mechu, "The Crime of Woman's Pride in the Mirror"
Gabriel Mechu also shows it in The Woman's Proud Sin against the Mirror. The subject of a woman standing in front of a mirror, undoubtedly a symbol of their vanity, is common in Dutch art. In this painting, the protagonist also holds a double-sided ivory comb, reminding people of the duality of worldly objects, which can be used to do good deeds and bad deeds.
Narcissistic Naxos
This state of staring at oneself in the mirror is similar to the story of Naxos in Greek mythology, where Naxos fell in love with his beautiful reflection in the pool. He was so obsessed that he didn't eat, drink, or sleep, and eventually committed suicide due to the distractions caused by his unrequited passion.
In Frank Cadogan Cooper's Vanity, the young beauty observes herself in a handheld mirror. Ripe grapes are symbols of abundance and pleasure, but they are also often associated with expressive desire, suggesting that she has been rewarded with her own reflection.
Frank Cadogan Cooper," Vanity
Biblical stories are often used to describe the tragic consequences of succumbing to anger and the sin of anger. Peter Paul Rubens' sentimental paintings often cite these aspects of Christian history, such as Cain Kills Abel.
Rubens, "Cain Kills Abel"
Cain was a farmer and Abel was a shepherd, the sons of Adam and Eve. They offered their products to God, and God liked Abel as He sacrificed His best lamb. In a fit of jealousy, Cain murdered his brother and was sentenced to a restless wandering life.
Rubens was also inspired by classical historical stories, such as The Wrath of Achilles, which captured the moment when Achilles drew his sword against King Agamemnon, preparing them for the violent conflict that would come.
Rubens, The Wrath of Achilles
These angry behaviors are usually caused by another sin: the emotion of jealousy. In the Divine Comedy, the story of Francesca da Rimini from Dante's epic inferno was captured by many artists. In this 1837 painting by scottish artist William Dyce, he depicts the moment when the ill-fated lover Francesca and brother-in-law Paul had a pass.
William Des, "Francesca da Rimini"
Francesca was tricked into marrying the brutally deformed Giancioto Darimini. While they were reading Sir Lancelot's report on Queen Queen Quinneyville and seeing Paul kissing Francesca, Gianciotto took them by the surprise and murdered his brother and wife. In Des's painting, this tragic ending is an allusion to Gianciotto's uninformed hand, which appears on the left side of the picture.
Al Schaefer, Francesca da Rimini
In Al Schaeffer's "Francesca da Rimini," Schaefer shows Dante and his guide, the Roman poet Virgil, observing the tragic couple who were placed in a erotic rendezvous and are now condemned to hell. Author George Eliot said he "could watch for hours." It can be seen that this work is wonderful and dazzling.
Amazingly, the Seven Deadly Sins are ugly, but the artist's creations are wonderful. These paintings combine sin and artistic beauty to give people a wonderful enjoyment. This is also the charm of works of art - beautiful because of ugliness.