#religious-art

#religious-art

Our quest to understand art begins with a challenge, as a gallery encourages us to see art artificially. We are presented with a mass of paintings stripped from their original context. In the National Gallery in London, up until the 18th century probably most of the art on display was made to hang in a religious setting. The deep beliefs of the people looking at such pictures meant they were subconsciously understood as much as read.

All of Wise's subjects are looking up, though it's not clear at what - she suggests angels, and has cited El Greco's The Vision of Saint John as an influence - or perhaps UFOs, which constitute another of her "long-held fascinations."

During my summer holidays, I took a Michelangelo on an Easyjet flight. We were in the cheap seats and didn't even do Speedy Boarding. Conservators and registrars may wish to look away, but let me explain. Some months ago I noticed a small crucifix in an online auction in Madrid. Dated around 1600, it was damaged and cheaply estimated. I am quite ignorant about sculpture but something about it shone from the catalogue.

In medieval Europe, earrings carried deep symbolic weight and were viewed as markers of deviance, marginality, and even infamy, reflecting societal views on bodily adornment.

The painting is considered to be of exceptional quality and presents a complex blend of devotional themes, detailed ornamentation, and unconventional iconography.