|
FurGodWurLivin -> RE: Where did this picture of Jesus come from? (8/17/2008 8:13:21 PM)
|
quote:
From what I remember, the origin of portraying Jesus this way was for education.
These pictures showed serfs who Jesus and the Apostles were and explained the Gospel in a format that they could relate to. That's why the images of Jesus's life also show medieval dress and lifestyle. Spiritual truth, not realism.
The images were intended as teaching tools to instruct people who could not read and had very little chance of ever learning to.
Why this depiction still continues? Haven't the foggiest. I think its wrong to keep doing it when we know better. Actually, I'm not entirely sure that it isn't a violation of the 10 Commandments but I keep whembling about it. That actually makes a radical amount of sense. I've always been a little peeved at how Jesus always looks Roman as best, Anglo-Saxon at worst. To be sure, I love iconographic art (makes my little artistic self happy), but a full-scale painting of Jesus as a white guy is almost straight up dishonest.
quote:
As for the blonde face on the sarcophagus, don't forget that Egypt was a pretty diverse place. People of many ethnicities, including Greek and Roman, lived there too and also adopted the Egyptian burial practices. I saw a plaster funeral mask from the Ptolmaic period. It depicted a light haired man.
Wouldn't the Flight to Egypt have been after Rome took over? With Greeks, Romans and other foreigners traipsing all over Egypt, nobody would have batted an eye at one little Jewish family. The Flight to Egypt can refer to a couple different things. It can refer to the Hebrews fleeing the Babylonians, the Persians, or the Romans. If you are referring to the "Holy Family" (ack) fleeing Herod, then yes... it was after the Romans had already conquered and subjugated Israel and Egypt. However, the point is conceded, there were a number of foriegners in Egypt at the time of Jesus, so one Jewish family wouldn't have been too far out of place.
Adam
|
|
|
|