It would be impossible to create a list of TTMBWIAHOAT without including the Virgin Mary. As one of the most often depicted women in art there are many Madonnas that could make this list, but I chose a personal favorite. This ia painting of the annuciation by Dante Gabriel Rosetti...(With a name like that you wouldn't expect the artist was British.) Dante was a member of a group of artists, mostly british, who where called the preraphaelites. Fans of celtic mythology probably already have seen some of their work because the artists were given to scenes from celtic lore, including the famous Lady of Shallot. They are particularly known for their depictions of heroic legendary women and especially for their depiction of ladies hair. If someone ever comes by and says you have preraphaelite hair you should definitely feel complimented. Preraphaelits paint women with gorgeous, incredible, beyond supermodel quality, defying gravity hair! This one picture is an exception of course since gorgeous, incredible, beyond supermodel quality, defying gravity hair, really doesn't seem to fit the description of the virgin Mary. The scene is appropriately formal and shoeboxed into this tall narrow format very nicely. The blue drape behind mary is a symbol of her purity and is used throughout history to signify her presence. The lilies held by the angel as well as those hangin on the red post are a symbol of christ and his redemption. The red post symbolically represents both his blood and his cross. Windows are also common to annunciation scenes and this one is no different. Here the window is a symbol of Mary's virginity, since light can pass through a glass window without breaking it. All of these are common to imagery associated with Mary, but Rosetti gives us a little more. All the other mary's look a little too complacent in my opinion, I mean she's just been told she's going to be the mother of a god, so I imagine she would be a little nervous and I think this one catches that feeling beautifully. Also I like the perspective of this work since you are not really looking straight on to the subject. Notice how the bed is tilted forward so that we can see it, however the room looks like its too short to lie down in. Graphically, the image makes us feel very satisfied, but Rosetti has taken some serious liberties with the law of physics. Rooms and bed like this only exist in fun houses. Art can't be taken for granted, you need to consider all the angles. If any of this imagery, symbolism and distorted graphical perspective sound familiar, it should. Remember Botticelli's venus? (if not check out IOD 03-12-98!). Remember the use of symbolism and the flattened out foreground that left the nymph floating? Well it's no accident that the two look similar. The preraphaelites were trying to emulate the artists of the renaissance that came before Raphael, hence "PRE..raphaelites". Botticelli was one of the more famous artists before Raphael, and a big inspiration to our friend Rosetti here.
On a more personal note: Many of you will have no doubt noticed that the IOD is only an image of the WEEK day. Unlike most people with web pages I actually have a life on the weekends. More importantly I have a Wife on the Weekends, (actually I'm with her all week, not just on the weekends) and she makes the week all worth while. Today is her B-day and so I would like to dedicate this particular IOD to her, bacause she embodies all of the same beautiful traits I'd admire in this painting, beauty, virture and purity, (but not necessarily virginity). She would be on my TTMBWIAHOAT list, but I haven't got around to painting her yet. Happy Birthday Jenn.
See you guys tomorrow.
