Ah the memories:
"This might be the strongest, most compelling sculpture at the Met. The subjects don't necessarily look like they are starving to death, but the emotion caught in marble is tight. Look at Ugolino's feet, and the despair, fear, and need on his eldest son (to the left). Complicated and amazingly carved, this depicts the story from Dante's Inferno, where Ugolino was locked in a tower with his sons and given no food."
"Carpeuax's sculpture is often used as a political metaphor."
"Exactly."
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Ugolino & his sons
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"Ugolino's feed" should have been "Ugolino's feet" but somehow it works as "feed" too.
ReplyDeleteThis photo reminds me of the one time I was in the Louvre in a room of marble statuary taken from some giant chateau somewhere. The thing that made it beautiful was the light in the room and the coolness of the marble. Ugolino & his sons has the virtue of being a much greater sculpture, but the marble light is so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteyou blogged on CCCC like I intended to--photos, comments, the city. I'm doubly impressed as you actually had responsibilities at the conference while I pretty much just watch NCAA in my free time and felt tired.
ReplyDeleteSomeday I might be a traveling blogger...
I am just starting to read the Divine Comedy for the first time. I have had no exposure to Italian poetry/literature. It feels a little bit like losing my virginity.
ReplyDeleteThat's an apt analogy, CapitalCarnage. Ugolino, as I recall, is in the next-to-last circle of hell reserved for traitors. He not only betrayed his country (Florence) but also betrayed his sons by, uh, eating them.
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely one of those "it could always be worse" photos you can refer to when you're having a bad day.
ReplyDelete