thats me just about done for the night.................from now on things get pretty hectic, so... if I'm not back before christmas... what ever your belief of how ever you celebrate.... have a good one, eat drink and be merry...............:-)

Art Sunday; Seasonal paintings.

Above
'The shortening winter's day is near a close
by Joseph Farquharson

The Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints (Young Baptist and Saints Peter, Catherine, Lucy, and Paul), also known as the Colonna Altarpiece, is a painting by the Italian High Renaissance artist Raphael, circa 1504. It is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City. It is the only altarpiece by Raphael in the United States.

The Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints

The collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art also contains a painting of the Agony in the Garden from the predella* of the altarpiece. Other panels from the predella* can be found in the collections of the National Gallery, London, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, in Boston, and Dulwich Picture Gallery, in London. A preparatory drawing by Raphael for the composition of the agony in the garden is in the collection of the Morgan Library in Russia.

*A predella is the platform or step on which an altar stands, predalla = kneeling stool. In painting, the predella is the painting or sculpture along the frame at the bottom of an altarpiece. In later medieval and Renaissance altarpieces, where the main panel consisted of a scene with large static figures, it was normal to include a predella below with a number of small-scale narrative paintings depicting events from the life of the dedicatee, whether Christ, the Virgin Mary or a saint. Typically there would be three to five small scenes, in a horizontal format

The pieces of the predella were separated from the altarpiece and sold to Queen Christina of Sweden, from where they reached Orleans Collection, while the main panels themselves were eventually sold to the aristocratic Colonna family in Rome, from whom the altarpiece takes its name. The Altarpiece was the last Raphael altar in private hands when J.P. Morgan purchased it in the early 20th century for a record price.

That’s the potted ‘history’ of the piece but to me the appeal is in the composition, the precision and the colour. I’m particularly fond of the green angel ……….detail seen above.

Druids Cutting the Mistletoe on the Sixth Day of the Moon’’,

The next painting is a nineteenth century romantic painting depicting the druid ceremonies of pre history. This was utter speculation on the part of the artist because he knew nothing with certainty of the practices of druids
This painting is ‘’Druids Cutting the Mistletoe on the Sixth Day of the Moon’’, by French artist Henri Paul Motte, who worked mostly in Paris, b12 December 1846 d1922. It was painted  in about 1890.
Henri Motte was a student of Jean-Léon Gérôme, exhibiting for most of his life at the Salon des Artistes Français in Paris. He specialised in historical and mythological paintings such as ‘Hannibal Crossing the Rhone’ and ‘Vercingetorix Surrendering to Caesar’. He is best known for his work of the ‘Siege of La Rochelle’, a depiction of Cardinal Richelieu in battle in the 17th century. He completed this painting in 1881.

The Druids Bringing in the Mistletoe

Next is one of my favourites. A Scottish painting that hangs in Kelvingrove Galleries and one I have stood in front of quite a few times. Its one of those paintings that reveals more to the viewer every time it’s seen.
Title: The Druids Bringing in the Mistletoe
by George Henry, Edward Atkinson Hornel (a collaboration but believed to be mostly the work of Hornel)
Date: 1890
Medium: Oil on canvas
Here we see the rite of bringing in the sacred mistletoe. We see a group of Druids or Celtic priests in decorated ceremonial robes in procession down a hillside. The mistletoe has been cut from the sacred oak by a golden sickle held by the chief druid. The procession ride  home  on the backs of the white bulls.
In the 1890s there was a revival of interest in Celtic art and folklore and  both of these paintings were painted during this revival. This painting, dating from 1890, was the first on which the two artists collaborated and is their most daring composition. This canvas, painted by Hornel and Henry, was inspired by the interest at that time in the archaeological discoveries about Kirkcudbright.

A Druidess, holding a sprig of mistletoe and a sickle,
 standing next to a dolmen’

A third painting, painted at a similar time and sharing the revival theme is ‘’A Druidess, holding a sprig of mistletoe and a sickle, standing next to a dolmen’’ (megalithic structure.) It is attributed to French painter Delaroche, again from the late nineteenth century, (although this is not among his better known work and virtually nothing is written about this particular painting).
If this is in fact a work by Paul Delaroche; he was a French painter, of mainly historical subjects, who had a marked influence on the English painter Ford Madox Brown and on other artists of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Delaroche's studio in Paris was highly regarded in its day:

sheep in winter

These last few paintings are not so much ‘christmas' or Winter Solstice paintings, they are just winter scenes typical of the area where I live. This is what Christmas / Winter Solstice actually looks like. They are painted by Scottish artist Joseph Farquharson.
Joseph Farquharson, (4 May 1846 – 15 April 1935) was a Scottish painter, chiefly of landscapes. He is most famous for his snowy winter landscapes, often featuring sheep and often depicting dawn or dusk. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and died at Finzean, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Joseph Farquharson combined a long and prolific career as a painter with his inherited role as a Scottish laird. He painted in both oils and water colours. His mother, a celebrated beauty, was an Ainslie. His early days were spent in his father's house in Northumberland Street below Queen Street Gardens and later at Eaton Terrace beyond the Dean Bridge, Edinburgh and at Finzean, the family estate in the highlands. His father Francis was a doctor and laird of Finzean. Joseph was educated in Edinburgh and permitted by his father to paint only on Saturdays using his father's paint box. When Joseph reached the age of 12, Francis Farquharson bought his son his first paints and only a year later he exhibited his first painting at the Royal Scottish Academy.

Winter breakfast

Today his paintings grace the front of millions of christmas cards and this is something I struggle with, I can't decide if i approve or not. It's wonderful that so many people get to see his work, but mass production does seem to devalue it.




 

Mistletoe...... And Amy Winehouse

Above; ''A Druid priestess bearing Mistletoe'', artist unknown.

Mistletoe

The ancient pre-Christian celebration of the Winter Solstice is one of the oldest winter celebrations in the world. The Winter Solstice falls on the shortest day of the year and has been celebrated in Britain from the earliest of times. The Druids would cut the mistletoe that grew on the oak tree and give it as a blessing. Oaks were seen as sacred and the winter fruit of the mistletoe was a symbol of life in the dark winter months.

The Yule Log

It's believed that the Druids began the tradition of the Yule log. The Celts believed the sun stood still for twelve days in the middle of winter and during this time a log was lit to conquer the darkness, banish evil spirits and bring luck for the coming year.

Customs

These customs  have been incorporated into both Christian and secular celebrations all over the world. Prior to the legalization of Christianity by the Emperor Constantine in 313, no universal date or celebration of the birth of Christ is recorded. Roman Pagans used to gather at the hill where the Vatican is now to commemorate the “Birth of the Unconquered Sun” This pagan feast was celebrated throughout the Empire either on December 25th, or January 6th, (depending on which calendar they were using). Most historians believe it was Constantine who replaced the pagan festival with that of Christmas. I find it somehow comforting to know that our ancestors celebrated the Winter Solstice and as times changed, belief changed, customs changed, the Solstice, under one name or another, has been constant through out history.

Christmas Jethro Tull style..................

Christmas Jethro Tull style

The Holly and the Ivy

The Holly and the Ivy!

Paintings are by Joanna Powell Colbert. Joanne is an artist, writer and teacher of Tarot and earth-centered spirituality. Her paintings and mixed media pieces combine her love of symbolic, archetypal art with the mysteries of the natural world. Her work has appeared in many publications since the mid-1980s. Above is ‘St Lucia’ and below ‘The Holly King’, Lucia Bride appears at the bottom of the page


http://clanofdanu.tripod.com/holly.html

Holly

Some stories tell that when winter came druids advised the people to take holly into their homes for it would shelter elves and fairies. There was a warning however to remove the holly entirely from the house before Imbolc eve because just one leaf in house would spell misfortune. The Holly always has been associated with mid winter festivals. Holly was given as gifts during the Roman Saturnila and later mixed with the Celtic traditions celebrating the sun gods birth a winter solstice. Scottish Traditions says that no branch should be cut from a holly tree, but rather pulled free in a method considered fit from sacred tree. It has always been unlucky to fell a holly tree or burn the green skinned holly. Yet luck was increased if a small branch kept from a Yule decoration was hung on the outside of the house where it would protect against lightening. Oddly enough, Holly does not grow in Western Scotland. The holly is associated with the Oak king, the Holly king, Gawain (in Arthurian legend) and Christ.

Ivy

The ivy has been a symbol of fidelity, friendship and affection. Celtic druids considered it a symbol of determination and strength. The Celts also associated ivy with the lunar goddess, Arianrhod, and held it as a portent of death and spiritual rebirth. Ivy has also been associated with the Christian holiday Christmas.

The Holly and The Ivy

The version of ‘’the Holly and the Ivy’’ we are all familiar with was first published by Cecil Sharp. (Cecil James Sharp B 22 November 1859 D 23 June 1924 was the founding father of the folklore revival in England in the early 20th century, and many of England's traditional dances and music owe their continuing existence to his work in recording and publishing them.) It is thought to have Pagan origins dating back over 1000 years and for a pagan song to survive intact for such a long time is very unusual. Rather than eradicate this pre-Christian song the church seems to have kept it, embraced it and then adapted it. Holly and Ivy have always been taken indoors during the winter, originally it was hoped the presence of these ever green plants indoors would enable the occupants to survive the harsh winters just as these plants did. Holly and Ivy grow and thrive outside amid the cold, ice, wind and snow. Their leaves retain their colour while other plants lose their leaves, the ability of these plants to thrive in harsh conditions must have seemed almost magical. The plants were brought indoors to share their special ‘magical’ powers of survival with the occupants of the home. It was hoped having Holly and ivy indoors would protect people from the hardships of the winter months; hopefully these plants would share their apparent magical ability to survive the difficult conditions of the forest.
 

The Holly and the Ivy
Lyrics.

The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly bears a blossom
As white as lily flower
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet Saviour
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly bears a berry
As red as any blood
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To do poor sinners good
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly bears a prickle
As sharp as any thorn;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
On Christmas Day in the morn.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly bears a bark
As bitter as any gall;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly and the ivy
Now both are full well grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

 

A few December photos

Maggie my daughters dog

A few shots taken during december.....
At the start of the month the weather was still fairly mild, then we had howling wind and our first ice. We've also had blue skys and singing birds. Now its almost Chriastmas and I think I'm just about done, ( apart from the food), decorations up, presents bought and wrapped, cards written and posted and my shelf filling up with cards to me.

Amy Winehouse

Ohhhhhhhhh……….its so sad, I’m watching the Amy Winehouse documentary. What an enormous talent that girl was. What a bloody waste, what a shame.
Like the guy just said……..her work was autobigraphical, we only saw the tip of her talent, she had so much more to give.