Sacred Art at National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC

My church sponsored a tour of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. First, we traveled to Mary Mother of God Church (only a few blocks from the NGA) where the pastor gave us an overview of art creation and appreciation. Then we walked down to the gallery to view some works. The pastor gave us handouts with general principles for prayerfully experiencing art works. The handouts also provided write-ups about eight of the works.

Gallery exterior

The first work is the The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew by Duccio di Buoninsegna, circa 1308. 

The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew (Click to enlarge, hereafter CTE)

This famous scene has some nice little details. Peter represents the Western church with a latin-style beard. Andrew's long beard imitates the Greek style of eastern monks. They both hold onto the net full of fish, symbolic of the entire Christian church.

Next (and not on the pastor's sheet) is Madonna and Child with Two Angels, 14th century by a Veronese sculptor (there's a lot of anonymous works to go along with the vague dates that things were painted or sculpted). 

Madonna and Child with Two Angels, CTE

I was struck by how piercing all the eyes are on this sculpture. The adult-faced baby Jesus is very common in art works, especially in earlier, less naturalistic renditions like eastern icons.

Next up is Madonna and Child with God the Father Blessing and Angels, circa1370 by Jacopo di Cione.

Madonna and Child with God the Father Blessing and Angels, CTE

A more humble setting for the most popular duo in art, Mary is seated on the ground holding the baby Jesus. Jesus obviously wants to nurse from His mom which rich women often did not do, leaving the task to wet nurses. This reinforces her humility and her affection for her Son. The prayer book on the bottom right shows she's not uneducated. God the Father looks like an adult Jesus which makes a lot of sense theologically.

Madonna and Child with Saints Andrew, Benedict, Bernard, and Catherine of Alexandria with Angels  was created around 1387 by Agnolo Gaddi.

Madonna and Child with Other Saints, CTE

This work is a triptych, a three-part image. In the center is Mary and the infant Jesus with some angels at their feet. On the left is Saint Andrew (holding his cross, the tool of his martyrdom) and Saint Benedict (holding his rules for monasticism, since he is the father of western monasticism). On the far right is Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a very popular saint in the Middle Ages. Saint Bernard is the founder of the Cistercians; he also holds his book of monastic rules. I like the parallelism of the books and the pink garments from Andrew and Catherine, along with angels and Jesus. Also, there's the Annunciation depicted on top with the angel on the left and Mary on the right.

Saint Catherine of Alexandria, circa 1335 by Bartolomeo Bulgarini, gives the saint a solo presentation. 

Saint Catherine of Alexandria, CTE

Saint Catherine was an Egyptian martyr whose death involved a spiked wheel, often shown in depictions of her. She was from a royal family and was supposed to marry Emperor Maxentius but she converted to Christianity after a dream where Jesus gave her a ring. Philosophers were sent to try to talk her out of it; she argued them down easily. She was supposed to be martyred between two spiked wheels but they burst into flames. She was beheaded. The icon shows her regality and a bit of humor, with her using the spiked wheel as a holder for her book. 

A popular juxtaposition is shown in The Annunciation and Expulsion from Paradise, circa 1435 by  Giovanni di Paolo.

The Annunciation and Expulsion from Paradise, CTE

Mary and the Archangel Gabriel have their famous scene in the center where Mary says yes to the will of God. On the left, Adam and Eve have said no to the will of God and are cast out of Eden by an angel. Tucked away on the right is Joseph, foster father of Jesus, warming himself by a fire--maybe he's getting ready for the Nativity in a winter cave? I am not sure why he was added, though the diagonal from God the Father to the foster-father of Jesus is interesting.

An especially famous image is Adoration of the Magi, circa 1492 by Fra Angelico and Fra Filippo Lippi. 

Adoration of the Magi, CTE

Fra Angelico did not finish it before dying, so Fra Filippo Lippi finished it. The Magi lead a procession that winds its way back through an arch, around the hill, and extends to the top right part of the image. Everyone honors Jesus! Florence, the town where the artists worked, had a massive procession every five years in honor of the Magi, so this reflects that tradition.

Saint John in the Desert, circa 1445 by Domenico Veneziano shows a stark image of John the Baptist.

Saint John in the Desert, CTE 

John sheds his fine clothes and puts on the rough skins that will identify him in his role as the Baptist. The path ahead, up the mountain, is strewn with rocks, symbolizing the hard road ahead. But the path also has a small stream next to it, so a source of life-giving water is at the top of that path too. 

The Annunciation, circa 1445 by Fra Carnevale, is another take on the meeting of Gabriel and Mary.

The Annunciation, CTE

The outdoor location is unusual as is the angel coming with a flower, which I suppose symbolizes the glad tidings. Viewers get a good sense of Mary's humility in acceptance.

Perhaps the most famous portrait in the National Gallery, Ginevra di Benci was painted by Leonardo da Vinci in 1474. The work is covered with protective glass and is difficult to photograph (click the link above to get a clearer look).

Ginevra di Benci

The outdoor setting and the more casual style (three-quarter facing, no jewelry or fancy clothing) marks off young Leonardo's shift into a more realistic style. Mona Lisa would be painted thirty years later and become the iconic female portrait. 

The portrait is unusual because it has been painted on the reverse or back side, including the motto "VIRTUTEM FORMA DECORAT," which means "Beauty Adorns Virtue." The center sprig is juniper, suggesting the subject's name since the tree is ginepro in Italian. The laurel and palm branches indicate moral and intellectual excellence.

Back of Ginevra di Benci (the painting's back, not hers)

Pieta (The Dead Christ Mourned by Nicodemus and Two Angels) was painted by Filippino Lippi (who is a different artist from Fra Filippo Lippi) around 1500. 

Pieta, CTE

Nicodemus, the member of the Sanhedrin who was secretly a follower of Christ, tenderly holds Jesus's body as the angels take away the instruments of torture. While no Scriptural basis for Nicodemus being at Christ's burial exists, it makes an interesting subject. His turban is the same color as the angels' robes, making a subtle connection between the creatures mourning their Creator.

Fillipino Lippi has another Biblical scene on display: Tobias and the Angel, painted around 1475.

Tobias and the Angel, CTE

Tobias is Tobit's son. He is instructed by the angel (recognized as Archangel Raphael in Christian tradition) to use a fish's organs to cure his father. Again, Lippi connects the angel and the man through their clothes, though the angel is much more at peace than the man. The fish is rather small, almost invisible. 

Sandro Botticelli's Adoration of the Magi, circa 1478, is another classic image. 

Adoration of the Magi, CTE

The cave of the Nativity becomes ancient Greek ruins, showing the end of pagan worship and a link between ancient and Christian thinking. The crowd is smaller than in Fra Angelico's work above. The people are more reverent too. Here is an act of worship more than a spectacle.

A more rare topic is the Visitation, where the Blessed Virgin meets her cousin Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist. Piero di Cosimo painted The Visitation with Saint Nicholas and Saint Anthony around 1489. 

The Visitation with Saint Nicholas and Saint Anthony, CTE

When works were commissioned, often the artist was asked to add in some favorite saints. Thus Nicholas and Anthony are in the foreground with similar postures forming the base of a triangle with Mary and Elizabeth's heads at the top. The vibrant youth of Mary shows in her cloak, while Elizabeth is reminiscent of an elderly nun. 

Downstairs, in the sculpture gallery, two items caught my eye. First is Madonna and Sleeping Child by an unknown Italian artist around 1500. 

Madonna and Sleeping Child

The nonchalant Jesus has fallen asleep in Mary's lap in a charming pose. She strikes me as praying for her child to stay asleep. I've had this pose with my infant children many times, so I can identify with this work.

David Triumphant was sculpted by Thomas Crawford in 1848.

David Triumphant

Young David, before he was king of Israel, has slain and decapitated Goliath, champion of the Philistines. His casual pose includes leaning on a harp, a bit of bronze added to the marble statue emblematic of his future writing Psalms. A lot of detail is packed in one work (he's even standing on Goliath's shield!), making it fun to contemplate and admire.

Book Review: Hellboy in Love by M. Mignola et al.

Hellboy in Love story by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, art by Matt Smith, colors by Dave Stewart, and letters by Clem Robins

It's 1979 and Hellboy is in England acting as security for an archeologist about to get an artifact on a train. A bunch of goblins who also want the artifact have snuck onto the train, so Hellboy's services are needed. The archeologist is Anastasia Bransfield. She's young and cute (wears a Yankees baseball cap even though she's British). Hellboy is smitten with her. She likes a life of adventure, so hanging out with Hellboy is fun. She is smitten too. Rather than return to B.P.R.D. headquarters, Hellboy takes some leave to help Anastasia in her investigations into ancient mystical folklore which of course turns out to be true.

The adventures are fun with the usual interesting magical mythology. The second story, where they go to Turkey and have to fight supernatural puppets, is especially inventive and fun. The art has the typical Hellboy style which I enjoy very much. The romance is not particularly convincing but I went with it just like with the magic and mythology.

Recommended for Hellboy fans.

Movie Review: Desperado (1995)

Desperado (1995) produced, written, and directed by Robert Rodriguez

In pursuit of Bucho (Joaquim de Almeida), the man responsible for his wife's murder, El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas) travels to a Mexican border town. He has his one friend (Steve Buscemi) go ahead and scout out the situation. When the friend mentions Bucho's name at a seedy bar, the situation gets very tense. This is the town where revenge will go down.

The movie has a very basic premise that moves the plot along. The joy is in the style and the over-the-top reality Rodgriguez creates. El Mariachi used to be a guitar player but now his case is full of weapons. When he comes to town, all hell breaks loose. The fight scenes are epically scored and choreographed. It's visually delightful for an action fan. The body count is very high and the villain, a local drug lord, is appropriately vicious and cunning. El Mariachi falls in with local bookstore owner Carolina (Selma Hayek) who is also in the drug lord's pocket. In order to get out, she teams up with him. They work their way through the henchmen until they get to the drug lord's compound for the final battle.

Banderas makes a good lead. He can carry the heaviness of his character while still being charming and having compassion for others. A small boy in town has a guitar. El Mariachi gives him a quick lesson and some advice. This act makes him different from the other killers in the movie, something needed to give him more sympathy. A lot of famous actors (Buscemi, Cheech Marin, Quentin Tarantino, Danny Trejo) show up briefly as allies or nemeses. They do good in their small roles without any time to become the larger-than-life character that Banderas is. Hayek is good though she is a bit hampered by being the love interest.

Rodriguez has a keen eye for interesting visual shots and is able to bring in a lot of ridiculous elements that fit in because the overall story is so over the top. I enjoy this type of film, though I felt like the love scene between Banderas and Hayek was too long and not necessary. Such scenes seem to be a staple of action films and stories (I'm looking at you, Jack Reacher), though I would like it better without.

Mildly recommended--it's a stylish action film that is fun to watch without too much thinking.

Saint Mary Mother of God Church, Washington, DC

Saint Mary Mother of God Church in Washington, District of Columbia, was originally founded in 1845 by German immigrants but not dedicated as a parish until 1890. The current building was constructed in the 1890s though many renovations have happened over the years. The church originally served the local German community. The neighborhood has changed over time as German descendants moved to more prosperous suburbs (and there was some discomfort with a German parish during and after World War I). Now, DC's Chinatown in nearby and the church has a Sunday Mass in Chinese in addition to a couple of Masses in English.

The nave has an impressive Gothic ceiling.

Nave

The pre-Vatican II altar is just behind the main altar. 

Main Altar

Since the church is dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God, the windows and paintings above the main altar have Marian themes, following the Joyful Mysteries of the rosary.

Presentation and Finding of Jesus in the Temple

Pulpit and Pastor (maybe a good name for an English pub?)

The Stations of the Cross are simple and nice. 

Stations 5 and 6, with Saint Anthony peeking in

Sample of the stained glass

A side altar is dedicated to Saint Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus.

Joseph

In the 1920s, the church wanted to move away from its German association and tried on various Marian themes. One option was dedication to the Miraculous Medal. The pastor started a perpetual novena in the 1930s, which is why a side altar has a huge medallion above it. The altar also has a reliquary with relics from over a dozen saints!

Miraculous Medal altar

The church has many nice pieces of sacred art following the Marian and maternal themes.

Pieta

Infant of Prague altar with baptismal font

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, another contender for patron of the parish

I did not get any exterior photos since my visit was quick and the street in front of the church is close.

Book Review: The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson

The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson

A man wakes up in a field surrounded by scorch marks wondering where he is. More distressing, he wonders who he is. He quickly discovers he's in Medieval England though a bunch of details are off. Days of the week have different names, writing is forbidden, and magic is real. He finds a lot of loose papers around him. The titular handbook is something he brought to help him but it exploded when he arrived. He's cobbled together a bunch of pages but key texts are missing, like the page where he wrote down his name and purpose for being there. The book is additionally unhelpful in that it's mostly advertising, though it does explain that he is in an alternate dimension that is very similar to his home dimension. He quickly discovers there are other people from (probably) his dimension that are looking for him and making trouble for the locals. He imagines himself a hero, so he sets off on a hero's quest. As his memories come back, he starts to doubt himself and what's going on.

Sanderson wrote this as one of his lockdown projects. He'd had the idea for the title and also the idea to write a "guy wakes up in an unfamiliar environment with amnesia" stories. Once the two ideas met, this novel was born. The book has the light-hearted whimsy Sanderson is so good at in the Alcatraz stories. I found the amnesia element a bit underwhelming. He always got key memories back just when it helped the plot along, which to me reads as forced rather than natural development. The illustrations are fun and the excerpts from the Handbook are entertaining. I enjoyed reading this once but probably won't re-read it.

Mildly recommended.

Geocaching April 2024

This month started with a rainy early morning coffee club meeting. The rain didn't let up on that April Fools' Day, so I didn't find any regular caches until a break in the rain the next day. I avenged a DNF (Did Not Find) at Look, hun, I'm tellin' ya, it's right dair!, a Letterbox Hybrid cache that has instructions that were converted into "Baltimorese" by ChatGPT. I looked a few months ago and the container was missing; the cacher replaced it back at Christmastime and I've only gotten around to finding it again in April. After that, I found HC Soccer Series - Covenant Park and The Key to Soccer Success, both in Covenant Park (no surprise) that has a bunch of soccer fields (also no surprise). 

Not the most exciting picture, sorry! Not even the soccer field...

I finally took credit for OCCT #22: Ghostly Days Challenge, where a cacher qualifies by finding a virtual cache (whose icon is a ghost) on every numerical calendar day, not necessarily in the same month or year. The next day I found Random Wiki Puzzle Rose Gold (album) and Benfield Crossing. The Puzzle was easier to find; the Crossing hide is more challenging as it has natural camouflage.

Somewhere in there

Then, I found Out to Lunch, an easy traditional, and Maryland's Granite - Guilford Quartz Monzonite, a new earthcache in my area. The earthcache leads to the remains of a quarry whose stone was used for building roads, monuments, and even Saint Mary of the Mills Church!

Obligatory photo of me and the quarry

While my family went bike riding and I was mildly sick, I dropped them off at one point and drove to their endpoint by Lake Kittamaqundi. By the lake is a Wherigo cache called XOXO, Community. The final cache location did look like hugs and kisses would be going on--a wedding photo shoot was happening with the entire wedding party. I took a surreptitious snap.

The bride's maids

The Murder of Geo Cacher is a mystery cache that was fun to solve and find out in the woods. Seabiscuit - No More Whoa is part of a series in Wheaton Regional Park and filled in a traditional slot that was empty on my calendar. Since I was in the area, I also found the multi-cache Kemp Mill.

Murder site?

Mill site?

I filled another calendar with the puzzle cache Concert Conundrum which I had solved a while ago. The next day we went for a bike ride and I found two caches on the South Shore Trail in Anne Arundel County: Trail Head #2 and Who was the host of Jeopardy?, a cache giving tribute to Alex Trebek. The first cache was the best smelling cache ever, with a certain item inside of it!

"But the geocache is just over there..."

Vanilla is awesome!

Really long driveway

Speed limit sign (sorry it's blurry)

Flag Trivia is a puzzle cache that led to woods with a lot of critters.

Deer and fox

More deer

Two deer in the woods is better than one in the headlights

Choose the Harder Right is a jigsaw puzzle cache that solved quickly. Not as Convenient as the Store was a bit of a reach but not too challenging. Nearby, across a scary bridge, is RWP 1995 The Bud at The Glen, another easy puzzle to solve.

Bridge that will trouble your waters!

I made a trip to our local scout shop and found some geocaches nearby before the rain started in earnest. "Where's your other hand?" and RF1 were in the same parking lot, so easy to find both. Just down the street I found Cache with a heart, were I dropped off the Octopus travel coin that I picked up earlier in the month. 

Not very coin-shaped

Then I found my 1200th cache, a mystery cache called To Grandmother's House. The puzzle is based on equipment found in a park. Since the cache is from 2005, the playground has been rebuilt so the answers are not the same. Luckily, other cachers came up with workarounds in their posts so I could calculate the coordinates and make the find.

Starting point for my 1200th cache

Also in the area are The Blacks on Stamps..., Resting in Peace..., Community Heritage-Abraham Hall, and When the Iron Was Hot.... These made a nice beginning into the 1200s.

Abraham Hall

While on a trip to the National Gallery of Art, I snuck out and found Elm Tree #1, an amazing traditional cache in an area densely populated with tourists. I sailed over to the Navy Memorial to get the answer needed for The Lone Sailor, a virtual cache.

#1 elm in DC!

Navy Memorial and me

In Laurel, I followed the Wherigo cache Laurel - 150 Years! to its final near a very decorated (but not very comfortable-looking) bench.

Needs a cushion, if you ask me

This outdoor pool doesn't look to inviting either!

Demineur is a minesweeper-inspired mystery cache that took a bit of work for me to solve. Less difficult was Ghosts Walking which was along a sidewalk inbetween a graveyard and a library! No spooky pictures, sorry!

On a trip to Greenbelt, I found the virtual cache Mother and Child (with a statue-photo requirement), Greenbelt's War Memorial and Generous Joe (a mystery requiring info from the memorial to make the final find), and Double Take (a traditional cache with a 3D-printed maze container that was very difficult to open).

Greenbelt War Memorial

Greenbelt statue

On another trip, I found Inexplicable Guardrails of Central Maryland #4, but almost didn't make the find. One end of the rail is bent in leaving the usual hiding spot inaccessible. Luckily, the cache was in the other end of the rail. Also, I discovered two mile marker caches: Old Montgomery Road - Mile Marker 6 was a nano hidden in plain sight. Old Montgomery Road - Mile Marker 9 - Lazarus is in the Clarksville Commons area where the marker has been restored after all the construction around it.

Smashed-up guard rail

We went out to lunch in Silver Spring, Maryland, and I found At the Wall of a Giant. The town is right on the border with the District of Columbia, so we took a picture by the sign.

Ready for fun!

On the last day I had a last blitz with the mystery cache Way Off Base... (involving numbers using a different base), and the nearby traditionals Beat Indy, Thorn Guard, and Fassst Cache. 

It was a great month with 51 finds and a grand total of 1227.