Angels and demons.THE SERAPHIM ARE SAID TO PURIFY the world through fire and burnt offering. The word Seraphim is written in the sky at the top of the picture, next to a drawing of what looks like an angel's wing. The snake, symbol of a fallen angel Fallen Angel 1. A bond that was once investment grade but has since been reduced to junk bond status.2. A stock that has fallen substantially from its all time highs. Notes: There is a fine line between fallen angels that are value stocks and those that are headed straight towards bankruptcy. See also: Bond Rating, Correction, Falling Knife, Investment Grade, Value Stock , lies at the bottom of a ladder, as if dropped from the sky to a landscape blackened by fire. The earth in the picture is not prettily painted: Kiefer has used a mixture of oil paint, straw, shellac shellac, solution of lac in alcohol or acetone. In commerce the name is applied to the resinous substance (lac) itself rather than to the solution. It ranges in color from orange to light yellow depending upon the extent to which it has been purified; the darker shellacs are the less pure. When bleached it is known as white shellac. Applied to surfaces such as wood and plaster, the solution forms a hard coating upon evaporation of the solvent., and emulsion to create a dense, dark, thick surface. The colors in the painting are somber tones of ochre, brown, black, gray, and white, further darkened by the fact that the artist also set fire to certain areas of the canvas. Kiefer is German, born at the end of World War II, near the time when a terrible fire rained down on two Japanese cities. His picture is an atonement atonement, the reconciliation, or "at-one-ment," of sinful humanity with God. In Judaism both the Bible and rabbinical thought reflect the belief that God's chosen people must be pure to remain in communion with God. The Bible prescribed Temple sacrifice for the removal of sin and uncleanliness. The prophets taught that outward sacrifice must be accompanied by interior purification to be complete. for a shameful past, an offering to God to forgive us for a world scorched by evil. PHILIP HARTIGAN, an artist and writer living in Chicago. Image: Seraphim (1983-84) by Anselm Kiefer. Oil, straw, emulsion, and shellac on canvas. Purchased with funds contributed by Mr. and Mrs. Andrew M. Saul, 1984 (84.2316). Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Guggenheim Museum, officially Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum: see Guggenheim Museum., major museum of modern art in New York City. Founded in 1939 as the Museum of Non-objective Art, the Guggenheim is known for its remarkable circular building (1959) designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It holds major exhibitions of the works of contemporary artists. Its permanent collection includes, among many modern works, numerous pieces by Brancusi and Kandinsky., New York City. |
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