Jung was another one I was half-asleep for, alas. There were lots of photos of sculptures in cathedrals! :D This was one where I had the same issue I did with a lot of the Art History presentations, though - she was trying to make grand sweeping points about changes over time in art and the things art said about society, but she had only like three examples, so it's hard for me to buy the 'grand sweeping change' vs. the taste of individual artists and donors without further evidence
But anyway, she was mainly looking at a couple of different groups of wise/foolish virgins in a couple of Northern European cathedrals. Apparently at the beginning of her period of study, the usual portrayal you'd see was of the wise virgins as decorous, and matronly, and modest, and happy but in a serene and dignified way, whereas the foolish virgins were dressed in flashy stylish clothes and acting flirty and being silly just like those girls in the back row in church who care more about boys than sermons. But then there's this one particular somewhat later portrayal, where instead, the wise and foolish virgins look and are dressed exactly alike; the only difference is that the wise virgins are happy and the foolish virgins are said. So there's some difference in the way the story was being interpreted, and the people seeing the sculptures were supposed to find themselves in the story, with the change in the portrayal of the virgins.
She also talked about some other sculptures and the way in which expressiveness and placement of the sculpture had a 'charismatic' effect of drawing people into the portrayal, and also the way that sculpture (as opposed to painting) was really the main storytelling medium of the cathedrals.
(yes, I called mom. also the problem is that I did charge my phone, I just failed to notice that it had turned itself off in the process.)
no subject
But anyway, she was mainly looking at a couple of different groups of wise/foolish virgins in a couple of Northern European cathedrals. Apparently at the beginning of her period of study, the usual portrayal you'd see was of the wise virgins as decorous, and matronly, and modest, and happy but in a serene and dignified way, whereas the foolish virgins were dressed in flashy stylish clothes and acting flirty and being silly just like those girls in the back row in church who care more about boys than sermons. But then there's this one particular somewhat later portrayal, where instead, the wise and foolish virgins look and are dressed exactly alike; the only difference is that the wise virgins are happy and the foolish virgins are said. So there's some difference in the way the story was being interpreted, and the people seeing the sculptures were supposed to find themselves in the story, with the change in the portrayal of the virgins.
She also talked about some other sculptures and the way in which expressiveness and placement of the sculpture had a 'charismatic' effect of drawing people into the portrayal, and also the way that sculpture (as opposed to painting) was really the main storytelling medium of the cathedrals.
(yes, I called mom. also the problem is that I did charge my phone, I just failed to notice that it had turned itself off in the process.)