Saturday 7 March 2009

The Transfiguration according to Bellini


I was preparing for our Sunday Masses and thinking what a wonderful moment the Transfiguration was - a gift for artists. I particularly like Giovanni Bellini's version. It's not a "spectacular" take on what was a spectacular moment. Rather it wins me over with its typical warm Venetian colours, and the way the serene figures of Jesus, Moses and Elijah contrast with the astonished apostles... There's a hint of a climb at the bottom with the top of some kind of slope, but this is a very gentle, north Italian mountain that Jesus led his apostles up. . . I saw the original in Naples back in the 70s when I was in seminary in Rome.
P.S. Ron, who I anointed yesterday (see previous post) died early this morning. Eternal rest grant to him, Lord.

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