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On the Subject of Angels

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Halfway through the year and I finally decided how to theme the blog. Yeah, I'm sorry about being MIA; I'm even more unfocused than normal this year. So I'm sitting at my computer and thinking, "what the heck am I'm going to focus on?" Since I don't know how to focus anymore, the answer came in a moment of non-focusing.
Subjects.
As in, things. People. Figures of a certain sort. For instance, in order to ease into this momentum (did you catch that oxymoron there?), I'm doing angels today. Why? Because I know them. A lot of them. Angels represent something different for each of us. They can be spiritual, or emotional, or representative of something we're looking for whether it's peace and tranquility or the knowledge that we are only human but strive to be more. And here they are, in no particular order.

The Stagliano Angel
This angel, by Giulio Monteverde, guards the Oneto family monument at the Stagliano Cemetery in Genoa, Italy. I've included it in this blog before, when I did the articles on cemeteries. What a stunning, soul-piercing piece! Doesn't it look like she's looking right through you? Beautifully crafted and designed, she is sure to leave you with a feeling of both peace and trepidation.


The Colchester War Memorial
This is the Angel of Victory at the Colchester War Memorial, by H.C. Fehr. There are two statues at the bottom, St. George and Peace (not pictured here, but click the link above for more info). The wings on this angel remind me a little of butterfly wings. I like her message of peace and justice, and the allegorical messages in the monument to remind us of the cost of war and the valiant soldiers who fought.

 
One of Bernini's Angels in Rome, Italy
There are several angels on the Ponte Sant'Angelo bridge. Bernini's angel here holds a shroud or a veil. There are countless angel statues in Rome, and even more throughout Italy. Such a beautiful statue, so far away! You can tell Bernini used real wings as a model for this piece, and he always had such an amazing way of sculpting drapery.


Michelangelo's Angel
One of the reason's I like this angel so much is because it doesn't bear a definite male or female resemblance. It reminds me of the grief statue by August St.-Gaudens, which isn't meant to be male or female. In both of these pieces we are all meant to embrace the idea of spirituality. It doesn't just apply to male or female.


Stanford Angel of Grief
I love this one because it speaks to me so deeply. We've all experienced horrible grief. And if you haven't yet, you will. It's not a curse. It's a part of life that we must deal with, both to grow and better ourselves, and to become empathic and compassionate to others.


Heaven and Earth

Heart of Sorrow
Last but not least I want to include the statues "Heaven and Earth" and "Heart of Sorrow" by Michael Aaron Hall. This is his blog, after all. Heaven and Earth represents the connection between the spiritual realm and the physical world, and Heart of Sorrow is an interpretation of the worth of all human beings and the love felt for them. Take from that what you will; it gives me purpose and peace in my life and I believe speaks to a modern world in need of hope.
Until next time, enjoy the world around you. Take pictures, read, breathe, and draw.
-Mandy

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