Photo Record
Metadata
Accession number |
2014.22 |
Title |
Seven Pillars of Wisdom |
Date |
2011 |
Notes |
Seven Pillars of Wisdom Proverbs 8:22-9:6 Artist: Donald Jackson "Wisdom has built her house. She has hewn her seven pillars."(Proverbs 9:1) Perhaps no other illumination so fully captures the nature of wisdom as this two-page spread. Wisdom is present at creation, God's architect, designer of the starry skies. Wisdom is also the link between God and humanity, inspiration and guide as humans build civilizations on her foundation. Seven is a symbolic number in the Old Testament, signifying completeness or perfection. The seven pillars here have moonlike orbs balanced on them. A series of buildings grow from them. Nestled in the architecture, just beneath the text, you can see the oxidized dome of the church at Saint Benedict's Monastery, the Benedictine women's community founded in 1857 that is four miles from Saint John's Monastery. The portrait of wisdom in the Old Testament is a series of rich metaphors, and in this illumination there are many images to be revealed. A stamp based on Indian cloth decorated with appliquéd mirrors becomes here a fountain, or the crown of a tree, or in the sky a heavenly body emerging from dark chaos. Wisdom is also a host, laying out a table for those who see her. At the bottom of the illumination is the table, with bread and wine, also a connection to the Christological vision of wisdom. Finally, you'll notice among the text a sing verse in red, marked at the side with a small cross. The cross references verses that also appear in the Rule of Benedict, and this is one of two that appear twice in the Rule, garnering extra attention. 2014.22 |
Subjects |
Jackson, Donald St. John's Bible Illuminations Proverbs |