All three synoptic gives a slightly different version of the miracle that the Lord works on the outskirts of Jericho [1] . As this episode shortly before the messianic entry into Jerusalem, it appears in the liturgy of the Mass last Sunday before Lent, according to the timetable for the extraordinary form of Roman rite, which uses the version of Luke. In 1650, Nicolas Poussin has shown the event, but according to the version of St. Matthew, which reads:
"[...] Thus the Son of man came not to be served but to serve and give His life a ransom for many". As they left Jericho, a great multitude followed him. Now behold, two blind men were sitting by the roadside and when they heard that Jesus passed by, they cried: "Lord! Have mercy on us, son of David "The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they redoubled their cries: "Lord! Have mercy on us, son of David "Jesus stood still, and called them and told them:" What do you want me to do for you? "-" Sir, "replied they, as our eyes open! "Moved with pity, Jesus touched their eyes and immediately they received sight. And they went after him [2] .
Commenting on this passage, St. Thomas Aquinas notes both have blind faith in Jesus Christ, for they both confess his divinity, calling Lord, and his humanity, naming son David [3] . In turn, the Lord touches their eyes, his humanity, and healed by his divinity [4] . Moral sense, these two blind mean humanity blinded by sin, as the crowd of carnal thoughts and prevents them from approaching the Savior, and must persevere to find it. Then Jesus, who has led them into this movement their hearts and their lips are called, then the cure, fulfilling the prayer he himself has inspired, and that their freedom has repeatedly insisted. In an allegorical sense, the two blind ones symbolize Jews and Gentiles who are seated along the way, that is to say close to Christ himself, is "the Way, the Truth and the Life " [5] .
In his painting, Poussin used all the resources of his art. The scene of the healing center and occupies the foreground of the work. Light, which will be made to the blind, comes from the left, so it shines directly on Christ, dressed in white and purple, emblems of his divinity and authority, then the three apostles, presumably John red, Jacques, yellow, and Pierre, in blue, the trio bringing the pure colors previously inaccessible to these unfortunates. The perfect vision is completed, the moment of healing, the lush valley which parallels, right, at their modest home diving, left in darkness. Arguably too, with Oskar Bätschmann that the coats of the blind, one white and one dark blue, the color closest to black, symbolizing their condition before and after the miracle [6] . The other characters, probably the villagers are dressed in mixed colors, and are distinguished by the actors as well as the miracle of the apostles. In the background, buildings of Jericho alternated harmoniously with trees or bushes, both vertically and horizontally. The spur rock crowned with a fortress to insert the characters in the scene, grouped in a semicircle in a pyramidal composition, recovered symbol of perfection and unity transcendent at the same time, this element creates background a sense of depth that highlights the universal scope of the miracle and its divine origin.
 |
| Nicolas Poussin Christ Healing the Blind of Jericho, 1650. Paris, Musée du Louvre. |
[2] Mt 20, 29-34.
[3] Cf. Thomas d’Aquin , Lectura super Matthaeum 20, 2, n. 1678 : « Confitebantur Deum, dicendo Domine, et hominem, vocando filius David ».
[4] Loc. cit. , n. 1679 : « In hoc quod tetigit oculos eorum et confestim viderunt, tangitur hunanitas et divinitas Christi: quod enim tetigit, opus fuit humanitatis; sed quod statim illuminavi, fuit opus divinitatis. Ipse Dominus tangit per gratiam, sed illuminat per gloriam: Ps. 143, 5: Tange montes , et fumigabunt ».
[5] Loc. cit. , n. 1675 : « Per istos caecos significantur duo populi, scilicet populus Iudaeorum et poplus Gentilium, qui sedebat secus viam, quae est Christus. Is . 30, 21: Haec est via, ambulate per eam . Vel significantur conversi ex utroque populo, qui sedent secus viam, idest Christum; Io . 14, 6: Ego sum via, veritas et vita ».
[6] See O. Bätschmann , Poussin Dialectics of painting , trans. fr. C. Brunet, Paris, Flammarion, 1994, 40.
0 comments:
Post a Comment