Saturday, March 15th, 2014...12:57 pm
Literature & Art: The Eumenides & The Bhagavad Gita in Painting
Hi everyone,
For this post I want you to think about the relationship between literature and visual art. I encourage you to respond to my questions below to fulfill one of your blog-response requirements. The first image is a modern rendering of The Furies (from The Oresteia). This painting (a triptych) is by Francis Bacon and was first exhibited at the end of the war in 1945. The title of the painting is “Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion,” thereby relating this painting to the saints traditionally represented at the base of the cross. Bacon also connected this painting to The Oresteia, claiming that the figures here represented are in fact the furies. Consider the following questions and feel free to answer all (or any) of them in your responses:
What do you think the connection between Christianity/the cross/saints and Greek mythology/The Oresteia was for Bacon? He clearly sees the two connected here as he brings them together in his explanation of the painting — what might such a connection mean? What is your interpretation of the painting? Why do you think the furies are represented like this, and what could this mean? Can you make any connection between the furies and the fact that this painting was done right after World War II?
Now here is a painting entitled “Krisna and Arjuna from the Bhagavad Gita” by Allah Bux. (Link for the image included as well). You can respond to any of these questions as well. After reading The Bhagavad Gita, how do you interpret this image? What do you think the painter is trying to represent? How do you interpret the background of the image?
And finally: How do these two images differ, and/or how are they similar? How can we use the differences and/or similarities between these two images to think about how these two texts might relate to one another?
http://huntington.wmc.ohio-state.edu/public/index.cfm fuseaction=showThisDetail&ObjectID=30017546&detail=largeZoom
6 Comments
March 16th, 2014 at 8:54 pm
After reading the Bhagavad Gita, I see this picture as an image of realization. I assume that Arjuna is the man on one knee and Krishna is the standing, violet-skinned man. When Krishna reveals his well deserved form, Arjuna is astounded and he gets on one knee to show his submission to his dharmic ways. The way Krishna’s skin almost blends in with the background shows how “one” he is with the universe. I think this is what the artist was trying to depict when he painted this picture. And in the background, it looks like a crowd of souls that were released from the life and death cycle. It’s not really a definite thing though; it’s up to the observer to interpret what they see. If I had to take a second guess, I would say it’s probably a colorful haze.
March 16th, 2014 at 9:31 pm
I think the painter was careful to separate Arjuna and Krishna as two entities. As the previous comment noted, Krishna’s skin tone blends in with the sky, in stark contrast to the darkness of the rubble around them. The god is clearly other worldly, spiritual, and almost ‘above’ what the world is currently presenting. Krishna’s stature is also unique in it’s relaxed but dominant poise. This does much to establish Krishna’s authority over Arjuna. Much of the background is fairly blurred out emphasizing the presence of Krishna. I imagine this scene to be when Arjuna resolves to submit to Krishna’s divine powers. Here on his knees, having witnessed Krishna with the “power of one thousand suns”, Arjuna realizes the importance of this enlightenment and is seeking god’s love.
One thing I would like to know about this painting is the large arm holding on to some sort of stick in the bottom right corner. What is it? I am thoroughly puzzled.
-Manna Samuel
March 16th, 2014 at 10:17 pm
For the second painting, “Krisna and Arjuna from the Bhagavad Gita”, I believe Allah Bux is trying to represent how the conversation between Krisna and Arjuna occurred. Arjuna is explaining to Krisna how he does not wish to fight and put his family at risk. Krisna kneels and drops his weapon to the floor pleading to Krisna how he doesn’t want to go to war. Bux paints Krisna like a God, shown by his blueish skin, and special attire. Arjuna is dressed as a royal/warrior shown by his crown and his weaponry.
-Max
March 16th, 2014 at 10:22 pm
I also forgot to mention the background. While it’s hard to tell, I believe the background is trying to present the samsaric cycle of birth and death. The painting seems to present that there are little souls going into some type of mixing device where they are being churned by a mysterious hand.
-Max
March 17th, 2014 at 7:46 am
After reading the The Bhagavad Gita I think this picture represents the battle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. And in the middle you have Krishna and Arjuna. And you see Arjuna kneeling down in front of Krishna as a sign of respect and he seeks advice from Krishna. Being at battle with the Kauravas confuses Arjuna about whether he should attack or not and he really wants to avoid killing his family. The background of this image shows the bloodshed going on between the two families. And esentially it’s up to Arjuna to end this blood feud.
~Bryan
March 17th, 2014 at 10:12 am
I think this picture is the representation of the part when Arjuna is asking his mentor for answers. Krishna is presented as a God and Arjuna, the mortal, imploring for answers to his dilemma. On one side his personal dharma and on the other his family safety. the background looks like a battle field that suggest the answer of the God. This book is similar to the Eumenides because the God is the one who make human decide on something that anyway is going to ruin his life. If Arjuna doesn’t fulfill his dharma he is incomplete, but on the other side he has to destroy family members. Same with Orestes, no matter what he chose he was going to suffer Gods punishment or the Furies torment.
Arsi Agolli