Angels in Cemetery & Memorial Art

ANGELS

The Northstar Gallery presents fine art photography of Angels in Memorial and Cemetery art from around the World. Angels play a central role in much memorial art, symbolically reflecting human, biblical and spiritual perspectives on immortality, salvation, loss, transcendence and everlasting life. The cemetery is a transitional realm, often an expression of hope and inspiration of what is to come, a focus on life after death. The symbols and metaphors of memorial art reflect some of man's greatest questions and hopes. The issue of "thantos" is one of the central themes in Western art and finds some of its greatest expression in the great cemeteries of the world. This section of the Northstar Gallery explores this art form and its significance in man's struggle to understand his nature.

 It is interesting to note, that one of the finest examples of a personal encounter with an angel is expressed in The Ecstasy of St. Teresa by Bernini, 1650. Bernini's work is a representation of Saint Teresa of Avila's writings on her personal encounter with an angel. Saint Teresa reports: "I would see beside me, on my left hand, an angel......He was not tall, but short, and very beautiful, his face so aflame that he appeared to be one of the highest types of angel who seem to be all afire....In his hands I saw a long golden spear and at the end of the iron tip I seemed to see a point of fire. With this he seemed to pierce my heart several times so that it penetrated to my entrails. When he drew it out, I thought he was drawing them out with it, and he left me completely afire with a great love of God. The pain was so sharp that it made me utter several moans; and so excessive was the sweetness caused me by this intense pain that one can never wish to lose it, nor will one's soul be content with anything less than God. It is not bodily pain, but spiritual, though the body has a share in it - indeed a great share. So sweet are the colloquies of love which pass between the soul and God that if anyone thinks I am lying I beseech God, in His Goodness, to give him the same experience. Amen"   Godwin, Malcolm. (1990). Angels - An Endangered Species p179   

"No evil shall befall you, nor shall affliction come near your tent, for to His Angels God has
given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways. Upon their hands they will
bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone."
Psalm 91: 10-12

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