Today we discuss the sixteenth century Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder and his painting “The Procession to Calvary.” No doubt, in this extraordinary masterpiece (redundancy necessary!), which contains more than 500 people, you are likely to find yourself. A listener’s recommendation about the 2011 movie “The Mill and the Cross” prompted this topic. We discuss how time is like a wagon wheel, the cross being its hub. This means we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, both ancient and modern. This is the first of two episodes about this painting; we also continue our reading of “The Sacrifice” by George Herbert. Join us as we prepare our hearts for the Passion of Christ. If you are able, be sure to watch the video version of this episode to see the close-ups of Bruegel’s work.
Chapters
00:00 Exploring George Herbert's 'The Sacrifice' 09:49 Introduction to Peter Bruegel's 'The Procession to Calvary' 19:38 Analyzing the Painting's Context and Details 28:53 Quote from Toby Ferris 29:49 Movement and Composition in Art 33:41 Anachronisms and Eternal Quality in Art 36:03 Contemporary Reflections of Historical Events 39:56 Mystical Experiences in Everyday Life 43:23 The Hidden Christ and His Significance 46:02 Cyclical Nature of Time and Events 54:25 Finding Christ in Contemporary Contexts
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