Art and Exegesis: or What has Rembrandt's workshop to do with II-Isaiah's servant?
Stephen Cook has an interesting series of posts at Biblische Ausbildung in which he and several commenters explore issues around exegesis and art. Stephen begins with a painting, "The Descent from the Cross" , currently on display in Washington the gallery site dates it ca. 1651 and believes it to come from Rembrandt's Workshop (probably by Constantijn van Renesse). Stephen's meditation moves between the painting, theological works, and the Isaianic servant songs. For example (from his first post):

As in the artwork, The Descent from the Cross, the crucified one is lank and spindly, totally vulnerable. The crucified one is a true "Servant" in the sense that both testaments of the Scriptures labor to flesh out the nature of "servanthood."

In particular he and PamBG discuss what Eco called "Anxiety of Influence". The discussion takes place in that hinterland of reading where it is both true that "the author is dead" and yet true that the author's intentions (conscious and unconscious) shape the text and so any humble reading of the text. Eco's treatment of this is fun as he was responding to papers at a conference based on his own work.

So, do go and read the posts, and join the discussion.

Labels: art, exegesis

¶ 10:24 AM [to Del.icio.us]

Thanks for this referral! You have made my day! ---Stephen C.

By  S and C, at February 5, 2007 4:14 PM  

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