A gathering place for ideas, thoughts, and reflections from students in a death and dying class at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, FL.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
The Martyr Victorious
This engraving, done in 1865 and entitled, Lincoln: The Marytr Victorious, depicts the artist's perception of heaven. Here, Abraham Lincoln is being welcomed into heaven by George Washington. All are surrounded by angels.
I like the painting, and the message that it portrays, but there is a lot of debate that can be associated with it. Why is it that Lincoln went to heaven? Although he did many great things, he also did many controversial that would not be viewed favorably in today's Christianity? Would Washington really embrace Lincoln, especially since the Civil War divided the nation that Washington created? There is a lot to analyze and discuss with this painting.
This painting, although masterful, sparks political debate and attempts to glamorize our country's "war presidents." The work also illustrates our country's dominant Christian background, especially during the 19th century. While viewing this painting, I thought 'why would Lincoln be accepted into a heavenly place after the death of 600,000 Americans under his command?' The Civil War could have been prevented by the Lincoln Administration through economic negotiation with the south; the corporate northern states threatened the south's financial stability. This piece hides the violence that plagued Lincoln's presidency.
This image evokes an archetypal ideal of entry into heaven, with clouds surrounding both the souls of the departed and the angels and the darkness below leading to the light of heaven above. One of the things I find interesting about the engraving is that the angels are depicted as female in nature, while the Bible does not mention female angels. It looks as though Mr. Washington's soul is helping to show Mr. Lincoln's the way, as if Mr. Lincoln's soul was lost after his sudden death. Also, this would be a comfort to those who were shocked by the assassination of Mr. Lincoln. People in this time period would probably like seeing two icons of their era together in heaven.
I like the painting, and the message that it portrays, but there is a lot of debate that can be associated with it. Why is it that Lincoln went to heaven? Although he did many great things, he also did many controversial that would not be viewed favorably in today's Christianity? Would Washington really embrace Lincoln, especially since the Civil War divided the nation that Washington created? There is a lot to analyze and discuss with this painting.
ReplyDeleteThis painting, although masterful, sparks political debate and attempts to glamorize our country's "war presidents." The work also illustrates our country's dominant Christian background, especially during the 19th century. While viewing this painting, I thought 'why would Lincoln be accepted into a heavenly place after the death of 600,000 Americans under his command?' The Civil War could have been prevented by the Lincoln Administration through economic negotiation with the south; the corporate northern states threatened the south's financial stability. This piece hides the violence that plagued Lincoln's presidency.
ReplyDeleteThis image evokes an archetypal ideal of entry into heaven, with clouds surrounding both the souls of the departed and the angels and the darkness below leading to the light of heaven above. One of the things I find interesting about the engraving is that the angels are depicted as female in nature, while the Bible does not mention female angels. It looks as though Mr. Washington's soul is helping to show Mr. Lincoln's the way, as if Mr. Lincoln's soul was lost after his sudden death. Also, this would be a comfort to those who were shocked by the assassination of Mr. Lincoln. People in this time period would probably like seeing two icons of their era together in heaven.
ReplyDelete