In a sonnet published in 1908, the German poet Rainer Maria Rilke wrote of being overwhelmed by the intense contemplation of an archaic Greek torso of
Apollo:
His torso glows, like candles lit
In which his gaze, though dimmed
Persists and shines
The sculpted stone body, although headless, was so filled with assured and joyous energy that the usual roles of sculpture and spectator seemed to Rilke to be reversed. Rather than him looking at him, and giving him the clear, invigorating and disconcerting instruction, ‘Du musst dein Leben andern’ – ‘You must change your life.’
That is in fact central of many religious images. They are designed to move, fascinate or unsettle us to the point where we will want to change our life. After looking at one of these images, we should, if they have done their job, never be the same again ~ page 283
Loading
1 comment
Dinesh said:
Apollo:
His torso glows, like candles lit
In which his gaze, though dimmed
Persists and shines
The sculpted stone body, although headless, was so filled with assured and joyous energy that the usual roles of sculpture and spectator seemed to Rilke to be reversed. Rather than him looking at him, and giving him the clear, invigorating and disconcerting instruction, ‘Du musst dein Leben andern’ – ‘You must change your life.’
That is in fact central of many religious images. They are designed to move, fascinate or unsettle us to the point where we will want to change our life. After looking at one of these images, we should, if they have done their job, never be the same again ~ page 283