Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2013/12/07
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Fascinating 17th century wall painting. Details below. Fuji X-E1, Summicron-M 1:2/35 mm ASPH., iso 1000 Death Takes Us All http://jayburleson.com/leica/gallery/index.php/Wales-2013/Color/DSCF0451 At the east end of the north wall of the nave is a very unusual seventeenth-century wall painting. It consists of two tall Corinthian pilasters crudely painted in perspective standing on a podium, the whole reaching the full height of the wall. The main painting is contained in an oblong panel with small fluted Ionic pilasters from which spring small arches containing leaf decoration. The painting portrays the familiar theme of the transient nature of our sojourn on earth and the inevitability of death. Lavish use has been made of the emblems traditionally associated with the subject. A central white panel or table top has at each end a painted turned candlestick with a lighted candle. Nearer the center are an hourglass and a dial on which is painted fugit hora (the hour flies). The main feature of the upper part is a skull surrounded by a wreath or garland containing seven roses. The lower part is occupied by a skeleton reclining on a pillow of coiled rope. Between the hourglass and the dial is the Latin inscription ut hora sic vita (as with the hour so with life). Beneath this are inscriptions in Welsh: val i treila r t?n gan bwull, gwur y ganwull gynudd. fellu r enioes ar rhod sudd yn darfod beunudd. This is an excerpt from a carol by Richard Gwyn, a Roman Catholic martyr executed in 1584. It translates 'as the flame gradually consumes the tallow of the lighted candle so life on the orbit (earth) perishes daily.' Next is: yrhoedel er hyd a for aros a derfudd yn udd ag yn nos. These are the last two lines of one of the Englynion y Misoedd and translate as 'lifetime, however long its stay, will come to an end by night and by day'. Then: Darfu fynrwyn am wuneb mud iawn wy nim edwyn neb. This is a quotation from a cywydd (a form of poem) attributed to 'leuan ap Rhydderch which translates as 'my nose and my face are perished, very dumb am I, no one knows me'. Last: pob cadan: gwan i ddiwedd A proverb first recorded in 1547 and meaning 'every strong one is weak in the end'. -- Jay, Jay Burleson Gallery <http://jayburleson.com/leica/gallery/index.php/> "Being a Leica customer is like dating the most beautiful girl in the world... who cares more about herself than you... but, you keep calling her back anyway... because the sex is so good... most of the time." (RickLeica on LUF)