My Day at the Met

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City seems to be the museum of all museums. However, it is the first one that I am visiting but I couldn’t imagine anything bigger than this! They certainly had every piece of art imaginable from every time period and place that has ever existed. There were so many pieces of art; you almost couldn’t take it all in. Visiting the museum was an experience to remember and an educational event never to forget.
My father was nice enough to come along with me to visit the museum. He was a good partner in the venture as he has a great interest and appreciation for art. I have to be honest that my intentional encounter of art has been pretty minimal but as I begin to walk through the museum I realize how art is around us no matter where we are; from a handcrafted piece of jewelry to early body amour. I realize just how much I have been appreciating art all my life and didn’t even know it. I think now how my first job was creating art decorating cakes using my own ideas and creativity; I just didn’t look at it that way – until now. I think that it was my own lack of perception that made me believe I wasn’t familiar with art. Although, visiting the Metropolitan made me realize that art is all around, you don’t even need to be looking for it to find it.
I was extremely interested in some of the art work that was religious in nature. The Byzantium art display represented many Christian stories and events. The Byzantium period or empire is thought to have lasted approximately 1,100 years or from the fourth century to the fall of Constantinople. Constantine The Great was the first Christian ruler of the Roman Empire. He transferred the religion of gods of ancient times to that of Christianity; which is why you will find that much of the Byzantine artwork is religious in nature, depicting Christian stories that can be found in the Bible.
Byzantine artists are known for their three dimensional artwork. As you will see in the photo, this sarcophagus from Rome illustrates several Bible related stories. A sarcophagus you ask? Yes, sarcophagus is better known as a coffin or casket. In earlier times, when someone of wealth or importance died, they were placed in a sarcophagus and then placed in a crypt to rest. And I say “of wealth or importance” because I would have to imagine that creating a sarcophagus was expensive and time consuming. The one you see here was carved out of marble and thought to be made in the early 300’s. It is extremely intricate and detailed in its form. It is almost hard to grasp that someone thousands of years ago carved such skilled artwork into a marble stone by hand, no power tools here. However, what is even harder to grasp is that a person was put inside of it. The sarcophagus was so narrow it looks as though you would have to lie on your side to fit. It would certainly have to be modified to accommodate the deceased of today’s age.
This particular sarcophagus portrays several stories on both the front and sides. The front carvings are done in what is known as high relief meaning that the carvings have a three dimensional view and appear to sit further off the stone. The side carvings are done in low relief where the carvings seem to sit right on the stone and do not have the raised up appearance or three dimensional look. When you look at the sarcophagus from the front, the left side of it depicts the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who were three Hebrews that were accused of defying King Nebuchadnezzar and then ordered to a fiery furnace which you can see from this photo.
The opposite side shows Adam and Eve just after eating the forbidden fruit and then feeling naked for the first time. The front of the sarcophagus includes many different scenes. Moving from left to right you see what appears to me to be Christ with the children. In the Bible Christ states “suffer the little children to come unto me”. The next item is Saint Peter’s arrest in Rome and following that is Jesus on a donkey on Palm Sunday. Next is Zacchaeus, a little man in a tree. The Bible story explains that Zacchaeus climbed into the tree to see Jesus because he was too short to see him over the crowd. After that there are a few figures that I am not sure what story they are relating to. The narration on the wall next to the piece indicated that when the sarcophagus was discovered much of the front had deteriorated away and the restoration was done somewhat inaccurately. The last scene moving to the right appears to be the story of Lazarus who Jesus had raised from the dead four days after his death.
Christianity was a very strong religion during the Byzantine time period and not only was the religion portrayed on a sarcophagus but on a good majority of the other art work from that time. However, religious symbols have long since been displayed on items having to do with the dead because death and God are so closely related. Death is the time that a believer would be reunited with God.
It just amazes me that a person that long ago was able to produce this creation with such a limited supply of tools as compared to today’s age. I was so drawn to it because it is honestly a work of art. The skill that went into this isn’t something that just anyone could do and I really value that, it is almost unbelievable. It is a piece that I will never forget.