Museumization

The Abhaya Mudra is referred to as the “dispelling fear pose.”   in Sanskrit the word means ‘fearlessness’ and this pose or mudra is one of the most common Buddha statue poses.   It symbolizes peace and protection and is thought to ward off fear and danger.

This pose is achieved extending the right arm. In the dispelling fear mode draw, the home of the hand faces out at shoulder height and the arm is slightly bent.This Buddhist symbol of courage emphasizes the spiritual power of the Buddha or bodhisattva who makes it.  A bodhisattva is an enlightened being who has embraced Buddhahood.

The dispelling fear mudra can also be thought of as a symbol of friendship as the empty hand is devoid of weapons.  The position is often misinterpreted by Westerners as an indication to “stop, but” it really implies fearlessness before danger or threat.  The Abhaya Mudra is believed to be the gesture that the Buddha Shakyamuni made after gaining enlightenment.

Stories from Buddhist mythology often tell of the Buddha’s use of the dispelling fear pose to pacify potential enemies. Only a Buddha statue or bodhisattva sculpture would be seen in the dispelling fear pose, as it is only useful to those who have achieved enlightenment.

In Thailand and Laos, the dispelling fear pose is most commonly seen in images of Buddha in a standing position.This mudra is most identified with the fifth Dyhani Buddha, Amoghasiddhi.  The five Dyhani Buddhas are the 5 wisdom Buddhas or great Buddhas who represent the core qualities of the Buddhist philosophy. They are often represented as the cardinal directions - North, South, East, West and then Center.

It is common to meditate on Amoghasiddhi to remove negative feelings like jealousy and bring a deeper meaning to one’s own success.  Jealousy is a negative emotion that can be interpreted as a form of fear, so the dispelling fear pose makes sense.when we see the Buddha in the dispelling fear pose, usually the right-hand is in the Abhaya Mudra with the left hand resting at the Buddha’s side. Occasionally the left-hand makes the varada mudra, a gift-giving gesture.

Another symbolic meaning of the dispelling fear pose is an interpretation of the action of preaching.  Chinese and Gandhara Buddha interpretations are the ones that most often used to dispelling fear pose to represent the Buddha preaching.

Displaying Buddha statues in the dispelling fear pose can have many purposes within the home beyond Asian decor.  A Buddha statue in the dispelling fear pose as citations of protection, safety and courage.  It can also be a reminder of the need for personal strength and emphasize our spiritual journey to eliminate doubt and fear.

In classical-era mythology, twelve Gods ruled from Mt. Olympus.   Zeus was considered the king of the Gods and Hera his queen.  This pantheon of twelve Gods and Goddesses are considered the Olympians, representing the nature of man and his need for war, love and death.  Six male Gods existed in the pantheon, two (Zeus and Poseidon) were born of Cronus and Rhea, Titan Gods and overthrew their father to rule the universe.   Hades, their brother, also fought by their side, but after the victory  he was drew the lot as ruler of the Underworld, so did take a throne at Mt. Olympus with his brothers.

Zeus - King of the Gods

Zeus was King of the Gods and ruler of Mt. Olympus.    He was the the youngest son born to Cronus and Rhea, Titan and Titaness who were themselves children of Ouranos and Gaia, the sky and Earth according to classical Greek mythology.  Zeus overthrew his father Cronus with the aid of his two brothers, Poseidon and Hades in a battle that went on for ten years known as the Titanomachy, or more popularly as the Battle of the Titans.  Zeus fathered many of the deities in Greek mythology with Goddesses, deities and mortals alike.  The artists of the period created Greek statues of Zeus either astride his throne ruling over Olympus or moving forward holding a thunderbolt above his head.  Jupiter is the Roman equivalent of Zeus.

Poseidon

God of the oceans, master of earthquakes and brother of Zeus and Hades.  He was given reign of the seas after the battle of the Titans.  He is perhaps the most iconic of the Greek gods, his trident a well recognized symbol.  The ancient Greeks believed he had the power to calm the seas and create bountiful fishing expeditions, but when angered would smash his trident into the ground causing earthquakes and tidal waves.  He was a popular God and considered the protector of many Greek cities.

Apollo

Apollo was the most multi-dimensional of the Gods, seen as God of light and the sun; prophecy and truth; healing and medicine; music, art and poetry.  Fathered by Zeus and the motal Leto, he had a twin sister, the virgin Goddess Artemis.  He was regarded as the most handsome of the Gods, always depicted as young and attractive.  He was thought to have both the ability to heal and to bring forth pestilence and plague.  His symbols are the bow, lyre and laurel.  He is also known as “Apollo” by the Romans.

Ares

Ares was the God of War.  The Greeks viewed him more as the God of bloodlust or slaughter.  Ares was seen as unpredictable, chaotic and barbaric.  The stewardship of strategic warfare fell to his more rational half-sister, Athena.  The vulture and dog were the sacred animals of Ares.  The Roman God Mars was connected to Ares, but he was also seen as a God of agriculture and held in higher regard by mortals.

Dionysus

Born to Zeus and the mortal Semele in the city of Thebes, Dionysus was regarded as one of the gods of the epiphany or “gods that come.”   He was the God of Wine, Merriment and Ecstasy and naturally a popular God frequently honored with celebrations in his name.  Mythology contends that he was androgynous with long, thick hair.  This could be the influence of one tale that tells the story that Zeus asked Hermes to hide the boy away to protect him from the vengeful Hera.  Hermes took him to his mortal relatives and asked that they pretend that Dionysus was a girl to deceive Hera and protect him.

Hephaestus

Regarded as a gentle and compassionate God, he was the God of metal, blacksmiths, artisans, craftsman, metallurgy, volcanoes and fire|fire, metal, blacksmiths, volcanoes and craftsman].  Thrown from Mt. Olympus by his mother Hera, he is the only God depicted as repulsive.  He was depicted as a cripple from the injuries he suffered in his fall from Mount Olympus.  Hephaestus created  many of Greek mythology’s most magnificent weapons and tools including:  Hermes’ sandals and helmet, the Aegis breastplate, the armor of Achilles, Helio’s chariot, Eros bow and arrow and the thrones at Mt. Olympus.  The Romans named this god Vulcan.

Hermes

Young and fleet of foot, Hermes was possessed of great speed and assumed the role of “messenger of the Gods” and bearer of souls to the Underworld.  He was the one God permitted to walk the realms of Heaven, Earth and the Underworld.  Like all Gods, he was possessed of fallibility:  the impulse to steal.  This trait earned him the honor of God of Thieves.  Child of Zeus, Hermes was a trusted ally of the king of Gods and frequent confidant.  He wore a “petasus” (a shallow, round hat) and was often portrayed with wings on his shoulders along with his famed winged sandals.  The Roman incarnation of Hermes is Mercury.

Hades

Brother of Poseidon and Zeus, Hades fought with his brothers in the Titanomachy, helping to destroy their father Cronus and begin the rule of the Olympian Gods.  After they vanquised the Titans, Hades and his brothers divided rule of the world.  Drawing lots, Zeus was given the sky, Poseidon the seas and Hades the underworld.  Popular notions of Hades are a bit distorted, probably from Christian views of hell.  In Greek mythology, Hades was a benevolent ruler who strived for balance in the Underworld, but was also not above displaying his considerable powers if crossed.  Hades is associated with Cerebus, the three-headed canine that guards the underworld and the Helm of Darkness given to him by the Cyclops’ before the Battle of the Titans.

Archangels were a frequent inspiration for art from the the late Middle Ages to the end of the Renaissance Period.  As Angels of Presence, with the permission to enter the presence of God, the four Archangels - Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel were prominent in religious lore of Christianity, Juadaism and Islam, though mentioned very little in the canonical Gospels.  

The most famed of the Archangel Michael resides in the Santa Maria della Concezione, in the first chael.  The work is from Renaissance painter Guido Reni, who was a master of the Baroque style which evolved from the Roman Catholic Churches edict that religious art should engage the commoner with dramatic and emotional appeal. Reni’s The Archangel Michael shows the androgynous angel hovering over the Devil, his foot firmly planted on the devil’s head forcing him to the ground.  This is a scene from the Book of Revelations where Archangel Michael commands an Angel Army against Lucifer and binds him for 1000 years. It is often referred to as Archangel Michael Slaying the Devil.

God’s Messenger Gabriel was the angel who announced to the Virgin Mary that she would be touched by God and bear a son named Jesus.  This biblical event is referred to as The Annunciation and is a frequent subject of Renaissance art.  Two works stand out as iconic paintings on the subject.  Da Vinci’s the Annunciation was painted from 1472-1475 and is credited to both Da Vinci and his mentor Andrea del Verrocchio.  The painting depicts Archangel Gabriel kneeling  before Mary, a Madonna lily in hand to symbolize Mary’s virginity.  

The Cestello Annunciation by Botticelli, commissioned in 1489, shows the same Annunciaton event with similar themes.  The painting is noted for its use of perspective in the tiles that lead the eye to the landscape.  The artist shows Gabriel with mouth open, speaking the words from the Gospel of Luke which were engraved into the paintings original frame.  Both paintings are on exhibit at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.  

Archangel Raphael was most often captured in oil as the guardian of Tobias, son of Tobit on his journey to recover hidden money for his blind father, a passage from the Book of Tobit.  His role as protector and god of healing is emphasized in these paintings that show him leading the boy by his hand.  Filippino Lippi’s version of Tobias and the Angel can be seen at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.  The Book of Tobit became a popular subject for Rembrandt, who embraced the story of the pious family challenged by adversity and assisted by the Archangel Raphael.

Da Vinci created two nearly identical paintings titled Virgin of the Rocks or Madonna of the Rocks.  The painting displays a scene where the baby Jesus encounters his cousin John the Baptist as an infant.  In the paintings, the Archangel Gabriel is seated to the Mary’s left holding the baby Jesus.  Subtle variations can be seen in Da Vinci’s two paintings.  In the version of the painting on display in the National Gallery in London, Mary, Jesus and John are haloed.  In the version that can be seen in the Lourve, Uriel points at John. While the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown has created some controversy around these paintings and the true identity of Jesus in the image - art historians surmise that the original where Uriel points at John who is closest to Mary may have caused confusion about which infant was Jesus and the second painting by Da Vinci removed Uriel’s extended hand.

Surrealism, born in the 1920’s, was parented by the Dada movement that emerged in Paris during War World I.  Inspired by visual art and writings, Surrealism was a cultural movement that merged schools of thought on politics, philosophy and social theory.  Salvador Dali was a flamboyant surrealist who contributed artistically to the movement.

Self-Portrait with Fried Bacon Surrealism

An ode to Dali’s “soul’s glove”, not the soul or the inner self, this self-portrait portrays his face with ants and fried bacon.  It was a work painted during Dali’s eight-year-exile in the United States  He left his home in Spain during the Spanish Civil War.  During this time Dali claimed that his works were painted from the inside out, and it appeared that he did a reversal on  his “paranoid-critical method.”  This painting symbolizes the painter giving himself up as nourishment for the soul, providing in his own words the most “delicious delicacies.”

Geopolitical Child Watches Birth of New Human

In this work Dali creates a fiery Earth, a new human is born and is emerging from a plastic egg while a child looks on seeking the protection of its mother; the painting symbolizes the evolution of order, a fresh start and a perfect world.

Portrait of Picasso

Dali integrated all elements that depicted the origins of Picasso.  In this painting, the bust of Picasso is mounted atop a  pedestal, symbolizing consecration.  A heavy rock sits on Picasso’s head symbolizing the impact and influence of his art.  Picasso’s face is a goat hoof and the headdress of the Greco-Iberian marble bust the Lady of Elche which pays tribute to Picasso’s birthplace.

Dream Caused Flight of a Bee

This painting is of Dali’s wife, Gala nude and sleeping.  With slender legs, an elephant walks across the sea’s horizon carrying an obelisk.  Near her body, two drops of water and a small pomegranate are supsended in the air.  Above a larger pomegranate, a fish emerges that spits out a tiger from which another tiger emerges.  In front of the second tiger, a rifle’s bayonet touches the women’s right arm.  It is a painting that shows the influence of Sigmund Freud’s theories on dreams and some believe is an interpretation of the Theory of Evolution.

Poetry of America Cosmic Athletes

Asking mankind to think about the perils of war within the modern world, this painting symbolizes the new human with a golden man balancing an egg on his finger.  The juxtaposition of the commonplace and fantastic again emphasizes Dali’s paranoid-critical method, a subconscious association of those things that are not related in the real world.

Burning Giraffe Woman with Drawers

This painting signifies Dali’s internal struggles with his country during his exile from Spain amidst the Spanish Civil War.  Open drawers line the leg of a gaunt blue woman with outstretched arms, believed to represent the “open drawers” of man’s subconscious.

Temptation of Saint Anthony

A work from the latter period of his life, Dali made claims that he had converted to mysticism.  The Atomic era invaded his thinking and is manifested in this painting.  The naked Antonius wards off a charging horse with elongated legs that defy the law of gravity.  Saint Anthony attempts to steel himself against earthy temptations.  Symbolizing lust and greed, floang elephants approach on outsized, thin legs.

Check out the unique Salvador Dali 3D sculptures from Parastone Mouseion.