Mary pauses before going into the gate, pondering these new transitions about to happen in her family’s life. They also perform the redemption of the firstborn son, in obedience to the Torah You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy they rejoice in your presence as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder.”Īccording to Luke 2:23-34, Mary and Joseph took the Infant Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem forty days after his birth to complete Mary’s ritual purification after childbirth. “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. The title of the painting references Isaiah 9:2-3: “The dance symbolizes that God … is the only thing that remains unchanging in a constantly changing universe ( jagat).” The newborn babe in this painting is the Light of the World, fresh out of the womb to begin his ministry of overcoming darkness through the bright salvation wrought through Love - through death on a cross. This lantern represents life, and the fetus in the womb in particular. Traditionally, the circle dance is performed around a clay lantern with a light inside, called a Garbha Deep (“womb lamp”). The word garba comes from the Sanskrit word for womb and so implies gestation or pregnancy - life. Even now as a babe, he holds his arms outstretched to show the manner of his forthcoming death by crucifixion, bringing salvation to all ethnic groups on earth. A group of women is dancing with pairs of sticks (’dandiyas’) around the infant Christ in the center, the newborn King. We return to a dance scene in this Christmas card art. In this painting, Mary is standing under an arch decorated with white flowers, a liminal doorway, I think, marking the about-to-come transition into motherhood. Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!” Spoken by Mary in response to Elizabeth’s greeting to her at the Visitation: This description of Mary was given by the angel Gabriel at the Annunciation: “Hail Mary, full of grace” or “Hail Mary, you that are highly favored.”ģ. “My Spirit Excells (Exults) in God” (Luke 1:47) This dance scene thus implies that through the Incarnation, Jesus will overcome evil. The pair of sticks (’dandiyas’) held by each dancer symbolizes swords, referencing an ancient cultural story about good overcoming evil. I think this is Dandiya Raas, a traditional folk dance form of Gujarat & Rajasthan regions of India. Mary holds Jesus, and both of them hold sticks which are playfully struck with those of the dancing women. I’m putting them in a series of 3 blog posts - Merry Christmas, here’s my gift to my blog readers! :-) The book has around 20 paintings which are Christmas-themed by various artists, many of them not found in similar printed collections, and not yet seen online. The paintings featured today are from the rare book I was thrilled to get earlier this year, “Christian Painting in India [through the centuries’”(1987, Fr. She was born in 1937 and is retired.Ī year ago I posted 30+ of her Christmas-themed paintings in a series of blog posts links are at the bottom of this post. I’m hoping to meet her on my next trip to India in January 2018. She’s one of my favorite artists of all times and all places. Dozens of them have been made into Christmas cards which are widely distributed throughout India Sister Claire SMMI has been a highly prolific artist with over 750 paintings of Christian art contextualized into her setting of India. Lift up your eyes and look all around: they are all gathered
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