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Nasza Przeszłość

Vol. 98 (2002): Our Past

Articles

A ray of light and the idea of mediation in the representations of the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries

  • Lidia Kwiatkowska-Frejlich
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52204/np.2002.98.303-323  [Google Scholar]
Published: 2002-12-30

Abstract

The author examines in this article four visual representations of the idea of the mediation of divine works in Polish Baroque art. The earliest of them dates back to 1684, and the latest to 1736. All these images share a common element - a ray of light running from God towards the earth; however, to achieve its ultimate goal, the ray is refracted by an intermediary. Additional explanations regarding the meaning of this representation can be found both in the titles of the paintings and in textual explanations recounting the circumstances of their creation. From what these sources reveal about the depicted object, we can draw the following conclusion: in each case, the ray of light has a symbolic significance and shows, on the one hand, God's intervention in the affairs of people, and on the other hand, the manner in which He acts for good in this world. The latter occurs with the help of intermediaries chosen by God for their special qualities.

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