Episode 1: Bruegel's Tower of Babel

In this season ending episode, Charles and Seth reflect on the previously discussed paintings (with a brief tandem on Cain and Abel), and finish by examining Bosch's eerie and phantasmagorical three paneled painting, The Garden of Earthly Delights.

The famous Transfiguration painting held in the Vatican - Charles and Seth discuss the structure of the painting in regard to the events that happened in Mark 9, and how it might inform our view of the relationship between transcendence and humanity.

Charles and Seth examine the story surrounding the infamous Golden Calf narrative in the Bible. What kind of "playing" was occurring in the Israelite camp? What does that have to say about humanity's relationship to the divine and to law?

Charles and Seth examine the portrayal of Joseph in Nolde's painting, and how it might lend insight into Joseph's characters in relation to his brothers. Was Joseph as innocent throughout his story as we might think?

Caravaggio's depiction of Abraham on the verge of sacrificing Isaac raises some important questions, like, what about Isaac? Was he as stoic as we might imagine? Did he have faith like Abraham? Charles and Seth discuss these questions and more.

We look at Caravaggio's grisly painting and discuss who Goliath's head might resemble, and the strange look David has as he gazes at the decapitated head.

Van Dyck's famous portrayal of the famous story of Samson and Delilah. We discuss ambiguous gazes, justice and mercy, and personal impacts.

We look at Klimt's The Kiss and Schiele's Death and the Maiden and how they give insight regarding our understanding of perfection, innocence, and the "real world." We also talk about putting pieces of art into conversation with one another and the insights that are yielded from the resulting dialogue. Schiele's Death and the Maiden (http://www.egonschiele.net/death-and-the-maiden/) Klimt's The Kiss (https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/the-kiss/HQGxUutM_F6ZGg?hl=en&ms=%7B%22x%22%3A0.5%2C%22y%22%3A0.5%2C%22z%22%3A9.160304243310176%2C%22size%22%3A%7B%22width%22%3A2.375910024140633%2C%22height%22%3A1.237500000000001%7D%7D)

Charles and Seth talk about the "other" tree from the Garden of Eden via Klimt's famous frieze, "The Tree of Life." Tree of Life Frieze (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoclet_Frieze)

Charles and Seth explore the painting the Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, and the various implications it has on our understanding of community and achievement. (We are working on the audio quality...) Tower of Babel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_Babel) Article on historical context by Barbara A. Kaminska (https://jhna.org/articles/come-let-us-make-a-city-and-a-tower-pieter-bruegel-the-elder-tower-of-babel-creation-harmonious-community-antwerp/) The Tower of Babel in the Kunsthistoriches Museum (https://www.khm.at/en/explore/digital-museum/bruegel-begegnen-en/)