#symbolism — Public Fediverse posts

From Oculus to Orbit: The Symbolism of the Circle in Architecture
https://atlas.whatip.xyz/post.php?slug=from-oculus-to-orbit-the-symbolism-of-the-circle-in-architecture
Key insight: <p>Throughout the history of architecture
#architecture #throughout #associated #symbolism

"Tamed," Marian Wawrzeniecki, 1910.

An archaeologist, historian, ethnographer, and only incidentally a painter, Warsaw-born Wawrzeniecki (1863-1943) was a noted eccentric and a bit of a fraud.

From an artistic viewpoint, he had a very individual style; he'd had some training in art but abandoned the formal style he'd been taught and instead embraced his own approach. While classified as a Symbolist painter, he was really more of a Modernist, painting solely to achieve his own vision.

His work reflects Slavic folklore and mythology, often depicting witches and pagan gods, and he's considered a significant figure in the rise of Slavic neopaganism. Many of his works can be taken in multiple ways; this could be an illustration of a legend, or a symbol of humanity conquering nature or evil.

He did some fairly important work as an archaeologist, but also published transcriptions of assorted ancient and medieval documents that historians have since figured out he forged. Exactly why he did that is unknown.

From the National Museum in Warsaw.

#Art #MarianWawrzeniecki #Symbolism #Modernism #SlavicPaganism #Eccentric #Art

A Glimpse of the Soul ✨🧚‍♂️🌿 Un bagliore dell'anima 🌄⚡🖼️

#poetry #art #mindscapes #soulscapes #youtube #youtubeshort #multimedia #womenartists #femininepower #symbolism

https://youtube.com/shorts/1Ywa1W5CNsk?is=18ebgtzndS8BQPVL

The Three Lions

There are few symbols in England more instantly recognisable than three golden lions marching proudly across a field of red.

Today they adorn football shirts, cricket caps and rugby jerseys. They are painted on pub signs, stamped on passports, embroidered onto military uniforms and waved from terraces whenever England dares to dream.

Millions sing Three Lions without ever stopping to ask a simple question.

Why three?

Why lions?

And why has this particular emblem survived almost nine centuries while kings, dynasties, empires and governments have all faded into history?

Like so many ancient symbols, the answer lies somewhere between history and mythology.

The lion itself had never roamed Britain. Wolves, bears and wild boar once stalked these islands, but lions existed only in stories carried home by pilgrims, crusaders and Roman writers. To medieval Europe, the lion represented everything a king was expected to be: courageous, just, noble, watchful and fierce.

Long before heraldry became an organised system, lions appeared throughout Christian art. Medieval bestiaries claimed that lion cubs were born dead before being brought to life by the breath of their father three days later. Whether believed literally or symbolically, the tale became an obvious parallel with the Resurrection of Christ. Lions were therefore not merely dangerous beasts; they were creatures associated with kingship, divine authority and eternal life.

It is hardly surprising that Europe’s rulers eagerly adopted them.

England’s relationship with lions began with the Norman kings. William the Conqueror himself probably bore no official coat of arms because heraldry had not yet fully developed, but by the twelfth century shields and banners had become increasingly important on crowded battlefields. Knights hidden beneath mail and helmets required instantly recognisable devices.

The first English royal lions seem to appear during the reign of Henry I. Henry married Matilda of Scotland, linking Norman and Anglo-Saxon royal bloodlines. Some historians believe one lion may have entered the royal family’s symbolism through this marriage, while another emerged through subsequent dynastic alliances.

Heraldry during this period was fluid, with symbols evolving rather than appearing fully formed. The decisive moment arrived with Henry’s son, Richard I.

Richard Plantagenet.

Richard the Lionheart.

Few English monarchs have acquired such legendary status. Ironically, Richard spent remarkably little time in England. He spoke French, regarded his continental possessions as more important than his English kingdom, and devoted much of his reign to warfare and the Crusades. Yet he became the king most closely associated with English courage.

Richard originally used seals depicting two lions passant guardant – walking with one forepaw raised while turning their faces towards the viewer. During his reign a third lion appeared, creating the royal arms that remain instantly recognisable today.

Whether Richard consciously chose three lions or inherited an evolving design remains debated by historians, but by the end of the twelfth century England possessed one of Europe’s most distinctive coats of arms. Three gold lions with blue claws and blue tongues, marching one above another upon a crimson shield.

In heraldic language the animals are not technically “lions” at all. They are described as lions passant guardant. Passant refers to the walking pose. Guardant means the head faces directly towards the observer. To medieval eyes this posture conveyed confidence rather than aggression. A rampant lion, rearing upon its hind legs, symbolised battle. A passant lion suggested calm authority – a ruler who possessed strength but had no need to prove it.

There may also have been another layer of symbolism. Throughout medieval Europe, the number three carried profound meaning. Three represented the Holy Trinity. Birth, life and death. Past, present and future. Faith, hope and charity. The symbolism would have been immediately understood by contemporary audiences. Whether Richard deliberately chose three lions because of religious symbolism remains uncertain, but medieval rulers rarely ignored such powerful associations.

Once adopted, the badge spread rapidly.Royal seals, coinage, castles, government documents,military banners. It became the visual signature of the English Crown.

As English armies marched across France during the Hundred Years’ War, three golden lions marched with them. The emblem flew above the armies of Edward III, the Black Prince and Henry V. It fluttered above muddy battlefields at Crécy, Poitiers and Agincourt, becoming associated not simply with monarchy but with English identity itself. Ironically, the badge survived periods when the monarchy itself seemed close to collapse.

During the Wars of the Roses, rival claimants fought beneath variations of royal heraldry. Under the Tudors, dragons, roses and portcullises joined the royal display, yet the three lions remained.

When James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne in 1603, the royal arms expanded dramatically. Scotland’s rampant lion and Ireland’s golden harp joined the shield, yet England’s three lions retained their place.

Empires rose. Empires fell. The lions remained.

One reason for their remarkable survival maybe lies in what they came to represent. Originally they belonged solely to the king. Gradually they became the property of the nation.The shift happened slowly over centuries. The English Civil War challenged royal authority. The Industrial Revolution transformed society. The British Empire reshaped Britain’s place in the world. Yet somehow the ancient lions adapted, and by the nineteenth century they had become less a symbol of monarchy than of England itself.

Then came football.

In 1863, when the Football Association sought an emblem, it turned naturally towards the ancient royal arms. The modern FA crest retained the three lions while adding Tudor roses between them. Few sporting badges possess such extraordinary ancestry. Every England football shirt carries a design whose origins stretch back to the Crusades. Every chant echoes nearly nine hundred years of history. Every major tournament briefly reconnects modern England with a medieval kingdom.

Of course, symbolism rarely remains fixed. To Victorian imperialists the lions represented national destiny. During the World Wars they became symbols of resilience. For football supporters they came to embody hope, frustration and stubborn optimism in equal measure.

The song Three Lions, first released during the European Championships in 1996, captured something far older than football itself. “It’s coming home” resonated not simply because the game originated in England, but because the badge itself already felt timeless. The lions seemed to belong to history rather than any particular generation.

Yet there is another, older way of looking at them.

Folklore often blurs the line between animal and guardian. Across Britain, churches possess spectral black dogs, castles harbour ghostly ravens and forests boast white stags. England’s lions occupy a similar symbolic space. Not literal creatures. Guardians. Sentinels. Beasts that exist not in the countryside but in the collective imagination of a nation.They have watched Norman knights become Tudor courtiers, Georgian soldiers become Victorian industrialists, and factory workers become football fans. They have witnessed plague, civil war, empire, Blitz, victory and defeat. Kings have died beneath them. Queens have ruled beneath them. Governments have come and gone. The lions simply continue their silent march.

Unlike flags, or borders, which shift. Unlike politicians, who disappear into history. The three lions remain reassuringly constant. Almost nine hundred years after Richard the Lionheart’s reign, children still draw them in school exercise books. Soldiers still wear them into battle. Sportsmen still carry them onto the world’s biggest stages.

Most never think about where they came from.But perhaps they should because hidden inside those three ancient beasts lies the story of England itself. And it’s a story of crusaders and kings, of heralds and holy symbolism, of battlefields and belief, of history transformed into legend.

And that is one of the greatest mysteries of all.

Not that three lions came to symbolise England.

But that, after nearly nine centuries, England still instinctively recognises them as its own.

Representation of the Inner State of a Man, Who Is a Servant of Sin, and Suffers the Devil to Reign Within Him. (1851) by Johannes Gossner, from The Heart of Man: Either a Temple of God, or a Habitation of Satan: Represented in Ten Emblematical Figures, Calculated to Awaken and Promote a Christian Disposition.

Source: New York Public Library / Internet Archive

https://pdimagearchive.org/images/ead2fc1f-c68e-4eaf-985e-ed2f638e67c1

#animals #devils #angels #symbolism #emblems #allegory #christianity #art #publicdomain

„The new beginning“ (2010)
Photo ©️ Dietmar Bachmann
📍Wetzlar, Germany

#spring #naturephotography #nature #fineart #contemporaryart #photography #redgreen #red #green #trees #shadow #symbolism #Wetzlar #Germany #Leica #LeicaM #LeicaM9 #Frühling #Naturfotografie #Natur #Kunst #Fotografie #rotgrün #rot #grün #Bäume #Schatten #Symbolik #Deutschland

It is no coincidence that the mandorla — the almond-shaped halo around Christ or the Virgin Mary — mirrors the vulva’s form. Named after the Italian for “almond,” it symbolises the threshold between worlds, the sacred gateway through which divine light and incarnation enter the human realm.

#catholicism #ArtHistory #iconography
#symbolism #ReligiousArt #medievalArt
#ChristianArt #aesthetics

Her art captures both strength and tranquility, offering a refreshing perspective during challenging times. With each piece, she creates a space for renewal and celebrates the triumphs of humanity in all its complexities.

#Blue #Buoyant #Ebullient #Healing #Hyperrealism #Love #Painting #Selflove #Serenity #SpiritualHealing #Spirituality #Strength #Symbolism #Tranquility #Trauma #Water #LoveOneAnother

2/2

https://youtu.be/EgGfQdv_rPc

#agriculture #animism #apocrypha #astrology #bible #collectivism #civilization #christianity #culture #cosmology #cosmos #earthmother #esotericism #individualism #judaism #knowledge #materialism #monism #monotheism #motherearth #mothergoddess #nephilim #neuroscience #neuropsychology #pantheism #philosophy #poetry #polytheism #psychology #religion #secretsociety #spiritualism #spirituality #symbolism #theism #theology #society

(2/6)

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I love Professor Cioffi's lessons when he explains pedagogy through the use of Artificial Intelligence and the Pop Art of my beloved Marvel comics!

Die Fantastischen Vier - Die Da!?!
https://youtu.be/VUosAGDM8Sg?si=7OyK3f4cmCmQyU9-

#marveluniverse
#fanta4
#symbolism
#number4
#accademiadellebellearti
#brera

Skull & rose in Romantic Goth 2 of 2:

This pairing is a fundamental element of the Romantic Goth aesthetic. Romantic Goth, as an artistic and cultural style, deeply appreciates:

* Poignant Beauty: It finds profound allure in sadness, age, and deeper emotions
* Historical Echoes: Often draws from Victorian era customs, ancient mysticism, and classic narratives
* Rich Experience: Values lush textures, profound colors, and striking contrasts
* Awe & Wonder: A fascination with powerful, sometimes unsettling, natural and emotional encounters
* Contrasts: Life and passing, brightness and shadow, love and sorrow, purity and complexity


The skull and roses border perfectly captures these ideas, serving as a visual narrative around Crissy’s image. It enhances the portrait, placing it within a story that celebrates depth, enigma, and a lasting appreciation for the intricate beauty of existence.

#symbolism #MementoMori #SkullandRoses #GothicRomance #RomanticGoth #ArtisticPortrait

 
Sand Mandala | Created & Destroyed

For anyone who has never witnessed the #cosmic #ritual #art of the #Tibetan #Buddhist #Sand #Mandala, here is a very nice 2-min #documentary #video. From Laticia Fan.

🔗 https://vimeo.com/212060461 2017 Apr 06
🔗 https://Wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_mandala

#Time #Timelessness #TimeTravel #Buddhism #monks #Jungian #symbolism #visual #spiritual #meditation #Kronodon

I saw the wolf out on the ice,
And as he looked me in the eye
The sky was closing in. The night
Was cold, and I was getting scared
That nobody’d remember me
When I was dead and gone, so I
Determined that the course of action
Best for such a situation
Wouldn’t be to idly stand
And take it, or to sit and freeze,
And so I got down on my knees
And prayed for godly intervention,
But quickly lost my concentration
As the beast bit me in the face.

#poetry #symbolism #blankverse #tetrameter

In the Centre’s #UCC #push, #womensrights and ‘#religiousneutrality’ are just #optics.

Is #neutrality or #justice to be expected from a #government #brandishing #Hindu #religious #symbolism while #opposing all moves towards #MarriageEquality

#Women #Transgender #LGBTQ #LGBTQIA #India #Religion #SameSexMarriage #Hate #Bigotry #Discrimination #Homophobia #Transphobia #EmptyThePews

https://scroll.in/article/1052940/in-the-centres-ucc-push-womens-rights-and-religious-neutrality-are-just-optics

#MondayMourning: Weeping Willow

Often found in cemeteries (planted or engraved on gravestones) and used to symbolize mourning. Their drooping branches evince sadness. Rain running down their leaves gives the appearance of crying.

They also represent adaptability and resilience. Their flexibility allows them to weather storms, and their hardiness helps them survive and regenerate. Also associated with resurrection, immortality, and life after death.

Note: There are additional interpretations of weeping willow symbolism. Asian cultures attach significance to the trees, and there are also a number of Biblical meanings. Tl;dr, weeping willows aren’t just for sadness and death!

#HisAndHearsePress #Symbolism #Cemetery #Gravestone #Engraving #WeepingWillow #Trees #Mourning #GriefAndLoss

#MondayMourning: Mourning Doves

Also known as turtle doves, these birds are known for their haunting, melancholic cooing.

Some interpret a visit from a mourning dove as a message of hope or encouragement from a deceased loved one. Mourning doves also represent peace, love, protection, long life, repentance, and good fortune.

Protip: While these are not the specific type of birds released at funerals and other events, please be aware that dove releases in general are harmful! I have a blog post detailing the problems with dove, butterfly, balloon, and lantern releases (plus some eco-friendlier alternatives). Read it at http://www.LouisePachella.com/blog/harmfulfuneraltributes

#HisAndHearsePress #MourningDove #TurtleDove #Mourning #Symbolism #FuneralTribute #Birb #Birbs

For todays #FollowFriday I'm going to do something a bit different. We have a lot of new users, one of the biggest surges we have seen in a while. As such a lot of new users are looking for high quality, long-standing, accounts to follow. Similarly many of the new users need some help getting attention and making new friends.

As such I am going to do this #FF in a few parts. One for old users I have mentioned in previous posts, as well as some of the new users who have been making quality posts and been active for at least a week now. Hopefully this will be more helpful.

Also a section for some bots might be useful.

I will use a persons profile description here as I dont want to misrepresent anyone.

:awesome_slide_r: New Mentions :awesome_slide_l:

@design_RG - Books, Bicycles & Cats, Life is Good. Books, #hardcover. Bikes, #Classic sport ones. Cats, any colour or size. #Aquarius with Virgo rising. House of Ravenclaw.

@Karthikdeva - Always a Student, Nano-Technologist, Bookworm?, and basically I don't know anything, so I might be asking some agonizing questions.

@_lunawinters - Just a human , living on a rock called Earth, floating in a giant space.

@VidyaKrishnan - Independent journalist, S. Asia

@Shamar

@yantrajaal - Engineer by education, teacher by profession, programmer by passion and imagineer by intention

@susi123 - வாசிப்பையும்
நேசிப்பையும்
மறந்தவள்,,,..

@Full_marx - I am a मस्त डॉन on Mastadon. I wish to build something that can be of good use to as many people as possible. Social Sciences: Propaganda Science, Social Engineering, Behavioural Science, Advertising STEM: Human-Computer Interaction Design, Web Dev, Cyber Security Noob. Multimedia: Motion Graphics, Video Production, Electronic Music Production, Abstract Film, Writing Politics: Left, Right and Center. Whichever ideology leaves the people with the most amount of Dignity, sign me up for that one.

@raining_night - I love women, food, thriller/sci-fi/slasher movies and series, astro physics, superbikes, nature and animals ❤️ not in any specific order Trying out Veganism.

@shibaprasad - Master's student. Football Fan.

@ppmanik - Believe in free speech and data privacy. Interested in physics and science in general and future of Semiconductors and related devices in particular.

:kaboom: Old mentions :kaboom:

@jump_spider - #ActuallyPsychotic <> programming autodidact and polyglot <> meditation enthusiast

@chris - Developer focusing on #WordPress, #Privacy and the #OpenWeb. Also a speaker, teacher, blogger, and pilot doing my best to make the world a better place.

@SecondJon - I'm interested in being just not civil, but excellent in interacting with others of different viewpoints in an online world where we can so viciously defend our echo chambers and be so dismissive of other perspectives. I rarely log onto the bird site of FB anymore because the interactions are unproductive about anything meaningful. I'm a #Dad, #Husband, #Christian, #Anglican, Unaffiliated #conservatarian, Software #Developer, #Coloradan, Reader of paper #books, Card and BoardGamer, #tea drinker, solving problems for co-workers and partners primarily with and integrating with the #Salesforce/SFDC platform.

@sandfox - #PHP and #Ruby developer

@cwebber - User freedom activist, ActivityPub co-editor, parenthesis enthusiast, occasional artist.

@whirli - #teacher #rugby #skeptic #freesoftware #privacy #camping #hammocks #Finland #Suomi

@pschwede - #Coding #Paradigms #GraphRewriting #YPEGIDA #choas #KzU #developer #programming #philosophy #scifi #linux #sociology #luhmann #HvF #python #java #sed #awk #cis #white #freespeech #atheism #freereligion #art #drawing #pixelart #diagrammatics #symbolism #dresden #unisex

@Rovine - Born in Hong Kong, lived in Australia, working holiday in UK. #developer #programming #music #learning #frontend #gamedev

@Absinthe - The green faerie

@mngrif

@ae - #CogSec #Researcher

@metapsyche - I am a cloud of vapor. Fragmenting into ever smaller pieces to explore ever widening spaces. Web Developer by day, Pattern Hunter at night. Thinker and Tinkerer on weekends. :)

@imvectech - RESEARCH ° COOPERATE ° MONITOR ° ADAPT. Developing and teaching to implement DITO techniques for human survival between knowledge and fate.

@canonicalbrud - #Orthodox #Christian; husband and father; #biomedical #development #engineer; #crypto tinkerer; Stephen #Talbott fan, i.e. proponent of (re-)introducing #λόγος and #τέλος into #biology and thus heal the modern rifts between #philosophy, #theology, and the natural #science/s.

@david - Value people over code. I manage tech.lgbt. WordPress Maintenance fixupfox.com. On the Internet, everyone knows I'm a dog. Follows are open both ways for me if you're nice and cool!

@Algot - Words are my friends. #ArtWithOpenSource #3D #Clipart #poetry

@Curator - Curator of art from the instance

@Erik - Privacy, plants & politics Student CybSec @ :utwente:

:doge: Bots :doge:

@arxiv_math

@arxiv_eess - Electrical Engineering

@arxiv_physics

@arxiv_cs

@arxiv_stats

@arxiv_bio