Midterm Essay Topic A: Plotinus & the Baptistery of San Giovanni
Introduction: Plotinus
Plotinus was a Neoplatonist philosopher, whose theories were influenced by Plato and other Greek philosophers (Module 4, Session 9). Plotinus believed that beauty is a manifestation of the divine and that it “communicates the order and harmony of the cosmos, both visually and intellectually” (Module 4, Session 9). Similar to Plato's Simile of the Divided
Line, Plotinus believed that reality is broken up into four realms. Plotinus refers to Level 1 as
“the Good or the One”; this is the ultimate source (God) (Module 4, Session 9). Level 2 is the intellectual realm that consist of Forms. Just like Plato's Forms, Plotinus's Forms are immaterial and eternal concepts …show more content…
John the Baptist, in
Florence. In particular, the significance of the exterior bronze doors can be understood through Neoplatonic analysis. Ghiberti's East Doors, known as the Gates of Paradise, consist of ten panels that depict Old Testament scenes (Adams, p. 151). One scene shows the creation Adam and Eve up until their expulsion from Paradise (Adams, p. 151). In the
Christian narrative, man was created in the perfect image of God; however, after falling to temptation they were then considered unclean and were exiled from Paradise. This is similar to Plotinus's concept of the moral virtues (Module 4, Session 11). Plotinus argued that the ugly soul is “dissolute, unrighteous... perverse in all its the friend of unclean pleasures; living the life of abandonment to bodily sensation and delighting in its deformity”. The story of Adam and Eve reflects the Christian belief that giving into earthly temptations/pleasures separates you from God, or in Plotinus's views the One/Good.
Prior to being commissioned to complete the east doors, Ghiberti was also …show more content…
The interior of the Baptistery features a dome shaped ceiling of mosaics (Florence Art
Museums). The mosaics are arranged in concentric circles and depict the stories of Genesis,
Joseph, Virgin Mary and Christ, St. John the Baptist, and finally the Last Judgment (Florence
Art Museums). The Last Judgement dominates the ceiling with the figure of Christ (Florence
Art Museums). There is a definite separation of the spiritually clean and unclean. To the
Christ figure's right side are the rewards for the spiritually clean and to his left side are the punishments for the unclean. This symbolizes a clear separation of the righteous and unrighteous in Christian doctrine. The hell scene shows Satan and his demons consuming and tearing apart the damned (Florence Art Museum). One could argue that this scene symbolizes the engulfing of the spirit/mind (human realm) in the unfavorable material world as a result of succumbing to earthly desires. This idea is associated with the negative connotations of being spiritually/intellectually ugly presented by Plotinus. The soul/spirit/mind is, “torn by internal discord; beset by the fears of its cowardice and the envies of its
Introduction: Plotinus
Plotinus was a Neoplatonist philosopher, whose theories were influenced by Plato and other Greek philosophers (Module 4, Session 9). Plotinus believed that beauty is a manifestation of the divine and that it “communicates the order and harmony of the cosmos, both visually and intellectually” (Module 4, Session 9). Similar to Plato's Simile of the Divided
Line, Plotinus believed that reality is broken up into four realms. Plotinus refers to Level 1 as
“the Good or the One”; this is the ultimate source (God) (Module 4, Session 9). Level 2 is the intellectual realm that consist of Forms. Just like Plato's Forms, Plotinus's Forms are immaterial and eternal concepts …show more content…
John the Baptist, in
Florence. In particular, the significance of the exterior bronze doors can be understood through Neoplatonic analysis. Ghiberti's East Doors, known as the Gates of Paradise, consist of ten panels that depict Old Testament scenes (Adams, p. 151). One scene shows the creation Adam and Eve up until their expulsion from Paradise (Adams, p. 151). In the
Christian narrative, man was created in the perfect image of God; however, after falling to temptation they were then considered unclean and were exiled from Paradise. This is similar to Plotinus's concept of the moral virtues (Module 4, Session 11). Plotinus argued that the ugly soul is “dissolute, unrighteous... perverse in all its the friend of unclean pleasures; living the life of abandonment to bodily sensation and delighting in its deformity”. The story of Adam and Eve reflects the Christian belief that giving into earthly temptations/pleasures separates you from God, or in Plotinus's views the One/Good.
Prior to being commissioned to complete the east doors, Ghiberti was also …show more content…
The interior of the Baptistery features a dome shaped ceiling of mosaics (Florence Art
Museums). The mosaics are arranged in concentric circles and depict the stories of Genesis,
Joseph, Virgin Mary and Christ, St. John the Baptist, and finally the Last Judgment (Florence
Art Museums). The Last Judgement dominates the ceiling with the figure of Christ (Florence
Art Museums). There is a definite separation of the spiritually clean and unclean. To the
Christ figure's right side are the rewards for the spiritually clean and to his left side are the punishments for the unclean. This symbolizes a clear separation of the righteous and unrighteous in Christian doctrine. The hell scene shows Satan and his demons consuming and tearing apart the damned (Florence Art Museum). One could argue that this scene symbolizes the engulfing of the spirit/mind (human realm) in the unfavorable material world as a result of succumbing to earthly desires. This idea is associated with the negative connotations of being spiritually/intellectually ugly presented by Plotinus. The soul/spirit/mind is, “torn by internal discord; beset by the fears of its cowardice and the envies of its