Ecce homo: inquiry Aristotle around the human nature

The Aristotle’s Ethic of Nicodemus is clear representation of human nature, we can begin with, it is usual, step of this book, regard the sake of politic and the high good of action, around the name is the first inquiry, that today seems ridiculous, but we must consider that this book was written by Aristotle during 4^th century before Ch., and before him nobody has written something similar to Ethic; anyway regard the name of good Aristotle explained: “Regard the name almost everybody is concord, both the culture persons and the common people say that it is the felicity, and they think that be successful and to live good is motive to felicity, but they don’t concord regard the nature of felicity, and very much definite it by different kind the crowd differs from wise; somebody defines it a visible thing and manifest, as the pleasure, the richness or honor, and relative to persons somebody think it a thing and other instead other thing”; certainly the comments are it is normal hence where is importance? Simple the first is this book is a book exoteric, from ancient Greek έξωτερικός this is public book for everybody, instead the esoteric was to elite of pupils of Aristotle; this is explication of this easy to understand the think of Aristotle, and he continuing: “actually, often the same person  considers a different thing: if one gay is sick identifies it to health , if one guy is poor identify it to richness, if somebody is aware of his ignorance he admires whom speak about important argument…”; a question raises because curiosity is predominant: we are sure that this book Aristotle has written in 4^th century, because it seems the description of daily man, but today, that be distant two thousand and four centuries years from Aristotle. The Aristotle’s inquiry has acme regard a step that, he hasn’t called so because isn’t born, but that today we could define as compensation dynamic, the is a reaction of man in front of determined deficiency, Aristotle explains: “Furthermore it seems that the men pursue the honor to convince themselves of be good; hence they search honor from wise persons and from who know them…”; it is description of complex of inferiority that searches his compensation to approbation of somebody. The last step that here I want consider is very much important, because is a human reality that nobody has identified before and after Aristotle: “It is common opinion that the right man is a sort equal and that the friendship is in equality”; this is a daily reality, the friendship usually is born alone among is equal; the proximity between two persons is normal when they have common characteristic. This book is essential to understand the ancient Greek man and the contemporary man, because the man is equal in every century, improved the tools and technology, but the man is similar in his nature.

Alessandro Lusana    

 

Life in the romance

Roger had an idea, to write a romance with autobiographical romance, if the electrical light could let it, because, no certainly often, but during day the light switch off and after it turned, but moments were regular, in a day dark was total, other days it was constantly turned on, he has called the light society but to them the problems there aren’t. A day with light turned on he seen in his room much persons that spoke between them, who around the art, who philosophy, who commented the policy strategy or scientific matters, he raised the eyes and gazed these figures, that didn’t considered him, he cried to figures that was continuing to speak but nothing attention to him, suddenly the light witch off, and the comments were very sharp and impolite, the average that exited curiosity of roger was that much figures, he could hear the voices, were: “Margaret  has closed the book, evidently somebody has called her”, Roger didn’t understand because these comments, so what the book closed? The light while is turn on, and he continued to gaze the figures, and commented: “We hope that nobody calls her otherwise…”; he thought that it was a dream and he approached to a woman and asked: “What your name?” the woman continued to speak with hers interlocutor, Roger raised the voice and asked given the same question, but total indifference, hence Roger asked other figures in the room, but nobody answered. He was deterred and seat on his chair; suddenly a figure with name of Margaret approached to table of Roger, and: “You are in second chapter, do you understand, I have said to you it seven times”; Roger scared got up and asked: “Who are you?”, and woman: “Margaret, your writer”, and roger more scared than before: “What my writer?” and Margaret: “Yes, your writer” and she looked the book on the table, took the book and browsed the book until the second chapter, read some minute the text and after: “Read it”, Roger took the book and read: “Roger in his room was set on chair and he is searching the some idea to write something”, he raised the eyes and seen that every figure in room is hiring him, and some figure solicited him to continue: “Continue because we are personage of the first chapter alone, thereupon we know the second chapter”, Roger closed the book and asked to Margaret: “Do want explain it, please?”, and Margaret: “Yes, certainly, you are in second chapter instead they in the first”, and Roger very angry. “What is it? A joke?”, and Margaret. “No! It is reality”, and Roger: “I am a man and…”, Margaret interrupting: “You are the man when somebody open this book and read; you till the second chapter don’t exist, from second chapter till the end you are going to live, but we, now, don’t arrive to second chapter, whereby you aren’t.”

Alessandro Lusana   

  

     

 

Religio et politica omnia licent: Centuries of Magdeburg

In politic context the fakes are custom, because the people is owner of votes and of decisions, we are accustomed, in every country to fakes and the formal promises that haven’t a result because these are necessary to electoral campaign; but in religion sincerity is duty; but when religion is a mask to politic motives, all is different; the read of first pages of centuries of Magdeburg reports some no errors, but authentic lie, because the author, may Mattie Flacius Illiricus(1520-1575) that together with other written this Historia Ecclesiae Christi, this is History Christ’s Church, I think that he known the Latin language because the books of Saint John Damascenes from Middle age were translated from original Greek to Latin language, hence Illiricus read certainly this book on images of Damascenes; and that he has read this book, we deduce it from lie that he used, when he, or other, writes that: “ (saint John Damascenes openly indicated idolatry saint’s as corruption of divine doctrine and the oppression of roman pope(Qui uero aperte indicassent,idolatria sanctorum mortuorum, corruptelis doctrina coelestis. ueritatis oppressione, Romanorum pontificum et aliorum sacerdotum), the first oration of Damascenes is against whom decry the images, and the image of Christ: “Therefore I venture to draw an image of the invisible God, not as invisible, but as having become visible for our sakes through flesh and blood.”; and the lie of Illiricus is in following words of Damascenes: “I do not draw an image of the immortal Godhead. I paint the visible flesh of God, for it is impossible to represent a spirit…”; this explication is sufficient to consider that the idolatry, seen from Centuries is pure invention; this biblical step took from Damascenes is clarification: “Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God, and thou shalt worship him alone , and thou shalt not make to thyself a carved thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath”, but in biblical tale is yourself you don’t make carved work, alone yourself; and Damascenes gives a historical and liturgical justification of this prohibition : “These injunctions were given to the Jews on account of their proneness to idolatry.”; it is very right because the Jews gone out from ancient  Egypt where the idolatry was natural communication to gods, thereupon God has prohibited the adoration otherwise the people could has worshipped the fakes gods carved. After other step is more explicative: “Now we, on the contrary, are no longer in leading strings. Speaking theologically, it is given to us to avoid superstitious error, to be with God in the knowledge of the truth, to worship God alone, to enjoy the fullness of His knowledge.”; thereupon for Damascenes we are exempt from idolatry. This one step of Damascenes that cunningly Illiricus didn’t transcript because this oration is against the adoration of imagines, this is the pagan believer, we must consider that the heathen interpreted the worship no certainly to sculptures but the carves were necessary to communication with gods. But the motive of these lies is merely politic, hence every lies is right.Saint John Damascenes, other steps: “We have passed the stage of infancy, and reached the perfection of manhood. We receive our habit of mind from God, and know what may be imaged and what may not.”, whereby we can’t become idolaters because we have received from God our faith; and: “When the Invisible One becomes visible to flesh(this is Christ), you may then draw a likeness of His form.” It is both the artistic and the theological right, and the other theological truth: “…He worked in the flesh through divine power…”, therefore he was a man, a visible man, whereby: “Give to it all the endurance of engraving and color.”, this is the human form. Other: “The worship of latreia(worship) is one thing, and the worship which is given to merit another. Thus, the Son is the living, substantial, unchangeable Image of the invisible God, bearing in Himself the whole Father, being in all things equal to Him, differing only in being begotten by the Father, who is the Begetter ; the Son is begotten.”

 Alessandro Lusana   

 

Letters from…

Hunter an old professor is going back home and, like usually, opened the his mail box, and like usually among the letters of his university and other correspondence he found often a letter of his pupil of name Catherine, as his mother, by now died when he was born; he was growth with his father, a teacher of philosophy in a high school, and a stepmother, that was very proud of hers husband and hers stepson, and he has loved this stepmother for hers life, because he hasn’t known other maternal figures during his life, whereby he loved Ursula as his mother; in fact every time that a letter of Catherine he find in mailbox, others letters could wait because the first attention was to Catherine, very maternal letters, and full of references to episode that he has lived, also latter. Catherine often asked explication about the philosophical concepts; thereupon now she asked about the Hegel’s absolute spirit, she wanted know an easy definition of this concept, and he answered always, and the address of sender wasn’t never, he hence left hiss answers in his mailbox and after some hours the letter there isn’t, he answered above all during night, and he didn’t explained to herself when the postman took these letters that he sent; anyway he was accustomed to this practice. He read with usually passion and interest the letter of Catherine, and answered to questions, because asks were two, one about Hegel and second what is the owner code, that he has explained during the lesson of past week. He smiled for these asks and answered: “The first question loved Catherine regard to a Hegel’s concept and it is alone the human brain; I explains better; the absolute spirit isn’t to Hegel a metaphysical question, but alone a very earthly, this is the humankind; for example if somebody did a robbery to a bank, during the night, and he robbed a million of dollars and he after during his flight he meets a homeless, and he takes the million that he has robbed and gives it to homeless; it is the brain, because in brain is the negative and the positive absolute spirit, that were alone earthly, this is human! When I have explained the absolute spirit, I have said that in it is the negative and positive behavior, and the example of robber is very fit, because the robber does a robber, therefore a negative action but after he gives it to homeless, thereupon a positive action, but it is the human brain that can make positive and negative actions. The second question that you have given to me is equal personal and general, because the personal code were references that we find in our brain, in our culture, in our costumes, and we hence identify ourselves to that codes, because we acknowledge our familiar references, this is our code; when you gaze a painting you search in your memory some familiar references that can say to you something that is familiar to your confidence with painting, or style when you are reading a book; the boring books are these haven’t familiar reference, therefore we don’t find our code”. After this explication Hunter added: “I hope that you are going to be attentive the next lesson”, and a voice from dark in the room answered: “Yes I will be attentive when Hunter is going to be clear”, he glazed the dark and asked soon: “Who are you?”, and a figure from dark step after step was configuring, a young lady very beautiful and circa 30 years old: hunter glazed this figure and he got up and asked again: “Who are you?”; and the woman: “Certainly you haven’t in your code, because you never known me”; Hunter scared. “No absolutely but I know the police”, in fact he gone to telephone and called the police; the police arrived very soon, and asked a description of this woman, they searched everywhere, and finally, they got down from bedroom and one of two policemen has found a photo, and he said: “This is unique woman that we have found”, Hunter took the photo and gazed it and he thanked the policemen and he kept the photo in the right hand, he read back the photo: “This explication is very fit now explain it to your Catherine, this is my niece, and clearly, because remember that she is your stepdaughter”; he smiled and he raised his eyes and answered: “Javoll mein fuhrer”, and leaned the photo to night table. The after day a keys opened the door and gone in tenement with two persons, that asked: “Who lived in this apartment?”, and the realtor answered: “A professor of philosophy, died during the 19^th century, but I don’t know the name or other…”.

Alessandro Lusana           

 

 

Material hieratic; national portrait AndyWarhol

We know or can know Andy Warhol(1928-1987) a contemporary artist that has interpreted the American tradition with an originality and I think borrowing from Italian art, where is come much times among 1975-1987; I think that he has took the ideal hieratism of painter of Italy during centuries; it is possible that he has consecrated the daily use of normal objects as saints, as in Italian art, instead the worship of a saint of Christ of Virgin, the public can worship the can of tomatoes or a actor or actress of cinema, hence the Marilyn Monroe is perfect(Fig.1), as Elvis Presley(Figs.2-3), and Warhol used the silkscreen, a consecration of human star, thereupon the holy images now, in American society, are the stars, sanctification of human gender, that hasn’t Renaissance conception, but alone a portrait of American people, that has scant history and therefore scant tradition, hence could project yourself alone toward the future, because the tradition certainly is motive of pride but is always also a weight; the desacralization of saint, and the national habit that is presented to the public as sacred object; it is certainly not polemical nature, but alone a portrait of American society that is accustomed to common object, thereupon it is the consecrated image of a society that has traditional conception of use; Warhol has consecrated the common use of materials, as the cloths(Fig.4); and the love for Naples, Italy, shown to an eruption of Vesuvius, in 79 a. Ch.(Fig.5), that was a tragic event causing the 10 thousand died, but Warhol has took suggest, certainly during one visit in Naples, for painter the personal eruption(Fig.2), that is dress down for colors that bring happiness, it is evidently is the wit of Warhol, that after the consecration of material object, he has dressed down the dramatic event; therefore also this episode is tragic we can join about and celebrate as an common object; it is impossible! It is the comment; but the Vesuvius is always there, and we consider it as a common object whereby we can took and interpreted it as motive both tragic historical but also an object that we can look with other wit; as the cans of tomatoes(Fig.6), that are common object that can be consecrated, because in evolved society the can is used and thrown, Warhol consecrated this object because it is in a society daily use, thereby he given importance to common objects, that as stars or other we can consider as an artistic object, without worship but with consideration that it merits. It is the celebration of consumerism, a portrait today of much societies.

Alessandro Lusana               

Fig.1

Fig.2

Fig.3

Fig.4

Fig.5

Fig.6

 

Renaissance: the generational evolution

I do not want turn to literary Renaissance or artistic, because we have read thousands of books and essays about this matters, and nothing is new that we can consider or remember the last book about figurative Renaissance is Rebirths of Panofsky(1892-1968), that is the attests the medieval origin of Renaissance, regard to figurative arts, in sculpture above all. The literature about this cultural movement is concentrated above all about the development to literature, that is true, at last in Italy, of reuse of ancient literature, beyond the language, the Latin, that was natural, then, to culture men and very much monks and priests, in Roman curia it was the official language, and in Jesuitical order until 50 years ago the official language was the Latin, also in the daily life. A question yet never treated, the ask is: “Why the literature first and after the art?”, because the Roman and Greek art, or classic sculpture was present in Rome, above all, therefore this discrepancy could not be, but it there is, why? The first motive is merely material, this is the manuscripts copied in librarians, because the librarians there were and were kept, although attended very scant persons, these held much manuscripts, among the Roman poetries and Roman historic men; the humanistic culture was kept above all in convents and aristocratic families, where was taught the Latin language, and thereupon the transmission of literature was very easy, hence the Renaissance is birth thank the classical culture? No certainly, because during the Renaissance the Latin was spook as the Middle age, but because in arts is so late the rebirth? Simple because the figurative canon, beginning from the costumers, doesn’t want it, because they didn’t recognized each other to imagine that has had a different style; the faithful recognizes each other to an imagine if it corresponds to his culture, and the imagine must be equal to his expectation, to a Muslim of Lutheran pray in front of image is unthinkable because they are aniconic, the protestant church or mosques are without imagines; the painting art, in Italy, has development with Giotto(1267-1337), in sculpture with Nicola Pisano(1220-1284); when Giotto frescoed the superior basilica of Assisi, Italy, principal Franciscan church, and the costumers accepted these new style, it is meaningful because the costumers has changed the preference, because the medieval word was changed, and together also the men, that now accepted will the change, also regard the imagines, because it didn’t scare, also if different from usually canon; thereby Giotto was a man whose generation felt the change and translated it in painting, as Dante Alighieri(1265-1321), contemporary of Giotto has brought this change to poetry; therefore the Renaissance is born in Middle age, and it is normal, but is born from Giotto and Dante generation, why? Because the think and the rationality was changed, it was a silent revolution, and generational, this is the tradition was by now past, thereby we must go ahead; proof of this think is the frescos of Giotto that are again where was frescoed and the Divine Comedy, after seventh centuries we read. The Renaissance has been a generational development, this is evolution of with.

Alessandro Lusana          

 

         

 

Raffaello Borghini a Trimalchio of Renaissance

Scant frequent is presence of Satyricon, a Roman romance with a dinner very luxurious, carried out in rich villa of Trimalchion, a cortigian of imperator Nero, during the 1 century after Christ, in city of Capua, in Italy; Raffaello Borghini(1537-1588) written his Riposo, a description, very boring and useless, but that has took the source from the Satyricon, where the luxurious is principal argument, that the author, this is Trimalchio show off during all the romance, some step: “The usual megalomany, in the painting Trimalchio has made painted a ideal triumph, the principal steps of his life and his social growth, from slave to rich freedman, he is painted with caduceus with snakes, usually attributed to Mercury, god of commerce, and accompanied by Minerva, goddess of intelligence and cunning. The fates are three Clotho Lachesis and Atropos symbols of destiny…”; this luxurious villa is as to the pleasant panorama that we can read in the Riposo, a dialogue carried out in a Rinaissance villa in Tuscany whose owner is called the Vecchietto: “ to it much cypresses around bushy grass, that seems almost black for blooms painted…”and the synthetic description of painters of chapel: “…is set the chapel in are painted the Ascension of Christ and the Apostles, and on the vault some angels very beautiful of Francesco Pagani(notices from 1502 to 1548) that if the death didn’t remover to word so soon , he is going to be painter very excellent”, we must also consider that this dialogue is set in Tuscany Renaissance, therefore the artistic culture is predominant, in fact, the description of some rooms of a mister Ridolfo, description of this artistic works is predominant: “In the first beyond the thousand heads, hands and legs, and torsos, and other fragments of statues, whose the wells are full, and models of horses and other animals, and we can see the Night, Aurora, and other figures Michelangelo’s(1475-1564), that are in sacristy of church of Saint Lorenz, and same greatness, of chalk created through the great diligence…the second(room) has much things of ancient marble, some painters of very beautiful towns of Flanders, a model  of Apostle of Sansovino(Francesco Sansovino, 1486-1570, a Florentine sculptor and architect) and a great drawing of Michelangelo…”; these descriptions, absolutely imaginative, although took from real examples. But also Borghini failed in this book because he attributed to Michelangelo a sculpture that the sculptor has never sculpted, and an painting work in the Secret room of Francesco de Medici(1541-1587), Borghini hints to a sculpture that Michelangelo could not sculptured because died. The source of this book is Satyricon though in modern version; we can think the Riposo as a cultural vacancy of rich lords of Florence, that pass the time among the nature, painters and sculptures, therefore art both natural and artificial, as the lords of Renaissance past the days of rest in their villas; it is certainly a description of art works, but is also a document of life during 16^th century.

Alessandro Lusana