I have recently returned from a short holiday in Athens – thoroughly recommended. We walked for miles and visited all the important ancient sites, including the Acropolis and the Parthenon. These were impressive places, steeped in history. But for me one of the highlights of the holiday was visiting the Museum of Cycladic Art. Apologies to any Classics Scholars, but I had no idea what Cycladic Art is, my husband having done the research for our sightseeing itinery.
The receptionist at our hotel recommended the museum, saying that she was taken there from school and was amazed at the exhibits.
Cycladic art refers to art forms found within the Aegean and Cypriot region from the period of time between 3200-2800 BC. These statues were almost exclusively of female figures and had a regular pattern of display – a triangle on the lower abdomen, and lines across the abdominal area (probably signifying post childbirth) and with arms folded over the upper abdomen. The statues were carved out of marble. Some were a few centimetres high but one in the exhibition was life-size. All of them were intact and beautiful in their simplicity.
It was easy to understand how these statues have influenced famous artists such as Picasso, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, and more recently Ai Weiwei.
I’m certainly no painter or sculptor but seeing these beautiful exhibits caused me to reflect on the beauty and simplicity of God’s creation going back thousands and thousands of years.
God made man and woman in his own image, and we through the art of painting or carving have celebrated the beauty of that image seen in human form.
The image attached to this TFTD is of a marble statue about 10cm tall and around 5000 years old (3200-2800BC) (We were permitted to take photos without flash).
Prayer: Creator God, we are amazed at the beauty of the human form you created. You gazed upon that creation and proclaimed “it is good.” It was through our own actions that we became ashamed of that human form. Forgive our shame and may we once again remember that you created each one of us as we are, in your image, and “it is good.”