For several years I've been collecting religious art - hand-hammered silver and wooden crosses; angel heads and angel wings; Spanish santos; Italian prayer ornaments; French Bible stands; gold-trimmed vestments; silver milagros and icons from Greece.
I like the idea of the stories behind these precious symbols of faith and belief: stories of prayers and miracles; of hope and despair; of strength and sorrow.
In many rural areas throughout Europe, small churches have closed, with their contents auctioned. The wooden monk figure on a pedestal (pictured right) is 18th-century, from a French monastery. It has a curious shortened and moveable right arm. The wooden figure holding a book (at left) is late 19th-century and came from a French church. It was purchased at a Paris antiquaire, who had bought it at auction.
The framed symbols are from the Napoleon III era, circa 1855. The banner over the cross says "The spirit of the heart of Jesus is here."
Leaves at the bottom of the white satin heart symbolise rebirth and renewal, while the thorns across the heart drip tears.
In the Arabic language, when talking about someone with a pure and good heart, the term "white heart" is used.
great finds. It's such a shame that these churches are closing and selling off their precious histories.
Posted by: boliyou | 17 June 2006 at 00:12
I grew up surrounded by religious art...I still remember when after Vitican II all of it went to the church basement and all that was left was Mary ...maybe a Joseph and the crucified Jesus..I miss the votive candles the most...such a symbol of hope...it is only at this moment in my life that once again the give me joy....thanks for bringing up some sweet memories of the past...
Posted by: mary jane | 15 June 2006 at 04:03
Beautiful. We love the same things!
Posted by: Rosa | 15 June 2006 at 01:15
how sad... the thought of churchs auctioning off thier religious items. the facts you had found within the symbols are very interesting
Posted by: AscenderRisesAbove | 14 June 2006 at 17:28
beautiful finds.
it's interesting because i too love collecting religious antiques even though i'm not particularly religious. i think what attracts me to them is what they symbolize--that in the end, they are tangible representations of faith. and that alone is fascinating.
Posted by: paradise | 14 June 2006 at 15:57
I'm looking at your treasures and wonder if you have room to move around your place. LOL
Beautiful pieces with stories to tell :)
Posted by: Tammy | 14 June 2006 at 00:53
such interesting antiques. i've seen religious artifacts here in the midwest that were unique, but not that old. somehow without the perspective of history, religious items seem hollow to me.
Posted by: ally bean | 13 June 2006 at 20:31
Me too, me too. Look at this blog I posted in January:
http://brittarnhildshouseinthewoods.typepad.com/brittarnhilds_house_in_th/2006/01/waiting_for_epi.html
Posted by: Britt-Arnhild | 13 June 2006 at 19:39
Growing up in a fundamentalist Protestant church, religious statues were rather taboo...which is why I now too collect them :-) I especially like statues of Mary other female deities.
I find the moveable arm on the monk really facinating! I wonder what the artist had in mind.... One of those "mysteries" we will probably never really know.
Posted by: susan | 13 June 2006 at 18:04
Oh, I just love these things. That is one of the things I love about catholic churches-- all the art. You don't find that in protestant churches, really. And not anything this old! Wonderful... My church has a group that meets and has developed some beautiful and creative art for our church, and they change it out here and there. The creativity is nice. But I love the spirit of this old religious art, like you. Makes me think about all the years and years of believers who looked at it...
:)
Posted by: amber | 13 June 2006 at 17:22
Beautiful.
I have a santos from New Mexico, a little angel from France, a madonna from Argentina, and an icon (copy) I got at a church shop outside of Moscow. They fascinate me.
Posted by: Colette | 13 June 2006 at 16:45
These are wonderful Tara. I found a little piece from a French church in an antique shop in Placerville, Ca many year ago. I'll have to take a picture of it and share it here - that is as soon as I find it since it is now tucked away somewhere. **sigh**
Posted by: Annie | 13 June 2006 at 15:46
wonderful pieces. it's interesting to think of your antiques this way - their history, their story...
Posted by: jennifer | 13 June 2006 at 15:10
hi,
these are beautiful artifacts...are you able to comment at my blog?
have a great day!
hugs,
paulette
Posted by: paulette aka soulful1 | 13 June 2006 at 15:09