"Tabula Rasa: David's "Death of Marat" and the Trauma of Modernity"


This paper examines Jacques-Louis David's painting 'Death of Marat' in the context of modernity and trauma. It argues that the artwork serves as an early instance of modernist abstraction and reflects the complicated relationship between life, death, and representation. Through the analysis of the painting's historical context and its reception, the paper explores the themes of martyrdom, memorialization, and the viewer's engagement with the image.

electrician's knot

The book was written on gold leaves, each half a finger thick.

Hermes had hidden it in, under or by the sea.

The Arabic word used is indefinite, but it is certain that this treasure was found in the neighborhood of the sea by a wise man, BALINAS of TYANA.

We know of him as APOLLONIUS OF TYANA, the old miracle worker.

This description of the “Tabula Smaragdina”, which comes in the fourth part of the manuscript, is as follows:

“Concerning that which the priest Sagijiis of Nabulus dictated on his (Bolinas) entry into the dark chamber.

He says : “I found the following words of wisdom at the end of the book of Balinas the Wise. As I entered the chamber, above which the talisman was hung, I came upon an old man, sitting on a throne of gold,
who had an emerald tablet in his hand. And behold, it was written upon in Syriac, in the original language.

1 . In this (is) a true explanation, which one cannot doubt.

2. It announces : The highest (comes) from the lowest, and the lowest from the highest, the work of the miracles of one.

3. And the things have (formed) themselves from this basic material through a single process. How marvellous indeed is its world It is the chief (principle) of the world and its preserver.

Its father is the sun and its mother the moon; the wind has carried it in its body, and the earth has nourished it.
(It is) the father of the talisman and preserver of the miracles.

6 . Whose powers are complete, whose lights are established.
A fire, which becomes earth. Take the earth away from the fire, and the subtle will adhere to you more than the coarse, with care and wisdom.

8 . It rises from earth to heaven, to grasp all the lights of the height to itself, and comes down (again) on to the earth, in that all the strength of the highest and of the lowest is in it, for the light of lights (is) with it, so that the darkness flees from it.

(It is) the force of forces, which overcomes every subtle thing and penetrates into every coarse thing.
In agreement with the edifice of the great world is the edifice of the small world.
And the philosophers work according to this.
And it was to this that Hermes pointed, that thrice blessed with wisdom.
And this is his last book, which he concealed in the chamber.”
This is a comparatively recent version of the text, but there is also an older Arabic text, which goes back to DJABIR IBN HAYYAN.

He was a famous alchemist of the eighth century A. D. and has left a great many writings in Arabic.

Among these texts a fragment was discovered, which is undoubtedly the Tabula Smaragdina.

It runs: “BaliInas mentions the engraving of the Table in the hand of Hermes which says:

‘Truth ! Certainty ! That in which there is no doubt!

That which is above is from that which is below, and that which is below is from that which is above, working the miracles of one (thing) .
As all things were from One . . . .

Its father is the Sun and its mother the Moon. The Earth carried it in their belly, and the Wind nourished it in her belly, as Earth which shall become Fire.

Feed the Earth from that which is subtle, with the greatest power.

It ascends from the Earth to the Heaven and becomes ruler over that which is above and that which is below.”

The fragment ends here, so as you see it is unfortunately incomplete.

& make a wish

i wanna run away

reclaim sovereignty of every body <3

coup d'é·tat et tu, brute?

In essence, "awakened depravity" often signifies a turning point, a moment where something hidden or dormant - often something negative - is revealed or becomes more powerful.

& then i left

Study for The Fallen Angel by Alexandre Cabanel, 1846

swallow me alive

Francisco Goya;  Vuelo de Brujas[1797-98]

——
What are the psychosomatic symptoms of trauma?

- Negative changes in thinking and mood
- Negative thoughts about yourself, other people or the world.
- Ongoing negative emotions of fear, blame, guilt, anger or shame.
- Memory problems, including not remembering important aspects of a traumatic event.

Feeling detached from family and friends.

——
What does the dunce cap symbolize?

The dunce cap has long been a visual symbol of idiocy and punishment but was once seen as something closer to a wizard's hat. While today we understand the goofy-looking cone hat as denoting some kind of intellectual failing, it actually began as a symbol of respected scholars.

——
What do The Birds mean to Alfred Hitchcock?

Paglia quotes Hitchcock explaining the reason for the birds' attacks: they wanted to exact revenge against humanity for taking nature for granted. This interpretation of nature exacting vengeance against humankind has only gotten more and more relevant over time.

systematic dunce

carpe diem 11:14

when its you & me (1:23)

an extension of suciogami unto 6petals;

torment or tease (someone) with the sight or promise of something that is unobtainable.

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