The paper is concerned with E. A. Poe＇s unique symbolic method as manifested in his tale The Masque of the Red Death. It offers a picture of the general state of critical treatment of the supposed opposition between ...The paper is concerned with E. A. Poe＇s unique symbolic method as manifested in his tale The Masque of the Red Death. It offers a picture of the general state of critical treatment of the supposed opposition between allegory and symbol. I present a historical overview of how the distinction between the literary terms arose, tracing the roots of the issue to the end of the 18th century and showing its development over the next two centuries. The second section of the paper is devoted to the analysis of The Masque in the light of the theoretical background provided in the opening section. The Masque is interpreted in terms of Poe＇s modulation of＂closed＂ and ＂open＂ symbolism by focusing on aspects of the story that relate to the use of numbers, colors, and time.展开更多
Giovanni Antonio Bazzi （1477-1549）, also known as I1 Sodoma, was a Milanese painter who developed his mature style in Siena during the early Cinquecento. Between 1505 and 1510, under the tutelage of the Chigi and Pe...Giovanni Antonio Bazzi （1477-1549）, also known as I1 Sodoma, was a Milanese painter who developed his mature style in Siena during the early Cinquecento. Between 1505 and 1510, under the tutelage of the Chigi and Petrucci families, Bazzi depicted mythological paintings focusing on the personifications of love both terrestrial and celestial. This paper looks at two such works. In one, there hangs on a sycamore tree a classical cartello with the Latin inscription Celestes, meaning celestial or heavenly, providing the title for the painting Amore Celeste （Celestial Love, Figure 3）. A woman, as the personification of love, stands in front of two altars. She ignites one urn with fire and at the same time pours water over another burning fire. In the second work, a tondo with the theme of Terrestrial Love and Celestial Love, Bazzi considered the mischievousness of Venus＇ children Eros and Anteros （Figure 12）. These paintings are mythological and poetical delights with complex symbolism, here analyzed in terms of their iconography in relation to classical influences and Renaissance Neoplatonic love or furor divinus. The paradoxical quest of Renaissance Neoplatonic love was to fuse pagan love with Christian love. For the humanists of the time （Bembo, Colonna, Poliziano, Ficino and Pico） this moral dilemma was a philosophical puzzle, but for artists （Botticelli, Nicoletto da Modena, Pinturicchio and Bazzi） the theme was a pictorial challenge.展开更多
文摘The paper is concerned with E. A. Poe＇s unique symbolic method as manifested in his tale The Masque of the Red Death. It offers a picture of the general state of critical treatment of the supposed opposition between allegory and symbol. I present a historical overview of how the distinction between the literary terms arose, tracing the roots of the issue to the end of the 18th century and showing its development over the next two centuries. The second section of the paper is devoted to the analysis of The Masque in the light of the theoretical background provided in the opening section. The Masque is interpreted in terms of Poe＇s modulation of＂closed＂ and ＂open＂ symbolism by focusing on aspects of the story that relate to the use of numbers, colors, and time.
文摘Giovanni Antonio Bazzi （1477-1549）, also known as I1 Sodoma, was a Milanese painter who developed his mature style in Siena during the early Cinquecento. Between 1505 and 1510, under the tutelage of the Chigi and Petrucci families, Bazzi depicted mythological paintings focusing on the personifications of love both terrestrial and celestial. This paper looks at two such works. In one, there hangs on a sycamore tree a classical cartello with the Latin inscription Celestes, meaning celestial or heavenly, providing the title for the painting Amore Celeste （Celestial Love, Figure 3）. A woman, as the personification of love, stands in front of two altars. She ignites one urn with fire and at the same time pours water over another burning fire. In the second work, a tondo with the theme of Terrestrial Love and Celestial Love, Bazzi considered the mischievousness of Venus＇ children Eros and Anteros （Figure 12）. These paintings are mythological and poetical delights with complex symbolism, here analyzed in terms of their iconography in relation to classical influences and Renaissance Neoplatonic love or furor divinus. The paradoxical quest of Renaissance Neoplatonic love was to fuse pagan love with Christian love. For the humanists of the time （Bembo, Colonna, Poliziano, Ficino and Pico） this moral dilemma was a philosophical puzzle, but for artists （Botticelli, Nicoletto da Modena, Pinturicchio and Bazzi） the theme was a pictorial challenge.
