These Gothic Crosses are 14 inches tall including the base. The Gothic crosses are made of durable bonded marble and have a finish that gives them the look of weathered wrought iron. Both sides of the Gothic crosses have the form of a Greek cross with each of the four arms being about the same length. Each of the four arms of the Gothic crosses have been divided into three pieces. The ends of the upper three arms of the Gothic crosses have a finial cap in the center with the two outer pieces being shaped like a shepherds crook, giving them the look of a crown. There are five small rounds balls, inside a diamond, inside a square, in the center of the Gothic crosses.
History of the Cross.
The cross is a sacred emblem of the Christian faith. It has a deep and sacred meaning for the Christian world. It is a symbol of redemption, signifying Christ’s death on the cross for man’s sins.
The cross was rarely seen during the first three centuries of Christianity. Descriptions of the cross are found in Christian writings from the early 2nd century on. The cross first became prominent in Christianity during the 3rd Century.
The cross is often shown in different shapes, sizes and styles. It may be used in personal jewelry or on top of church buildings. Crosses are a prominent feature in Christian cemeteries, either carved on gravestones or as sculptures. The cross has been used daily since before Christ. It has been used in performing sacred acts of the Church such as the sacrament. Crosses were put up to mark the graves of heroes, kings and bishops during the Middle Ages. They were often set up in market places. In some ceremonies, members of the clergy and worshipers trace the shape of a cross with a hand or certain fingers. A cross on a staff is carried in processions. Churches and cathedrals were often built with the floor plan in the shape of a Latin cross.
Various Christian groups have adopted different styles of crosses. The Latin cross is supposed to be the kind of cross on which Jesus died. It has a long upright pole and crosspiece fastened to it near the top. The Greek cross, or The Cross of Saint George, has four arms of the same length. This cross is also used with the cross of Saint Andrew to form the British Union Jack. In this flag, the Cross of Saint George stands for England, and the Cross of Saint Andrew stands for Scotland. The Maltese cross has eight sharp points. It was the emblem of a certain order of knights of the Middle Ages.
For the first 300 years after the death of Christ, Christians, fearing persecution by the hostile Roman government, rarely displayed the cross in public. During the early middle Ages, Christian artists made crosses as symbols of the Christian belief in the Resurrection of Christ. Many of these portrayed Christ wearing priestly clothes and a royal crown. Later the sufferings of Jesus were emphasized in crucifixes. A crucifix is a cross with an image of the dying Christ.
The crucifixion of Jesus caused Christians to regard the cross with reverence. Since apostolic times the cross has had a prominent place in Christianity. Early Christians prayed with their arms extended to represent Christ on the cross and the use of the sign of the cross can be traced back to the 3rd century. The earliest references to the use of the crucifix were made by writers of the 6th century.
History of Art.
Early man needed dishes, tools and weapons. At first he ate from a flat stone. Then he learned to shape the stone like a dish. Later he discovered the use of metals and the effect of fire on them. Soon he began to be proud of making things that were both useful and beautiful. He had grasped the important idea that usefulness need not be divorced from beauty and his like became fuller and more enjoyable. As he became more civilized he realized that works of art did not have to be useful or practical but could be useful for their beauty and enrichment of life.
The Effects of Art in Life.
Art helps to develop taste. The average person may know that a thing is either ugly or beautiful. He knows that the sight of a toad does not please him as much as that of a bluebird. He may also be able to know that one poem pleases him but another does not. When a thing is enjoyed by many people over a long period of time it may then be thought of as a true work of art. Training and schooling in art can help a person to understand many of the fine points of it. You can learn why the red color of a painting firs beside the blue and how on line goes with another. Taste is the ability to know whether or not a thing is beautiful. It may be further developed by a formal study of art.