Lessons From the Darkness: Paul's Perspective

By Paul Roberts

I went down a rabbit hole recently, researching the history of the term rabbit hole, in an attempt to decide if the tenebrism rabbit hole I spent over an hour in was worth writing about for my blog. I got out of both rabbit holes just in time to get started writing before going to bed on Sunday night. My time is limited since I’ll be spending most of my time on Monday at Kellogg High School substitute teaching in an art class…and there’s the connection… to tenebrism.

Tenebrism, in the history of Western painting, is the use of extreme contrasts of light and dark in figurative compositions to heighten their dramatic effect. (The term is derived from the Latin tenebrae, “darkness.”) In tenebrist paintings, the figures are often portrayed against a background of intense darkness, but the figures themselves are illuminated by a bright, searching light that sets off their three-dimensional forms by a harsh but exquisitely controlled chiaroscuro. (Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "tenebrism". Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 Oct. 2015, https://www.britannica.com/art/tenebrism. Accessed 11 December 2022.)

Carol’s blog the last couple of weeks has been titled Lessons From the Darkness (https://www.growmeastory.com/blog/lessons-from-the-darkness-part-1-expectation-and-hope). This whole light and darkness thing is really getting into our heads, but it seems to be part the season. Carol has done a wonderful job in her writing of turning the darkness of the season into a harbinger of hope. I’m hoping I can match her focus on hope as I delve into the darkness and light motif myself.

In his painting Adoration of the Shepherds (1622), Gerard van Honthorst uses the contrast of a deeply darkened background with the illumination of the Christ child to focus the eye on the wondrous moment when Mary and Joseph share their newborn baby with the shepherds. In spite of the darkness in the world all around them, a miraculous light opens the shepherds eyes to beauty.

In his painting Judith and Holofernes (1602) painter Caravaggio, an innovator of the tenebristic style, uses the same technique of a dark background with a brightly lit foreground to focus the eye on a bloody murder. Excellent, artful technique. Awful image.

I love the light of this season, and the way it focuses my thoughts and emotions away from the darkness of the world. But, truth be told, there are times outside of my control when the tragedy of human experience is suddenly thrust into the light, and for a time - Lord, let this pain pass - my vision is focused on the tragic moments of life.

How do I reconcile the personal experience of my life that brings me these diverse images, one a luminescent, transcendent view that brings comfort and peace to my soul; the other a violent act that threatens to sear its image into my eyes by its brightness?

For Carol and I, at this time in our lives, I believe we reconcile joy and the pain as we share our experience with the sacred lives our Creator has placed around us in our different communities. Our family. Our friends.

We turn to the stories of scripture. Advent. Easter.

We turn to the wisdom of scripture.

…whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

…there are three things that remain—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

***********************************************************************************************************************

My trip down the internet rabbit hole was productive. How do I make that sure that is true more often?

To leave a comment on our blog, you can use Disqus.  It is easy to sign up.  You can use Google, Facebook, Twitter or your email.  There is no cost.  Just put in your name and email address and create a password.  Then confirm your account with the email they send you.  Then you can use Disqus to comment on the blog.  We would love to hear your thoughts.