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A work of profound importance-defining the meaning and use of Sacred Art through its symbolic content and dependence on metaphysics- from a scholar of the highest caliber. Wide in scope, covering Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Islamic, and Taoist art, this work can help readers accomplish in themselves the very goals of sacred art: spiritual transfiguration.
“In Islam the Divine Art is in the first place the manifestation of the Divine Unity in the beauty..and regularity of the cosmos. Unity is reflected in the harmony of the multiple, in order and in equilibrium- beauty has all these aspects within itself. To start from the beauty of the world and arrive at Unity- that is wisdom.”
Every sacred art is deeply rooted in the religion from which it originates. This, however, does not imply that everything that could be called “religious art” is in fact sacred art (identifiable as such by its style and methods rather than by its models). Style and method are, above all, the vehicles of tradition, and tradition originates in the “revelation” which gave birth to each great civilization.
Burckhardt wrote both in his native German and in French. His range is tremendous: from modern science in its various forms through Christianity and Islam, to symbolism, Architecture and mythology.
The present work represents Burckhardt’s penetrating analysis of a subject that is extremely important but, nevertheless, suffers from a host of misconceptions. A work of profound importance- defining meaning and spiritual use of Sacred art through its symbolic content and dependence on metaphysical principles. Presented is the art of Hinduism Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Taoism where “the artistic rules of each are not only deducible from existing works, but are confirmed by canonical writings and by the example of living masters.”
“In Islam the Divine Art is in the first place the manifestation of the Divine Unity in the beauty.,and regularity of the cosmos. Unity is reflected in the harmony of the multiple, in order and in equilibrium- beauty has all these aspects within itself’. To start from the beauty of the world and arrive at Unity- that is wisdom.”
There can be no doubt that Burckhardt blends in a masterly fashion a style that is eminently accessible with an insight of the utmost penetration: “The ultimate objective of sacred art is not the evocation of feelings nor the communications of impressions; it is a symbol, and as such it finds simple and primordial means sufficient; it could not in any case be anything mole than allusive, its real object being ineffable.