Christ in the House of Martha and Mary

 

Henryk Hektor Siemiradzki. Christ in the House of Martha and Mary. 1886. St. Petersburg.

"Now it came to pass as they went, that he entered into a certain town: and a certain woman named Martha, received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sitting also at the Lord's feet, heard his word. But Martha was busy about much serving. Who stood and said: Lord, hast thou no care that my sister hath left me alone to serve? speak to her therefore, that she help me.And the Lord answering, said to her: Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and art troubled about many things: But one thing is necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her."
—Luke x. 38-42.

Martha is overlooked. She is often the bystander. Jesus raises her brother Lazarus, as she and Mary look on. Mary is more extravagant in her devotion to Jesus, and more attentive to his words. Martha works, and is diligent, and she knows that. She feels burdened and, that, she does more than her share.

Siemiradzki has her, in the upper left and in shadow, she is not the focus. The focus is Jesus. There is an oriel or rondel of light with Jesus at the centre. Mary sits at His feet catching every word and gesture of the Master. Martha is off to the side. She is carrying, what seems to be, a jug. The picture is extravagantly gorgeous, the house of Martha and Mary is a villa with a gardened courtyard, with a grape vine porch bower, roses (what is more beautiful than roses in full bloom?) and twisting mature trees. Mary is in handsome profile, dear Martha’s face is obscured. [click, earlier post]

Well, before the corona virus 19 hit, i was aware of First Congregational Church of Akron. They have had orchestral concerts there; and i wanted to attend one when the day was long, so that i could photograph their windows. I had seen interior fotos of their church. After two years, i finally came there. In the late morning, i was given a tour. I always enjoy seeing subjects not seen before in ecclesial glass. I saw one i immediately recognised.

The windows were all beautiful. I don't know the studio. Other windows had scenes that are in many other churches. This one was a copy in glass of Siemiradzki's oil painting.

foto safari on Monday

Une dame française a été vue à Cleveland. Demain, c'est le jour de la Bastille.

also on West St. Clair

Rain was intermittent yesterday causing interesting lighting. This seen from the freeway.

 

2021 Miscellany #10

Hermes Clark 5 years

grooms skinny dogs

Goose walk at Lake View Cleveland

Five Points Collinwood is not an easy intersection.

abandoned house Glenville

Gardenwalk Cleveland in Rockefeller Park

Canadian lilies, Croat Garden

 

To-day Desanka Maksimovich's bust arrived in the Serb Garden, for to-morrow's dedication.

George Enescu, Romanian Garden

Recently an oak tree fell, some of its fibers split like floss.

This oak tree is in the American Indian Garden, it is tagged 439.

Karma and Cassius posing in the Vietnamese Garden, at the spot of a future statue. Some landscaping was done yesterday.

Karma and Cassius in their favorite spot in the gardens, the Italian fountain.

day lilies, Hebrew Garden

still recognisable

At one time there were some 400 of these, with some variation, in North America.

foto from Cleveland Plain Dealer, date and location unknown

"...Roll on, Big O! Get that juice up to Lawson's in 40 hours. Now, one man sleeps while the other man drives..."

Some businesses build a particular building that is recognisable after different tenants move in. Red Barn Restaurants 1961-87, and Lawson's 1939-85 are the two i mean. Red Barns became other single location restaurants, dry cleaners, and et cetera, but are instantly recognisable. There is a certain Lawson's building that is almost as recognisable. All of them have had the old script Lawson's stripped, but the adhesive from the individual letters still read Lawson's. I have been told Pizza Huts are also recognisable, and there are others.

 

It is is sensible to remodel such a commercial building thusly. The building is available, and it will do for the purpose of the new enterprise. "Repurposing" is one of those words that become immediately cliché, and are used as advertising euphemisms to ballyhoo a project. When an impressive building is used for something that is crass, it is sad. When an impressive building is used for something that is commensurate in dignity it is a good use.

on Broadview in Old Brooklyn barn

East 152nd barn in Cleveland

That projecting gable overhang is unmistakable for identification.

cupola with weather vane still intact

red of sign painted green, with new wording, happy sun still attached

"The place is more interesting than a redone Lawson's", i was quoted once regarding sacred space in a beautiful church being more conducive to worship. [click] This building is nearby on E.152nd.

letters removed, adhesive ground off, still Lawson's

Independence Day 2021

Public precaution from the pandemic virus is reaching nil. Ohio is not one of the Democratic states with 70% vaccination rate, and it is not a deep southern state or a thinly populated scoff law state. The notice of the seriousness of the illness hit just before St. Patrick's Day last year, causing its cancellation. People take too long to organise these events, and the communities hosting Memorial Day and Independence Day parades are scant. University Heights did not hold a Memorial Day parade this year, instead they had their first Independence Day parade. In the previous post [click] there were historical re-enactors. It is absolutely what such parades should have. in addition to allegorical characters such as Lady Liberty, Lady Columbia, and Uncle Sam.

Pickup-stix Stilt Walkers had two representatives in the parade, this is performance art that is enjoyable for all. She jokingly referred to herself and companion as Stiltwalker 1 & 2. Unfortunately, i had camera failure. All of the close up shots were out of focus, being locked in on a previous focus. All of  those shots and those following were a mess. The pictures here are not in chronological order. Behind her are local teevee horror film hosts, Leopold and Lenora of “Big Bad B-Movie Show”. Behind them are Ghostbusters.

Steve Ostrow’s Dixieland Band

It is great to see unexpected characters. Hyacinth Hippo from Fantasia 1940, where she danced in Amilcare Ponchielli's ballet Dance of the Hours, which is in Act III of his opera La Gioconda.

  

Underneath this Euclid Beach rocket car is a 1973 Oldsmobile Toronado.

This Batmobile does blow rear fire.

Nina Turner candidate for Congress. Parades bring out politicians.

Dogs belong in parades, Hannah from City Dogs.

Parade spectator with Rinni her Yorkie

presidents posing with greyhounds

University Heights Ohio had their first Independence Day Parade to-day. Some of the participants were from “We Made History”, Presidential Living Historians. Dale Fellows appeared as George Washington. John W. King (Ohio U. 1977), and Marian King portrayed Abraham & Mary Todd Lincoln. Karma is in the white shirt, and Cassius nearer to the actors. As we know, many presidents had dogs and other animals. Washington raised horses and hounds. He was of the landed gentry. Washington had one greyhound, he named Cornwallis. Joseph Biden likes German shepherds.

Fido, Abraham Lincoln's dog

The Kid From Cleveland 1949

The film opens up and has the Kid (Russ Tamblyn) approach old Municipal Stadium. In 1948, the Indians played and defeated the Boston Braves in the World Series. The now defunct Chief Wahoo is wearing the league championship crown. This was the last time Cleveland won the series. The film is about a troubled teenager, and the film was shot on location in Cleveland. Now, seventy years later, it contains scenes that are historical glimpses of the, then, fifth or sixth largest city in the United States. Many baseball players played themselves in the movie. In Mexico, the film was entitled "Los indios de Cleveland".

A car drives past the old entrance of Cleveland Art Museum. Can not do that now. There has been a new entrance built onto the opposite side, where people can dive by. The fountain is by Chester Beach 1927.

statue of Mayor Tom Johnson Public Square 

The script is poor. The story is a mediocre, uplifting, social work episode. The chief reason to see the film is to see the real individuals portraying themselves, and to see locations in the city. League Park stands in for Tucson's ball field. Terminal Tower, Edgewater Park for a quick maybe two seconds, inside City Hall, Cleveland Playhouse, Arcade, Hulett ore loaders, the atrium, armour court, and the Guelph treasure of the art museum were filmed.

 

Corner of Cedar & East 22nd, Juvenile Court, to-day that street people crossing is an overpass. A freeway was cut in, and a fence is also there. Some of the scenes filmed were inside, and outside this building. [click]

This gate on Cedar Avenue is still there, but a chain link fence gate, and other changes have been added. The two circular openings with decorative grills are still there. Rooms inside the Juvenile Court and Detention Home were used in scenes.

One of the changes is an upper level walkway. See the difference in style.

This sign directs inside the stadium to a fenced pen.