What's even crazier about all of this is that the fantasy genre itself actually exists as a crying out for the resacralization of life itself! How many people read Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter to escape to a world where art and meaning isn't disintegrated? And, look at how it got relegated to the fantasy genre, where it also gets shoved into its own corner rather than living in the world.

This reminds of the proclivity in archeology to label any findings that looks like more than mere functionality as "ceremonial". E.g. they find a piece of armor that has beautiful patterns carved or welded into it, it surely must have been "ceremonial". Even things that they are not sure of its purpose, the default label is "ceremonial".

More art history/theory videos, please! This was fantastic.

This was an incredible video. A series of art history videos would be a delight to see

I am actually a masters student of the Sacred Arts at Pontifex University and I think learn about these ancient art forms and how to produce them is one of most exciting things I have ever done.

I would heartily welcome a whole series of art history from Jonathan. Such a refreshing and illuminating perspective.

This is the longest, most complex, KZfaqr merch commercial I've ever seen. This is the new high art. Bravo!

Even as someone who was never very religious I've always found religious mythic and ancient art was always so much more beautiful than most modern art. The paintings during the medieval enlightenment all the way to the 20th century that were divinely inspired are truly exceptional. bringing back classical subjects and ancient geometry (especially the divine proportions of the human body like davinci) and and mixing it with Christianity was incredible.

The El Greco Transfiguration follows the icon form for the figures being overwhelmed in extreme postures. In the paints with the skirts they provide foreshortening that is employed to create illusion of space (as in baroque painting).

Mmm... I'm an artist and filmmaker moving in precisely the opposite direction... have been travelling the ancient and wild places of the British Isles to that end for a year or so now... deriving meaning from ancient legacies... it's a curious thing how controversial it is to try to make something beautiful and meaningful today, and, yes, heart breaking in ways to know that folks have been lured into sensationalism and disposable art to the point now wherein it's almost impossible to get anyone's attention if you're not screaming whilst slamming eyesore graphics in their face every 2 seconds. Mmm. But, I believe, those of us who look for something other must make that invitation to others for there are those with a deep yearning for something transcending passing trends, they just might not know it until it pops up in front of them.

Took an art appreciation class last semester and it taught me that I don’t appreciate what has been made by the recent movements this last century despite the teacher trying so hard to make them look good

Four years of art history at university and this is the first time the transition was explained so eloquently, thank you so much!

It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on AI-produced art and the apparent panic/controversy it's caused recently

Such an amazing overview! I went walking through Quebec City's old town after watching this and was thinking about what you shared, it all stayed very deeply impressed on my mind. Thank you 🙏 It would be amazing if you made a series on art history! (or history in general)

Fascinating discussion and analysis of high and low art and the breakdown of "high" art beginning in mannerism. Your reliquary, crucifixes, carvings, drawings are very beautiful. Your discussion brings new insights. Thank you and God bless you, Jonathan.

This was gold. I had just casually come across an art gallery yesterday, where all of these idiosyncrasies where presented, and even though I understand the deformations made and departure from meaning, and beauty, I couldn't quite understand it from the perspective of history, as you just showed us. And even though I agree with your last point mentioned at the very end of the video, that we could have some different opinions as to how far to take the "new art" possibilities, I'm at the same time grateful to have learned from you how it all ties together.

Jonathan, a great video for you to consider in this style would be a video just explaining idiosyncrasy itself. Sometimes the way you use the word I understand it in context but couldn’t explain it to someone else

It is fascinating that we always see a pattern of Dichotomy, of High and Low Symbolic a False Third Position/Symbolic and the True Symbolic. In politics, in art, in architecture, in ideologies, everything, we truly live in a Symbolic World. As we see in the video of High and Low Culture opposites, the False Iconography and the True Iconography in Art History. Wow, my mind just massively blew up. Always Three Revolutionary Circular Zeitgeists, and One True Stable Unity.

The thing about oppositions made me realize the significance of The Hobbit where Thorin Oakenshield, a Dwarven king, shows up at Bilbo Baggins house, essentially the "normal person," encouraged by Gandalf, to help Thorin reclaim his home from the dragon. The thing that strikes me so much now is that this is completely normal in the context of the story, even though there is a contrast there, it's clear that these barriers of false dichotomies are totally shattered in Lord of the Rings. I've now long suspected Tolkien was really onto something far, far deeper than people realize, and that his expression of faith through writing Lord of the Rings is playing a key role in waking many people up. Lord of the Rings also occupies this weird place of not being totally oppositional in that sense, other than opposing these oppositions. It was written as an expression of faith for Tolkien as well, which is also telling. And IMPRESSIONISM! I remember Maurice Ravel hated being called impressionist, and this always struck me because I always loved his music because it always fundamentally sounded mythical and mystical to me, like this myth and mysticism was hidden to some degree. Like, his music, as revolutionary as it is, used the church modes. I always visualized forests and ancient rites and rituals with his music, particularly the colors of fall. His music really actually took me out of the 20th century sensibility, like there's a true symbolic, sacred sensibility hidden within it. People writing music for fantasy often tend to riff on Ravel for elves, which is also actually quite fascinating..... I'd really love to understand more about that connection.

The problem has to do with the loss of faith, and not with the manner in which reality is represented through the different mediums, ultimate reality is God himself and he contains both, the very order of the symbolic structure of reality and also the very little particularities and singularities (idiosincracies as you call them) and going in depth into any of those things is not a problem in itself, and God has no problem with over-specialization and over-particularization, the problem is when those very particular aspects are not integrated into the whole (that is the mystical body of Christ), and the Catholic Church has been able to integrate absolutely every type of idiosincracies into the whole in order to save those idiosincracies in God through his mystical body. If we think that the problem is the desacralization then we don't understand how theosis works, because what God is doing through his Church is actually spiritualizing those idiosincrasies, he is lifting up all the little aspects of reality into him through his mystical body, the people that go astray are not the faithful that represent the sacred in idiosincratic manners, the people that go astray are the ones who lose the faith, and thus are not able to navigate the idiosincrasies without getting lost in them, anybody who has faith will not get lost even if going into every little idiosincracy, and actually going into those idiosincrasies while having the true faith will be of help to save the people that are trapped into those idiosincracies... Remember what Saint Pauls said to the Corinthians: "Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."

Thank you for this. I've been thinking a lot about how there's been a return to aeseticism. I think Instagram really helped popularize different secular aesethic movements, but it also highlighted different art movements, at least online. There is definately a return to religious art, or sacralization as you put it. This video is also helping me think about my approach to making art, what is sacred, what is not? How can certain things I do be made sacred, how can other things simply have the influence.

You nailed it with the image of Warhol’s church. From afar, the iconic depictions look like old paper cigar box, jar & can labels. Great insight

As always wonderful explanation. Clear points(somewhat vague on how others could participate in this thrust and bring about that flip). Very structurally linear and cohesive line of argumentation. Always look forward to your videos started listening to this on the podcast but you suggested coming over here to see the art. As always never disappointed and want to thank you for your efforts.

seriously why are you such a genius.. i didn't think i had it in me to sit through a video about art history, but damn... you're amazing, the minutes flew by

Great video Jonathan! Loved to see how you see the evolution of art, and your take on reintegration and purpose.

I dont really feel bad about it really, beauty is like trying to find the sun with your eyes closed, you always know in what direction it is regardless. I think Rene Girard is right, the more things break down the more the truth of the gospels gather strength again. And I say this not from a Christian perspective merely from an intellectual one, Girard was on to something.

This was the best Merch-Plug I ever watched

I just wanted to say that I'm genuinely mesmerized every time I see your art, good video btw

Your videos have been crucial to my faith and music career! Thank you, and I hope you continue to learn, teach, and stay passionate!

Must be wonderful to have the gift to make beautiful things for God , and for others to get closer to God. Artists do not have patrons like in the olden days, you are feeding a family . I appreciate you have definite boxes for the various art forms , sacred , secular and commercial.

Deep insights of western art history, making so much sense about this “revolutionary movement”, cannot think of a better explanation of the era we are now living in, observing what is going on around us. A personal note, I love Baroque art on the sensory level, (those details 😊 …) even though it is on the downward slope of this “revolutionary” path. Thank you 🙏🏻 very much for articulating your thoughts and insight.

It would be interesting in the near future to reflect on artists like Warhol to see how much of their art and persona were co opted for ideological purposes ie: secular progressive dogmas of the late 20th century like Foucault, Derrida and the transcendentalists like Don Juan, who fed the counter revolution of the 1960's

Brilliant as always. Please give us more videos on art history!

I received my first commission for an Icon this week. I was apprehensive to accept commissions because I am not producing or intend on producing liturgical quality Icons but I came to a similar but less formal conclusion that you spoke about towards the end of the video. I’m glad I saw this today. Thanks.

Vatican2 didnt call for guitar masses though, the documents call for the primacy of Gregorian. The people wanting change just made up a false idea of the council, while ignoring the actual texts.

Great example of inversion. I like the idea of the moment we deified a can of soup, held it higher than high art, made it the most sacred, that is when you could say, we lost our way.

What a fantastic lecture! Thank you!

Absolutely love it. You are the most important of teachers 😉 so it seems there is a cycle where art imitates life and then life imitates art or something like that. I think that's a quote I heard when I was young

Wow, thank you for making this. I have been trying to articulate my feelings on this topic for a while now, this helps.

What an amazing video, God bless you JP 🙏🏾

Wow this was very interesting! Thanks for making this :)

thank you Jonathan, so very interesting and enlightening for some one who is not familiar with art history

Well done, Jonathan. Thank You🙌🏽❤️🙏🏽

Thanks for this video! I was hoping to get your perspective on this after the twitter thread All the best to you Jonathan and this Community

Wonderful to listen to and chew on this information. I’ll be sharing!

The revolution happens first in the tendencies, then progresses to the ideas, and becomes real in the facts. Prof. Plinio de Correra Oliveira wrote about this in his work "Revolution & Counter-Revolution." He also wrote extensively about the gradualism that occurs, which you comment on by connecting the Renaissance to Dadaism. It is a constant battle due to original sin; our tendencies are always to revolt and that is why we must be ever-vigilant in penance, fasting, prayer, almsgiving, etc. In terms of the West, this relaxation in vigilance began with the conversion of the Germanic tribes and the expulsion of Islam. The West felt triumphant and Christendom was able to flourish, but they began to lose their devotion to Our Lord's passion and their militant fervor against evil. Sensuality and pleasure is welcomed after hundreds of years of war against the enemies of the Church. Art becomes more flamboyant, such as Gothic transitioning to the flamboyant Gothic, things are more jovial and triumphant versus penitential, Christ is depicted more as Christ the King than Christ Suffering. I'm Catholic and it is clear to me that the Church made it's most imprudent decision when it condemned Savonarola. I'm sure he is a Saint for his work trying to steer Rome back onto the ascetic path. He was the canary in the coalmine for the West.

Great explanation of your thought process. The reintegration of the art object as a functional object is an important concept you have clearly defined. This is true for religious art, but also the veneration of design objects (like the iphone) which is appropriate because it is venerated in its functionality which becomes aesthetic for that reason. thanks!

This was fantastic, more videos on art history and the present trends would be great

I have an idea, and i think it could revolutionize theater and television entertainment… …but first, maybe we gotta rethink how we build the theaters..currently our theaters are little more than prisons for movies. The theater itself should be a work of art. Good show Jonathan! (If attention was a divining rod…there may be water, but still no money… 🤷‍♂️ “artists”)

Brilliant video, I think it's good to remember that it took centuries for the inversion to even become possible, and it may take long to truly bring about hierarchy again

I would love to see more examples from the Renaissance. Let’s go ahead and bag it up for all the skeptics out there.

In Giovanni's room, Baldwin says something like "you cannot return to the garden of eden". Baudrillard is similarly pessimistic about re-integration, and I think he would have a good laugh at your merch. that said, in the young fine art scene I see a kind of re-sacralization happening. The white cube is recognized as the church that it is, and simple objects are being presented as items of worship - not as symbols (which we now know always leads to de-sacralization) and not as commodity fetishes - but as objects in themselves, that contain something deeper (god) that we as humans cannot reach, only hint at.

One of the reasons why outsider art has become so popular, is it eschews formality of all kinds in favour of pure content. Much of it is religious in nature, and reminds one of the old testament prophets who spoke their mind in defiance of any social mores or niceties.

Really enjoyed this developing line of thought. Thanks !

Paglia helped me appreciate Warhol when she said his embrace of Pop Art killed the oppositional and Avant Garde. His disposition towards celebrity, and the fact that he nearly died over his art makes me think he knew what he was doing

Pageau doing what he does best!

My University taught me who ran the world. They had, and still have, a shrine dedicated not to people killed in war, nor to all the people who died in a great war, nor to all the women and children our nation, the USA, burnt alive. They have a shrine for the people we, as Americans, fought and died for. A people of one faith, of one ethnic group, of one distinct, genetic, biological, makeup. When I saw people bow their heads, at the feet of that idol, I knew who is in charge of the world, and who they worshiped.

you really put my thought in a straight line, I need to talk more about this with you

LOVED THIS! THANK YOU!

Art as gathering things together is also relevance realization. Being good at grabing the relevant things.

This use case conversation reminds me of graphic design and product design

Wow. I love your perspective. More please!

Wow. This is really cool. Thanks!

This is a wonderful way to look at the situation and I think it's accurate.

When it comes to art and objects, I tend to place them in a specific hierarchy depending on the context. Generally Craftsmanship > Aesthetic > Meaning. Art for it's own sake takes on this layering when I create. I think it's also kind of natural evolution, to use a term. For instance when you apprentice as an artist, your first goal is learning craftsmanship. From there you learn how to make it appealing. Finally you try and give it a powerful meaning. When it comes to buildings, structures, the home and the objects within, I feel the context reconceptualizes the hierarchy a bit. Or to put in other terms, i find the reverse hierarchal order more intuitive. So meaning is a lot less important, although i want to these objects to evoke a sense of tranquility, safety and stability, and I believe that's where aesthetics can come into play. Finally craftsmanship is paramount. These objects need to last because there's nothing that seems more demoralizing to people than crumbling infrastructure. So the idea of a timeless quality seems to me to strike that perfect chord where aesthetic and craftsmanship meet. And while I get the notion of the grandiose to convey meaning about higher spiritual truth, I think it's possibly a misstep, or certainly a missed opportunity. Put the grandiose and higher spiritual meaning (the art of higher spiritual truth) in LEARNING TOOLS, which would have been tomes in the past. Or put them into RITUAL of whatever your predetermined faith. The quotation of "The Kingdom of God is inside you and all around you, not in a mansion of wood and stone. Split a piece of wood and I am there. Lift a stone and you will find me.", I think hints toward this like a little seed of wisdom. A place of peace, safety and stability is like a foundation or HOLY GROUND for doing INTENTIONAL INNER WORK on your spirituality and contemplation. I think it sets the proper mental framework to facilitate a TRUE communion with that which is holy.

this was rly good. and i needed to hear this

For the greater part of my life I hated "art" and especially "artists". I came from a working class family and seeing modern art evolving into absurdity made me angry. I always had to manage resources and making art that had no use at all, no functionality whatsoever, was a middle finger towards the "lower" classes, like: "look at what we can waste and how it even elevates us in the eyes of society" Since I found your videos years ago, I came to terms with myself and a "hidden" love for art and being creative myself. My hate diminished and is now aimed towards the divide that wasn't there in the ancient times. I really like icons and now I can "allow myself" to explore art, as the highest form of it is not "disembodied"

That’s not how I learned it in art history at community college lol… as always Friggin GOOOOD!!!

Thank you for this, unfortunately I missed this class in art school :)

If you think the end of desacralization is happening in contemporary art, then next month you will see redesacralization in the 2nd floor gallery downtown and Art World magazine. There are always currents of thought and countercurrents critiquing those currents.

Great topic!!

Brilliant! More!!

Thank you Jonathan

Saw you on break the rules video. Knew I had to come here and subscribe immediately when you discussed Peterson and Jung.

This was great. thank you

This captured my attention and I thoroughly enjoyed your presentation+ complex analysis - and after the total despair of the urinal and the buddy Jesus, your designs of the 4 Evangelists and Archangel Michael for T-shirts somewhat restored my hope.

Amazing. I'd love you to talk more about how this scales all the way into "digital art" insofar as video and modern moving content is concerned.

Great video . More like this !

Fascinating. Thank you. JP, you should [not] see the mural Cardinal Paglia commissioned in his cathedral. Something like that monstrosity was inevitable because of the modernism of the Renaissance though.

Thanks God I found you! You are such an example to be followed!

The intro goes harder more n more as time goes on 🔥

Thank you.

Wonderful vid!

Wow this is so good!

Thanks ☺️ much appreciated it just arrived in Sydney

On 59:50 leaving something out (like faces) from the art so people don't mistake it for an icon that is meant to be venerated. In Hinduism, there is a rule that if the idol gets damaged in any way, then the whole temple is to be abandoned. A priest will no longer service that site. So here you are applying deliberate blemishes to art to achieve the same effect.

Incredible thoughts…congratulations

Thank you for this video. I have your Jonah tee shirt and wondered how you differentiate your popular art from your sacred art. I’m an upholsterer and hope to work some christian themes into motorcycle seats. The style of my work will necessarily be low-resolution but I’ve also had to give a lot of thought to what is of an adequately lowly state to be acceptable to sit on and yet make an adequately Christian expression. This video was helpful.

Really good stuff 🤙

Thank you for this! More please :-)

Ok so this Is possibly one of the best videos you’ve ever done, Jonathan. By the way, I am watching this on an Apple iPhone. Isn’t Apple one of the examples of the re-integration of high art with the industrial and the functional?

I’m a guy and I’ve been painting my nails for a few months and this video perfectly explains the sentiment behind it better than I ever could. For example, for lent, I painted them white with a blue stripe, going down the middle to represent the river used for a baptism both to function, aesthetically, as well as remind me of my journey with God during lent.

Great!!

Amazing ❤❤❤

do a series on MC Escher and his thinking behind his art namely Kairos the infinite and temporal coming together

I think that we confuse marketing with art. While it is true that the mainstream world of academics and investors has been preoccupied with the Emperor's New Clothes since Duchamp, the real buisness of making beautiful, even sacred art, has continued all along. The world of comic books and illustration in general has kept the torch alive, and has always been a gateway to the sacred, as absurd as that may sound.

superb.

Brilliant

Angel Upskirts, my next band name

Incredible history of art (and theology) in the West pointing to fascinating possibilities for the future.