One daughter pointed out to me, "Mom, the reason you see dragons in your work comes from your interest in your ancestor Jewish merchants. It started when you went to Israel" She has a point. I did look for and found dragons in Israel. I even found them hidden in the single image that symbolized to me Jews and their whole history. On a walk I spotted a rod iron gate between Pardes Hana and Karkur. The symbol of the "S" shaped metal at the top of the gate is similar to the motif in a museum Hanukkah Lamp from(1574) Holland. On the gate there is the Star of David centered between two scrolls. The scrolls are like the water of two rivers (Tigress and Euphrates also symbolized on the Israeli flag). The gate motif could be interpreted to be like the two dragons of Imperial China - a symbol of a nation. Although dragons are associted with Pegan symbolism, they have a historic place in the Middle East. Two cobras were the symbol of the Imperial Nubian Pharos. Also Imperial China and their two dragon state symbol did extend all the way to Persia.
The rod iron gate was very old and in bad repair and has been replaced since I was there. It was too badly beaten to photograph with respect to its owners so I made this sketch. I will always have that symbol of the gate as an emblem not only of Israel but of my Silk Road Jewish ancestors - symbolizing a little of what my ancestors might have been - amalgam binding the Far East with the Middle Eastern arts. They were merchants handling movement of goods and could have also handled ship ballast rod iron used decoratively on colonial architecture.
1 comment:
i love what you ar edoing with your blog, great time in your life i sense to be an artist and a woman, i like your work it is from the soul, thank you. peace. solange
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