About Lapis Lazuli

Ever since I started reading the Oxford Book I have been seeing a lot of famous art-works with the name "Lapis Lazuli" in it. I became curious about it so I did some research and figured I should write something about this incredibly beautiful gem.



Isn't that pretty?

According to my (really crappy) research. Lapis Lazuli are found in the northeastern Aghanistan and were popular because of it's intensity of blue. In latin "lapis" means stone and "lazuli" basically has an indication of the colour blue.

I think we call that royal blue in Canada, not so much lapis lazuli because it is difficult to pronounce.

I am reading the Renaissance part of the Oxford book right now and many of the paintings as well as mosaics of Madonna and Child has the Virgin's robe in lapis lazuli. It might be a symbol of royalty and innocence?

In Egypt lapis lazuli seemed to be a popular gem to make amulets for royalties as well as ornaments like pendants and other accessories. It seems to be used in the early east civilizations as well like Mesopotamia. Lapis Lazuli was used in the Assyrians and Babylonians for seals and it was also used as eyeshadow when it was powdered by Cleopatra.

It's amazing how the deep blue were used so frequently for royalty. I wonder if it was exclusively for royalty though, like in China only the emperor could wear the colour yellow and gold.

From the picture I can almost sense the holiness of this type of gem. It's like it has some luminosity within it, like a sort of spirit.

How can nature just make something like this? It's a wonder.

The Alexander Sarcophagus

I've been wondering about the legends of Alexander the Great for quite some time now. I was wondering about his existance. He was definitely a real person, but the fact that a perfect so perfect actually existed in this world just seemed surreal to me.
See, he was handsome.
He was intelligent.
He was a great leader, encouraging the kings from other countries he conquered to help govern the states and respected their own culture.
He had great military power, able to conquer Persia and all those other countries.
And finally, he died being perfect.
I would most likely say "How bogus is that?!?!?" if I just heard this legend right now.
But the point is, that he existed in this world and left the world many artistic legacies, with the most significant one being the Alexander Sarcophagus.




Just look at the intricate high relief on the sides, showing the most amazing scenes of battle at that time. It also has a blend of different cultures of the regions that he conquered, which makes it all the more fascinating and makes him all the more admirable. I saw the Oxford book talking about the sarcophagus and I wished it had more information on the sarcaphagus.

The sarcophagus must be crafted from different crafters from the regions that he conquered. And the notion that all of the crafters working under one piece of magnificent art piece makes me want to bow at Alexander the Great's charisma for assuming his people's loyalty towards him, even the ones that he conquered over. That was just amazing for me to see since in History class all I learned was about dictators......It is highly unlikely for a person to have so much power and capability without abusing it. (I know I would.)

The sarcophagus further stunned me with the contrast on the front and the back. One side is all chaotic and shows the wildness and the ugliness of the battle, whereas the back shows all of the people fighting as a team with impressive cooperation. I am not much informed on the sarcophagus, so forgive me if I am wrong, but i think that the sarcophagus is trying to emphasize the power of Alexander of organizing his army. With Alexander shown in the piece with a lion helmet, it not only protrays the his power, but also his personality and his ambition.

I wonder if I meet him would I get entranced by his charm too....:/