DOI Heft:
No. 332 (November 1920)
DOI Artikel:Taylor, Ernest Archibald: Some pictures by John Duncan, A. R. S. A.
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21401#0158
SOME PICTURES BY JOHN DUNCAN, A.R.S.A.
spend a May eve, or Halloween on Iona,
Eriskay or even the more southerly island
of Arran. In his picture, The Riders of the
Sidhe, Mr. Duncan has represented them
setting forth on a Beltane eve in a kind of
ritualistic procession, carrying symbols of
their faith and power, and at their good
pleasure dowering mortals with spiritual
gifts. The symbols are those of age-long
Celtic tradition. The first rider in the
procession carries the symbol of intelli-
gence, the tree of life and of the knowledge
of good and evil, the second the cup of the
heart of abundance and healing, the third
the sword of the will on its active side,
and the fourth the crystal of the will on
its passive side. 0000
Turning from his riders with their
earnestness of purpose to the picture of
The Queen of Sheba one is sensible of the
same mental atmosphere. From Jewish
tradition we learn of King Solomon's
wide-spread reputation and how from all
the kings of the earth there came of all
people to hear his wisdom, and amongst
them we find the Queen of Sheba, who has
come from her home in Southern Arabia
to propound in person her own riddles.
From the Midrash or commentary on
proverbs, which contains a list of her
143
spend a May eve, or Halloween on Iona,
Eriskay or even the more southerly island
of Arran. In his picture, The Riders of the
Sidhe, Mr. Duncan has represented them
setting forth on a Beltane eve in a kind of
ritualistic procession, carrying symbols of
their faith and power, and at their good
pleasure dowering mortals with spiritual
gifts. The symbols are those of age-long
Celtic tradition. The first rider in the
procession carries the symbol of intelli-
gence, the tree of life and of the knowledge
of good and evil, the second the cup of the
heart of abundance and healing, the third
the sword of the will on its active side,
and the fourth the crystal of the will on
its passive side. 0000
Turning from his riders with their
earnestness of purpose to the picture of
The Queen of Sheba one is sensible of the
same mental atmosphere. From Jewish
tradition we learn of King Solomon's
wide-spread reputation and how from all
the kings of the earth there came of all
people to hear his wisdom, and amongst
them we find the Queen of Sheba, who has
come from her home in Southern Arabia
to propound in person her own riddles.
From the Midrash or commentary on
proverbs, which contains a list of her
143