Griffin Commission
March 4, 2013
I did this commish for a pal:
The Griffin is an ancient myth that was adopted by the church in the middle ages. The lion represented Lordship and dominance of the ground while the eagle represented “the king of the air”. Combined they were an image of Christ’s divinity (the eagle) and his humanity (the lion).
I love pre-modern art because people had a more open mind and freer thought regarding the visual. Even today’s church might reject a griffin as “a monster” unfit to symbolize Christ. The modern mind is influenced by the literal demands of Modernism… which ruins art. Classicists like Tolkien, Lewis and R.K. Rowling live on this side of Modernism, but look backwards and try to rescue the dismissed language of the pre-Modern era. We left something back there, so I’m all too happy to bring them back by rendering them once again.
March 4, 2013 at 7:29 am
Love the Griffin. Is there a reason why you have the Griffin embracing the cross and lifting it into the air? I realize the Griffin is a christian symbol but is there further meaning?
March 4, 2013 at 7:40 am
Rescuing the church.
March 4, 2013 at 7:43 am
Doug, Does it mean the ideals of the Pre-modern church can rescue today’s church from it’s post modern ideals?
March 4, 2013 at 7:46 am
Could be. We definitely threw out too much baby with the bath water, I suppose.
March 4, 2013 at 7:29 am
Reminds me of Ezekiel chapter 1 and Revelation 4:8.
March 21, 2013 at 8:13 am
I’m doing my 4th Gtaphic Novel this year and I’m looking for friends who would take a part in the pin-up section at the end of the book, I was wondering weather I could ask you Doug. Would you participate with an image?
March 21, 2013 at 9:04 am
My dance card is all booked up!
March 21, 2013 at 9:14 am
Awww :(
Well, at least I’m happy to hear you are busy.
April 8, 2013 at 6:59 pm
Dear Doug, could you please tell me if the Ronnie Cordova here has anything to do with the ‘blogger’ Ronnie Cordova? If so someone has been using his name, (or dropped email address) and emailing me. Thank you so much!
April 8, 2013 at 9:43 pm
Is there a Ronnie Cordova here? Lots of imposters out there, and I know that some people have been stalking folks pretending to be John who plays Ronnie.