τι είναι όμορφο είναι επίσης καλό -Part I

A friend shared this image on Facebook the other day and
I thought of it when I discovered the existence of "dreamcatchers".
The only other positive circles in the shape of a ring that
I had noticed in my life before were mandalas
and labyrinths.

Karma, Mandalas, Dreamcatchers & Labyrinths: the Circles of Beauty and Virtuosity

This altarpiece is one of the most important works of art of the Italian
Renaissance by artist Piero della Francesca and commissioned by Duke
Federico da Montefeltro. It is known as the "Brera Altarpiece" (1472).   

"τι είναι όμορφο είναι επίσης καλό" translate "what is beautiful is also good" and is a famous aphorism & concept by the Greek philosopher Plato (428 B.C.-347 B.C.). This sentence makes me think of a circle, also because in the intention of the author what is beautiful is good, what is good is beautiful, therefore in this case it is not questionable what came first: the egg or the chicken. It is a virtuous circle and to me, it looks like a ring. Eggs come à propos regarding beauty (kalòs) and good
(agathòs): in the Renaissance, the egg was the symbol of life & birth as well as rebirth (regeneration & immortality), such as in one of the most important paintings of Italian Renaissance art by Piero della Francesca (1416-1492), the famous "Pala di Brera" (1472, tr. Brera Altarpiece) which takes us back to the myth of Leda and the Swan, where the egg was fertilized by Zeus to give birth to the swan who seduced Leda. In the altarpiece, the egg is inscribed in a shell, the symbol of the beauty of Venus according to classicizing themes, before their translation into Catholic doctrines according to which the egg is the symbol of the chastity of the Virgin Mary, fertilized by the beams of the Holy Spirit. In this perspective, the Virgin Mary would be the new Venus, a symbol of Eternal Beauty.  
There are additional interpretations of the meaning of the egg, the oyster shell, and the Virgin Mary, if we think of the commissioner of the Brera Altarpiece (also known as Montefeltro Altarpiece) we may add more information to this work of art pertaining to the function of dreaming as an abandonment to eternity as witnessed by aristocratic families which were representative of the highest examples of the human ambitions.

The symbol of the Holy Spirit: a white dove with sunbeams (photo by:
Roberta Niccacci from the Parish of Deruta, Italy, detail of a ceramics lunette)

Leda and the Swan copy by Leda Melzi
after a lost painting by Leonardo, 1508-1515, Oil on canvas,
Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

Going back to "Leda and the Swan" in this famous painting, here the beauty of Venus and the virtuosity of Leda as a mother come together. Attempts to translate cultural myths into religious doctrines do not give a sufficient contribution to our need for dreaming which has priority over words, thoughts, and deeds. Indeed religion is more pertaining to the world of deeds, as an example, the oyster shell is the symbol of pilgrims because they used the shell as a tool to drink water during their long walks, the shell would allow them to get to the surface water from ponds and brooks. Similarly, for practical usage for those who could not walk to far destinations as pilgrims, labyrinths were created inside churches and the faithful could recreate their spiritual journey by walking in the labyrinth which was the symbol of the voyage to the heavenly city of Jerusalem. Labyrinths are considered as evocative of mandalas as symbols of microcosms because labyrinths also represent a journey from the outer world to the inner sacred center where the divine is found as well as the journey through life which according to the Christian religion will end with celestial and eternal life. The labyrinth of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Chartres, France is the most famous example of such an important religious activity.

Mandala  (मण्डल) in ancient Indian means "circle". 

Originally used as a hypnotic tool, nowadays mandalas in 
the common use is the symbol of microcosms.

In this image a modern mandala with supplementary

colors that create harmony and represent the ideal
interaction among human beings. 

End of Part One. To be continued...with a dedicated post to dreamcatchers, A special Saint's wheel, and wheels of life.

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Important Notice about Licensing
The photographic reproductions in this post are considered to be in the public domain as the copyright term of life of the authors of the works of art is plus 100 years or less.

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Original Posts by Roberta Niccacci -

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