While holidaying in Switzerland, and a day in France, I went to a fair few museums, churches, and old buildings, where I got to see a lot of arts and crafts. Every painting was unique.
But one specific painting took my breath away, as it captured so much emotion.
I saw it, then I walked past, then I went back to see it again, and again, and again… It was stunning and captured so much emotion.
This painting, Cyparissus is by an artist named Jacopo Vignali, who coincidentally was born on a day like today, 5th September 1592.
427 years or 155,948 days later, here I am sitting on a train headed from Frankfurt to Berlin in Germany, finally writing what I felt when I saw his expression.
Can’t take my eyes off yours
His eyes speak a million emotions. I felt as if I got sucked into a void, only to be further pulled into a world that existed, but continues to exist in his mind where his memories of him and his best friend’s adventures are still alive. Behind these eyes, a movie being played, a movie that he never will get to see again.
He is captured with intense sadness, but the eyes also show shock, helplessness, and cessation.
Behind the teary eyes, the little boy looks deep into the meaning of life.
The Birth of Pain when it’s “Mine”
According to Wikipedia, Cyparissus was a boy beloved by Apollo, or in some versions by other deities. In the best-known version of the story, the favorite companion of Cyparissus was a tamed stag, which he accidentally killed with his hunting javelin as it lay sleeping in the woods.
If it was any other Stag, I would be happy.
But,
when it became my Stag…
But, why my Stag…
Any Stag, but my Stag…
Lord, please bring him to life…
Lord, I can’t live without him…
I will die….
Death…
These would have been the sad yet enlightening truths Cyparissus would have been contemplating while hugging onto the now cold body of his best friend, and praying to the God he believes in.
Nothing new under the Sun
Apollo, who was considered the national divinity of the Greeks, Apollo has been recognized as a god of archery, music and dance, truth and prophecy, healing and diseases, the Sun and light, poetry, and more.
It is said Cyparissus was Appolo’s most favoured. This would have been for his heart, and playfulness. When his heart was broken, Apollo would have been sad. But, he would have known that this is where Cyparissus will be born again, to rise up to him.
– Nim –
A Moment with Nim! 