Iconography of Renewal - a photo on Flickriver

            I know that most people who visit this page will merely click on the photograph and view it for a few seconds and move on. Very well, that's typical for Flickr. But what I am doing here is telling a story. A very important one that has serious ramifications for colonial history and the history of art in Australia. 

So thank you to those of you taking the time to read this story as we unpack the main message of Daniel Herbert's in the Ross Bridge stone carvings. Remember you can return at any time to reread this information and make any historical comments or suggestions - I welcome that. This research is in its infancy so to speak.

Last photograph I introduced you to Herbert's type of the devil, Jorgen Jorgenson - so I won't repeat any of that here. But I will say a word about his sad wife, Norah Corbett, and then show how these figures are linked with Herbert's type of a virtuous woman, his wife Mary Witherington.
[I've tagged the relevant figures in the photograph to help you.]

Norah Corbett was the same age as Mary Witherington, but whereas the virtuous Mary lived until 90, Norah died at 40 as a result of the effects of alcohol and "loose living". Norah was an Irish convict from County Cork, and had married Jorgenson in 1831. 

Whether Jorgenson's activities on the infamous "Black Line", the squad dedicated to eradicating the "Aboriginal problem", had contributed to her deep malaise we can't be sure, but knowing something of Jorgenson's boastfulness there is no doubt he told this poor women some harrowing tales of death and destruction. "The devil seeks to kill and destroy."

So spare a thought for poor Norah, for whereas her convict counterpart Mary Witherington had been blessed to meet a man who had turned his life around to that of a practical saint, Norah lived with her demons until the end. And so they are all presented on the first arch on the north side of the Ross Bridge.

Have a look at the picture again. Can you see the typographical symmetry here? Mary and Norah on opposite sides (both number sevens, but in alternate "kingdoms"). For two stones up from Norah is Jorgen Jorgenson, the "king" of his own devilish kingdom.

On the other side we see Mary and two stones up from her (on exactly the same level as Jorgen Jorgenson) is the "Celtic horned-god" or the devil himself. Between the devil and Mary was the saving power of the rosy cross, but if you look closely under Norah Corbett's face you also see a cross form. But this is a "cross-out", an X that might allude to Norah's illiteracy, but also to the fact that she is crossed out of the kingdom of light.

To further cap this allegorical interpretation (remember I said that this work resembles a medieval mystery play), Norman Laird believes there is a cross in stone eight between Norah and Jorgen as well. [It is difficult to make out because of erosion in the sandstone.] We can see that it almost looks like a cross that is also the sun god. Laird lists a number of mythological origins here I won't go into (but p.168 if you find a copy of the book). 

Let me suggest two possible interpretations. Apart from the pagan meanings of a sun god, we have two possible biblical considerations that feature prominently in the work of William Blake (and in the great "Paradise Lost" by John Milton). In biblical mythology, the devil or Lucifer, was an angel of light. And the purpose of that light shifted after the "fall from heaven" from reflecting the glory of God to that of the deceptive serpent who crept into the Garden of Eden and "enlightened" Adam and Eve in the "knowledge of good and evil". That's what the eating of the fruit ("apple" from the Latin malum, a play on the word that also means evil) meant. The Lucifer used his "light" to deceive humanity.

Now the other interpretation is even simpler. The day is coming when the Light of God will expose all sin for what it is. In either case, there is no chance of redemption for Jorgen Jorgenson or Norah Corbett, whereas the cross had already transformed the convict Mary Witherington into a virtuous woman.

There's a lot to unpack here and this is really just the beginning. In essence what I am doing is synthesising the admirable "depth" research of Norman Laird, and giving it a unified message that relates both to the individual hope for transformation, and for the belief that out of the evil beginnings of Van Diemen's Land as a colony, a new and just society may be born. 

It is my singular belief, that the Ross Bridge artwork is one of the most important steps ever taken in this country to establish an iconography of renewal. To take the dross that led to the founding of Australia and turn it into an example of light in the world. That was Daniel Herbert's dream. But we are still a long way from getting there yet.

Taken in: Australia / Tasmania / Ross (show map)

Taken on: July 23, 2020

Tags:

Luminosity7

Nikon D850

Tasmania

Australia

Ross

Ross Bridge 1836

Daniel Herbert (1802-1868)

Symbolism

Sandstone

Stonemason

Bridge

Art

Sculpture

Allegory

Iconography of renewal « less

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Camera: Nikon D850, f/8.0, 1/60 sec, 150mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D850
Aperture:	f/8.0
Exposure Time:	0.017 sec (1/60)
Focal Length:	150mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Capture One 20 Windows
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