The definitive work by which others are compared, this volume has become an indispensable handbook for students and general appreciators alike. More than just a dictionary, this text places these subjects in their narrative, historical, or mythological context and uses extensive cross-referencing to enhance and clarify the meanings of these themes for the reader. Combined here in a single volume are religious, classical, and historical themes, figures of moral allegory, and characters from romantic poetry that appeared throughout paintings and sculpture in Western art before and after the Renaissance. This book relates in a succinct and readable way the themes, sacred and secular, on which the repertoire of Western art is based.
But what were once biblical or classical commonplaces are not so readily recognizable today. Being aware of the fact that the reception history of the Pentateuch is one of Bossie's fields of interest, in the last section I will show how the bifocal Biblical presentation of Balaam has left its traces on the reception of this personage in Christian arts.The understanding and enjoyment of a work of art depends as much on the story it depicts as on the artist's execution of it. Secondly, I will concentrate on Balaam's presentation in the other books of the Bible. 22-24, has given rise to multiple interpretations: did the biblical authors want to narrate about a pagan diviner, who intended to curse the Israelites, but who was manipulated - against his will - by God in order to bless them, or was he rather considered to be a real prophet like Elijah or Isaiah? Anyway, that is at least the way he has been perceived by a segment of Christianity, considering him as one of the prophets who announced Jesus as the Christ? In the first section of this contribution, which I warmheartedly dedicate to Professor Hendrik 'Bossie' Bosman - we first met precisely twenty years ago during a research stay at Stellenbosch University in August 1997 - I will present the ambiguous presentation of Balaam that is given in Numbers 22-24 concisely.
Moreover, the Biblical Balaam, as he is presented in Num. Not everyone has the privilege of meeting an angel, and being addressed by a donkey. Balaam counts among the most enigmatic characters within the Old Testament.
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