Merry Christmas

ANDREA DEL SARTO. Holy Family (Barberini).
1528. Oil on wood. Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, Rome.

Final Days

BASSANO, Jacopo.  
Adoration of the Shepherds.
1590-91. Oil on canvas.
San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice.

Happy Advent. For our last Advent mediation, consider now the darkness of the world before Christ. Note in "The Adoration of the Shepherds" the contrast brought by the Light that ruptures the heavens and breaks open hearts of even the rustic shepherds. Consider the ancient night, the slumber of a dead world. Consider the distance Bassano portrays from heaven to earth.
For the Latin, make sure you study in these last days.  

Agenda:

1. Pater noster
2. Review for the Final:
1. Take notes on grammar for Cap IV
3. Review HW:
1. Study grammar concepts for Cap III & Cap IV for the Final.

Angeli annutat ad Maria. Ave Maria.

BOTTICELLI, Sandro. Cestello Annunciation.
1489. Tempera on panel Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence.

Advent Meditation, day twelve: in this stunning image, one cannot help but be struck with the immediate and obvious contrast in forms. What suggests this heraldry? Consider today the the posture of Gabriel. Cur? The angel is lower than the woman. Angelus annutat Maria. What a glorious irony that this celestial being who stands daily for the throne of the Almighty God humbles himself in front of what will soon be the Mother of God. Consider this Advent our own humility. 

Agenda:

1. Pater noster
2. Finish reading Capitulum IV 
3. Review for the final:
1. Take notes on grammar for Cap IV
4. Review HW:
1. Study grammar concepts for Cap III & Cap IV for the Final.

Nolite timere ecce enim evangelizo vobis gaudium magnum quod erit omni populo.

BASSANO, Jacopo.  
The Annunciation to the Shepherds.
1533. Oil on canvas.
Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire, England.

Advent Meditation, week three, day 15: In this season of Advent, we often only consider the annunciation to Mary. But in truth there are many annunciations. Consider Bassano's depiction of the annunciation to that ancient class of people, who stand for all the poets of the world. What does this say about the revelation of God? Consider the "evangelizo" and how that changes our world too.
In Latin today, we are reviewing for the impending judgment of the Final. 

Agenda:

1. Pray
2. Vocab Quiz: Cap IV
3. Review for the final by going over the grammar
4. Correct and review Pensum A of Cap III
5. Do #2, 8, 10 of Pensum C of Cap III
6. Read Capitulum IV
7. Review HW:
1. Study grammar concepts for Cap III & Cap IV for the Final

Maria, Dominus tecum.

BALDOVINETTI, Alessio. Annunciation.
1447. Tempera on wood.
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence.

Advent meditation, day ten: consider today's depiction of the annunciation. Consider the haste. Angeli currit. What does this rushing haste suggest? Consider, again, God's glory in the light that cuts through at oblique angles. Consider the dies serena. Consider how all these things work to glorify God?

Agenda:

1. Pater noster
2. Lecture on Cap III Grammar
3. Review HW:
1. Study grammar concepts for Cap III & IV for the Final.

Silva Praenominis

BORDONE, Paris. Annunciation. 1555.
Oil on canvas. Pinacoteca Nazionale, Siena.

Advent Meditation, day eleven: what does it mean for a word to change our lives? Consider the word of the angel to Mary. Consider the interruption it bears, its effect shown in her startled gesture. Consider the fire and explosion in the heavens as Gabriel descends. How have we also been interrupted, and are able to know, as Mary did, how recognize the goodness of such a portent?  
In Latin today, we continue our journey through dark labyrinth of pronouns; again, make sure keep track of your thread.

Agenda:

1. Pater noster
2. Review for the Final.
   
3. Review HW:
1. Study words for Chap IV. 
2. Study words and concepts for Cap III and IV. It's what's on the Final.

Second Week of Advent

ANGELICO, Fra. The Annunciation. 1430-32.
Tempera on wood. Museo del Prado, Madrid.

Advent meditation, day 9: consider the lux in Fra Angelico's Annunciation. Consider the divine light piercing through the garden and portico. Consider also Mary's figure as almost in pain. Consider how such news, such an experience, such a piercing revelation might bring the death of the Old Mary and birth of the New Mary. 
In Latin today, we will enter back into the labyrinth of pronouns; again, make sure keep track of your thread.

Agenda:

1. Prayer
2. Finish Pensum A for Cap III
3. Finish posters / charts for Latin.  
4. Review HW:
1. Study grammar notes for Caps III & IV for Final
2. Study words Chapter 4. Quiz on Friday (12/14).

Mundum olim erat obscura.

BAROCCI, Federico Fiori. Annunciation.
1582-84. Oil on canvas. Pinacoteca, Vatican.

Yes. It's true. The world was once dark. Advent meditation, day five: consider the contrast of light and dark in Barocci's "Annunciation" and this should of course remind us of the primordial darkness before the light of Christ, through Mary, broke open ancient night of a fallen world.

Agenda:

1. Prayer
2. Study a bit
3. Vocab Quiz: Cap III
4. Get Lingua Latina Books:
1. Do Pensum A of Cap II
5. Review HW:
1. Study Cap IV.
2. Be good.

Ave Maria Gratia Plena

ANDREA DEL SARTO. The Annunciation. 1512-13.
Oil on wood. Galleria Palatina (Palazzo Pitti), Florence.

Advent meditation, day three. Consider Del Sarto's background; consider the contrasts of turbulence and peace, the strange arches of heaven breaking up the distance of all the world. 
In Latin today, we will have arts and crafts...seriously, though, to review and utilize all year. We need our charts. The land of Latin requires a map, in fact, many charts. 

Agenda:

1. Pray
2. Project Poster Help:
1. Noun Cases
2. Verbs
3. Adjective
3. Get you chant on with "The Endless Noun Ending Song"
4. Study
5. Review HW:
1. Study words for Chapter 10. Quiz on Block Day (12/6).

Ave Maria

ALLORI, Alessandro. Annunciation. 1603.
Oil on canvas. Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence.

Advent meditation, day two: consider Allori's depiction of the divine interruption by Gabriel and the humble response of Mary. In this painting we are reminded of Mary's beautiful submission to the Divine calling on her life.
In Latin today, after our quiz, we will continue our study of nouns in the ablative case, generally known as the case of separation.

Agenda:

1. Pray
2. Study for five minutes
3. Read Cap III together.
4. Review HW:
1. Study words Cap III. Quiz on Wednesday (12/5).

Adventus Laetus.

ANDREA DEL SARTO. Annunciation.
1528. Oil on wood. Galleria Palatina (Palazzo Pitti), Florence.

Yesterday marked the beginning of the season of Advent, the new year of the Church calendar, that season of dark that precedes the light, that season of waiting of the LORD, that season of following the star to Christ. In Latin today, we enter back into the labyrinth of nouns; make sure keep track of your thread.

Agenda:

1. Pray
2. Study and make up other work.
3. Review HW:
1. Study words for Cap III. Quiz on Wednesday (12/3).