| Martin Herbert : Jack in the Green : Oil & egg-tempera on canvas (Mische Technique) : 10" x 12" (254 x 305 mm) : 2004 |
 |
|
You can now purchase prints and cards via the etsy.com online shop:
|
| The
Green Man is an archetypal sybol which appears in cultures all over the
world from Britain to India, and all over Europe. He is often seen as
a manifestation of the forces of nature as apparent in the forests which
once covered all of Europe in a thick blanket of green - both comforting
a source of fuel and food, and menacing as concealment for dangerous forces,
both physical and elemental. He is regarded as a symbol for death and rebirth - the great rhythm of Nature epitomised by the 'Oak King/Holly King' cycle celebrated in modern paganism. His alter-ego as "Jack in the Green" is seen in England at a number of traditional May Day festivities. It is something of a mystery as to why his image is carved into so many churches in England when he is such a patently non-Christian symbol. For more information on the Green Man, see Mike Harding's superb website and publications. |
