@article{ART001061458},
author={San Choon Kim},
title={Angelology and the Image of Angels in Dante’s Divine Comedy},
journal={The Journal of Aesthetics and Science of Art},
issn={1229-0246},
year={2007},
volume={25},
pages={261-283}
TY - JOUR
AU - San Choon Kim
TI - Angelology and the Image of Angels in Dante’s Divine Comedy
JO - The Journal of Aesthetics and Science of Art
PY - 2007
VL - 25
IS - null
PB - 한국미학예술학회
SP - 261
EP - 283
SN - 1229-0246
AB - Angelology and the Image of Angels in Dante’s Divine Comedy
San-Choon Kim*
Angels symbolize the belief that there is indeed an invisible world in God’s creation which we cannot grasp with conventional vision. We can distinguish three approaches to this world of the invisible. One is philosophical angelology which investigates the very existence of the invisible world. Theological angelology, on the other hand, begins with the belief that there is indeed world beyond our conventional vision. I look however to the Aesthetics of Angelology which depicts the invisible world through allegory in literature and visual art.
Such Aesthetics already suggests that Ancient People were familiar with the world of the invisible, and thus could represent it in visual art. With modernity, people came to depend on empirical examination, and skepticism about the invisible world. Insensitive to the realm of the invisible, modernity led to superficiality. This is critical even in the realm of self-knowledge where people have become reluctant to examine their invisible selves.
I investigated the Christian tradition of angelology, especially the writings of the Fathers of the Early Church. For the Fathers, the mission of the angels was the salvation of human beings. For instance, Dionysius Areopagita wrote that the angels worked to help humankind to be like God in ceaseless love and wisdom.
Much later, we find angels as a model of sanctity. For instance, St. Francis is described as a “seraphim in love,” and St. Dominic became like the “cherubim in wisdom.” This reflects sensitivity to an invisible world in an earlier literature and visual art.
KW - angelistic fallacy;angelology;celestial hierarchy;demonology;Empyrean;mission;neutral angel
DO -
UR -
ER -
San Choon Kim. (2007). Angelology and the Image of Angels in Dante’s Divine Comedy. The Journal of Aesthetics and Science of Art, 25, 261-283.
San Choon Kim. 2007, "Angelology and the Image of Angels in Dante’s Divine Comedy", The Journal of Aesthetics and Science of Art, vol.25, pp.261-283.
San Choon Kim "Angelology and the Image of Angels in Dante’s Divine Comedy" The Journal of Aesthetics and Science of Art 25 pp.261-283 (2007) : 261.
San Choon Kim. Angelology and the Image of Angels in Dante’s Divine Comedy. 2007; 25 261-283.
San Choon Kim. "Angelology and the Image of Angels in Dante’s Divine Comedy" The Journal of Aesthetics and Science of Art 25(2007) : 261-283.
San Choon Kim. Angelology and the Image of Angels in Dante’s Divine Comedy. The Journal of Aesthetics and Science of Art, 25, 261-283.
San Choon Kim. Angelology and the Image of Angels in Dante’s Divine Comedy. The Journal of Aesthetics and Science of Art. 2007; 25 261-283.
San Choon Kim. Angelology and the Image of Angels in Dante’s Divine Comedy. 2007; 25 261-283.
San Choon Kim. "Angelology and the Image of Angels in Dante’s Divine Comedy" The Journal of Aesthetics and Science of Art 25(2007) : 261-283.
