The Way of Saint James, more than just a journey .

Did you like "The Way"? In my opinion it was watchable, a good introduction to the Camino. Well, this video is about it. I usually use it in my 2nd of ESO History lessons. It's very helpful in understanding what is the Way of Saint James and summerises all the "steps" to follow.

Django Unchained

Django is the title of the latest Quentin Tarantino film. It is an enjoyable and hectic story developed in the deep South of the USA, in the state of Mississippi, two years before the Civil War started. The plot is about a former dentist, now a bounty hunter, who buys the freedom of a slave, Django, because he is the only one who can lead him to his bounty: the Brittle Brothers. In turn, Django is looking for his slave wife Broomhilda, from whom he was separated from due to the slave trade. Christopher Waltz and Jamie Foxx star brilliantly in this film, notwithstanding the role of Candyland plantation proprietor, played by Leonardo di Caprio, is undoubtedly proof of his command of performance. The film has been involved in some controversy due to the use of the “n-word” racial epithet and the depiction of slavery itself. It is true that Tarantino is a love it/hate it director who, in this film, faithfully captures the spirit of the 70's Spaghetti Westerns set this time in the South and involving slave matters, although it has been interpreted through his own aestheticization of violence filter, e.g. the really huge quantity of blood at the end of the film reminds us of his saga Kill Bill Vol.1 and Vol. 2. I have to admit that I am a big fan of Tarantino films, but the nearly three hours the film lasted were so amusing that you would not even notice the passing of time. It was worth it!

Deposition of Christ by Roger van der Weyden, 1435, Museo del Prado, Madrid.

This picture represents the moment when Christ is being lowered from the cross. It has a rectangular form with a prominent part in the middle, where the cross is erected. In fact, the cross is the central axis, even though the picture is not symmetrical. In such a little space the painter managed to represent ten people: four on the left, three in the middle and three on the right. All the figures are somehow related to Christ and all of them are showing their sorrow.

If the cross is the central axis, the figure of Christ draws a diagonal in the middle of the picture which determines the layout of the others. Three of them are situated at Christ's feet on the right of the picture, on the other hand, another three are situated on the left. Mary's body falling on the floor is breaking this symmetry and her body draws another line parallel to the Christ's one.

The bodies are adapted to the shape of the picture, this makes that the display of some figures is distorted and unnatural, as we can see with Mary Magdalene on the right of the picture.

No landscape is represented, but in the foreground, at the bottom, we can distinguish some plants and grass which informs us that this scene happened outdoors. On the floor there are some symbols of death: a skull and a bone.

One of the most impressive things one can perceive watching this picture is the stunning colours used by the painter. Facing a neutral golden background, which can be related to the concept of eternity and holiness, the painter uses a captivating blue whose strength captures all the picture. Beside this captivating blue there is red on the clothes of the man on the left and there are splashes of red throughout all the picture, on the tights and sleeves of the central figure or on Mary Magdalene's sleeves.

Most of the figures are crying, tears have been painted with detail, and their faces show the sorrow they are feeling in that sad moment. The pain is stressed on Mary's face. Her skin is bluish as if she were dead. Christ's body and head also show the wounds produced by the crucifixion, but he is already dead. Neither faith nor resurrection are present in the picture. It seems as if the artist wanted to focus on Christ as a man, surrounded by his family and friends, and far away from God.