Crossing the Threshold by Chipka
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Description
I’m quite familiar with thresholds—I lived in one for nearly two years, and I’m still in contact with natives of such a liminal region. I've said, on numerous occasions, that the very name "Prague" or "Praha" in Czech means "threshold." It bears repetition here, as I've been thinking about Prague and the Czech Lands for quite some time.
It’s only fitting, then, that I commemorate this holiday (known as Samhain among my spiritual compatriots—just don’t ask how “Samhain” translates verbally to “sow-an” or “shau-aine”…just chalk it up to the fact that Pagans like to be different when it comes to spelling.)
For all that Hollywood likes to tell us about things Hollywood knows nothing about, I can say that Halloween (along with most other Hallmark-inspired holidays) exists as something other than the original, pre-Christian holiday. What we call Halloween today, is little more than…well…”threshold day,” that one day of the year when time hangs in suspension, when the light part of the year is over but the dark part of the year hasn’t yet begun. (Light and dark in this case represents little more than the length of the common day. The dark part of the year starts tomorrow, for those who are interested.)
In keeping with my interest in thresholds and crossing points, I found myself going through my files and through my gallery. I’d recently taken a picture of the Harold Washington Library (the main branch of the Chicago Public Library) and I was impressed by its door, and the ornamental faces carved—like grotesques and gargoyles—in the upper portions of the building. I was taken by the sense of color, the sense of shape, and…well…I have a thing for doors, so naturally I’d photograph one. As I looked at the photo, however, I realized that the really gorgeous bronze door was just too boring…so…out it went. Rather than leave a gaping white spot, I decided to play around with thresholds, in honor of a significant holiday to me, and so I filled the gap with…well…with Charles Bridge in Prague. For those familiar with the earlier pages in my gallery, you’ll probably recognize Charles Bridge (Karlovy Most, in Czech.) For those not familiar with the earlier pages in my gallery, oh well…just rest assured that there’s a bridge in there somewhere…an old bridge. It's been there (in Prague, not in my gallery, since 1357.)
As Halloween (Samhain) is the crossing of the threshold, I’d like to take this day to look back and to look ahead: to remember where I’ve been, and indeed to remember home, so that I (and others) may more easily look ahead and get where we're going. And so, in the spirit of looking ahead (to the other “light” days that have yet to come) I’m posting this: an amalgam of my past and my present, and who knows…there might be a certain Russian and a certain loopy Czech dude lurking around in the margins of the photograph. You never know, especially with that particular, eccentric Czech dude; he has a weird way of popping up in unexpected places, usually while saying something totally hilarious.
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope that you’re all having a great Samhain/Halloween/Weekend.
Comments (26)
momof4rugrats
COOL POV! VERY NICE CAPTURE!
Erestorfan
This is a great photograph! Love the POV...it's as if that archway is beckoning the viewer in...and that certainly looks like a very interesting place that I would LOVE to visit!! 1357? Now THAT is old...see here in New England we talk about old and we're only talking the late 1600's...Europe and the UK, now there are places I'd love to tour and see OLD things. I've been to Spain and loved the history at places like the Alhambra and the city of Ronda...love history.
danapommet
Happy Samhain Chip and this is a fantastic POV and the arch "frames" the other side of this bridfe so well. Love those old buildings light poles and so many unique roofs and towers. Stellar capture my friend. Dana
MrsRatbag
What a wonderful image! Paradise through the doorway...this is fantastic. Happy Samhain to you!
bimm3d
very beautiful image!!
jocko500
wonderful image and pov here a link you may like http://www.featherlessbiped.com/halloween/hallows.htm and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fomorians and something before the Druidic was the Fomorian who was very evil. the may have made thes stone buildings. no one knows http://mystiek.canandanann.nl/mystiek%20paginas/landschap20.htm but this the Fomorian may not have nothing to do with what we know as Hallween today or in the time of the Druidic racebut this is Irland and not Czech
zoren
great Halloween to you also... this threshold seems to lead to a fantastical world.
RodS Online Now!
Fantastic photo, Chip! This is really beautiful - so well compsed, and with all those lovely old buildings. Most excellent!
clbsmiley
Great image and narrative! :)
kgb224
Outstanding work my friend.
helanker
WOW, Chip. It is absolutely gorgeous. When I saw it, I thought.. WOOOT? I completely forgot the portal for the beautiful city down the street. I love this image :-) Yeah from one world to another :)
prutzworks
cool shot, interesting info!
durleybeachbum
So refreshing! It's very interesting to learn a new (to me) name for the celebrations at this time of year. The superb image invities me to step through... maybe I should kennel the dogs and visit Prague!
flavia49
magnificent capture!!
KateBlack10
love the narrative and the shot - Happy Samhain to you! The shot really gives me that feeling that I am walking from one place to another. Well done
costapanos
Happy Samhain! Beautiful capture as well as narrative. Love the pw in this image as the other side of the threshold draws you in.
makron
Fantastic photo. Very wel the POV
sandra46
i like this tricky image, a perfect creation and realization!
myrrhluz
It is Nov. 2nd, so I shall wish you, Feliz Dia de los Muertos! It is a time to remember departed loved ones with celebrations and has roots back 2500 - 3000 years ago in the Aztec civilization and other indigenous civilizations of Mexico. It speaks of the threshold of life and death, and of looking back into memories. Fascinating and beautiful image. I like the blurred gold connection in the arch and the change from large square slabs of pavement to small cobblestones. It does look like a portal, and makes me think of a Star Trek episode. I don't remember the aliens' name, but there were portals, and a lot of snow. Beautiful capture of both sides of the threshold. Excellent image and narrative!
Orinoor
It is reassuring to know that YOU have not been lurking around since 1357. Wonderful image, I love doors and door frames.
auntietk
I'm with Lu ... Star Trek. :) How wonderful to be able to walk from one place into another! I'm eager for that technology, myself. There are plenty of places I'd like to go!
elisheba
Never knew Prague coul look that intriguing... I haven't been there yet but I think this shot expresses and shows many many things about that town. Really makes me want to go there!
praep
Thanks for the informations and for sharing this image - well done shot.
anahata.c
lol, you did it again Chip. A beautiful combination of old & new, chicago & prague, and it's beautifully put together. You even have a little bit of a "fade" in the barrier between the gate and Prague, and that makes us feel we're looking through a portal into time. It's peerless, and the pattern on the rock of the gate matches the pattern on the pavement in Prague. As for Samhain, I appreciate all you said about it. It's one of those "cross quarter" days (which celebrate the midway between the solstices & equinoxes), and yes, everything you said was true & poignant. It's great to see how those cross-quarter days germinate holidays across the planet (carneval, beg of may, etc etc). And for us in the N. Hemisphere, it sure indicates a coming dark, as you say. For that, you gave us a glimpse into another time & place, and I love the shot of Prague: You have old cities in your very cells, you know that, you celebrate them in your words & images, and this just bristles with that sense, it's old & speaks countless tales & has lots of mysteries, and it's packed. Beautiful work! I'm only doing one image tonight (2 long ugh-inspiring days!), but this one's a real beaut. You framed the prague part so well too: the angled roof on the left, how you contained the 'antennae' at the top, and the spill into the old city. Terrific. Hope you had a good halloween too!
lick.a.witch
Samhain (Irish/Scots Gaelic) means Summer's End, although we Welsh call it 'os Calan Gaeafand' the eve of the winter's calendar, or first. Then Christianity popped up and in it's wisom, Samhain was changed to Hallowmas, or All Saints' Day to celebrate those who were canonised during the preceding year. In Cornwall it is called 'Allantide'. ^=^ None of which takes away from this wonderful image or your fascinating narrative. For many reasons this is a favourite, but the main reason is the mention of we Pagans! ^=^
sawade
Hi Chip, the tower is so well known in Europe. But you found a sight, I never saw before, a very good picture, all the best Bernd