The distinguished poet James Harpur considers what makes places sacred and whether ‘sacredness’ requires an act of poetic imagination.
‘Craftsmen laboured to make things beautiful not just to please the mind but to raise the mind to God.’
Susan Bachelder is drawn into the eternal beauty of the cosmos through contemplation of its oldest surviving representation
‘There are certain things we all share, like the profound beauty of the heavens above us’
Writer and art historian Diana Darke brings to light the largely unacknowledged influence of Islamic architecture and craftsmen on the iconic buildings of Europe
‘If you are building a prestige project, of course you’re going to go for the best, wherever it comes from.’
Richard Gault explores the meaning of an extraordinary mathematical phenomenon
“A simple equation, once brought to life, can yield enthralling, ever-changing intricacy and beauty. Each feature of a Mandelbrot pattern is unique, despite there being an infinite number of them.”
Robin Thomson appreciates the music of Bach and an inspiring new performance of his St John Passion
“One of the stated aims of the Netherlands Bach Society is ‘to breathe new life into tradition’… The richness of Bach’s works is being opened up to the entire world, for anyone who wants to listen.”
Hilary Davies contemplates the work of stained glass artist Thomas Denny and his portrayal of the poet and visionary Thomas Traherne
“Colour in creation is always incarnate… associated with the living spirit of a thing, an attribute through which life glows.”