An Ugly Mind and Body

By Julius Kronberg

As the work on the throne of swords is nearing it's end I am now once again confronted with the question of how I represent King Saul on his "Throne of Swords". 

The two aspects of the sculpture, the throne and the king that sits upon it must blend in some way to represent a united message of the whole piece. One is an inanimate object, the other a person. I have to believe the inanimate is an extension of the other.

The throne speaks of, and is an extension of the one who made it. Any throne, is a symbol of leadership and power. It will give clues as to the nature of how this leadership and power will be expressed. A throne covered with sharp swords and knives is a rather clear and direct message of confrontation, bloodshed, deceit and violence as being the way the king that designed it will go about leading his nation. This of course is exactly the story line of the TV series from which the image of this throne is taken. And, it's the story line of King Saul, known also as "a bloody king."

Even though King Saul, as far as we know never actually had a throne like this made for himself, his life demonstrated exactly this kind of leadership as the very first king of Israel. 

This is one thing I so appreciate about the Bible, there is simply no fear of sharing not only the good about people, but also certainly cuts no corners in also revealing the ugly side of humanity. If I had been in charge of what goes into the Bible I would have tended to hide that kind of stuff I'm sure. 

This is a story of many missed opportunities, of a wasted life really. The only good thing about Saul was that David who had been anointed to become the next king was able to see how not to deal with his God and how not to run a nation!

So, the question is how dose one depict this kind of person? Well, I'm thinking that since his philosophy of life was all about himself, his comfort, getting what he wanted in his own way, making crazy inconsistent decisions, unforgiving, angry, bitter, and violent, ruled by his own uncontrolled emotions and passions, I would have to make him "ugly".  His body ravaged by hate and bitterness. His mind full of horrible fantasies, jealousies and fears of all around him,  trusting no one.

In the end this man was such a tragic figure. An embarrassment as a king and a leader. A disgrace to himself, his family, his own nation, to the countries around him and of course to his God. 

I have to make an ugly ravaged body of a man, an ugly ravaged mind of a man on an ugly angry throne!

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23.