Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
pompe
English translation:
liturgical splendor (in this particular case)
French term
pompe
DOC: 1907 Museum catalog of ancient mirrors -- Introduction, section about materials used for mirror handles.
CONTEXT: Bois. - [....] Le bois paraît être la matière que les Égyptiens choisissaient, toutes les fois qu'ils recherchaient un effet de richesse (...), ou une décoration polychrome quelque peu compliquée. Nous en avons la preuve par les manches nos 19508 et 44035. Le premier est rehaussé avec beaucoup d'apparat d'un placage partiel d'or travaillé au repoussé et dont le caractère barbare n'est pas sans beauté. Le contraste entre l'or appliqué en bandes larges, rectilignes et sans découpures et le bois simplement poli, est évidemment un peu déroutant pour notre esthétique. Pour lui restituer sa vraie beauté, il faut rétablir par la pensée cet objet dans son cadre, c'est-à-dire parmi ces insignes et parures d'une orfèvrerie brutale, destinés à produire tout leur effet dans la ***pompe*** d'un cérémonial africain.
ATTEMPT: To accord it its true beauty, it is necessary to envision this object in its context, i.e., among such insignia and ornaments of crude silver- and goldwork, which were designed for maximum effect in the ***ceremonies*** of an African ritual.
QUERY: Something just doesn't ring true in my translation of this phrase, can someone please correct/make a suggestion?
Thank you in advance!
5 | liturgical splendor | Christopher Crockett |
4 | pomp | philgoddard |
3 | cortège solennel | A Tisserand |
3 | pomp | Didier Fourcot |
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Jan 23, 2017 13:16: Christopher Crockett Created KOG entry
Jan 23, 2017 14:42: Christopher Crockett changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/39371">Christopher Crockett's</a> old entry - "pompe "" to ""liturgical splendor (in this particular case)""
Proposed translations
liturgical splendor
Surfeited and jaded as we are by the plethora of man-made objects in our own world, it is quite difficult for us to imagine ("déroutant") the profound effect which such splendid objects would have had on folks who lived in a much, much more nature-centered universe --which was, of course, precisely the overwhelming and stupifying effect which was intended by the creators/patrons of these objects.
In this context --and in view of the simple magnificence of Egyptian metalwork (as well as all other crafts)-- I am inclined to reject the reading of "orfèvrerie brutale" as "crude"; surely Professor Bénédite intended something like "vigorous," vibrant" or even "virile."
So, I would suggest something along the lines of:
To fully appreciate its true beauty, we must envision this object as it was used in its intended context: among the insignia and bejeweled ornaments of a vigorous tradition of luxurious objects in gold and silver, specifically designed to enhance the liturgical splendor of African religious ceremonies.
cortège solennel
pomp
1
show of magnificence : splendor <every day begins … in a pomp of flaming colours — F. D. Ommanney>
2
: a ceremonial or festival display (as a train of followers or a pageant)
pomp
http://queme.net/eng/news_detail.php?numb=944
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//...
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