THE QUEST FOR THE GRAIL: A THOUSAND YEARS OF VESSELS AND VISIONS
From mysterious serving vessels in medieval romance to relics containing the blood of Christ, from Celtic cauldrons of immortality to luminous stones fallen from Heaven, the Holy Grail has haunted the Western imagination for nearly a thousand years. Part sacred object, part visionary symbol, part initiatory guide, the
read more ▾
Grail continually changes shape in every era that encounters it. Beginning November 1, with cultural historian Jason Lahman, we will trace the Grail through mythology, medieval literature, crusading culture, mysticism, alchemy, Romanticism, Jungian psychology, archaeology, conspiracy theory, fantasy literature, and film. Along the way, we will encounter wounded kings, wandering knights, ruined chapels, otherworldly queens, Templars, alchemists, Wagnerian mystics, Symbolist artists, fascist occultists, and modern seekers pursuing transcendence through archetype. Rather than asking whether the Grail was objectively “real,” we will explore why it became one of the most enduring symbolic and visionary objects in European culture. The Grail continues to possess the imagination and act as a tool for puzzling out how the ineffable takes on form and calls out to human beings to be sought, found, and held.