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I find it very interesting how a golden statue of an angel has made its way to the tops of Mormon temples. Consider the meaning of this iconic symbol to all the believers. What does it represent? To the prophet, it represents purity and righteousness. The angel gazes to the Hill Cumorah... to our homeland.

When I prepared to leave Toronto following the concluding dedicatory session, I gazed upward toward heaven, that I might offer a silent prayer of gratitude to God for His watchful care, His bounteous blessings and for “days never to be forgotten.” High above the gleaming white temple, which personifies purity and reflects righteousness, is the gold-leafed statue of the Angel Moroni. I remembered being told that from that height of 105 feet, on a clear day one can see all the way to Cumorah. I noted that in Moroni’s hand was his familiar trumpet. He was gazing homeward—homeward to Cumorah. The beautiful Toronto Temple prepares all who enter to return homeward—homeward to heaven, homeward to family, homeward to God.

"Days Never to Be Forgotten" PRESIDENT THOMAS S. MONSON, Nov. 1990



Alternatively, please consider another statue. Artist Damien Hirst designed a statue of an angel named "verify", proposed to be installed in the town of Ilfracombe along the devon coast of southwest England. "With an internal frame of stainless steel, the bronze-finished figure is of a pregnant women standing atop a plinth of books, holding a glass-fiber sword above her head with her left hand and a set of scales behind her back as she gazes out seaward. The work, called 'a monumental modern allegory of truth and justice', is thought to be the most recent piece in hirst's 'virgin mother' series." Here she is:



Interestingly, Moroni is thought to represent purity and righteousness while Verify is thought to represent truth and justice. Why is that? Is it the difference between sword/scales and a trumpet? How might the Mormon prophet interpret the statue Verify atop his temple as it looks to Cumorah on the horizon?

Have a Wonderful day!

Zee.

A quick correction, Zeez. Hirst's proposed sculpture is titled "Verity" (Truth). As an "angel of the West," Hirst is playing off of Antony Gormley's sculpture The Angel of the North (and would be slightly taller than it too):



In 2008, German sculptor, Julian Voss-Andreae, created a public work called Angel of the West for the grounds of the Scripps Research Institute. His work is based on the structure of the human antibody and references da Vinci's well known Vitruvian Man drawing:



I think it would be interesting to conceptualize an Angel of the (american) West... I think a monumental size for such a work is almost a given; it's arguably more apt than the size of Hirst's, anyway.

But back to the first angel of your OP. Have you seen the Los Angeles temple Moroni? He's quite good, I think:

Was this the same angel who threatened Joseph if he failed to reintroduce plolygamy???

Blixa wrote:A quick correction, Zeez. Hirst's proposed sculpture is titled "Verity" (Truth). As an "angel of the West," Hirst is playing off of Antony Gormley's sculpture The Angel of the North (and would be slightly taller than it too):

oh.. thank you! [blush]

I think it would be interesting to conceptualize an Angel of the (american) West... I think a monumental size for such a work is almost a given; it's arguably more apt than the size of Hirst's, anyway.

This is very nice.

But back to the first angel of your OP. Have you seen the Los Angeles temple Moroni? He's quite good, I think:

I have never seen this before. This is excellent.

I'm a little embarrassed about my shoddy research.

...and I just learned that this was the first angel set on a temple (Nauvoo).



Check out that hat! Where did that come from?

zeezrom wrote:...and I just learned that this was the first angel set on a temple (Nauvoo).



Check out that hat! Where did that come from?

It almost looks like he is wearing part of the temple clothes (hat and robe, but not sash and apron).

dblagent007 wrote:

zeezrom wrote:...and I just learned that this was the first angel set on a temple (Nauvoo).



Check out that hat! Where did that come from?

It almost looks like he is wearing part of the temple clothes (hat and robe, but not sash and apron).

The only non-vertical Moroni.

There are only six versions of Moroni:
1) the non-vertical Nauvoo weather vane Moroni
2) the Cyrus Dallin version on the SLC temple (I assume this model is used on other temples, too?)
3) the lovely Millard F. Malin version that is only on the Los Angeles temple
4) the Avard Fairbanks model first commissioned for the DC temple and also found on the Seattle, Jordan River and Mexico City Temples
5) the Torlief Knaphus model used on the Idaho Falls, Atlanta Georgia, and Boston Massachusetts Temples
6) the recent Karl Quilter version which I think is on all temples from the 80's on...

With the exception of the Malin version, all the Moroni's more-or-less follow the Dallin design. The Quilter version which was especially designed when the mini-temples were introduced is in my opinion pretty ugly.

moksha wrote:

Was this the same angel who threatened Joseph if he failed to reintroduce plolygamy???

LOL! Good one...

Blixa wrote:6) the recent Karl Quilter version which I think is on all temples from the 80's on...

With the exception of the Malin version, all the Moroni's more-or-less follow the Dallin design. The Quilter version which was especially designed when the mini-temples were introduced is in my opinion pretty ugly.

I am sort of related to Quilter by marriage. LOL!

Kishkumen wrote:

Blixa wrote:6) the recent Karl Quilter version which I think is on all temples from the 80's on...

With the exception of the Malin version, all the Moroni's more-or-less follow the Dallin design. The Quilter version which was especially designed when the mini-temples were introduced is in my opinion pretty ugly.

I am sort of related to Quilter by marriage. LOL!

Sorry. I think it's visibly the worst of the Moronae(?). I wish I could find a list with every temple and which Moroni is on it.