Sexy Catholic Art, The Hierarchy of Angels, and Bayonetta

A deep dive into the art history & literature history behind the lore behind the lore of Bayonetta.
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00:00 Intro
01:52 Reverse-Orientalism
04:55 Angel-ology
14:35 Sexy Catholic Artwork
Sources:
themodcon.wordpress.com/2017/0...
worldofdante.org
www.esotericarchives.com/oracl...
Biblically accurate angels compilations:
• Biblically Accurate An...
• Biblically Accurate An...

[@sirderpington7704]

this feels like cuthulu with extra steps...

[@emeraldcelestial1058]

Or straps.

[@DeepOne90]

To see the historical base on which Lovecraft based his idea of describing the indescribable by over describing you should read about Negative Theology, that is the idea of describing God by what it is not, as you can't describe the divine.The theologian Meister Eckhart of the XIIIth centuary is a superb example of it.

[@CardfightVanja]

Cthulhu minus extreme xenophobia

[@ince55ant]

cuthulu is the catholicism we have at home

[@lordspork]

@@CardfightVanja or a similar amount of xenophobia

[@Redem10]

Super Bunnyhop became a mythology channel so progressively I haven't even notice

[@meekaboo_]

lol fr, I'm really enjoying it!

[@Beakerbite]

This is what happens when you stare too long into the moving ramen

[@HRIgnomious]

He should play the Shin Megami Tensei games then, he'd have a field day.

[@TheIronSavior]

@@HRIgnomious weeb is a disease

[@chrisbodley8958]

@@Beakerbite I have starred into the ramen I have become the ramen 🍜🍜🍜

[@DeepOne90]

When I was taking my bachelor's degree in philosophy in Italy I took an optional course named: "The History and Experience of Love in the Theology of the 1200's" by the philosopher and theologian Giovanni Salmeri. He looked like Mr. Bean and talked enraptured of the mysthical and pornographic experiance of catholic saints while connecting it to the italian erothic comedies of the 70ies. It was a wild ride and one of the most interesting and fun courses I ever took.

[@epicalduck]

Oh wow now I MUST google this guy, I have a feeling that his works would be a delight to read. Thanks!

[@Ghi102]

It's interesting because both fields are usually studied separately, when in the lived experience of 1200, they were entertwined and inter-related

[@DeepOne90]

@@Ghi102 yeah, there's still a stigma about talking about sexuality related to holy figures in certain academical circles, but it's much more accepted now.

[@Biouke]

Comparative literature classes always are a blast, connecting things you wouldn't have thought were influenced by each other. You stumble on Victor Hugo writing gothic horror in his young days, or a dystopian detective story actually being a philosophy essay on linguistics, or Ulysses revealing himself as a pathological liar :p

[@Venmoch]

On a related note, the indie game "Blasphemous" takes a huge amount of its design, story and art direction from Spanish Catholicism which gives it an incredibly interesting feel unlike anything else out there.

[@emulation2369]

It called Gothic style

[@DeepOne90]

@@emulation2369 no, it's spanish baroque

[@JewTube001]

yeah, it's only got a small touch of sex and BDSM though.

[@MarcDize]

actually I find blasphemous more on the satire side on this than bayonetta

[@dean_l33]

@@MarcDize I find blasphemous is the old testaments of video game

[@andr0oo820]

Dude used his PhD in Classical Literature/History and Religious Studies to give us an in-depth video of where Bayonetta's angelic and demonic mythos comes from. I'm loving dis!

[@adamfrisk956]

I see what you did there

[@melo9796]

As a queer person from Italy, a former art history student, and a Bayonetta stan, I'm extremely thankful for each and every second of this video. You've put into words why this series is so special to me in a way I never could. Bravo!

[@morgannyan2738]

How do you feel about Bayonnetas sexuality?

[@jdbarraz]

My life immediately improves when a Super Bunnyhop video drops.

[@JacobGeller]

Hey this video rules

[@jonalmaraz9101]

Damn it Gorg, I'm now left wanting more explanations of overlooked segments of Catholic art history. Absolutely loved this.

[@michelottens6083]

He didn't even get into how clever and deeply informed all the seemingly shallow witchy stuff is in this game, right down to referencing those ancient christian women saints left mostly out of canon (who started many of the witchy tropes), getting the procreative and early modern imperialist politics behind witchtrials right for once, getting paganism vs. reformation era christianity right, and linking all that right up to what a cataclysmic worldchanging demonic 'heresy' modern women (let alone the queer culture this game codes for) are in the context of the tens of millennia of imperial histories hence. Gorg needs to make Bayonetta art history into a series. This video was nice

[@Bane_Amesta]

@@michelottens6083 Now you reminded me of the accesorioes this game lets you purchase to give Bayonetta some advantages in different ways. All of them are inspired by different countries and game lore wise, made by ancient witches, which are all well known historical figures, like Cleopatra herself, to give just one example

[@michelottens6083]

@@Bane_Amesta Oh right, I'd forgot about those! Yeah they were all really literal references to historic women who'd mostly all fallen to some witch hunt or other, or who'd just had their stories rewritten.

[@Robersora]

All of this was part of my High School Latin, Art and Religious Studies curriculum, it's not overlooked at all (at least not in Austria) This is part of basic European History.

[@jurtheorc8117]

@@Bane_Amesta Most of what I know of that is that the Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa is named after the Hindu deity of death, doom and the end of time, feared by most if not *all* of the pantheon he came from. If i remember correctly, at least.

[@jai249]

for italian iconographic and religious symbolism the games really went into a lot of even small details, like having Balder being associated with peacock imagery, which in renaissance symbolism is related to purity, but also vanity (which is kind of explored in the sequel, which kind of gives a "reverse tarot" reading on the characters of the first one) duality is big theme in the games (especially conisdering the two eyes and factions) also considering the rchitecture of the towns in the games you can see both set in italy: as Vigrid is based on Le Cinque Terre and Noatun on Venice

[@digitaldevilgirl]

I’ve adored St. Theresa and Baroque art ever since I took art history in college and I feel incredibly dumb for all the sexuality of it flying right over my head. Never came up in my classes 😭

[@Kyfow]

Yeah, let's just say it probably wasn't a literal spear that angel was holding

[@JoaoPaulo-zd2qj]

Don't feel dumb. It would've downplayed the mystical side of the experience, also the sculptor took some liberties for the artistical representation of the saint's experience.

[@homestuck_official]

@@JoaoPaulo-zd2qj Sexuality and mysticism aren't opposites lmao

[@JoaoPaulo-zd2qj]

@@homestuck_official in this case, it had nothing to do with the experience and it mainly comes from the ambiguity of the sculptor’s work.

[@homestuck_official]

@@JoaoPaulo-zd2qj Bro are you telling me a dream where a beautiful angel impales the dreamer with a spear of fire that makes her moan of pain AND ecstasy is devoid of any sexual connotation?

[@CellHead]

I think this legit might be my favorite video of yours, that opening salvo was so cathartic to hear after constantly being told when talking to people about the series how "sexist and objectifying" the character and game are, when what was actually sexist and objectifying was people's views on human sexuality. Excellent work (Also I can't believe the Vatican invented ahegao)

[@luisoncpp]

Probably those artists didn't _invented_ that, imho it's quite possible to have roots in greco-roman art. Also, it would be better if you find another term rather than "The Vatican" (maybe Catholic artists?), it makes it sound as if it was something deliberatly planed and coordinated in the institutional level instead of just people expressing themselves. It's hard for me to find a good analogy, but the best that I can find is that it would be like saying that Bantam Books invented Game of Thrones, or that Shueshia invented One Piece.

[@Well_Meaning]

I love that you used William Blake's illustrations as backgrounds-- I honestly think the observation "how the hell did Blake manage to infiltrate Japanese media so hard?" is worthy of a thesis, let alone a youtube video, considering how ignored he is here in the west. Hell, even Urizen is hanging out in DMC on a first name basis.

[@MegaDeox]

Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden loves the guy. The Chemical Wedding, Bruce's fifth solo album, has tons of songs inspired by Blake, and the cover art is also a Blake piece. Excellent album.

[@Mene0]

V literally quotes the guy several times in DMC 5

[@joshmay2944]

Idk why you think Blake is ignored in the West? His work has been hugely influential, even to the point that his poetry is often included in high school English courses...

[@Well_Meaning]

@@joshmay2944 yeah if you count 'The Tyger'-- but for the most part, schools only acknowledge his lyrics. The majority of his work was prophetic.

[@YurimoHikashi]

@@joshmay2944 influential sure but many have not heard of Lots of things influence without proper credit

[@Birmanncat]

Seeing George again talking about silly japanese videogames is like feeling finally returning home while being already at home.

[@XanderGrishchenko]

Another slasher title developed by Japanese studio with some of the people who worked on Bayonetta and DMC is El Shaddai:Ascension of the Metatron. It is based on apocryphal Book of Enoch and delves into some kind of nephilim apocalypse which was caused by the fallen angels who influenced the evolution of humans and pushed it into some dark direction. Man, this game is criminally overlooked. The visual presentation is phenomenal, each new level looks different from the previous one. I could argue that in terms of visual diversity this game stands on one level with such titles like American Mcgee's Alice and Superliminal. It constantly tries to surprise you with new landscapes and vistas. I've had this game sitting in my backlog for years and having recently played it I can say I had a blast with it. Please, play El Shaddai and meet this forgotten sibling of Bayonetta and Devil May Cry

[@stonearmor]

Cruel Altea in Bayo 3 is basically the Gale

[@1Synner]

Ooh, I have that game on the PS3! I sadly haven't finished it though. Too many other great games in my collection beckoning my attention. Gotta get back to it some day. Hope it gets a port to current systems so other players can have a second chance at checking it out.

[@XanderGrishchenko]

@@1Synner Actually El Shaddai has been released for pc in 2021 as a remastered version, that's the version I've played

[@1Synner]

@@XanderGrishchenko Oh cool... but I was also talking about console ports too, not just PC.

[@XanderGrishchenko]

@@1Synner let's just hope this recent re-release sells well enough and then we may have a chance of seeing more console ports in the future

[@Spelonker]

Two points. 1. you should really listen to the Secret History of Western Esotericism podcast (SHWEP) for a largely chronological, academic tour through the texts and historical moments that created the canon of the "occult" and much of Abrahamic religion. It's beyond fascinating and highly sourced and thorough. 2. Kamiya knows a lot more about occultism and folklore than people give him credit for. There's the obvious Divine Comedy references in DMC1, but don't forget that it was originally going to be a weird Resident Evil game, so the premise was that Spencer (founder of Umbrella) was genuinely hundreds of years old due to being an alchemist, and his castle was covered in usually accurate occult-referencing experiments, articulating the process of the Magnum Opus. I'm talking about the designs for KEYS in the game it's that granular. Broadly it was the VITRIOL process as it serves as a nice allegory for character development, but there are lots of weird little references you'd have to thumb through some books on alchemy to get (as well as, weirdly, a reference to Shingon Buddhism what with the Siddham script used as the demonic alphabet in the game). But outside of that, Okami references some very specific and not too well known Kyoto myths, and Bayonetta is naturally referencing overt "Christian" esotericism (which is also a mix of Jewish and pagan Greek and Roman ideas), including John Dee's much later and very singular visions and writings of the angels and aethers. Part of it might also be Daigo Ikeno's influence as his notes in the DMC artbook reveal a similar fascination with occultism and mythology, pulling from unusual and interesting sources for his monster designs.

[@thepaleprinceofruins9203]

Thanks for mentioning the podcast!

[@a_blind_sniper]

Cool Angel's Thesis

[@blameitonthebubble5294]

That's one hell of a title for a video.

[@kadosho02]

Bayonetta, and the themes within each entry are fascinating. So much work went into every design, detail, and the language of angels, and demons. Excellent video

[@zipzap7165]

honestly loving these recent videos where you talk about how history and folklore and stuff influence games

[@MforMovesets]

Fun fact: Dantes Inferno aka The Divine Comedy is actually funny. Its like a celeb roast of people who have been dead for millenia.

[@panos3320]

Bayonetta is so rich and deep concept wise. I always appreciated it for going the extra mile. Glad to see some apreciation towards things that arent just it's gameplay.

[@joepwrsurge]

So glad the series is only on Switch.

[@panos3320]

@@joepwrsurge Could do with a machine that gives it more room to breathe.

[@Robersora]

Today I learnt that the US doesn't have basic art history in high school and suddenly their prevalent Puritanism makes so much sense

[@M2Brad]

Glad to see you still on the grind George :) Great uploads as always and I hope to hear more from you soon!

[@RamHornBeast]

It's so nice to have you back Mr Bunnyhop.

[@FrMZTsarmiral]

Absolutely loved this video. The amount of thought that went into the art direction and lore of this game is something else so seeing a video talking about it in detail was a treat.

[@kevinsongxin2551]

I've been supporting this man for 3 years straight financially and his topics are getting more and more arcane for some reason and I love it

[@JPR2OOO]

You always put so much effort and research into your videos, they are such a treat whenever they come out and your great writing makes topics accessible and entertaining. Gotta get around to the illiad reading sometime soon!

[@SoniaRN819]

Honestly some of the best work out this platform, absolutely love your content

[@Suducki]

I really love the direction this channel took! This is cool, interesting stuff.

[@Magnusiumum]

Love that you are back at making videos George! Always a plessant suprise when you post a new video!

[@alexanderburlyka2843]

George, your work is getting better than ever (and it was already pretty damn terrific). It's a joy and an inspiration, seeing you do what you love, and love what you do. Thank you😊

[@sass2836]

Super Bunnyhop + Bayonetta is a combination I didn't know how badly I needed. Can't wait to watch.

[@Ocarina654]

I'm so glad you're back George. What a really great video!

[@davidguthriemusic]

this was one of the most interesting videos you've ever put out, learned a ton and your perspective was great!

[@COLDCHEMICALpresents]

I've been watching your videos for many years now George and this might just be my all-time favorite!

[@MarioVelezBThinkin]

You are seriously one of the most underrated essayists on any platform. This is the greatest understanding of Bayoneta I have ever heard. It makes so much sense!

[@MA-qu3hi]

So glad you're back in the swing george

[@lectorintellegat]

George, that’s not what Dionysius is saying - you referenced his neo-platonism, he’s speaking in terms of forms and essence. Dionysius is saying that the strange descriptions of angels using earthly aspects (eg wheels, eyes, eagles, lions, etc) are: (A) not the same as their spiritual essence, which is beyond human comprehension; (B) very possibly chosen for the human observer so as to be able to understand. He’s most certainly NOT saying that these beings have no basis in reality, but are really just metaphorical. As you imply, that is very much a lens applied as early as Hobbes but which becomes predominant in the 19th/20th century. In short, this concerns a difference of metaphysics, not hermeneutic - Dionysius thinks of ‘things’ differently to most moderns, precisely because he’s a Neoplatonist. (In the same way, the post-Freudian obsession with sex as liberation is likely the cause of those spurious readings of Theresa of Avila and other medieval saints. This is a modern imposition - we can’t think of ourselves non-sexually and we insist on thinking of sexuality as the most important thing about being human, and so we enforce that on our ancestors. It’s the definition of anachronism.) (EDIT: as for nudity in medieval / renaissance art - it seems tenuous to suggest that the mere presence of nudity is indicative of some repressed desire. Again, this is just Freud writ large. Previous centuries were more ok with nudity, even in public; look at Chaucer’s Canterbury tales. There’s no dissonance here. Compare renaissance nudity with Victorian - they are very different in their emphases and what the modern interpreter would call ‘gaze’.)

[@PainCausingSamurai]

I was watching the Sonic rings burst out of the enemies as Bayonetta stomped them and I swear the music playing in the background morphed into "Can't you feel the sunshine" in my head.

[@alchemist27ish]

Been loving your uploads recently!

[@Hiigara568]

The entire "angelology" section was great! Thanks for giving me more context on a subject that I was previously not able to really articulate. The neoplatonism and the symbols of the angels makes a lot more sense now with that perspective.

[@LoudCity025]

Extremely fascinating video. Thank you for making this really digestible. Love the deep dive

[@djblaklite]

this is why i love this channel

[@craftycatgirl3939]

It's good to have you back, George.

[@doctorp7130]

Really excellent vid George, loved watching this one

[@anedaneran5666]

I already watched it on Nebula, but I'm commenting for the engagement. Keep up the good work, George! I hope you're having fun with it.

[@Amiryllis_Thorn]

As soon as the Sexy Catholic Artwork section started I knew the Ecstasy of St. Theresa would be coming up lol

[@vxscop]

Great video George, I really enjoyed the pit on the ecstasy of St. Theresa. When I was in high school, my Government/Trivia team coach talked about it a bit and it kinda stuck with me. Hope you keep working, look forward to your next video!

[@jowi_24seven43]

This is great, i could take another hour of you exploring this in more detail :)

[@rockandrollbit]

OH SHIT! I love your videos!! Always happy to see an upload.

[@nagisashiota6110]

Absolutely fantastic video, great work!!!

[@THERODRIGOoriginal]

Great video. Always loved your stuff!

[@dholeplays1211]

Hella good video, thank you for diving into Bayonetta like this!

[@Mene0]

George with constant uploads again 🙏 bless this timeline

[@Linkman247]

Very well put together video and love the research you clearly did.

[@badco494]

This is top notch analysis George. I hope someone like yourself continues to make sense of the gaming world.

[@GkSanchez]

I missed this kind of video, thanks for the work, Gorg.

[@TheYazamat]

Amazing video as always!

[@totlyepic]

Haven't seen Heval, but super interested in anything covering Rojava. It's such an amazing project that more people should know about, no matter how long it manages to last.

[@Android480]

George, I absolutely love everything you make.

[@PlaylistGeneral]

George no matter how nerdy your interests become, no matter how much they steer your content away from the most popular audience draws, I want you to never stop being such a huge dork. Your latest content is adding knowledge to the world and it's so cool. I never thought I'd read the Illiad! Thanks for persisting with following your interests!

[@MattRoszak]

Very educational and entertaining video!

[@danieldsantiagorodriguez4955]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is the sort of in depth analysis that I love to hear about video games and this sort of media. I especially love the world of Bayonetta because of how well researched it is for it's designs and lore inspirations. The Bayonetta fandom is one that is in severe need of more of this type of content.

[@hannahmonteiro9229]

Yeah, when I read that passage from Theresa's autobiography for the first time and saw that sculpture in art class, I was like "Yeah, "vision"...riiiiiiiight." I always had the opinion that she had a *very* vivid dream of taking it up the backside, came so hard that she screamed to high heaven upon waking up and had to sugarcoat the dream (since she didn't want to lie) when asked about it by the other nuns when they came running.

[@confkins]

Such a good video, I always knew the catholic influences in Bayonetta (as a former catholic myself), but actually seeing it in classical literature and art is wonderful. Such a thoughtful and entertaining game, and video!

[@shizukagozen777]

This is so interesting, I could have easily watched a 4 hour video on the subject. Thanks a lot. 👍

[@TheSpectator64]

George keep going with this approach instead of a straight review since this new approach is way more versatile when it comes to talking points or overall takes of a game. Keep it up, good stuff 👌

[@JimPanzeeEsq]

Best vid in a good long while, keep it up ;-)

[@MenacingSnail]

Loved this video, keep it up

[@dary0097]

I'm playing Bayoneta 1 atm and Iam astounded by how Much Detail they put into this game.. I Love It ! 😅

[@panterxbeats]

This is my favourite video of yours. no doubt

[@Jereeeeeeee]

The art history/classical channel we needed

[@PastirellaGuitar]

Amazing video!!

[@jahncena9126]

This was awesome, thank you George

[@kiloalphahotel5354]

Thanks for the vid. Always great.

[@JohnnyEscopeta]

I’m glad you finally decided to open a book to find out where much of the video games inspiration comes from :)

[@CynicalBastard]

Been liking the new video subjects: it's cool. I have to delve into this new book I got, called After Life - it's been called a romp in "medieval dialecticism" and covers a lot of the same sorts of topics you've been delving into recently - so I am both namedropping and saying: good stuff, man. Liking it a lot.

[@alexander33221]

i luv u. In all seriousness, great work George, as always.

[@jamesdempsey1330]

Good goddamn, George - It sounds like you've really found a comfortable and confident point. I'm all here for it.

[@ShowMeLoveFilms]

I ADORE Bayonetta, it's my favorite video game of all time. I already knew the devs did mad amounts of research to make this game as jam packed as they did - and seeing all the history this game alludes too is wild. Great job on this video, it's well-informed and beautifully handled!

[@virginiamontaldo440]

I will say this: as an Italian I really appreciated Bayonetta 1's imagery and lore, it made for a unique game with moments of awe and wonder. Bayonetta 2 and 3 are good games but nowhere near that symbolic richness Bayo 1 had, and in game reviews fixated with only gameplay this will never come up. I miss that richness, especially with Angels.

[@JuliusCaesar103]

Well this was a great video, goes to show how much research goes behind some games that without looking deeper into them, we just assume that the artists are going wild with the artistic vision and not grounding it in an already existent framework and expanding upon it in extremely creative ways, wild stuff, goes to show that the best art always has inspirations and is not a work that comes from the void.

[@MarbledRyeBread]

I love the turn the channel has taken over the years. I feel like not enough people are out there performing mythological archeology on our favorite hobbies and games.

[@megyskermike]

I mean this when I say it, nobody does it better than you and I'm overjoyed to see you creating/posting things for youtube lately~

[@GrandpaRonin]

Hahah great use of Verdi's Dies Irae... Another entertaining yet informative video once again. Bravo.

[@raudive7451]

bayo commentary? never knew i wanted this.

[@CoconutmilkFilms]

Never imagined there to be such depth in Bayonetta, despite the obvious quality and style of the series. Bravo!

[@empatheticrambo4890]

I saw a video once about the way drag shows are evoked through Bayonnetta, which I feel like relevant as well and adds a number of extra layers. But I don’t know enough to expand on that point, just look into it

[@golevka]

As always, thank you for elevating my enjoyment of my favorite games. This one and the past 9 or 10 years' worth

[@Demigod_3scrub]

Finally he's back!!!

[@waterdragon6878]

That opening statement just kept going to places i didn't think they ever could

[@Rokiriko]

This dude REALLY doesn't want to talk about video games.

[@Dunoid]

Missed opportunity to use "Occidentalism" instead of Reverse-Orientalism to sound pretentious.

[@serse8455]

"Reverse-Orientalism" sounded funny and expressed a slightly different thing from what "Occidentalism" mean. It describes the Eng -> Jp -> Eng passages. Listen to that part of the video again

[@JulianDN]

@@serse8455 I agree, not the same thing

[@exploshaun]

I love how bayonetta is the most historically accurate witch in gaming. Also I never realized that the text refers to platinum games for imagining the wheels as dragons 🐉

[@Plasmacat1]

What an amazing video, I really missed the angels on the third game, the new ones are just generic aliens or at least feel like them. As someone who was raised Catholic and is surrounded by it's doctrines everywhere it's cool to see, though I'm not practicing or a believer. I always laughed at how bombastic and "blasphemous" Bayonetta always been regarding angels and such.

[@kylerclarke2689]

Man. This is a real great video

[@luisguillermojg]

How is this not sponsored by Adam & Eve?

[@kadosho02]

That would be divine comedy

[@GianniLeonhart]

i was looking for this exact comment, im glad im not the only one who thought about it wth george?

[@KarolaTea]

Great video, thank you! Very interesting :)

[@melon3109]

Finally watching this video on Easter weekend just feels right.