Depictions of the Sun and Moon in Medieval Art
Since the dawn of civilisation, humankind has looked up at the sky to observe a foreign moving object that changes its shape every nighttime. Almost every civilization and faith has incorporated the moon into their behavior and worldview. The mysterious nature of this catholic object has continually lit up humanity'southward imagination. Depictions of the moon have been present in the background of our history, guiding civilizations through their start steps. Let'south accept a closer expect at some famous examples of the moon in art.
The Moon in Art: The Observer and the Observed
The moon may have been one of the first objects that was observed and documented in art — yet, not in the forms y'all may imagine. One of the oldest examples of the moon in art was constitute in South Africa — the Lebombo bone, a small-scale portable object with 29 notches that could be 35,000 years erstwhile.
Without additional data, it is difficult to conclude whether these cuts truly represent the days of the moon wheel. Can we really call it art or a depiction of the moon? I believe that to a sure extent, we tin. Afterward all, if we imagine ancient hunter-gatherers relying on their observational talent and understanding of nature's cycles to adapt and survive, it is non difficult to imagine that the Moon played a vital role.
Disc and Crescent: Early Depictions of the Moon in Art
Speculations aside, the first "figural" depiction of the moon in fine art was found in Europe. This 3600-year-old bronze disc was excavated in Germany, and is known as the Nebra Sky Disc, a apartment statuary circumvolve decorated with circular and crescent-shaped gold inlays. It may once have been used for astronomical observations. The crescent is near likely the moon, while the circular shapes might be the Sun or the Moon, too. Since they are all made from the same metal, information technology is impossible to tell for sure and we must apply our imaginations.
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Two Goddesses, One Moon
In Europe, the first confirmed visual depictions of the moon in art emerged in ancient Hellenic republic. As was the example with other natural phenomena, the moon was personified as a divinity and at some bespeak, in that location were simultaneously two prominent goddesses related to the moon. One was the moon's personification named Selene. A small crescent moon or a lunar disc is shown in her pilus and she wears a loose veil symbolizing the moon on its journey. This is the reason why Selene is normally depicted in movement — either driving a chariot or riding on horseback, like to the lord's day god Helios. Both were depicted together on the eastward pediment of the Parthenon driving their chariots; Helios is ascension and Selene is descending into the body of water.
Interestingly, these personifications of the lord's day and moon have a parallel in another "couple" of gods — the siblings Apollo and Artemis. Their area of influence was much broader and their identify in the pantheon was not and so symbolic simply was more "entwined" with the man world. What was the reason behind having a second goddess related to the moon when they already had Selene to represent the moon itself? Firstly, information technology was part of the Greek agreement of faith. Although important, Selene was seen every bit a symbolic figure rather than someone with existent power over human being life.
In contrast, Artemis was an important goddess of hunting and, perhaps more importantly, of childbirth. A connection between the moon and the women's menstrual cycle was most likely made and according to i myth, Artemis was able to aid her mother with the birth of her twin brother.
The crescent moon may as well have been thought to resemble a bow, the characteristic hunting weapon of Artemis. Then how tin can y'all tell Artemis and Selene apart? If you have ever visited (or program to visit) the Vatican museum, you will detect a total-figure statue of Artemis-Diana with her bow and a crescent moon set up in her hair. Although a Roman copy, it is possible that the crescent was added much later during the Renaissance Era to strengthen the iconographic connection. However, when you await at aboriginal ceramics and statues, yous will hardly observe whatsoever moon-related iconography.
Artemis, as the goddess of the chase, wears a typical brusque hunting tunic and usually carries a bow and arrow, and is accompanied by animals. At that place were exceptions with local variants, such equally Artemis of Ephesus, who took on more of a mother goddess function. In contrast, Selene was usually seen "on the move", representing the moon's cycle, and her clothes corresponded with the long and rich ones seen on other goddesses. While Artemis has sometimes worn a lunate crown (not exclusive to her), Selene is shown with her characteristic crescent headdress. In the ancient Roman Empire, Artemis and Selene were viewed similarly and named Diana and Luna respectively.
Drama in the Moonlight
With a change of religion and the fall of the Roman empire, depictions of the moon in fine art and the iconography associated with it shifted. The pre-Christian gods and goddesses were pushed into oblivion by Christianity. The Bible besides doesn't attribute significant value to the moon as a symbol, then we generally find it in the groundwork of specific events as a function of a circuitous iconography. Both the sunday and the moon were symbolic and supplemented dramatic scenery, specially for the Crucifixion of Christ.
One of the most important events in Christianity, the crucifixion, is vividly described in the Bible and it was natural for artists and clerics to depict this event in as much detail as possible, due to high levels of illiteracy. There were several reasons why both the sun and the moon were included in this scene. The first is that a moment of unnatural darkness following the crucifixion is mentioned in the Bible, emphasizing the dramatic appeal of the scene.
The second is that the moon in the fine art may have represented God'due south cosmic anger over the death of his only son, equally both the moon and the sunday were a manifestation of divine ability. The third possible explanation is that they represented the Church (dominicus) and the Synagogue (moon). In some late Medieval depictions, they are both partially or fully personified and tin be seen mourning Christ'south decease. They often have facial features (in the moon's case usually equally a crescent with a human face up), which may be related to the idea of the man on the moon. The idea of the moon with a homo face too prevailed during the Renaissance Catamenia.
In medieval alchemy books and manuscripts on the other hand, the moon was typically used every bit a symbol for hidden ingredients or the power of nature. However, this knowledge was limited but to a small grouping and was highly specialized. Fiddling attending was paid to the artistry of these depictions. In a way, this was similar to the crucifixion scenes, in that the moon was meant to be a symbol, non a faithful representation of a natural phenomenon.
Scientific Observations
In the Renaissance, January van Eyck observed the moon with the tools that were at his disposal. Although he was unable to employ a telescope, he included spots on the moon in his religious painting. For example, in one of his most famous pieces, The Crucifixion and The Last Judgment diptych, he painted the Moon in a waning phase, hanging low in the early on morning sky, based on the Biblical account, his observations of the "dark" moon, and last full moon mentioned in gospels. It was an interesting perspective from van Eyck that combined strong religious symbolism with natural observation.
A more scientific approach to the moon in fine art began in the 17th century, and information technology went hand-in-mitt with scientific evolution. Artists had better tools to observe the surface and phases of the Moon, and they slowly began translating this newly accumulated knowledge into art. Another grouping of "artists" were scientists trying to create authentic drawings. During the Renaissance Period, at that place were many examples of the merging of these two perspectives, for example in the works of Leonardo da Vinci.
A large breakthrough came with the invention of the telescope, which marked a great first step towards realistic depictions of the moon in art. Of form, people were interested in scientific observation during the Middle Ages and Antiquity as well, but they lacked the tools to observe the moon and they were strongly influenced by religion and folklore.
The start detailed sketches of the moon'southward surface during different phases were created by John Russell in the 18th century. He spent more 20 years observing, documenting, and drawing the moon, resulting in a serial of pastel drawings with an near photographic look. Even today, they are some of the nearly faithful depictions of the moon, and they are ofttimes dislocated with loftier-resolution photographs.
Romantic Scenery: Depictions of the Moon
New ideas that focused on human beings changed the manner artists depicted the moon in fine art. This wave of romantic ideas and melancholy art, present in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, meant that artists began to employ the moon to create the right temper in their artwork. A nifty representation of this arroyo can be seen in 2 Men Contemplating the Moon past Caspar David Friedrich. Yous probably know the Wanderer above the Sea of Fog past this great painter, in which the fog is used equally a "melancholic" natural phenomenon.
In Two Men Contemplating the Moon, the fog's part is replaced by the moon. A dramatic scene is shown, with two men standing with their backs to the viewer, perhaps engaged in a word while observing the dramatic mural. The crescent moon in a higher place them creates the impression that there is something hidden that simply the moon tin can run across. Interestingly, Friedrich also painted some other version of this scene, Man and Adult female Contemplating the Moon, which is more colorful and less dramatic. The reason backside this mystical and melancholic scenery is a romantic view of feel that goes beyond the human mind and logic, and that is bachelor only through our emotions and sentiment. Interestingly, this emotional depiction worked well. According to one critic's story, ane of these paintings inspired the famous playwright Samuel Beckett'due south play Waiting for Godot.
This new arroyo to the moon in art that emphasized temper and emotions was likewise nowadays in English schools of fine art. J.Yard.W. Turner'due south painting, The Fighting Temeraire, uses soft moonlight to create an atmosphere of something hidden, preparing us for an upcoming catastrophe. The painting is strangely vivid, with a soft color palette similar to Friedrich's artwork.
This approach can exist contrasted with an earlier work by Turner, the Fishermen At Ocean. Information technology was Turner's first oil painting exhibited at the Imperial Academy and it depicts a dramatic night scene with a small fishing boat struggling in the waves. The moon is very brilliant, and its cold, dominant calorie-free contrasts with the smaller, warm light coming out of fishermen'due south lantern. Turner depicted the moon in several other paintings, but these two examples best correspond the new significant given to the moon in art, non as a symbol just as a means to create a dramatic atmosphere.
Window From the Asylum
Despite all the works mentioned above, there is one painting of the moon in art, whose fame trumps them all. Vincent Van Gogh's The Starry Nighttime is undoubtedly ane of the virtually beloved and recognizable paintings in mod Western art. Painted with the creative person's feature stylized brush strokes and vivid colors, this painting was, at least according to his letters, not the writer's favorite. It is no secret that Van Gogh suffered from mental illness and was treated in an asylum at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Starry Nighttime was painted from the artist's room window overlooking the village.
When we focus on the moon, we can meet that it is highly stylized and according to astronomers, during the nighttime this painting was supposed to have been created, the Moon was in a different phase. Van Gogh's idea of the Moon was rather symbolic, specially when compared to an unusually bright star, most likely Venus (as confirmed by astronomers, the planet was very bright during that time). Numerous art historians have tried to translate the painting by studying the artist's letters and illness, simply in that location is little doubt that the prominent moon in The Starry Night was stylized in a similar manner to in ancient or medieval times in that information technology is symbolic rather than atmospheric or realistic.
The Moon in Art: A Silent Force
In more modern times, it is worth mentioning a rather playful piece of fine art, the Canis familiaris Barking at the Moon, by Joan Miro. Information technology is not an artwork that features his feature shapes and forms and we can hands place a small dog and the Moon with a stylized profile. Together with them, there is also a ladder in front of a sparse landscape with a nighttime sky. Even if we cannot see it, there is a personal and agreeable story behind this scene. Miro drew some sketches at his family unit farm in Kingdom of spain and one of the preparatory sketches for this epitome too featured text. The dog is shown howling "bow wow", while the unimpressed moon replies "You know, I don't give a damn".
Unfortunately, it was not included in the final painting, just a certain amusing and quirky style is still visible in the color palette and the distance is emphasized by the ladder. This painting was also shared by Elon Musk on Twitter when promoting a new cryptocurrency, the Dogecoin. The painting was jokingly renamed "Doge Barking at the Moon".
The 20th century was an era of many different styles and lots of experimentation, yet the moon was still just as much a part of fine art, used to emphasize artists' intentions. We tin can find information technology in Henri Rousseau'southward paintings, which focus on the participants of the scene rather than the passive moon in the background. Paul Klee and Edward Munch treated the moon similarly.
Sometimes, the moon has appeared just every bit a stylized decoration, as in Alphonse Mucha's painting Clair de Lune. This is non to say that these artists found the moon to be unimportant — on the reverse, the moon was nowadays in their artworks for a reason. That reason could be as simple as telling the viewer that a scene is taking place at night, or information technology could be more than symbolic representing something subconscious, and possibly malicious, lurking in the darkness. Sometimes mod artists have only created a new perspective on the moon from a technical point of view — as in cubism or neo-expressionism.
Nosotros accept only touched on some of the virtually famous depictions of the moon in art, predominantly in Europe. Of course, there were (and are) other cultures with their own unique creative languages and mythological traditions that translated the meaning of this cosmic object. For the last four centuries in Europe, the moon was studied both as something abstract and mystical, and practical and scientific. Whether an creative person sees the moon just every bit an object of observation or equally a symbol he/she wants to incorporate into a larger scene, it is entirely up to them. The moon in art is a miracle with numerous faces.
Sources:
Nickel, Helmut. "The Sunday, the Moon, and an Eclipse: Observations on The Crucifixion with the Virgin and Saint John, past Hendrick Ter Brugghen."Metropolitan Museum Journal 42 (2007): 121–24.
Source: https://www.thecollector.com/depictions-of-the-moon-in-art/
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