Dec. 4, 2008 - Artist Study
We are almost finished with our artist study of Sandro Botticelli. Wow, have I been inspired by this study!! This painting was one we did last month. It is called
"Calumny of Apelles"
There is so much in this painting!! I went to Amblesideonline's resources for this one and read what Charlotte Mason had written about it in one of her volumes. Here is some of what she explained:
"There is a picture... painted by Botticelli - in a passion of grief and righteous anger at he martyrdom of his friend and teacher, Savonarola, - wherein you see the clamorous crew who drown the words of Truth. But the figures are surprising. You expect the painter to depict these Demons as wrinkled hags, ugly and forbidding. We should none of us offend if sin came to us looking hateful; and Botticelli, painting from an account of a picture by the old gReek painter, Apelles, puts in the foreground a lady young and fair, with a mantle of heavenly blue over a white robe of innocence, but which reveals through slashes the black garment below. She looks composed and drops her eyes as if in regret, whilst with her right hand she drags forward, by the hair of his head, the naked and prostrate fizure of Innocence. This is Calumny."
"On either hand are two other beautiful maidens, clothed in fair robes, apparently dressing the hair of Calumny, in reality whispering in her ears. The one is Insidiousness, who by soft, persuasive words makes the lies of calumny look like the Truth; and the other is Envy, fair also, for Envy of others always takes the guise of Fairness and justice to ourselves."
"Holding the left wrist of Calumny is the dark, cowled figure of Treachery, who stretcheds out his hand to King Midas upon hi throne in order to demand a hearing. His long ears show the character of this king, for Falsehood and all her crew, Calumny, Envy, and the rest, are in the end, but Folly. Suspicion whispers into the one and Prejudice in the other of the long ears of Midas, and he leans his ear now to the one and not to the rother, so that their words are the only sound sthat can reach him. The action of the picture takes place in a beautiful loggia, richly decorated with sculpture, for it is not in places where men work hard and live simply the Calumny and her ministers prosper."
I'll stop there.... I could go on and on! ( OK, one more- the figure at the far left is the naked truth - which no one is paying any attention to.) The word 'Calumny' was a new one for me. It is defined as injurious words spoken against another.
There is so much truth in this painting! I love the symbolism!
