DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.53068#0169
RAPHAEL AS ARCHITECT
weavers, and to have felt his directions more compelling. We feel that it is no
arbitrary choice, but a calculation giving its character to the colouring, that
places these figures, with colours of such a kind, precisely thus in a setting of
light. Eight times over these ancient deities that set the stars in motion, with
their guiding attendant angels, echo in ever new colours the same harmony with
the background of sky, and every time the colours exert their expressive power
(Plate 161). It is impossible in the Jupiter, not to believe in the “bright god”, in
his matt purple with pinkish-grey lights and white hair; the angel raises aloft his
arms, pointing towards the Creator, in pink drapery gleaming with gold in front
of the grey silvery shadow of his wings. Yet what can the grey of the eagle avail,
and the golden thunderbolt, against the gold-shimmering drapery of the
Almighty?
In the firmament of fixed stars we find the harmony of gold, white and
green, as in the Czartoryski portrait. In the wings there is a flood of white, gold,
green and red; in the heavenly sphere there is a progression of intensity from
the white of the inscribed scroll to the deep blue of the background; all its
reflections are intermediary between the colours and the luminous blue atmo-
sphere. In the other axis appear the deities of light, Apollo and Artemis, bright,
and particularly light and airy in their movements—the goddess (Plate 290) holding
her bow with arms, light grey shaded with pink, emerging from a mantle shot
with green and gold, the sun-god with gold-flaming nimbus, his arms taking
aim, wonderfully light and ethereal, yet turning towards the maiden who un-
drapes herself to his gaze and takes no heed of Cupid with his torch, her flesh-
tones shaded with grey, the boy browner. Opposite to her is Saturn, in yellowish-
orange drapery; his light has its complement also in the crocus-colour of the
angel, whose pinions, in red and blue, rise proudly and at the same time with
the function of providing a transition in front of the background of sky. Mercury,
in red cloak shot with grey, his flesh-tones with gleaming shadows; the angel,
born of the air, truly mercurial, with grey pinions steeped with pink and bluish
drapery near in colour to the atmosphere. At the other end of this axis we
have Mars, in breastplate flashing with greenish-gold, his flesh shaded with
grey, violet and crocus-colour; his angel especially overpowering, a restraining,
not an impelling force, in red, pink and violet besprent with malachite-green.
Above all, in his quiet, rich framework, the Creator, with soft blue mantle—so
brilliant in the upper arm that it would fade away in air if the golden high-
lights did not outshine the heavens—and out of this mantle the creating arms
protrude in fiery glowing red with shadows like gilt lacquer, spotted with
reflections that glisten round about him with a golden lustre on the wings of
the attendant angels also. Through this fortissimo of light the green fold of the
mantle below the breast weaves a seemingly fortuitous descant—but certainly
of set purpose, for the Classical deities float in a harmony eight times repeated,
and only Jehovah moves exalted on high above them; it is this green that
15*
weavers, and to have felt his directions more compelling. We feel that it is no
arbitrary choice, but a calculation giving its character to the colouring, that
places these figures, with colours of such a kind, precisely thus in a setting of
light. Eight times over these ancient deities that set the stars in motion, with
their guiding attendant angels, echo in ever new colours the same harmony with
the background of sky, and every time the colours exert their expressive power
(Plate 161). It is impossible in the Jupiter, not to believe in the “bright god”, in
his matt purple with pinkish-grey lights and white hair; the angel raises aloft his
arms, pointing towards the Creator, in pink drapery gleaming with gold in front
of the grey silvery shadow of his wings. Yet what can the grey of the eagle avail,
and the golden thunderbolt, against the gold-shimmering drapery of the
Almighty?
In the firmament of fixed stars we find the harmony of gold, white and
green, as in the Czartoryski portrait. In the wings there is a flood of white, gold,
green and red; in the heavenly sphere there is a progression of intensity from
the white of the inscribed scroll to the deep blue of the background; all its
reflections are intermediary between the colours and the luminous blue atmo-
sphere. In the other axis appear the deities of light, Apollo and Artemis, bright,
and particularly light and airy in their movements—the goddess (Plate 290) holding
her bow with arms, light grey shaded with pink, emerging from a mantle shot
with green and gold, the sun-god with gold-flaming nimbus, his arms taking
aim, wonderfully light and ethereal, yet turning towards the maiden who un-
drapes herself to his gaze and takes no heed of Cupid with his torch, her flesh-
tones shaded with grey, the boy browner. Opposite to her is Saturn, in yellowish-
orange drapery; his light has its complement also in the crocus-colour of the
angel, whose pinions, in red and blue, rise proudly and at the same time with
the function of providing a transition in front of the background of sky. Mercury,
in red cloak shot with grey, his flesh-tones with gleaming shadows; the angel,
born of the air, truly mercurial, with grey pinions steeped with pink and bluish
drapery near in colour to the atmosphere. At the other end of this axis we
have Mars, in breastplate flashing with greenish-gold, his flesh shaded with
grey, violet and crocus-colour; his angel especially overpowering, a restraining,
not an impelling force, in red, pink and violet besprent with malachite-green.
Above all, in his quiet, rich framework, the Creator, with soft blue mantle—so
brilliant in the upper arm that it would fade away in air if the golden high-
lights did not outshine the heavens—and out of this mantle the creating arms
protrude in fiery glowing red with shadows like gilt lacquer, spotted with
reflections that glisten round about him with a golden lustre on the wings of
the attendant angels also. Through this fortissimo of light the green fold of the
mantle below the breast weaves a seemingly fortuitous descant—but certainly
of set purpose, for the Classical deities float in a harmony eight times repeated,
and only Jehovah moves exalted on high above them; it is this green that
15*