Lightning in Paintings (Olga E.) (1)

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Lightning
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one of nature's most awe-inspiring spectacles,
evoking wonder and reverence has captured the
imagination of countless cultures throughout
history, leading to a wealth of symbolic
interpretations in mythical and religious
narratives, a potent tool of authority that
represents power, anger and revenge in art a
source of inspiration, of creativity, infusing
artworks with a sense of drama and movement
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Lightning in Paintings
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from the vengeful lightning bolt launched by the
eagle of Jupiter against Lycaon to the terrible
heavens with lightning and red flames from the
erupting volcano through the divine lightning
that breaks the wheel destined for the martyrdom
of Catherine of Alexandria and the lightning
illuminating the magnificent white horse
terrified
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Lightning of the gods
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a vengeful lightning ... Jupiter's eagle hurls
lightning bolts at Lycaon ... ... King Lycaon
of Pelasgia seeks to test the divinity of Zeus,
and so serves up his own son as part of a
banquet. An outraged Zeus transforms Lycaon into
a wolf "(...) ...As soon as she served them to
the table, I sank her house with an avenging
thunderbolt (...) her clothes are transformed
into hair, her arms into paws she becomes a
wolf and keeps the traces of her old figure.
(Ovid Book I of the Metamorphoses 207-243)
Jan Cossiers Jupiter and
Lycaon Jupiter et Lycaon Júpiter y
Licaón 1640 Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid
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lightning and divine splendor ... The story of
Jupiter and Semele is told in Ovids
Metamorphoses. The god Jupiter takes the mortal
woman Semele as his mistress. A jealous Juno
urges Semele to ask Jupiter to appear in all his
divine splendor. Jupiter arrives as a mighty
thunderbolt armed with fire and Semele is burned
to ashes. Jacopo Tintoretto
attributed to Jupiter and Semele Jupiter et
Semélé Júpiter y Sémele 1545 National Gallery,
London
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... An early moment in the story Jupiter has
just revealed himself. There are flames around
the clouds which surround Jupiter, but no sign
of them touching Semele yet, nor causing her any
distress or concern. The danger may be
imminent, but it has not yet struck.
Jacopo Tintoretto attributed to Jupiter and
Semele Jupiter et Semélé Júpiter y
Sémele 1545 National Gallery, London
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a lightning bolt, a eagle and a curious husband
... Jupiter disguised as a snake is seducing
the Macedonian queen. Olympias, while her
curious husband Philip is blinded by an eagle.
... According to legend, Zeus took to the
serpent form and seduced Olimpias and fathered
Alexander the Great (or Alessandro Magno in
Italian). The legend also says that Philip
caught a glimpse of this and hence one day would
lose the eye through which he saw this. That is
why Romano shows him being blinded by
Zeus. Giulio Romano Jupiter Seducing
Olympias Zeus séduit Olympias Júpiter seduce a
Olimpia de Epiro 1526-1528 Fresco Sala di Psiche,
Palazzo del Tè, Mantua
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a storm sent by the gods ... black clouds, bolts
of lightning, a raging torrent and Philemon
and Baucis, Jupiter and Mercury
observe Jupiter visiting mortals, Philemon
and Baucis. they were the only ones to give
shelter, food and drink to the gods, who were
travelling through the land disguised as weary
travelers. The punishment for the
hard-heartedness of the other people was swift to
follow Jupiter and Mercury showed only this
married couple the way to the safety of a hill in
time. (Ovid, Metamorphoses 8620720).
Peter Paul Rubens Stormy Landscape with
Philemon and Baucis Paysage avec Philémon et
Baucis Paisaje con Filemón y Baucis 1625 Kunsthist
orisches Museum, Vienna
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There is trouble among the classical gods. Love
trouble. Venus and Mars are having an affair,
despite Venus being married to Vulcan. A furious
Vulcan catches his wife and her lover in the
act ... and he has gathered the other gods to
make the lovers look foolish ... but Apollo,
Saturn with his scythe and Athena (Minerva) with
helmet and lance, Mercury with his red hat and
Cupid with bow and arrow, even Jupiter himself
with lightning in hand do not seem to be
particularly concerned and instead ridicule
Vulcan. Joachim Wtewael Mars and Venus
Surprised by Vulcan Mars et Vénus surpris par
Vulcain Venus y Marte sorprendidos por
Vulcano 1601 The Mauritshuis, The Hague
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two lightning bolts streak across the sky and
Tisbe stands still in her gesture, arms
outstretched, screaming in pain the violent
wind, air full of obscurity, rain, lightning ...
nature expresses itself through the storm and
shares in the pain of humans Nicolas
Poussin Paysage orageux avec Pyrame et
Thisbé Landscape during a Thunderstorm with
Pyramus and Thisbe Paisaje tormentoso con Píramo
y Tisbe 1651 Städelsches Kunstinstitut und
Städtische Galerie, Frankfurt
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Zeus's wrath as he strikes Phaeton dead with a
thunderbolt ... This dramatic use of
lightning provides dramatic lighting contrast,
highlighting the horror of Phaeton, the horses,
and other figures, while also emphasizing the
darkness of the event. Pierre
Paul Rubens The Fall of Phaeton La Chute de
Phaéton La caída de Faetón 1604-1605 National
Gallery of Art, Washington
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a red lightning ... When Dante visits Hell with
Virgil as his guide, in the first book of his
Divine Comedy, they try to convince Charon to
take them both to the other side. While Charon
is transporting souls to eternal torment, a red
lightning bolt strikes and Dante is knocked
unconscious. Alexander
Dmitrievich Litovchenko Charon Carrying Souls
Across the River Styx Charon transporte les âmes
des morts à travers le fleuve Styx Caronte
transporta las almas de los muertos a través del
río Estigia 1861 Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg
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The gloomy, black sky, to which man stretches out
his hand in silent prayer, is riddled with
flashes of lightning. The flood that swept
over the earth leaves no chance for salvation to
anything living. Nicolas
Poussin L'Hiver ou Le Déluge Winter or Flood El
invierno o El diluvio 1660-1664 Musée du Louvre,
Paris
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a lightning bolt strikes in the background,
splintering an already petrified tree unable to
hold the weight of a fragile old man an his
son, a dead body that drifts quietly by in the
waters below and five members of the same
family struggle to escape the raging elements of
nature Anne-Louis Girodet Scène
du déluge Scene from a Deluge El
diluvio 1806 Musée du Louvre, Paris
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a strange red sky is roiling with ominous gray
clouds, riven by a lightning bolt ... Torcello
and Malamocco carrying Mark's body as they
arrived back in Venice. Tintoretto depicted
himself within the work as the bearded man beside
the camel. Tintoretto Le
Tintoret The Removal of the Body of Saint
Mark L'Enlèvement du corps de saint
Marc Traslación del cuerpo de San
Marcos 1562-1566 Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice
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a swirl of mist and streaks of lightning the
mysterious and supernatural encounter between
Macbeth, Banquo and the three witches of
Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth
John Martin Macbeth 1820 Scottish National
Gallery, Edinburgh
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Lightning splits the giant boulders which crash
towards the dark abyss and groups of helpless
figures tumble inexorably towards oblivion
... the Martins apocalyptic vision closely
follows the Biblical account 12 .. there was a
great earthquake and the sun became black as
sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as
blood... 16 And said to the mountains and rocks,
Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that
sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the
Lamb. (Revelation 612.16.) The earth crashes
in on itself, underlining the futility of
mankinds attempts to resist the will of
God. John Martin The Great Day of His
Wrath Le Grand Jour de Sa colère ou La Fin du
monde El gran día de su ira 1851-1853 Tate
Britain, London
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a divine lightning breaks the wheel destined for
the martyrdom of Catherine of Alexandria
According to the legend, she suffered martyrdom
under Emperor Maxentius (c. 278-312), after
arguing with 50 heathen philosophers and
converting them to her Christian beliefs. She
condemned to be broken on the wheel, but an angel
of the Lord destroyed the wheel and killed 4,000
of the heathen who had gathered to
watch. Finally Maxentius ordered the beheading
of Catherine. Lucas Cranach the
Elder Lucas Cranach l'Ancien The Martyrdom of St
Catherine Le Martyre de Sainte Catherine El
martirio de Santa Catalina 1504-1509 Ráday
Library of the Reformed Church, Budapest
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a fiery storm engulfs the city s jagged
lightning bolt slices through the darkened sky
reinforcing the sense of divine
intervention and Lot and his family flee
John Martin The Destruction of
Sodom and Gomorrah La Destruction de Sodome et
Gomorrhe La destrucción de Sodoma y
Gomorra 1852 Galerie d'art Laing, Newcastle upon
Tyne
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Lightning in the sky
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a woman with child a standing man looking at
them a small stream and ruins a city and a
lightning crosses the cloudy sky
... Giorgione The Tempest La
Tempête La tempestad 1504-1508 Gallerie
dellAccademia, Venice
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Two people, one draped in bright yellow and blue,
take us from into this dramatic landscape A
storm has broken over the peaceful meadows and a
jagged shaft of lightning cuts across the sky
... Francisque Millet Mountain
Landscape with Lightning Paysage montagneux avec
foudre Paisaje montañoso con relámpago 1675 Nation
al Gallery, London
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lightning illuminating the scene dark, swirling
clouds and a magnificent white horse stands
terrified against the stormy sky
Eugène Delacroix Un magnifique cheval blanc se
dresse, terrorisé, contre le ciel orageux par
l'orage Horse Frightened by Lightning Caballo
asustado por un rayo 1825-1829 Szépmuvészeti
Múzeum, Budapest
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a driving rain a fierce wind blowing
foliage forked lighting and a tiger, confused
and afraid, caught in the middle of a jungle
storm Henri Rousseau Surpris
! Surprised! or Tiger in a Tropical Storm Tigre
en una tormenta tropical 1891 National Gallery,
London
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jagged lightning bolt brightening the sky
... dark, ominous clouds the turbulent sea a
large sailing ship, caught in the tempest's
fury desperate figures cling to the rocks A
lighthouse, offers a beacon of hope amidst the
chaos, perhaps symbolizing the possibility of
rescue and the enduring strength of human
resilience. Claude Joseph Vernet The
Shipwreck Le Naufrage El naufragio 1772 National
Gallery of Art, Washington DC
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a lightning splits the sky ... and people look
in horror at the terrible heavens, from where
they expect nothing but death ...
Karl Bryullov The Last Day
of Pompeii Le Dernier Jour de Pompéi El último
día de Pompeya 1830-1833 State Russian Museum,
Saint Petersburg
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The artist sees himself among the inhabitants of
Pompeii with a box of paints and brushes on his
head. He is here, next to them, to help, to
support their spirit. But even before his
death, the artist's keen observation does not
leave him he clearly sees human figures perfect
in their plastic beauty in the flashes of
lightning. They are beautiful not only because
of their extraordinary sanctification, but also
because they themselves radiate the light of
spiritual nobility and greatness.
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