| 翻訳と辞書 |
| The Alchemist Discovering Phosphorus ： ウィキペディア英語版 |
The Alchemist Discovering Phosphorus
''The Alchemist Discovering Phosphorus'' is a painting by Joseph Wright of Derby originally completed in 1771 then reworked in 1795. The full title of the painting is ''“The Alchymist, in Search of the Philosopher's Stone, Discovers Phosphorus, and prays for the successful Conclusion of his operation, as was the custom of the Ancient Chymical Astrologers”''. It has been suggested that "The Alchymist" refers to the discovery of phosphorus by the Hamburg alchemist Hennig Brandt in 1669.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.search.revolutionaryplayers.org.uk/engine/resource/exhibition/standard/child.asp?txtKeywords=&lstContext=&lstResourceType=&lstExhibitionType=&chkPurchaseVisible=&txtDateFrom=&txtDateTo=&x1=&y1=&x2=&y2=&scale=&theme=&album=&viewpage=%2Fengine%2Fresource%2Fexhibition%2Fstandard%2Fchild.asp&originator=&page=&records=&direction=&pointer=&text=&resource=5230&exhibition=1654&offset=0 )〕 This story was often printed in popular chemical books in Wright's lifetime, and was widely known.
==Description==
The picture shows the alchemist trying to produce the elusive Philosopher's stone, which could turn ordinary metal into gold, but instead, to his amazement, he discovers phosphorus. However, Wright does not picture the alchemist in a 17th-century background but he romanticises the room by imagining medieval gothic arches and high, pointed windows as if he is in a church. He also gave a very favourable impression of the actual process which involves the reduction by boiling of urine. A 1730 description of the manufacture of phosphorus described the need for 50 or 60 pails of urine that was both putrid and "bred worms".
Wright also gives religious connotations to the painting. The alchemist kneels in front of a shining vessel, stretching out his hands in a similar gesture to that used by El Greco when painting ''St Francis receiving the Stigmata'' or ''St Jerome in Prayer''.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.derby.gov.uk/LeisureCulture/MuseumsGalleries/ArttreasureTheAlchymist.htm )〕 Benedict Nicolson compares his posture to that of one of Christ's disciples receiving communion. He believes that the layout of the painting may have been taken from Thomas Wijck's painting (''left'') of an alchemist which also contains similar vaulting, a confusion of objects and a similar assistant who is singled out by the light. This painting from the previous century was on display in London during Wright's lifetime. However it is clear from a sketch by Wright's companion, Peter Perez Burdett, that he had a strong influence on the design. His sketch of 4 February 1771 shows the vaulting and the layout of the painting with the glass container as its focus. It is Burdett who says where to place the figure in the painting and Burdett had already referred Wright to Matthew Turner so that Wright might fully understand the underlying science in the painting.
抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』
■ウィキペディアで「The Alchemist Discovering Phosphorus」の詳細全文を読む
スポンサード リンク
| 翻訳と辞書 : 翻訳のためのインターネットリソース |
Copyright(C) kotoba.ne.jp 1997-2016. All Rights Reserved.
|
|