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Wisdom and Wisemen

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Pinacotheca Philosophica

Philosophy and Philosophers in Art

Wisdom and Wisemen

· Bosch. The Ship of Fools (1490-1500, Paris, Mus?e du Louvre)

· Botticelli. La Primavera (Allegory of Spring) (1477-1478, Florence, Galleria degli Uffizi)

The painting is a Neoplatonic allegory depicting the Soul’s ascension from the material to the spiritual world. The central figure is Venus embodying celestial (Platonic) Love. On the right, the nymph Chloris is pursued by Zephyr (this allusion to an episode from Ovid’ Fasti, Book 5, 195-212, “May 3”, symbolises the Soul’s enslavement by worldly passions), but manages to escape and is transformed into Goddess Flora portrayed as La Primavera (the Spring; the escape symbolizes liberation of the Soul and her reunion with the Divine). On the left, the three Graces are blessed by Venus; they are, from right to left, Pulchritudo (Beauty), Chastitas (Chastity), and Voluptas (Pleasure). Voluptas’ eyes are fixed on Pulchritudo, for Beauty is the true source of Pleasure. Eros above is aiming his arrow at Chastitas who has turned her back to the mundane world (and to us, the spectators) and is looking at Mercury who, as Hermes Trismegistos, is the embodiment of Wisdom in the Neoplatonic Tradition. Mercury is holding the caduceus, his magic staff held to symbolise secret Knowledge.

o Mercury (Hermes Trismegistos)

· Everdingen Caesar. Lycurgus Demonstrates the Importance of Education (1660-1662, Alkmaar, Stedelijk Museum)

· Giovanni di Paolo. The First Circle of the Twelve Teachers of Wisdom Led by Thomas Aquinas: Illustration of Dante’s Paradiso, Canto X (btw. 1442-1450, London, The British Library)

o Albertus Magnus (c. 1200-1280)

o Bede the Venerable (672/673-735)

o Boethius (480-524)

o Dionysius the Areopagite (1st century A. D.) / Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (5-6th century)

o Isidore of Seville (c. 560-636)

o Johannes Gratian (12th century)

o Paulus Orosius (c. 380 – c. 420)

o Peter Lombard (c. 1100 – c. 1160)

o Richard of St. Victor (c. 1123-1173)

o Siger of Brabant (c. 1235 – c. 1282)

o Solomon (btw. 981-979 – btw. 938-916 B.C.)

o Thomas Aquinas (1224/1225-1274)

· Kaulbach Hermann. Allegory of Wisdom and Justice (1888, private collection)

· Perugino. Prudence and Justice with Six Antique Wisemen (1497, Perugia, Collegio del Cambio)

o Prudence

o Prudence with Fabius Maximus, Socrates and Numa Pompilius (detail)

· Raphael. The Cardinal Virtues (15011, Rome, Vatican, Stanza della Segnatura)

o Wisdom

· Roerich Nicholas. Book of Wisdom (1924)

· Roerich Nicholas. Sophia – the Almighty Wisdom (1932, New York, Nicholas Roerich Museum)

· Roerich Nicholas. The Teacher ()

· Roerich Nicholas. The Teacher’s Shadow (1932)

· Vel?zquez. Aesop (1639-1640, Madrid, Museo del Prado)

· Veronese. Allegory of Wisdom and Strength (c. 1580, New York, Frick Collection)

· Masters of Campione (14th century). St. Augustine’s Tomb: General View (1362, Pavia, San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro)

o St. Augustine’s Tomb: Rear View

o St. Augustine’s Tomb: Side View

o St. Augustine’s Tomb: The Front Side

o St. Augustine’s Tomb: The Rear Side

o Prudence: A Statuette from St. Augustine’s Tomb

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