Hygeia & the Pentalpha

Medicine (as the goddess Hygeia), 1901, Gustav Klimt.

"In 1894, Klimt was commissioned to create three paintings to decorate the ceiling of the Great Hall of the University of Vienna. Not completed until the turn of the century, his three paintings, Philosophy, Medicine, and Jurisprudence were criticized for their radical themes and material, and were called "pornographic". Klimt had transformed traditional allegory and symbolism into a new language that was more overtly sexual and hence more disturbing to some. The public outcry came from all quarters—political, aesthetic and religious. As a result, the paintings (seen in gallery below) were not displayed on the ceiling of the Great Hall. This was to be the last public commission accepted by the artist. All three paintings were destroyed when retreating German forces burned Schloss Immendorf in May 1945."

- Quote and photo (inset left) was sourced from the Wike entry for Gustav Klimt.

 

Regarding Klimt's ill-fated "pornographic" painting, Medicine, one explanation for his controversial portrayal of the goddess Hygeia (above) - possibly the most powerful depiction of a goddess ever - was his decision to transport a pagan deity into the 20th century. His goddess is a modern goddess; she is a formidable feminine force, and not merely the femme fatale archetype she is generally mistaken for, an archetype associated with the Symbolist movement in art and literature. And Klimt is considered a Symbolist... 

"The Symbolist position in painting was authoritatively defined by the young critic Albert Aurier, an enthusiastic admirer of Paul Gauguin, in an article in the Mercure de France (1891). He elaborated on Moréas’s contention that the purpose of art “is to clothe the idea in sensuous form” and stressed the subjective, symbolical, and decorative functions of an art that would give visual expression to the inner life. Symbolist painters turned to the mystical and even the occult in an attempt to evoke subjective states of mind by visual forms."

But, Klimt's Medicine is important in another way; whether intentional or unconsciously realized, there is some evidence of (what might be referred to as) a "Hygeian" pentagonal tradition... a tradition which began at least as far back as the first Pythagoreans and their pentalpha, so-named for the five-fold alphas (the capital "A") incorporated in its design. Importantly, the Greek word ὑγίεια also appears, which, along with the corresponding goddess, translates into "health." I'm assuming the graphic (inset right, see Wiki's Hygeia) is a facsimile of the ancient symbol but, as of this writing, I am not sure.

In any case, Klimt embedded a very bold spiral in the sinuous windings of Hygeia's golden reptile. While (most likely) not a perfect golden spiral, it is similar enough to satisfy the pentagonal muse and (what some might imagine to describe) the Pythagorean philosophy.

Below the jump: more spirals by Klimt...

Vale, Jeff Beck!

 

It seems a little ominous that my first post of the year should report (yet) another passing... but, I just learned today that we've lost another legend: guitarist Jeff Beck, whose 2014 performance (in Paris) of one of his signature tunes is above.

Honestly, I've yet to get a handle on 2023 - and, it looks like Jeff Beck didn't bother - but, if it means anything, he was performing right up till his final curtain (see BBC article). Somehow, I don't believe even death can really stop him.

For a vintage performance, see the Yardbirds video in Heart Full of Soul.