7/29/2019 Red, White and Blue in some Artworks (Hamburg) http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/red-white-and-blue-in-some-artworks-hamburg 1/14 Red, White and Blue in some Artworks (Hamburg) jwr Researching the symbolism of red, white and blue I visited the museum Hamburger Kunsthalle in Hamburg, where the Grabow Altarpiece is exhibited 1 . This masterpiece uses a set of bright colors, which is being dominated by red and blue to symbolize antipodes such as salt and sweet waters, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel. The flag of Schleswig-Holstein is a horizontal tricolor of blue, white, and red. The plain tricolor is the state's civil flag. The tricolor was previously used for the Prussian province of Schleswig- Holstein (1868-1946). Red and white have played the most important role in Hanseatic symbolism. Some of the flags for modern Hanseatic cities (example: flag of Rostock) are using red, white and blue. Hanseatic flags are the banners of Hanseatic cities, that were flown by cogs and other ships of the Hanseatic league. Originally, Hanseatic ships displayed red gonfalones on their masts, which had a cross at its peak to denote the protection of the sovereign. Red was also the colour used by Danish and English shipping, the English later adopting the St George's Cross. From the second half of the 13th century, the individual Hanseatic cities created various banners to distinguish themselves from other member cities. The red gonfalone remained in use in addition to these flags. The oldest Hanseatic flag is the plain red banner used by Hamburg. Hanseatic flags were mostly red-white and some featured symbols, such as crosses. 2 1 This work is in the public domain in the United States, and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years or less.2 Hanseatic flags Fig. 1: Grabow Altarpiece (from Wikipedia Commons) Fig. 3: flag of Schleswig- Holstein Fig. 2: Flag of Rostock
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
7/29/2019 Red, White and Blue in some Artworks (Hamburg)
The divine Being has been painted in red and blue, which may refer to some biblical quotations in
Exodus and Chronicles3.
Master Bertram von Minden worked in Hamburg, painting in various churches towards the end of
the 14th century. "The panel of the high altar of St. Peter in Hamburg was made in 1379 -1383.According to an entry in the Hamburg Chronicles the artist was named Bertram of Mynden.
3 Liturgical (and Royal) Colours and Symbolism in Antipodal Colors
Fig. 4: Master Bertram von Minden (1379 -1383) – Miniature copy
In Ailantery the sacred fire is painted in bright red-white (flames) and a mystic blue (smoke). It is a
rather unusual sight to see such a definite blue smoke instead of the normal black/gray color.
The symbolism of the colors for the blue (black) smoke and the bright flame (bright white) mayhave been explained as related to the tetragrammaton in the Zohar:
Said Rabbi Simeon: What I have discoursed on has reference to the secret doctrine and its
teachings of the mystery of the divine wisdom united with the divine essence. Thus the final
H in the tetragrammaton corresponds to the dark or blue flame united with the three letters
preceding it, I H V, making the white flame a light. Sometimes the dark is designated by the
letter D, and other times by H. When Israel below is not living the divine life, it is
characterized by D; but when it becomes conjoined with the white light, then it takes on
itself the letter H; as it is written, 'If a damsel, a virgin, be betrothed' (Deuter. xxii-23). The
word Naarah (damsel) is here written without the feminine termination H contrary to
grammatical rule, naar being the male and naarah the female. Wherefore is it so written?
Because she has not as yet come into union with the union with the male, and whenever this
is the case the final H is found wanting. For a similar reason the dark or blue flame is
designated by the letter Daleth, or D. When, however, it becomes conjoined with the white
flame above it, it is represented by the letter He or H, for then a perfect union is effected in
this sense, that the two become blended together (symbolizing thus the union of the lower
and higher nature).
"Similar is the occult meaning of the smoke ascending from altars whereon sacrifices are
offered up. It provokes into flame the blue light beneath it which, when it flashes forth and
burns, becomes conjoined with the white flame above it and then as in the flame of a candle
becomes or forms one whole and perfect light, and as it is the nature of the blue flame to
consume that from which it emanates so does it consume the sacrifices placed on the altar 6 .
6 Zohar : Genesis: Chapter XXIX And “Metaphors of Sacrifice in the Zohar ” - an essay by T. A. Perry
Choir of the New Church by Gerard Houckgeest (1650).....................................................................7Three Children by Blathazar Denner (1721-1725)...............................................................................8
Rest on the Flight to Egypt – by Philipp Otto Runge,1805-1808........................................................9
Phryne before the Areopagus (1861)..................................................................................................10