Apparition by Moreau is up there with Saturn Devouring His Son by Goya as one of many scariest works in art history. There's something terrifying about the juxtaposition of St John's bloody entrails against the bright divine light. The Musée d'Orsay version, while less bloodier than the Musée national version, is still as effective in delivering the horror, as the white holy light is brighter, highlighting the geometric details of St John's neck entrails hanging out of his decapitated head.
There, the palace of Herod arose like an Alhambra on slender, iridescent columns with moorish tile, joined with silver beton and gold cement. Arabesques proceeded from lozenges of lapis lazuli, wove their patterns on the cupolas where, on nacreous marquetry, crept rainbow gleams and prismatic flames. The murder was accomplished. The executioner stood impassive, his hands on the hilt of his long, blood-stained sword. The severed head of the saint stared lividly on the charger resting on the slabs; the mouth was discolored and open, the neck crimson, and tears fell from the eyes. The face was encircled by an aureole worked in mosaic, which shot rays of light under the porticos and illuminated the horrible ascension of the head, brightening the glassy orbs of the contracted eyes which were fixed with a ghastly stare upon the dancer. With a gesture of terror, Salome thrusts from her the horrible vision which transfixes her, motionless, to the ground. Her eyes dilate, her hands clasp her neck in a convulsive clutch. She is almost nude. In the ardor of the dance, her veils had become loosened. She is garbed only in gold-wrought stuffs and limpid stones; a neck-piece clasps her as a corselet does the body and, like a superb buckle, a marvelous jewel sparkles on the hollow between her breasts. A girdle encircles her hips, concealing the upper part of her thighs, against which beats a gigantic pendant streaming with carbuncles and emeralds. All the facets of the jewels kindle under the ardent shafts of light escaping from the head of the Baptist. The stones grow warm, outlining the woman's body with incandescent rays, striking her neck, feet and arms with tongues of fire, - vermilions like coals, violets like jets of gas, blues like flames of alcohol, and whites like star light. The horrible head blazes, bleeding constantly, clots of sombre purple on the ends of the beard and hair. Visible for Salome alone, it does not, with its fixed gaze, attract Herodias, musing on her finally consummated revenge, nor the Tetrarch who, bent slightly forward, his hands on his knees, still pants, maddened by the nudity of the woman saturated with animal odors, steeped in balms, exuding incense and myrrh.
Joris-Karl was a contemporary of Gustave, the best position to give us a fantastic view on some of his paintings. The A rebours translated by Margaret Mauldon is even better that the one I used the text from to reply. :)
Apparition by Moreau is up there with Saturn Devouring His Son by Goya as one of many scariest works in art history. There's something terrifying about the juxtaposition of St John's bloody entrails against the bright divine light. The Musée d'Orsay version, while less bloodier than the Musée national version, is still as effective in delivering the horror, as the white holy light is brighter, highlighting the geometric details of St John's neck entrails hanging out of his decapitated head.
I did not see all the versions in person, but the one I saw looked impressive indeed
One of my favourite paintings, thank you for the video
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for this. Have you read the description of The Apparition in the Against Nature book?
There, the palace of Herod arose like an Alhambra on slender, iridescent columns with moorish tile, joined with silver beton and gold cement. Arabesques proceeded from lozenges of lapis lazuli, wove their patterns on the cupolas where, on nacreous marquetry, crept rainbow gleams and prismatic flames. The murder was accomplished. The executioner stood impassive, his hands on the hilt of his long, blood-stained sword. The severed head of the saint stared lividly on the charger resting on the slabs; the mouth was discolored and open, the neck crimson, and tears fell from the eyes. The face was encircled by an aureole worked in mosaic, which shot rays of light under the porticos and illuminated the horrible ascension of the head, brightening the glassy orbs of the contracted eyes which were fixed with a ghastly stare upon the dancer.
With a gesture of terror, Salome thrusts from her the horrible vision which transfixes her, motionless, to the ground. Her eyes dilate, her hands clasp her neck in a convulsive clutch.
She is almost nude. In the ardor of the dance, her veils had become loosened. She is garbed only in gold-wrought stuffs and limpid stones; a neck-piece clasps her as a corselet does the body and, like a superb buckle, a marvelous jewel sparkles on the hollow between her breasts. A girdle encircles her hips, concealing the upper part of her thighs, against which beats a gigantic pendant streaming with carbuncles and emeralds.
All the facets of the jewels kindle under the ardent shafts of light escaping from the head of the Baptist. The stones grow warm, outlining the woman's body with incandescent rays, striking her neck, feet and arms with tongues of fire, - vermilions like coals, violets like jets of gas, blues like flames of alcohol, and whites like star light.
The horrible head blazes, bleeding constantly, clots of sombre purple on the ends of the beard and hair. Visible for Salome alone, it does not, with its fixed gaze, attract Herodias, musing on her finally consummated revenge, nor the Tetrarch who, bent slightly forward, his hands on his knees, still pants, maddened by the nudity of the woman saturated with animal odors, steeped in balms, exuding incense and myrrh.
It's beautiful how Huysmans describes some of these works by Moreau. Thanks for sharing this!
Joris-Karl was a contemporary of Gustave, the best position to give us a fantastic view on some of his paintings. The A rebours translated by Margaret Mauldon is even better that the one I used the text from to reply. :)
Good explanation!!!!
Thank you!
ギュスターヴ モローのサロメはバージョンがいくつかあるのですね。線画でレースのように描かれた装飾的な背景の絵画を本で見たことがあります。恐ろしいですが、幻想的で美しいです。
モローはギリシャ神話の世界を描がかれていますね。神秘的です。
Yes, and recently I made a video about the art and life of Gustave Moreau that you may find interesting: th-cam.com/video/SjvPIbB6nq4/w-d-xo.html
Cool vid i just got this recommended
Glad you liked it!
wow!
Thank you
Very cool..😁
Thanks! It's a very intriguing one indeed.
El humano hace todo por la belleza
Resultando ser hasta malvado por ella.
Gracias