Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • Moon Bow

    Uploaded by

    jonscrane
    11 views7 pages
    After recent sightings of a lunar rainbow, Kelly Grovier looks at how its magic has been captured by artists of the past.

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Report this Document
    After recent sightings of a lunar rainbow, Kelly Grovier looks at how its magic has been captured by artists of the past.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    11 views7 pages

    Moon Bow

    Uploaded by

    jonscrane
    After recent sightings of a lunar rainbow, Kelly Grovier looks at how its magic has been captured by artists of the past.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 7

    News

    Sport

    Weather

    Shop

    Earth

    Travel

    Menu

    IntheFrame

    Arthistory

    Therarephenomenonofthemoonbow
    Afterrecentsightingsofalunarrainbow,KellyGrovierlooksathowits
    magichasbeencapturedbyartistsofthepast.

    ByKellyGrovier
    21October2016

    Onaneveningwalkintheautumnof1799,WilliamCole,anowforgottenEnglishpoet,was
    suddenlystoppedinhistracksbyasublimeappearanceinthedarkeningNorfolkskyabovehim
    avisionsoextraordinaryhewasmovedtorecorditsaerialrhythmsinrhyme:Theatmosphere
    withhumidvapoursflow,/Andthepalemoondisplaysherlunarbow.
    Awarethatreadersofhispoemwouldprobablybemystifiedbytheatmosphericeventhe
    described,Coleappendedafootnote,directingreaderstoanarticleinalocalnewspaper
    corroboratingwhathedwitnessed:SeetheNorfolkChronicleofNov.17,1799.

    Inthisimagereleasedon18October2016,amoonbowisvisibleinthenightskyaboveafieldintheCoquet
    ValleyinNorthumberland,England(Credit:IanGlendinning/AP)

    TwohundredandseventeenyearsafterColesencounter,freshsightingsofthestrangelunarbow
    (sometimesreferredtobymeteorologistsasamoonbow)areonceagaininthenews.Apairof
    etherealphotoscapturedrecentlyinYorkshireandinNorthumberlandhaveprojectedtheir
    luminousmagicacrosssocialmediathisweek,introducingTwitterandFacebookfollowersaround
    theworldtoaheavenlyphenomenonthatmanyhadpreviouslyneverheardof,letaloneseen.
    Generatedinthesamewaythatitsmorecommoncousin,therainbow,isproduced,alunarbow
    occurswhenlight(thistimereflectedfromthemoon,ratherthanshiningdirectlyfromthesun)is
    refractedthroughrainormistsuspendedinthedimmingatmosphere.Muchmoredelicateinits
    fleetingprojectionthanarainbow,thelunarbowrarelyconjuresthefullspectrumofcoloursand
    typicallyappearsanicywhite.

    CasparDavidFriedrichsMountainLandscapewithRainbowhangsintheFolkwangMuseuminEssen
    (Credit:Wikipedia)

    Givenitsghostlyallureandspectralcharm,onemighthavethoughtthatthemoonbowwasan
    idealsubjectforartistskeentoavoidslippingintorainbowkitsch.AcommentbytheEnglish
    landscapepainterJohnConstable,whocharacterisedthelunarbowasthatmostbeautifuland
    rareoccurrence,suggeststhatartistshaveindeedbeenwellawareofitsappeal.Soitis
    surprisingtodiscoverthat,apartfromanotablecanvasbytheGermanRomanticpainterCaspar
    DavidFriedrich,themoonbowhasbyandlargeescapedtheeternalisingalchemyofart.
    InFriedrichsMountainLandscapewithRainbow(180910)sometimesgiventhesubtitle
    LandschaftmitdemMondregenbogenorLandscapewithMoonbowaresplendentarccuts
    throughthelustrousdarknessinwhichawearywandererhaspaused,asifweavingaprotective
    domeoverhim.Inatimeofterrorandeverrefractingglobaluncertainties,itisnotsurprisingthat
    realtimeechoesofFriedrichsconsolingvision,capturedbycontemporaryphotographers,are
    onceagaincausingasoulfulstir.
    IfyouwouldliketocommentonthisstoryoranythingelseyouhaveseenonBBCCulture,head
    overtoourFacebookpageormessageusonTwitter.
    Andifyoulikedthisstory,signupfortheweeklybbc.comfeaturesnewsletter,calledIfYou
    OnlyRead6ThingsThisWeek.AhandpickedselectionofstoriesfromBBCFuture,Earth,
    Culture,Capital,TravelandAutos,deliveredtoyourinboxeveryFriday.

    Sharethisarticle:

    RelatedStories

    Art

    Sevensurprisinghiddenmeaningsinart
    Fascinatingdetailsthatcontinuetopuzzle
    Arthistory

    Art

    Art

    Thegreatwomenartistshistoryforgot
    Whyaresomanynowgettingtherecognitiontheydeserve?
    Arthistory

    Ancientart

    Itwasanancientformofsextourism
    HowPaphoswentfrombeingthecentreofasexculttoamoderncityofculture
    Ancientart

    Arthistory

    FollowBBCCulture

    Facebook

    Twitter

    CulturalCalendar
    BestofCulture

    The100greatestlmsofthe21stCentury

    The21stCenturys100greatestfilms
    Thebestincinemasince2000aspickedby177filmcritics
    The100greatestfilmsofthe21stCentury

    Arthistory

    Arethesewaxworksdisgusting?
    WhenVenuswasdissected
    Arthistory

    You might also like