JF Ptak Science Books Post 2478
I’m in the midst of making several posts relating to a group of large (27×21″) chromolithographs of the mosaics in San Marco (sumptuously published by Ferdinand Ongania in Venice in 1886. The main part of this image is the story of creation, starting in the innermost circle of images, where we find the creation of light (and darkness), and the rest, followed by the larger concentric circle showing the starry realms, the creation of the birds and fishes, then the land-based animals, and then (around “12 o’clock” on the second circle) comes the creation of life in Adam, where it all seems to go downhill. In the outer ring we see the creation and presentation of Eve, the various temptations, the nakedness realizations and then the banishment–not all together a happy ending. But the artwork is lovely, highlighted in gold.
- The original image is available for sale via he blog’s bookstore, here.
Detail of the inner circle of images:
