Art and Scientific Discovery in the 1700’s: Classical Era


Above is The Alchemist Discovering Phosphorus by Jospeh Wright of Derby originally completed in 1771, then reworked in 1795. The full title of the painting is The Alchemist, in Search of the Philosopher's Stone, Discovers Phosphorus, and prays for the successful Conclusion of his operation, as was the custom of the Ancient Chemical Astrologers. In this painting the alchemist is trying to produce the Philosopher's stone. This stone could turn metal into gold. During the process he discovers phosphorus. Hennig Brand, the person in the painting, spent days in his laboratory, heating a mixture of sand and charcoal with a tar-like substance produced by boiling down 1,200 gallons of urine over two weeks. Finally after many hours a white vapor formed and condensed into thick drops that was very bright. In this moment Brand discovers phosphorus, Brand called the substance phosphorus because it is the Latin term for things that give off light. Within decades of discovering phosphorus it was readily produced and used for entertainment purposes to display bright flashes of light and flare. The light and shading used in this painting is what really stood out to me. This painting really captured the moment perfectly. You can notice the amazement on their faces of what Brand discovered. 

Above is a portrait of Madame François Buron, painted by Jacques-Louis David in 1769. In this painting you can see a woman reading a book. During the Enlightenment period many woman wanted to expand their knowledge. During the classical era the societal role of a female was motherhood and managing the household. In this painting there are multiple books by her indicating the enjoyment or curiosity in gaining more knowledge. The facial expression on the woman appears to show that she was bothered and glanced up from her reading. The colors used for the woman's clothing are very beautiful. I particularly like the soft pastel colors used in the woman's dress. 


Above is called Newton, by William Blake in 1795. William Blake was against the Enlightenment and was not a fan of Issac Newton because Blake did not believe in science. In this painting you can see Newton sitting naked on the bottom of the ocean floor, drawing a diagram with a compass. Isaac Newton changed the way we understand the universe. Through his life time Isaac Newton discovered mathematics and optics (white light composition). He also formulated the three laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation. I like how Newton is placed on the rock, the lines used on the body. This painting was done with watercolors. 

I don't think I would personally own these pieces but I love how the science was involved in the arts. These are not just paintings but they tell a story of how the sciences really impacted the classical era. Scientific discovery in the 1700 changed a lot for the future and is still important in today's era. 

“Newton.” Newton by William Blake, https://www.williamblake.org/newton/. 

Bert Hansen is the author of Picturing Medical Progress from Pasteur to Polio. “Hennig Brandt and the Discovery of Phosphorus.” Science History Institute, 6 Aug. 2019, https://www.sciencehistory.org/distillations/hennig-brandt-and-the-discovery-of-phosphorus.




Comments

  1. AnonymousJune 29, 2022 at 11:00 AM

    These are three pieces I have never seen before so thank you for the explaining them. I like the last one most just because of the finer details and colors. I think the facial expressions make each one of these paintings unique and would tell a different story if they were changed even the slightest! The shadows on all of these paintings also add important depth that make or break them! I think that would be the most difficult part to capture and perfect!

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  2. PandaGSXJune 30, 2022 at 9:11 PM

    I chose a different topic however the pieces that you chose drew me in. I really like 'The Alchemist Discovering Phosphorus," and "Newton." The way that the first painting shines is amazing, the use of shades and contrasting light did wonders for the painting. The second piece feels like it contains some secret hidden knowledge. Both are extremely beautiful. Both have a story connected to them about science and scientific discovery which is awesome. You did a very good job!! :)

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  3. AnonymousJuly 1, 2022 at 12:25 AM

    This is my first time seeing "The Alchemist Discovering Phosphorous" it's a really neat painting. The detail, colors, and name of the painting remind me of a fairytale. Yet, it was an actual moment of discovery being recorded, crazy! It's never actually occurred to me that someone had to discover phosphorous. This really was the time of scientific advancement and these paintings were a big moment in that, thank you for sharing!

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  4. Lance KellyJuly 1, 2022 at 9:35 AM

    Cait, you chose excellent representations of how scientific discovery was conveyed through the arts during this period. The drama captured in the first picture looks as if it were straight from a movie! Also, very informative.. I can't imagine boiling down 1,200 gallons of urine - definitely seems like an assault on the senses, but someone had to do it right? I also appreciate that you included artwork of a women reading a book. Without context, this may seem like a fairly ordinary painting but it actually represents something very important and you explained that well. I think that I actually would own the first painting! I think it would be a great addition to my office. :)

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