This picture from the early 12th century is called The Heavenly Ladder. It is described as a Klimax manuscript and a gift from Charles Lang Freer. The picture is 15.6 centimeters in height and 13.2 centimeters in width.
When I first saw this picture I assumed it was a picture of a King or leader with power of some sort (in the bottom right corner) commanding slaves to work (the people climbing the ladder), probably making buildings for him and what not, while he just sat back and gave orders. I thought that they were portraying the King as holy and of high importance because of the halo surrounding his head and the cross and church looking tower in the background just behind him. When I saw it my first reaction was irritated and not that surprised. I was irritated because I hate thinking about the people who had to work so hard for so little and were treated so terribly. I was not surprised though that it would be about slaves working for the king because that is a main part of the history of ancient cultures, they would have thousands and thousands of people building huge palaces and empires even but were treated terrible and forced to work, getting beaten if they refuse. But when I read the title of the painting- The Heavenly Ladder and realized it has the total opposite meaning, here I was assuming it was negative and about slavery but after the name I interpret it as the painter trying to portray God accepting people into heaven. This changed my reaction to a more positive and comforting feeling.
In the painting the composition has me believing that the people are headed to heaven. The figure in the right in my opinion is symbolizing God because of the gracefulness in his posture, the golden halo over his head, his clothing (cloak) resembles the churches wardrobes, and the way he is holding his hand up in a way of judgment. Another indicator is the two figures climbing up the ladder as if they are headed up to the gates of heaven.
The medium to me looks like it is watercolor or something like that, I do not know exactly though.
The style in this painting includes cloaks that resemble ones that the pope and his clergy would have worn. They are all conservative clothes and one has a cap on his head. One of the figures climbing up the ladder does not have shoes.
The colors are more shades of brown, gold, and off whites. There is also blue in the background that looks like it has faded some. The blue may have at one point covered the background to represent the sky which would show the people as climbing the ladder up into the sky to get to heaven.
In this painting the lines are very particular and with hardly any curves. The lines on the ladder show some curves to probably show the round spools for steps. The lines making the church show the church to look like the ones that have been made in Europe with the large dome and interesting and unique architecture.
The texture of this painting I am assuming is smooth, though I am not a hundred percent positive.
For the proportion in this painting, it supports my theory of it portraying God escorting people to heaven. The painter portrayed God and a lot larger and taller than the other two figures that are small. The figure representing God in the bottom right would be shown as larger and more eye catching because God is seen as superior and with having him larger it gets this message through to the viewer. The painter also made the church a lot smaller than God, he towers over it.
Though the two figures climbing the ladder could be seen as smaller because it could be that the painter is trying to show that they are in the background and further away from God, so they would be smaller. Same thing goes for the church because it could also be back in the distance.
I think that the painter was trying to make it so God is larger to add to the message of the fact that he is all powerful and the controlling hand of mankind.
I agree with you that the men on the ladder are climbing toward Heaven, but I interpreted the man in the foreground to be a priest or a saint. Perhaps he is representative of St. Peter meeting the two men at the gates of heaven or an earthly priest directing the men toward Heaven. It looks like he is pointing upward like he is asking the viewer to look up, to focus on God and Heaven and not what is here on Earth. He seems more important than the men on the ladder because of his position in the foreground, his size and because he is wearing more ornate, colorful garments than them. The top man on the ladder seems to be looking toward the man in the foreground possibly for guidance and direction. This could represent the idea that the common man needs to look to the church for guidance to Heaven.
ReplyDeleteAs I read your first response to this painting I could understand what you meant. Although I didn't entirely agree just because the figure standing did not look that of a king, but of a religious man. So when you described what the true meaning was it made more sense. I thought this was a well organized response and an interesting description of this painting.
ReplyDeleteThe texture of this painting is very interesting. there is dots of blue on one side of the painting. The blue stands out a lot, I wonder if the painter wanted us to really focus our eyes that particular area. I am almost certain that he/she wanted us to not miss the church that is behind the ladder and the people.
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