The Sun: Source of Light in Art

Published in conjunction with the 150th anniversary of Monet’s 1872 painting, Sunrise, this unique and illuminating exhibition catalog reaches throughout history to explore how artist have incorporated the sun as a reference point and as inspiration in their art.For as long as humans have been making art, they have turned to the sun as the source of light, warmth and life itself. It appears as a symbol of limitless power, as the personification of gods and of Christ, and as a harbinger of change. Artists have also used the sun as a means of exploring light and color and as an entrée into discussions about climate.The first of its kind, this catalog investigates visual representations of the sun from antiquity to the present day. It is divided into seven roughly chronological sections that look at both epoch-spanning and period specific examples, including symbolic, allegorical representations, the iconography of mythological subjects, and mimetic qualities such as typology, phenomenolo