Hypatia

Information

Materials Inks on thick deckle Khadi paper
Dimensions Approximately 29 x 41 cm.
This paper is handmade and some variation is expected.
Created Summer 2022.
Prints
This painting is reproduced in 7 signed and numbered archival prints on thick watercolour paper.

Explanation of the symbolism

Hypatia was an important 4th century neoplatonist philosopher from Alexandria, Egypt, who died at the hands of a lynch mob. To Péladan, she embodied the ideal of womanhood.

To reflect her life's work and significance, I have used the bottom half of the image to depict the seven liberal arts, with Hypatia herself in the role of Philosophia. The framework and ornamentation here is based on a Hellenistic period tomb found in Aigai (Vergina), Greece, fusing elements of different Greek periods as is typical of that era.

In the upper section, Hypatia is pictured against an impression of Alexandria with its famous lighthouse. I have used one of the Fayyum portraits - which slightly predate her - for her face, hair, jewellery and clothing. The gold background, traditionally reserved for sacred figures, is used as an indication of her stature and righteousness - she, like Plato, is sometime depicted among the righteous pre-Christian figures in Orthodox churches. Hypatia holds a depiction of the Pythagorean ("divine") Monochord (borrowed from Robert Fludd, 1617) to reflect her own Pythagorean influences and teachings as one who has unlocked the divine mysteries of the universe. The peacocks on either side of her are an ancient traditional motif found in Greek folk art as well as Orthodox churches, signifying eternity and immortality.

Commissions
If the original has sold, I will not create an identical copy for you, but I am happy to discuss making a fresh icon using slightly different materials. Please contact me at [email protected] with your specifications.