Cool painting in the Payson temple . . .


Just_A_Guy
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So my family went through the Payson temple open house last Saturday, and walking through one of the halls I went around a corner and came face to face with this, which I had never seen before:

 

Screenshot-2015-02-09-12.07.41.png

 

Apparently it's a copy of a painting in the St. George temple, and LDS.net has previously done a profile of the artist. 

 

Now, I'm pretty much a philistine when it comes to art; but I am quite taken with this painting.  The setting is apparently the newly-completed St. George Temple, and I like to think that President Young is showing his systematized temple liturgy to new temple president Wilford Woodruff.  I love the expressions on their faces--Young is looking back on this, and perhaps on his ministry generally, with a fond "It is finished" sigh of relief (he will die in six months), and Woodruff as temple president shows surprising vigor for his age, an obvious "This is it!  This is what we've been waiting for!" gleam in his eye, and a general eagerness to get started on the temple work that will dominate the remainder of his life.

Edited by Just_A_Guy
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I like that one, too. You're lucky you were able to find it. We took our family through the Payson temple open house last week, and there was a painting there that caught my eye as well. I haven't been able to find it.

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I too went thru' on the 13th of May.  I will say I did see that one, I think, well, I know I saw them all.

My first favorite was the poplar wood or forest on the way into the Baptistry.  Then the valley forest scenes from around the Temple, complete with a good supply of deer.

Those were my favorites, as they showed the natural beauty of the surrounding area to the Temple, but without all the development and strip malls and gas stations throughout the valley (not that I'm against gas stations, I'm not, I like to get gas to enable the motorcycle to take me further).

The one you have here, yes, beautiful with the history and the theme and all.

dc

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I really like this painting too. It is a nice painting.

post-60880-0-62687600-1432714378_thumb.p
 

I'm going to have a bit of fun, and do a little bit of analysis on a few things in this image!
(I hope this isn't too wordy...or unwanted)
 
Key: 
Bright red lines = 1/3 vertical divisions
Dark red lines = 1/2 vertical and horizontal divisions
Bright blue = 1/3 horizontal divisions, and non-dashed is eye level.
Darker blue = Eye level
Green line = perspective lines
Black arrows indicate lighting, and general direction, but not exactly.
Color dots indicate areas of color that stood out.
 
Lets begin with perspective! The solid blue line is where the horizon of the image would be. This can be identified on the left since the wall work of the temple converges slightly downward towards the horizon, and the line below converges slightly upward towards it. In this image it helps draw the eyes of the viewer to important aspects. It is high in the image, so that it shows more of earth, than a skyward or heavenly view. It is literally showing things from an earthly view (though by knowing the context, it is an earthly view of heavenly things). It also lays within a 1/3 division of the image, (also called the divine ratio) It is considered a beautiful ratio and often plays an important point in art. The green lines being extended from a three dimensional object when painted properly should converge on the horizon. Quite likely due to small inaccuracies in my extensions it doesn't quite match up. (Even if my measurements are precise, it is pretty symbolic to point towards a horizon that matches with the tops of mountains) The composition is largely diagonal, which contributes to it's sense of motion. I'm sure something could be said about how many of the elements are steady (even the prophets sitting) while the image is in a sense, in motion.
 
President Young is centered on the left third of the image, a key position of importance, which is contrasted by Brother Woodruffs slightly off right third leaning in towards the center. The eyes will be drawn from President Young, to Brother Woodruff, the to another prominent position the glasses held in hand, and then to the book held in hand. There is a circular/oval rhythm of motion from the placement of features. The circle and circular motion directly relate to divinity. The oval shape in the rhythm makes it more dramatic. Brother Brigham's glasses are on, this might allude to the glasses being used for sight, and in this context being actively used for insight. A symbol of a prophetic mantle.
 
President young is in a position that conveys a sense of dynamic stability. His left hand though is exactly in the center of the image. This positioning is significant in that it is a place of static stability, and is often used to show steadiness, in religious imagery you will often find Christ in this position. The position is a rock and anchor, from which the hand is also being used to support the book, which is now interestingly being mostly held, by Elder Woodruff. The book is still in it's first few pages. (I believe this lends support JAG's eloquent commentary) 
 
The mountains seen through the window are another significant feature, being a symbol for a holy place near unto God.
 
The colour palette of the painting is fairly simple and mostly natural. There is reflected light, that can be seen where the white dot is. It gives the appearance of a pure white light, which is of an interesting contrast to the more yellow (or heavenly golden?) that can been seen where the yellow dots were placed. The only other yellow feature that I saw was the cane, which is being used to support President Young. I also noticed (maybe it's only my computer screen) that there appears to be a very subtle yellow lighting directly behind President Youngs head within or on the temple wall, much like a halo. This leads me to think that the yellow lighting is spiritual light, which the cane also represents, which is being used to support the prophet.

I like it  :)  Good find!
Edited by Crypto
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