Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Fredens gudinna

1972; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 41; Issue: 1-4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/00233607208603803

1651-2294

Heribert Seitz,

Linguistics and language evolution

Summary In the state‐owned art collections, since long housed at Gripsholm Castle by the lake Mälaren west of Stockholm, can be found an allegoric oil‐painting called “The Goddess of Peace”. The painting can undoubtedly count its origin to the 17th century, fig. 1. As a piece of art it might not belong among the foremost, but it is worth attention on other accounts. The female figure shows a flora of foliate plants, all with varied symbolic meaning. The goddess is shown in a pale bluish‐grey silk garment which is embroidered with symbols in a darker shade of the same colour. On the skirt wreaths of different leaves are to be seen. Between the wreaths are placed at regular intervals something that is very usual in Sweden, a doubble C, mostly used for the kings Charles XI and Charles XII but known also to been used for queen Christina, though once only, in a document dated 1650, fig. 3. The monogramme on the skirt is made of two thin palm‐branches. The wreaths are made of laurel (the antique symbol for “heroes and illustrious citizens”, for a poet, poeta laureatus11 but also for a victor12), oak leaves (durable strength15 ,16 and greatness), myrtle (the Biblical symbol of fertility but also of love9) and lastly a somewhat unusual symbol, grass (something that is always returning, durability, but according to the Bible, Second Book of Kings, also a symbol of transience10). The language of symbols is found not only on the dress, it is also found in the foliate plants surrounding the goddess. She is crowned by a rather voluminous laurel wreath and holds another in her outstreched left hand. In her right hand is a thin palm‐branch pointed upwards, the shape of which is similar to the ones forming the C‐monogramme. Over the knees different foliate plants are to be seen, such as wreaths of laurel and olive (a Biblical symbol of something new and promising, as for Noah, when the dove returned after the deluge with a leaf of olive in his beak8), myrtle and grass. It is here important to note that the last mentioned group of plants is depicted fresh and green. They are live plants. When looking at the lower right hand corner of the picture the opposite is to be seen, dry brown leaves, a wreath of oak leaves and a yellowish‐brown twig of ivy (which by and large symbolizes the same qualities as laurel13). These dried leaves are surrounded by the spinous part of a fresh and green wreath (palm?). Perhaps it is not too much to say that in this composition of the fresh and green placed high up and the dried and brown low down, can be seen a state of contrasting relationship: the living, victorious as oposite to the dead and vanquished. There is now some reason for putting the question as to why the Goddess of Peace was created. It is reasonable to look for the motivation in one or more of the for Sweden positive conclusions of peace. Two events then come into the foreground. The one is the period of peace after the Westphalian peace treaty of 1648 when Christina was the reigning queen. The other followed after 1679, when no less than seven treaties of peace were concluded. Since Louis XIV of France in many of those played a for the Swedish government too dominant and unpalatable a role, the peace which Charles XI concluded with Denmark in the town Lund on September 26–27, 1679, can be regarded as of immediate interest. This treaty not only meant peace, but Sweden and Denmark also became allied. Of great importance was also the agreement that the Swedish king should enter into marriage with the Danish princess Ulrika Eleonora, sister of the king. The wedding took place already on May 6, 1680. Theoretically both the period around 1650 and the period around 1680 are likely for the creation of the Goddess of Peace. In the first case, the double monogramme should allude to queen Christina, in the second to Charles XI. For several reasons the first case is the least likely. Among others the presence of myrtle, the symbol of fertility, is difficult to combine with Christina, who relinquished marriage and all her life staid unwed; nor had she any children. The marriage of Charles XI and Ulrika Eleonora on the other hand was blessed with several children. These reasons point to the creation of the painting some time after 1680. Lastly the question, who painted the goddess? The painting is unsigned. The most likely candidate is the Swedishborn Johan Sylvius. He had been called home from England in 1685, where he had been working on the decoration of Windsor Castle. But without guessing, which the author declines to do, the question cannot be answered at the present. One notable weakness in the painting can be pointed to, however. The rather clumsily made source of light in the top right hand corner of the picture is not matched by the light on the main figure. Have perhaps more hands than one taken part in the work?