Spinoza,radical enlightenment,and the general reform of the arts in the later Dutch Golden Age: the aims of Nil Volentibus Arduum

ABSTRACT

The Amsterdam theater society Nil Volentibus Arduum, which was founded in 1669 and remained active for some years, was not just a circle meeting regularly to discuss theater theory and practice, but was devoted to discussion of all the arts as well as language theory in relation to society. As far as the Amsterdam theater was concerned, its main purpose was to try to raise the level and provide more of a moral and socially improving direction to the stage. Arguably, also, it had a certain impact on discussion and theorizing about late Dutch Golden Age painting. Two of its most active members, Lodewijk Meyer and Johannes Bouwmeester, were among the closest friends and allies of Spinoza. Opponents and detractors of the society took to associating it in the public mind with the “atheist” Spinoza. This article seeks to understand the theoretical concerns of the society and assess its relationship to its broader Dutch context and to Spinoza and Spinozism.     

The landscape of Metztitlan,Mexico: Power and control in a sixteenth century Spanish administrative painting

ABSTRACT

The concept of landscape has been studied mostly as the view of a space with particular interest in its aesthetics, originating at the turn of the sixteenth century. However, I argue that in fourteenth century northern Europe, the concept was focused on polity rather than aesthetics. This article examines this lesser-known tradition by analysing the painting of Metztitlan, a sixteenth century town in Mexico, and arguing, first, that unlike all the other representations in the Relaciones Geográficas to which it belongs, it is the only landscape, and second, that this painting is associated with an administrative procedure common in Spain to gain control over imperial lands. I review European practices regarding the representation of towns under the Spanish Crown. Then, I present the results of the fieldwork carried out to locate several heights which probably served as vantage points to paint the landscape. Based on this research, I analyse the intentions of the painter to argue that it should be considered within the same tradition as the paintings made in Spain by Flemish painter Anton van de Wyngaerde, as part of the Spanish Empire's Germanic tradition of describing places with the intention of exerting control over them.     

古代绢画补配修复工具研制的探讨

针对在古代绢画补配修复中,面对古今材质与装裱要求不一、病害种类不同的情况,为将现代的绢绫线与文物的经纬线更好地匹配,研制了一种绢绫刮口刀。此刀由八个点形成的一条线或一个面作为刮口工作的状态,可以避免绢画修复中常用工具——马蹄刀、美工刀以点为工作面的刃口所产生的倾斜角度力点小且刀刃的点难以控制易伤及画心等缺点。虽然研制的绢绫刮口刀在修复明代绢本水陆画《七宿星君水陆道场图轴》的补绢刮口步骤中发挥了很好的作用,但作为非物质文化遗产的苏裱技艺如何科学化,还需不断地探讨。     

敦煌莫高窟B113窟水分蒸发特征与形成机理

水分是导致壁画病害的关键因子。在封闭条件下,通过冷凝的方法对敦煌莫高窟B113窟的蒸发数量和特征进行了5年的监测。结果表明:B113洞窟水分年蒸发量为61189.9 g,日平均蒸发量为229.2 g,年蒸发量和日蒸发量都呈正弦曲线变化特征。监测表明:随着窟内温度升高,洞窟水分蒸发量增大;温度降低,洞窟水分蒸发量减小。温度决定蒸发水汽浓度,地气流出量决定蒸发水汽体量。洞窟水分蒸发从4月开始持续到12月中旬,6~8月洞窟水分蒸发最大,日水分蒸发7∶00~12∶00迅速上升,12∶00~23∶00下降,夜间也有持续的水分蒸发,是温度和地气活动量主导和控制着洞窟蒸发水分的数量。洞窟水分蒸发机制的揭示为今后洞窟微环境的调控和壁画预防性保护提供了理论基础和科学依据。