1. Go to Wikipedia.
2. Click on "Random article" in the left-hand sidebar box.
3. Post it!
Okay, okay, I know it's Thursday this time, but I was in the mood and I found something. Here's what I got:
Vädersolstavlan (Swedish for "The Sun Dog Painting") is a painting depicting a halo display, an atmospheric optical phenomenon, observed over Stockholm April 20, 1535. It is named after the sun dogs (Swedish: Vädersol, "Weather sun") appearing on the upper right part of the painting. While mostly mentioned for being the oldest depiction of Stockholm, it is arguably also the oldest Swedish landscape painting and the oldest depiction of sun dogs.
The original painting, which was produced shortly after the event and traditionally attributed to Urban Målare ("Urban [the] painter"), is lost, but a copy from 1636 by Jacob Heinrich Elbfas is still hanging in the Stockholm Cathedral. Previously covered by layers of brownish varnish, it was hardly discernible until carefully restored and thoroughly documented in 1998–1999.
The painting was produced during an important moment in the history of Sweden. The establishment of modern Sweden coincided with the introduction of Protestantism and the break-up with Denmark and the Kalmar Union. The painting was commissioned by the Swedish reformer Olaus Petri, and the resulting controversies between him and King Gustav Vasa and the historical context remained a well-kept secret for centuries. During the 20th century, however, the painting became an icon for the history of Stockholm, and is frequently displayed whenever the city is commemorating itself.
I found this article here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%A4dersolstavlan
See Beth's REAL photo of a sun dog on her Blue Ridge Blue Collar Girl blog in a post about Looking Up.
1 comment:
Isn't Wikipedia wonderful? I don't dare click on the "Random Article" too much. I'm prone to lose a sense of time when I start reading all about everything! I love the sky in the painting. That was an amazing sundog. I wonder how the painter remembered what it looked like well enough to paint it. We get lots of sundogs here in the winter, but I think I miss a lot of them since I'm not outside as much.
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