Today few would think of astronomy and astrology as fields
related to theology. Fewer still would know that physically
absorbing planetary rays was once considered to have medical and
psychological effects. But this was the understanding of light
radiation held by certain natural philosophers of early modern
Europe, and that, argues Mary Quinlan-McGrath, was why educated
people of the Renaissance commissioned artworks centered on
astrological themes and practices. "Influences" is the first book
to reveal how important Renaissance artworks were designed to be
not only beautiful but also--perhaps even primarily--functional.
From the fresco cycles at Caprarola, to the Vatican's Sala dei
Pontefici, to the Villa Farnesina, these great works were
commissioned to selectively capture and then transmit celestial
radiation, influencing the bodies and minds of their audiences.
Quinlan-McGrath examines the sophisticated logic behind these
theories and practices and, along the way, sheds light on early
creation theory; the relationship between astrology and natural
theology; and the protochemistry, physics, and mathematics of rays.
An original and intellectually stimulating study, "Influences" adds
a new dimension to the understanding of aesthetics among
Renaissance patrons and a new meaning to the seductive powers of
art.
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