Hildegard: Illuminations

The Man in Sapphire Blue

Here again, the color blue is very important, and creates a soft, maternal feeling when looking at it. Although the figure is male, and represents Christ, the feeling is more female and maternal. There are several layers of concentric circles here, emphasizing the idea of eternity, infinitude, and completeness that is expressed in Christ. The circles are superimposed on a square, which has four corners, and is, therefore, reminiscent of the earth itself. Also, squares provide a feeling of stability. The union of the circle and square, a common motif in many cultures, represents that harmony of heaven and earth. As Christ is in the center, the suggestion here is that Christ unites heaven and earth -- he was fully divine, but also fully human. Although he is male, again, the color of blue suggests that Christ has a maternal, soft, and loving ethos. Nevertheless, the image is a powerful one; note the use of the color gold in some of the concentric circles, reminding us that love is, indeed, a powerful force in the universe.

copyright © Dr. Deborah Vess 1998-2001, Georgia College & State University and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. All rights reserved. Rights to chapters authored by contributing faculty members reserved to Georgia College & State University, to the Interdisciplinary Studies Program at GC&SU, and to the individual faculty authors.