Moonshadows

July 21 2009, 5:27pm

This remarkable depiction of the surface of the full moon in oil is the work of Julius Grimm (1842-1906), scientific photographer and Hofphotograph (court photographer) to the Baden court, whose greatest contribution to science and photography was in the field of astronomy and more specifically selenography (the study of the moon and its surface). The painting of the moon was presented to Grand Duke Friedrich I von Baden in 1888, a mere 81 years before man set foot on its much-studied surface. Mond. Julius Grimm, 1888. Grimm knew of the Grand Duke’s fascination with astronomy and embarked on an ambitious project to produce an oil painting of the moon, based on his photographs, to be presented to him. On 16 July 1888 he wrote to the court of his decision to produce for His Royal Highness “using the latest photography… a larger picture of the full moon in oils, partly from photographs and partly from nature, on the surface of which all the craters and seas are represented with the greatest precision.” The detail is so sharp, one really does feel that they are standing before a photograph! Julius Grimm at his telescope. (Photo courtesy of the Grimm family.) Grimm’s 1888 painting, which has a highly textured surface and depicts shadows cast on the surface of the moon by the moon’s own craters, represents the moon in an extraordinary way that can never be seen in reality. During a full moon, the light of the sun comes from behind the observer and thus there are no shadows. Grimm’s representation features an arrow to the left of the moon, which indicates the direction of illumination he adopted. For Grimm, the issue of lighting the painting was critical and in a letter to the court he revealed that the arrow also indicated the direction from which his work should be illuminated. “The picture,” Grimm wrote, “should only be hung or positioned, that the light falls onto the picture from the side where the arrow is positioned, because otherwise, in the case of incorrect lighting, the effect could be completely lost.” We’ve experimented simply with a flashlight, and the effect really is something to be seen! Grimm’s work received academic praise across Germany and this fabulous painting is a testament not only to his contribution to the selenographic field, but also to the vivid artistic insight that imbued his presentation of scientific imagery. We’re happy to share this lunar masterpiece in celebration of the Apollo 11 moon landing! To read a more complete history of Grimm and his painting, please visit our website.