The Rainbow

By Richard Neal

THE ART…

These images are a series of canvases I did a few years ago based on Rudolf Steiner’s beautiful description of the Rainbow in the Drama Course . I had them hanging in my studio for a while and would occasionally ask a colleague to sit with them for a few minutes and just write down any soul moods they felt while looking at them. I did this with about 10 people and it was interesting to see: Everyone said something similar to the soul mood Rudolf Steiner speaks of, but different people to different colors.

FIRST SERIES

Three colors of the rainbow.

SECOND SERIES

Tension between luciferic and ahrimanic form tendencies

Richard Neal

I am a member of Camphill Village, Copake, New York and of the Anthroposophical Society since about 45 years. And I am a painter, having worked intensively with color for well over half of a century.

THE RAINBOW…

I feel within me a mood of prayer: that is how the rainbow begins, in the most intense violet, that goes shimmering out into immeasurable distances. The violet goes over into blue, the restful, quiet mood of soul that again goes over into green. When we look up to the green arc of the rainbow, it is as though our souls were poured out over all the sprouting and blossoming of nature’s world.

It is as though, in passing from violet and blue into green, we come away from the Gods to whom we were praying and now, in the green, we find ourselves in a world that opens the door to wonder – opens the door to a sensitive sympathy and antipathy with all that is around us. If you have really drunk in the green of the rainbow, you are already on the way to understand all the beings and things of the world. Then you pass on to the yellow, and in the yellow you feel firmly established in yourself – you feel you have the power to be human in the midst of nature – that is, to be something more than the rest of nature around you.

And when you go over to orange, then you feel your own warmth; the warmth that you carry within you; and, at the same time, you are made sensitive to many a shortcoming within your character, and of the good points too.

Going on then to red, where the other edge of the rainbow passes once again into the vast distances of nature, your soul will overflow with joy and exaltation, ardent devotion, and with love for all humanity.

Rudolf Steiner

see page 62