In a delightful twist of fate, my wife Andrea recently unveiled a treasure trove from the depths of history—a vintage pastel set nestled within an old rickety box. But the real intrigue lay within its German label which translates: "Mengs Pastel Colors, based on the original recipes of Raphael Mengs." Hmmmm… who was this dude Raphael Mengs? And could he be the key to unlocking hidden family fortunes? Sure sure the name is a bit different…but maybe?
As I delved into the labyrinth of ancestry, it became clear that Raphael Mengs, or Anton Raphael Mengs to be precise, was no distant relative poised to leave me a windfall. Born in 1728 in Bohemia, he was an influential figure in the 18th-century German neoclassical movement. In fact Mengs graced the courts of Europe with his fancy pants brushstrokes and insights into color theory.His portraits, were gazed at by kings and queens. And as I viewed his work for the first time. I could definitely see that his work was perfect castle fare, mostly portraits hoity toitys in their finery.
As for his style…Mengs was a meister of muted colors…nothing to garish. The colors very soft and gently, which was appropriate given that his color theories embraced the ideas of a easy going and harmonious relationship between colors. No big “wows”. If I sound derogatory about his work I don’t mean to be. It is actually quite lovely.
Now back to the box The pastel set now housed only 8-10 worn-down sticks, none of which seemed to belong to the original collection. Ironically, the colors now residing in Mengs’ palette—the maestro of muted tones—were mostly vibrant hues. I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d be rolling in his grave at the sight.
As a final note…I did find plenty of Mengs’ work that wouldn’t be what I would consider muted. He did some rather vibrant work. Below are two versions of the goddess Diana. Did he eventually abandon his treatise on color theory…perhaps a good paying benefactor requested a bit more zing on his pallette, or perhaps because people found him dull…badumpah.
