Italian Renaissance Art
Michelangelo, Sistine Ceiling, Vatican, Rome; 1509-12, Creation of Adam
Adam is raising himself to consciousness; receiving energy from gods right hand; image of God touching child figure (maybe jesus?); also next to female figure = allegory of wisdom (mother of all virtues); ideal, youthful male form of Adam; piece of off-white fresco (like a pause in a conversation)
Jacopo Sansovino, Library of San Marco (biblioteca Marciana) begun in 1537 completed by Scamozzi in 1591
Council of 10 wanted a more elegant form/structure for the library; one of the first public libraries in Italy; needed a place for the greek and latin manuscripts which had been donated to Venice; plan to have shops on ground floor and library on top level (problem of people stealing books);
Michelangelo, God Separating Light from Darkness
Genesis, god separating light from darkness (beginning of genesis, closer to alter (godly actions closer to altar, human actions closer to the entrance)
da Vinci, Cecilia Gallerani (lady with an Ermine), 1489-90
Wears fashionable clothes in spanish styles; hair worn in spanish style; from impoverished bourgeoises background; became mistress of lodovico sforza @ age 15; bore lodovico's child; noble born but did not marry duke--had a lot of freedom considering; became accomplished poet; good friend of da Vinci; "appears to listen" but stops short there; "paragone"; holding an Ermine; ludovico was bestowed the order of the Ermine (interesting connection); her hands caressing, touching her loved; contraposto
da Vinci's Saint Jerome, 1488-90
Very little known; alterpiece? unknown patron; was never finished; line of owners after leaving da vinci's workshop only goes back to 19th C; attribution to leonardo never doubted; painted on a walnut panel (strange in florence, but likely impacted by da vinci's time in milan); wrapped in penitential clothes (living in nature); included jerome's companion (lion); about to whack himself in chest w/ rock; desperation on face (physical and spiritual pain); physical punishment cleans soul and brings us closer to god (body and soul have a connection to God); straight line from rock, to eyes to image of christ's outstretched arm in suffering); jerome's face looks skeletal (intentionally emphasized - hence why jerome does not have beard)
Raphael, Saint George and the Dragon (oil)
(carefully lined up tree trunks, memling's st. john the baptist image); st. george (roman solider but christian); slaying the dragon and saves daughter of a pagan king; king converts to christianity after; diplomatic gift (blue ribbon on garter has inscription HONI (disgraced be he who thinks ill of it) moto of a group for whom Chivalric order of the garter who george is patron saint; duke montafeltro made knight of this order by king henry VII of England (panel made for his emissary); meant to create diplomatic ties b/w the duke and the king (delicate b/c duke is subject to the pope...)
da vinci, madonna and child with saint anne 1503-06
3 generations in one; saint anne foundation for mary; jesus mounting lamb (understanding of his sacrifice); unclear if mary's reaction is accepting or holding back); sfumato (smoky gives consistent tonal range throughout); atmospheric perspective;
Apollo Belvedere
130-140 CE; roman copy of greek original 330 BCE (likely bronze at the time);
Da Vinci, Virgin of the Rocks
1483-90; da vinci and two local painters paid to create a piece for the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception in Milan; (attached to church of san Francesco); took 25 yrs to receive payment; virgin and child with infant st. john the baptist; doubts that leonardo was the only one responsible; london version shows much workshop intervention; 4 figures on edge of water; landscape diminishes well in gray fog (very da vinci w/ tonal relationships); 2nd child is christ (blessing (right)); hand of the angel points to his prominence (st. john's);
Da Vinci, Last Supper
1494-98; painted on wall of refectory (eating hall for monks) in Santa Maria delle Grazie in milan; Patron: Ludovico Sforza (mixture of tempra and oil to slow the drying time of tempra (pigments did not adhere directly (became a ruin); christ is instituting the ritual of the eucharist; no halos; treats each figure individually; Judus (leaning away from christ on the left); simple 3 windows behind (holy trinity); orthogonals diminish to center (triangular form) - radiates b/c it is the moment that christ establishes the eucharest); people all reacting differently;
Michelangelo, David
1501-1504; Patron: Consuls of the Arte della Lana for tribune of Florence Cathedral but instead installed in front of Palazzo della Signoria (too large/heavy to place at intended location); michelangelo started off where a previous sculptor had left off, which limited his ability to make extreme changes; no precedent for 100% nude (not in biblical text); mimics an apollo/hercules; knowledgable of Donatello's version (could have used head of goliath to support) instead Michelangelo uses tree branch (roman technique);
Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa
1503-13; unknown sitter (lots of speculation) - lisa gherradini (giocondo's wife?); leonardo does not deliver panel to his patron--keeps it in his workshop until death; brown tone not prob what da vinci intended (revarnished several times);
Raphael, Galatea, Vila Farnesina
1512; painted in fresco -- which is why the red is impressive; subject: roman poet Ovid talks about sea nimph named Galatea celebrated for her beauty, coldness, and speed; fierce dolphins drawing sea shell, intense red; contraposto pose - trying to show how difficult her pose is; god of love aiming arrows at wrong people reacting to polyphemus - giant with 1 eye in picture to the left of this one; circle of cupids tell that she was in love with someone else;
Raphael, Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione
1514-15; Raphael knew him in Rome; portrayed the way the perfect courtier should be portrayed (make sure to never look better than the host - but wearing black velvet, w/ silver fur...still dark colors though)
Raphael, Portrait of Bindo Altoyiti
1515; Arresting image; Bindo was a wealthy florentine banker (acheived lots of power, became administer for Vatican (also managed rebuilder of St. Peters, and agro in Papal states); impressive to get portrait from Raphael b/c was busy w/ pope at time; who is the viewer (prob for his wife - his ring is prominent in his hand, which is held over his heart; and the painting was sent home to his wife);
Cellini, Cosimo I, 1545-47
Became duke of florence, going against the republican values of the city --> michelangelo refused to work for Cosimo I, turned to Cellini instead; in bronze, looking like a roman emperor; lion on right soldier, which is an old florentine image; head of medusa in center (allantica);
Giorgione, Sleeping Venus, 1510
Canvas; made for a venitian official (LN marchello); titian completed the work after Giorgione's death; unusual in its emphasis on a single nude figure; pastoral landscape again; thatched roof buildings (not typical in venice -- more north); her curves echo the soft hills (connection b/w landscape and figure); low horizon line diminishing to blue mountains (aerial perspective); quoting ancient roman sculpture: typical figural pose that was associated with the Sleeping Ariadne -- and the Venus pudica type because of her attempting to cover nudity (which actually just draws attention to it more)
Raphael, Portrait of Agnolo Doni, 1505
Commissioned as a pendant portrait to her husband; sense of unease in hands (skeptical look on face suggests this to be true);
Titian, Venus of Urbino, 1538
Derived from Giorgione's Sleeping Venus; appears to be the same woman portrayed in la bella; is this a portrait? is it a meditation on what female beauty is? dog resting at the foot of the bed; accentuate the reds; subtle sfumato to define the outside of her body; same pudica gesture; she is addressing the viewer; two women in the background -- retrieving stuff from wedding chests(usually have similar nude forms on the inside); diminishing w/ distance (orthogonals);
Mannerism
Derived from itlian word Manierea (manner or style); comes from the hand "mano"; an art about art making (artists commenting on art making); style meant to highlight the artist's talents, hand; taste for extreme artificiality of poses (michelangelos); not interested in landscape or recession of space, just want the human body;
Veronese, Stanza dell'Olimpio: Giustiniana Barbaro with Son Alvise di Marc'Antonio Barbaro, and nurse on Balcony, 1560-61
Detail of ABOVE; looks like they are looking over a balcony; emphasize beauty of a woman by putting uglier/older woman; parrot - bird gotten from new world - sign of trade; dog symbol of loyalty;
Giorgione (1477-1510)
Died from tthe plague in his thirties; studied w/ Bellini; influenced by Leonardo; taught Titian (who was heir to Giorgione's legacy); hard to attribute his works (titian or giorgione?)
Benvenuto Cellini, Salt cellar of Francis I, 1540-43
Francis I being the person who was forceably married to Charles V's sister; Francis I reign disasterous but liked italian art; Cellini (violent criminal record - almost had hands chopped off for murder); made of gold and ivory, carved on ebony base; NEptune holding trident charriot decorated by shells for salt; Earth is on left flanked by ionic temple (pepper); morning day evening and night -- quoting michelangelo's work in the New Sacristy; figure on ionic temple quoting figures in new Sacristy, too. Figures extending off in an elegant, but precarious way;
Pasquino, c. 1550, published in Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae
Fragment of famous sculpture; in Rome; artful form of social media? placed in an area where political statements, protests, poetry were placed (like a public board); each year, he would be dressed based on a different theme;
Sebastiano del Piombo, The Raising of Lazarus, 1517-19
Giulio de Medici decided to have a competition of artists in Rome to have a painting for the cathedral in France (where he was at the time); Sebastiano clearly a Venitian; background showing architecture (ancient); SUBJECT: New testament, martha and mary request that Jesus visit the gravesite of their brother Lazarus, who Jesus raises from the dead; the Figure of Lazarus is based on a sketch Michelangelo sent to Sebastiano
Jean Clouet, Portrait of King Francis I, 1535. Oil on wood.
Holy roman emperor Charles V captured King Frances I, forced him to marry Charles' sister (created alliance); Charles V responsible for the sack of rome; pope clement VII concerned about Charles V's imperial views; Clement eventually joins with France bc of this, and Charles V hires german mercenaries to tear through italy (20% of romans killed); Clement eventually surrenders. Artists ran for their lives from rome (meant they went to other places to do their work).
Bronzino, Martyrdom of St. Lawrence, 1565-69
In situ, San Lorenzo, Florence; Patron: Cosimo I; very different from other altarpieces created by Bronzino; interwoven nude bodies in all forms; St. Laurence roasted to death (gesturing like its not bothering him at all); orthogonals kinda recede to horizon line but really just bodies on flattened picture plane
Raphael, Portrait of Pope Julius II, 1512
Painted in 1511: picture in oils, portrait caused everyone to think it was the living man himself; portrays him in an innovative way (exceedingly influential later on); Pope painted 2 yrs before death (evident in his frailty); takes into account the viewer)
Andrea Palladio
Palladio is nicknamed classical after Pallas Athene the goddess of wisdom; advocated for clean lines and geometry of designs;
Titian, Pope Paul III with his Grandsons Alessandro and Ottavio Farnese, 1546
Patron: Pope Pall III; one of the grandsons recognizes the viewer; surprising to get a commission from the pope as a venetian; TItians relationship with Bembo, who knew Raphael, likely took some ideas from Raphael's portrait of Leo X (at desk, with relatives, one person identifying viewer - but we are at a distance, not really involved the same way as we are in raphael's) because of the pope, the younger alessandro became a cardinal;
Bronzino, Eleonora of Toledo and her Son Giovanni de'Medici, 1545. Oil on panel.
Patron; Cosimo I; impressive dress, jewels; simple blue background that gives her a halo-like thing; idealized face (unblemished, soft but severe); elongated hand and fingers but flatness to them; airless quality, unnatural; flat on picture plane;
Raphael and Workshop, Loggia of Psyche
Patron: Agostino Chigi for his studio in the Vila Chigi, now the Vila Farnesina; opens to a garden beyond; subject, Psyche loves Cupid, leaves Cupid's mother Venus jealous; painted as if we are looking from below, painted sky in background; DETAIL OF MERCURY, 1518-19; skybound mercury (winged feet and helmet (messenger god)); holding horn (bc he brings news with it -- likely bringing news of the wedding taking place in the center frame); split cantaloupe (calls into play female genitalia, and the squash is male genitalia - makes everything light-hearted b/c Chigi wanted an escape, which is also why the villa is secluded); Mercury's cape - shadows are the opposite color of the main one on the color wheel (yellow to purple); MARRIAGE OF CUPID AND PSYCHE -- wedding of a god to a mortal; not hypermuscular nudes like michelangelo; Jupiter is in the center (the one who invited her to heaven to marry cupid); central nude lady is imitating/replicating the letto di policletto (16th C); psyche as a symbol of the soul, god of love allows her to rise to heaven? (ARTIST taking into account classical texts, in fact, copying artists previous work is a foundation for new artists);
Raphael and workshop including Giovanni da Udine, Loggia of Cardinal Bibbiena, Vatican Palace, 1517-19
Patron: Cardinal Bibbiena; Bibbiena sometimes an ambassador for the Papacy; space decorated in grotesque style; some stands in relief; white ground in the picture; use of tempra too; played with using a slower drying paint; eligance to the painting (caligraphy-like);
Giorgio Vasari, Uffizi, Florence, 1560-80
Patron: Cosimo I -- decided to rehouse all of the guild houses (consolidated bureaucracy); Uffizi = office; trying to convey efficient administration; grey stucco -- gesture towards Michelangelo, Brunelleschi
Titian, Pesaro Altarpiece, 1519-26 (chapel in the santa maria gloriosa de Frari)
Patron: Jacopo Pesaro titian taking into account where this painting is going to be (virgin and child looking at/greeting people as they enter the church); straightforward but also a political statement; st francis on right gesturing to members of the pesaro family (child is directing foot towards them in recognition); child is acting as a child; st. peter (blue and gold w/ key on step) engaging mary's figure to acknowledge Jacopo Pesaro kneeling; George the soldier saint bearing the arms of pope alexander, referencing jacopo's having lead the church's force agains the turks in early 1500s. Turkish prisoner held in left (ultimately showing pesaros' allegiance to the pope -- very controversial b/c Venice and Pope butted heads quite frequently, as Venice's power b/c of trade was significant. asymmetrical composition; steps of classical temple; angels holding cross to foreshadow;
Donato Bramante, Belvedere Courtyard, Vatican Palace, begun 1504
Patron: Julius II; papal summer retreat, conceived as a scheme to join the villa to the main body of the residence; housed the papal collection of ancient sculpture; installing (julius) classical sculpture is a sign of his reign in imitation of Julius Ceasar; name of courtyard took name of the famous torso that michelangelo studied
Titian, Danae, 1553
Patron: King Philip II Poesie (visual poems); Titian chose the subjectmatters of these works; Danae - subject from Ovid, locked in a tower b/c Danae's father consulted an oracle that told him he would be killed by his grandson; but zeus was able to possess her through golden rain; her open legs are receiving the gold shower (fertility); trying to show beauty of Danae through incorporation of a hag; earlier version had a cupid; each coin has lightening bolt on them (medals we have looked similar);
Raphael, The Miraculous Draught of Fishes 1515-16
Patron: Leo X; tapestries (to hang in the lowest zones of sistine chapel); raphael used the acts of the apostles as the primary subjects; people are to scale; Luke: Christ tells peter, james and john (and others) to recast their nets, and they miraculously catch fish (from now on they will catch others to believe in faith); very muscular fishermen - reference to michelangelo's work in sistine chapel; set of 10
Titian, Sacred and Profane Love, 1514
Patron: Nicolo Aurelio; coat of arms on the fountain (not a nobleman but a venitian citizen who likely emigrated there); this may have been created for Aurelio's wedding in 1514 -- union of Laura and Nicolo eye-raising (Laura's father and probably her husband were executed for treason a few years prior --> marriage required that this get approval from venitian leadership; pastoral again w/ buildings in back, shepherds, green hills; figure on left dressed in traditional wedding clothes; dress figure is mortal, looking into the distance; Venus = nude (roman relief sculpture on edge); cupid is foreshortened well (playing w/ water);
Titian, Rape of Europa, 1559-62
Patron: Philip II; Europa her rape gave rise to Europe (her union with Jupiter, Minos will be born); Comes from Ovid; SUBJECT: creation of Europe; Philip II had massive empire, the conquering of a women leads to good things (Philip justifying himself?); Titian trying to compete with Ovid; aerial perspective;
New Sacristy at San Lorenzo (Medici Chapel), 1519-34
Patron: Pope Leo X and Giulio de' Medici (later Pope Clement VII); 2 young medici dukes had died -- Leo and Giulio wanted to honor the two dead Medicis (Giuliano and Lorenzo); 4 tombs were meant to be designed but only two were actually created; same place that Brunaleschi worked/carved out (same interest in showing the plans by contrasting local gray stone with white stucco) - in style its honoring previous medicis; statues not meant to depict the actual people; more about the human body itself; one person more at rest, one person more active (shows different attitudes of the dead people):: MICHELANGELO's DAY figure on tomb of Duke Giuliano de' Medici: awake/alert, heavily muscular (unfinished face/head, seems to be more interested in finishing the abdomen b/c that is the most vulnerable, alive part of the body?); active controposto b/c depicts day)
Raphael, Portrait of Leo X with Cardinals Giulio de' Medici and Luigi de' Rossi, 1513
Patron: Pope Leo X, son of lorenzo the magnificent, was in exile bc was a medici, went to urbino, when Giovani was 37 he was elected post following Julius II death; court attracted a variety of learned folks form Urbino (hence raphael); bible open to gosple of saint john, namesake; holding magnifying glass; Giulio de Medici to left, becomes Pope; Luigi de rossi (cousin on mother's side; pope sat for this, then sent to florence (palazzo medici) and placed there for a major wedding (surrogate for pope and family members there); we are in audience with the pope (slightly above him, waiting for him to give an indication to us that we are here - guy to the right notices us, though) very much in keeping with Raphael's tradition of portraying popes like we are in the room; effects of light on his velvet cape v realistic)
Raphael and workshop with Giovanni da Udine, Stufetta of Cardinal Bibbiena Vatican Palace, 1516
PatronL: Bernardo Bibbiena; first decorative scheme that was composed of grotesque - paint with painted plaster decoration; this is in a place where you are taking a bath; Udine inspired by the construction of ancient buildings; Bibbiena divoted to Medici -- secretary to Giovanni de Medici; holding the purse strings of papacy as Treasurer General; same flavor of lighthearted; some images slighly erotic b/c its in a private place
St. Peter's, Antonio Sangallo's Plan, 1539
Paul III hired Sangallo to make another plan (after Bramante); not as centralized, but added porch in front; short nave for cross shaped building (if marking burial place of first pope, it is understood to be a place that would draw people (ie pilgrimage site) and would need to house a lot of people (benefit of Sangallo's plan compared to Bramante's)
New St Peter's, Michelangelo's Plan, 1546
Paul III hires Michelangelo and appoints him as the chief architect; executed the design in 1546 (michelangelo) - moved a bit closer to Bramante's original, bust still has porch; thickens exterior walls; change in plan necessitated the destruction of part of Sangallo's plan, but resulted in a bright interior. EXTERIOR: uses colossal order (corinthian plasters are 2 stories tall); does not depart from ancient roman classical style; michelangelo originally wanted a hemispherical dome (half ball), but that was eventually changed; rippling effect on walls of st peter like the rippling effect of muscles on the body of his sculptures;
Michelangelo, Capitoline Hill, begun 1544; cordonata (ramp) begun 1561
Paul III initiated this process after realizing that there was no place for a triumphal procession to end; equestrian bronze statue of marcus Aurelius;
Raphael, Transfiguration, 1517
Playing with light; intended for same cathedral in france (see above); merges figure to landscape in an effort to show how heaven is different from earth; painted in oil (very rich - green, blues -- must have been competing with Sebastiano the venitian); shows two gospel stories: Book of mark in above - peter james john take jesus up the mountain and watch jesus' robes turn white, greeted by Moses and Elias, voice comes out of clouds, saying this is my most beloved son; BOTTOM half: comes from Matthew, Mark and Luke -- when the 4 decended the mountain, someone brought his demonically posessed son to be cured; surrounding crowd is reacting, the exorcism killed the boy but christ resurrected him; dramatic contrast of light and dark
Raphael, La Fornarina, 1518-19
Portrait? Or idealized beauty? arms harken back to a medici statue of venus; encourages us to view this as an intimate image; painting as a collaborative work (ppl in some of his workshop - face is a bit to harsh for Raphael); elaborate headdress (very expensive cloth (tartan - imported from east; slave-like quality)
Raphael, Portrait of Maddalena Strozzi Doni, 1505
Prob knew da Vinci through his teacher; earliest example of Mona Lisa's impact on portraiture; 3/4 lenght; hands folded on one another; horizon line different height; both looking at viewer; jewels on hands (affluence); shoulders more narrow and tapered than reality (idealized beauty)
Palladio, Villa Barbaro, Maser, 1549-58
Same interest in not having a portico to darken everything; Patrons: Daniele and Marc'Antonio Barbaro; Fashionable to build villas on the mainland (many Venetians did this); Villas were practical, b/c legislation supported development on mainland (self-supporting); pastoral subjects prompted Venetians to make these villas; tried to recreate a villa by an ancient roman writer (open all four sides to cross shaped barrel vaulted hall); would have been a working farm -- > legislature said, if you want to build, start producing to feed Venetians; PLAN; pavilians on either side; winery, stables, storages,
Jacopo Sansovino
Sculptor and architect; 1529 became proto (chief architect) to the Procurators of San Marco;
Veronese, Triumph of Venice, 1579-82: Great Council Hall, Doge's Palace
Shows a hierarchically organized space; allantica motifs; allegorical figure of venice enthroned on a cloud surrounded by the virtues, and victory giving Venice a crown; large spiraling columns referencing palace of solomon; Lower: contemporary dressed Venetians (well dressed and upper class); St. Mark embodied by lion; place where major lawmakers would make policy/laws;
Michelangelo, Last Judgment, 1534-41
Sistine Chapel; Clement VII commissioned but Paul III finished; Michelangelo not giving us any perspective, just interested in the human body; seems like its taking place in the room, not beyond; wall tilts forward slightly towards the viewer (makes it loom over us -- makes sense b/c its the last judgement; unbearded christ (unthroned); virgin at his side; michelangelo placed his own face on St. Bartolomeo; Detail: the damned; michelangelo painted a critical papal official in this corner
Raphael, Fire in the Borgo, 1514
Stanza del'Incendio, Vatican Palace, begun 1514, patron Leo X; within vatican; buon fresco; continuing decorative campaign from Julius II; very muscular, contorting bodies (paying attention to Michelangelo's work in the Vatican?); scene of a fire, people moving about despite the fire; people chill; wind moving from left to right; portraying event from life of Leo IV (9th C) - it is about his miraculous extinguishing of a fire in front of the Vatican (pope in background extinguishing with a gesture/prayer); clear indication that he has been studying roman architecture (columns); guys escaping (front left) depicting an ancient coin whose actions are referencing father and son escaping burning Troy.
Raphael, School of Athens, 1510
Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican; Patron: Julius II; area of learning for Philosophers (allantiqua); Triumphal Arch (coffered interior of arch); Philosophy is represented through actions of the depicted individuals; Plato on left holding his book and pointing to the sky (posits that truth and reality are not in the material forms of nature, advocates for a timeless and material world of ideals, soul longs to return to heaven), Aristotle on Right, gesturing down, nature of physical reality is his primary focus, exact opposite of Plato - suggests that differences can be harmonized; around them are many figures turning, twisting, interacting with one another;
Raphael, Parnassus, 1511
Stanza della Signatura; Patron: Julius II; represents the learning of poetry; Raphael was hanging with poets in Urbino (ofc knew of paragone); solved window issue by creating window; apollo's hill (god of poetry) -- center of painting playing his musical instruments; Apollo looking up to the allegorical figure of poetry (holding sign saying poetry inspired by the divine); blue and gold guy is Homer (virgil behind him); red = dante; Ovid (anciant roman poet); Daphney = seated shepherd (all wearing laurel wreaths = sign of poets); Petrarch in red (bottom left)
Pope Julius II
The "Warrior-Pope"; most involved in war and politics; personally led armies against enemies; instituted reconstruction on St. Peter's Basilica; part of the della Rovere family, nephew of Pope Sixtus IV; major collector of antiquities; Michelangelo's patron of Sistine Ceiling; Raphael's patron to Stanze paintings in Vatican Palace
Paragone: Colorito vs. Disegno: Central Italian (Florence) vs. Venice
To trace first then paint? Or just start painting and make adjustments? do you need to show the architecture for it to be of good quality? Disgno: painting depends on drawing and preportionary studies; depiction of human figure = supreme test of artists' skills; design was vital and drawing was the most important element; COLORITO: built up pictures directly on the canvas (more spontaneous and expressive art); alter design on canvas; focus on brushwork and color; believed that coloring was the closest aspect of painting to nature
Raphael's tomb in Pantheon
Transfiguration is the last altarpiece Raphael would paint (chosen to hang over his body at his tomb);
Jacopo Sansovino, Zecca, 1535-47
Zecca -- basically the venitian mint; accross from the Doge's palace; Council of 10 chose his design; VERY prominent place; money to build this building was funded by freeing enslaved people on Cyprus; meant to replace an older building on site (announces city's recovery from economic difficulty due to wars prior); upper floor added later; stone vaulting (surprising b/c very heavy) but its very fireproof and needed to be because of the large forges in the building; and needed to be fortified; second floor with large windows to ventilate furnaces; fortress but cheese sellers in the front stalls?? tuscan columns -- bulge in the center -- half columns and banded that define the sections on the columns; whole things carry dental range (allantica);
Veronese, Allegory of Divine Love, ceiling of Sala Olimpia, Villa Barbaro, after 1559
allegory of divine love @ center; decoration given entirely to Veronese and his workshop (stucco and fresco used); exploration of delicate colors, needed to balance out everything Palladio did bc was very formulaic and strict; needed a place to escape business trouble; ceiling dissolves into sky space (di soto en su? -- looking from ground up); divine love conquers strife (beast) imposes order in the universe; zodiacs and roman gods;
Pontormo, Entombment, 1525-28 for Barbadori-Capponi Chapel in Santa Felicita, Florence
altarpiece; narrative image: moment after christ dies, taken down, put in tomb (cave); BUT not clear goal of showing the narrative (where is the cross/cave??) therefore its mannerist (shallow picture plane and contorting figures, balancing on the toes; artificial colors (hot red in the place where it should be darker - congiantismo)
Giorgio Vasari, Apotheosis of Cosimo I, 1562, ceiling, Sala del Gran Consiglio, Palazzo della Signoria, Florence, Patron: Cosimo I
bias towards Michelangelo, makes sense bc he is a mannerist painter; civic building where the republican government meant; apparently painted it in 100 days; dedicated to Cosimo and all of his ancenstors; shields of the 20 guilds of the city; medici balls; allegorical figure floral (florence) crowning him;
Raphael, Alba Madonna, 1510
madonna, child, st. john the baptist; madonna of humility b/c she is on the ground resting against a stump; meant to show the earthly character of the mother of christ; landscapes based on what he learned in north (brown to green to blue shading); circular shape (like a birth salver)
St. Peter's Construction, Donato Bramante, 1506
both old and new st peters built upon a martyrium (places where martyrs were buried) - st peter is a martyr crucified at the hands of romans for his faith (supposedly buried under this spot); Donato favored a central plan (harkens back to ancient rome); was supposed to have a dome to invoke the pantheon; cross-like shape (fusion of pagan and christian architectural forms); never completed as planned
Lombardo workshop, Chapel of St. Anthony, the Santo, Padua
byzantine-looking building; Tullio Lombardo: Miracle of the Miser's Heart 1520-25; style is very angular and agitated (one of the saint's mircales); where your wealth is, there to will be your heart - st anthony; St. Anthony on left preaching; treasure chest identified on right w/ heart; opening on Miser's chest shows that there is not heart there; roman imperial relief like bc all in uniform row, in shallow space; gives sense of space Sciaschiatto -- baby is almost free standing -- figures in back are crushed/smushed; latinized signature (shows that they are aligning with scholars/learned people)
The old farmer of Corycus - Vatican Vergil, ca 400-420
called the vatican virgil (the book); owned by Bembo; late-antique codex
Titian, Pastoral Concert, 1510
canvas; titian or Giorgione? shows titian as a student of Giorgione's "visual poems" and pastoral images (buildings in distance and shepherds) (nude women with clothed males like in the tempest); rendering flesh by making/mixing paint/medium on canvas (makes for subtle changes); titian's suggests structures of the body but softer lines and blurring into background/setting; SUBJECT? two men are dressed very differently (one put together, the other not at all w/ bare feet); pouring water in a fountain; men dont seem to be acknowledging the women; seated woman holding flute (seems to be contributing to the music playing?) -- are these just nature nymphs or representation of failed loves?
st peter's construction
construction site through 16th into 17th C; (original built by constantine)
Titian
early work hard to distinguish from his master, Giorgione; considered greatest painter of hte venitian school; less defined outlines and with mutually-related colors; maintained relations with high standing patrons in and outside of italy
Michelangelo, Libyan Sibyl, 1508-12
exerting herself with twisting torso, lifting book; weight held on a toe (naturalist - but upon closer look, impossible contortions); Vasari approved of this b/c he was a humanist himself;
Titian, Assumption of the Virgin, 1516-18
for the Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari in Venice (biggest church in Venice); had his painting mimic the arch by the choir stall; tabernacle allantica; really good at drama, providing striking alternative to the quiet contemplative Venitian painting trends at the time; SUbject: Glorious virgin (like church); she ascends into haven after her death; clouds curving to the arch; earthly and heavenly worlds; god the father pictured; nimbus of angel heads; she is wearing expensive blue mantle; feet of the puti figures connecting earth to heaven
Sebastiano del Piombo, Polyphemus, Villa Farnesina, 1511
fresco; sebastiano left venice bc of competition, went to rome and painted this; large image of polyphemus facing the galatea; almost a competition set up by Agostino Chigi b/w raphael and sebastiano (not as good b/c wasnt used to fresco); muscular, paying attention to human features;
Palladio, San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice begun 1566, facade erected 1607-11
his first completed church; advocated for a central plan as the most suitable for a Church; but, churches in form of cross are laudable; dome at crossing; raised columns corinthian plasters; cornices bow over to give it a strong look; dental range b/w cornices: continuous style unifies the entire church; Windows (half circles) are dubbed Palladian windows (based on old thermal windows used in roman baths); FACADE: clearly evoking a temple front (Pantheon); but not a portico; its connected to the building flatly, didnt want a portico because it would create too much darkness (needed the facade to be pristine white to be illuminated by the water); wanted it to be elevated and visible from Plaza San Marco
Council of Trent (1545-1563)
initiated by Pope Paul III, consolidated papal powers, diminished size and authority of the College of Cardinals, added more papal administration staff, made pope's autocratic rule more efficient; PURPOSE: to correct corruption of certain disciplines or practices of the Church Propound, certify and reassert the Church's position on matters of doctrine response to Luther's revisionist theology; IMPACT on the arts: saints interceded for believers by praying for god on believers' behalf, their images and relics are appropriately invoked; images are to be prayed to so as to aid and bless us; images of Mary, Christ, saints to be honored (but not idols) -- there should be no base profit or sensual appeal in these images; must be straightforward and easy to understand for the faithful;
Titian, Portrait of King Philipp II, 1531
king disliked this painting; cruel tyrant but a very important collector of this era; P2's rule caused his eco fortunes to rise and then fall quick (owned all of north and south america, portugal, netherlands) zealous catholic responsible for the inquisition. arts were flourishing in spain at the time;
Veronese, Feast in the House of Levi, 1573
known as a painter of feasts (originally supposed to be a last supper; places the whole scene as if we are looking at it through three arches (allantica); chose the moment when jesus announces that someone will betray him; figures were put in to liven the story and fill the canvas bc very large; inquisition did not like the depiction of dwarves and germans, told him to change the image --> had to change the name of the painting
Giambologna, Rape of a Sabines, 1579-83
made it to show the excellence of his art, not for commission; didnt have a subject --- wanted just to show the virtue of the artist's hand; poets were challenged to come up with a name for it; different ages and sexes, different expressions, contortions; mannerist cause divorced from context
Parmigianino, Madonna of the Long Neck, 1534-40
mannerist; sacred figure with angels in attendance; SUBJECT: simile in medieval hymns saying that the VIrgin's neck is liken to a great ivory tower -- and ivory tower in back; exaggerated length of everything; her body as the church, source of nourishment (accentuated breasts/nipples; controposto, toe supporting everything again; long legs (huge in fact) that are designed to hold the baby; sleeping christ baby looks more dead than alive (foreshadowing his death); no interest in recession of space, just see little man in back holding a scroll; not about narrative - more about figures/showing off the artists ability to show off human features
Tintoretto, Miracle of St. Mark, 1548; Patron: Scuola Grande di San Marco
meant to hang above the main entrance; balanced composition (not as asymetrical as titians); converge on a nude body of christian slave; saint mark stretching out arm, good foreshortening; Subject: st mark decends from heaven to save a slave from torture; saints protection renders all torture toos broken; was not accepted until 62 bc caused tension in scuola over mediocraty; temple beyond allantica
Giorgione, Tempest, 1509
no definitive interpretation; storm brewing in background = tempest; waterway splitting image; Right: woman nursing baby; left: man carrying a halbird (pole weapoin) but not dressed as a soldier); bolt of lightening in the back; unpopulated cityscape (ruins to left); painting lacks a subject? gypsy and a soldier? was this a cover to another painting? some portraits have an emblematic portrait cover that relates to the portrait behind it; idealized country life BUT man is decidedly urban --> member of an organization called the companions of the order of the stockings (elite group of young people from venice who organize events/parties; only noblemen can carry weapons, hence his pole); nursing mother often allegory of charity?
Giorgione, Laura, 1506
not really aware of who she is; rumors that she is "a laura of petrarch" but that is very uncertain bc written later (130 yrs); laurels in the back (relates to her name); portrayal of beautiful women for the sake of portraying beauty itself, not necessarily the sitter; laurels could mean a sign of being a poet? she is wearing a man's cloak; cortisan (well-educated, high class)
Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel Ceiling, Vatican, Rome, 1509-12, FLOOD
painted in true fresco, buon; Genesis, Noah's Arc, abandoned the conception that figures occupy the picture/canvas, instead figures are the structure; couldnt care less about landscape (landscape only pleases children and old women (words put in Michelangelo's mouth); refugees moving from place to place trying to save themselves; male figures sitting on cushions, experimenting with the number of ways you can turn the human figure; how to reconcile with Christian views? @ time promotion of the human male body as a mirror to the soul's perfection, image of God (we were created in His image); reduced several figures from original plan b/c it was hard to see from the floor
Sebastiano del Piombo, Clement VII, c. 1531 two versions in Viena (canvas) and los angeles (Slate)
papal crest with the keys of st peter; family crest of the medici; velvet of his cape clearer on canvas; slate does not give, absorbs the shine
Veronese, Maser, Villa Barbaro, view of crossing, 1560-61
playing all the time with what hes painting -- all plaster work is painted (all meant to trick your eye);
Giorgione The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1500
puts the holy family in a cave, not a manger (very Byzantine decision/tradition--why? Venitians are conservative and had strong connections to the East); center of the painting are the shepherds (change from traditional which would focus on the holy family or the three kings); pastoral landscape in back (Venitians really like this bc they are always stuck in the city/no green); buildings beyond makes you realize that you are far away from the city); san azaro wrote about pastoral life -- Otium a busy peace; recall an ideal place; Shape of the painting: big canvas, horazontal in orientation made for a portego (i.e. in Ca d'Oro) -- ie salon-like places extending from front to back; common subjects are hosting visitors (like this painting) or travel, having feasts
Raphael, Madonna of the Meadow, 1505
pyramid structure of figures; st john as child; christ child; hands are delicate; shoulders look like the mountains - idealistic like the portrait of Maddalena doni (high horizon);
Giacomo della Porta, 1573, altered original dome plan, moved to a ogival dome; lantern completed by 1593;
raised on a high drum (ring) which gives the dome more visibility; double columns carry weight down; lantern as a weight that keeps all weight driven down; windows illuminating interior impressively (redesign by Michelangelo makes the interior very open;
Donato Bramante, Tempietto
stands in the courtyard of San Pietro in Montorio, 1502; Patron: Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain; renews the shape and form of a roman temple (central plan - becomes controversial for a century, as ppl uncertain of what shape a christian building should take); circular building serving as a shrine for st. peter's crucifixion; doric order of columns inside;
Francesco Xanto Avelli, attributed to; Shallow bowl, 1539 tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica)
taken from a classical text (marco dente as source therefore); worked in urbino at some point; style is charicterized by careful use of lines, interest in architecture and anatomy; more of a conversation piece (not really expensive); italians' response to muslim potters exports to italy;
Titian, Charles V on Horseback, 1548
that sculpture (above) inspired this portrayal; bare elements, just the emperor; Charles V saw himself as a christian soldier/champion (hence he favored his being modeled after a soldier/emperor) -- claiming succession of the Roman Christian throne;
Counter reformation
time period: Roman Catholic Church responded to the Protestant Challenge one major goal was proper embellishment of churches and their settings. new decorative campaigns begun all over italy
Vasari, Allegory of the Chianti region, 1562, ceiling, Sala del Gran Consiglio, Palazzo della Signoria, Florence, Patron: Cosimo I
tuscany represented as a grid-like arrangement of these allegorical figures representing parts of the region; river god holding urn pouring water (river); trying to foreshorten the guy twisting torso (clearly a michelangelo lover); shows Vasari was in allignment with Cosimo I and wanted the arts and the state to be aligned likely b/c Cosimo provided funding to Vasari in past for art related projects
Michelangelo, Jonah, Sistine Chapel ceiling, 1508-12. Fresco. Vatican, Rome
very difficult to foreshorten b/c on curved surface; jonah = one of 7 male hebrew prophets represented books of bible; Old Testament: Jonah over altar after being swallowed by a whale (remaining there 3 days - predates Christ's resurrection on the 3rd day); shadows = intense red, fading into a teal color (not about describing the natural; congiantismo - light and shade are created by juxtaposing contrasting colors; bold assertions of Michelangelo's role as a painter - his artistic choices are more important than simply recreating; figure harkens back to Belvedere torso
Giovanni Bellini, San Zaccaria Altarpiece, Chruch of San Zaccaria, Venice, 1505, oil o/wood
you are looking up into this space; marble colums are original (you can see in the painting that there is an attempt to imitate the space around it); painting's light is oriented towards the original windows; paintings as being connected to the real world/a continuation; painted when bellini was in his late seventies; iconic image (meant to be above the people but also shows that he cares about the viewer); st jerome (red) and St. Peter (yellow) both colors that will catch the light as it comes in; sacra conversazione music inviting viewers; nature on left and right (life and death); st catherine; st. lucy; soft sfumato
