Venetian Renaissance Art

16th Century

Venetian Renaissance:Believed they were superior to Florence and RomeGreatest commercial sea power in the MediterraneanProtected by water Controlled the sea routes on the Adriatic SeaWealthy and secure patrons of the artsByzantine heritage promoted glorious patterns that underscored light and colorContributed textiles, gold, enamel glass, mosaic, fine printing and bookbinding in encouraging the arts.First to use oil on wood and canvasFirst to cover walls with paintings instead of frescos

Giovanni Bellini, Portrait of Doge Leonardo Loredan, 1501-1502, Venice

Giorgione, The Tempest, c.1506, Venice

Titian, The Pastoral Concert or Allegory on the Invention of Pastoral Poetry, 1510, Venice

Lavina Fontana, Noli me Tangere,1581, Bologna, Italy

Art and the Counter Reformation:Under Pope Clement VII Charles V attacked Rome .Vatican had underestimated the powerful ReformationFinally Pope Paul III recognized the Protestant movement in order to protect the Vatican.He convened the Council of Trent (1545-1549) to:

investigate corruption define the Catholic canon initiate disciplinary reforms regulate the training of clerics limited Christian art destroyed many works.

Pope Paul III instituted the InquisitionHence, art became a powerful weapon of propaganda.

Michelangelo, Last Judgment, Sistine Chapel, 1536-1541

Veronese, Feast in the House of Levi, 1573, Rectory of Santi Giovanni e Paolo.

Venice

Titian, “Venus” of Urbino,, c.1538

Venice 1538, Venice

Mannerism1520- 1573

Mannerism: from Maneria meaning “style”Titled by Art Historians after Raphael’s death in 1520Conventions: anti-Classicism spurious graceelegance manipulated and altered formal convention contrived compositions illogical spatial surroundings elongated proportionscomplicated artificial poses enigmatic gestures dreamy expressionsdistortionDelicate colorsPolished surfaces dizzying, diagonal plunges into the depth of the painting

Works revealed quoted references to works of illustrious predecessors. Patrons’ preferred esoteric

subjects; accomplished technical virtuosity; and the pursuit of aestheticism. Architecture disregarded uniformity and balance but used Classical orders in alternative ways.

Pantormo, Entombment, 1525-1528, Capponi Family Chapel, Florence

Parmigianino, Madonna with the Long Neck, 1534-1540, Parma, Italy

Tintoretto, Last Supper, 1592-1594, Church of An Giorgio, Maggiore, Venice

Bronzino, Allegory with Venus and Cupid, 1540-1545, Florence

Bronzino, Portrait of a Young Man, 1540-1545, Florence

Sofonisba Anguissola, Self-Portrait, c. 1552, Bologna, 2 ½” X 3 ¼”

•“…an excellent painter of portraits above all the

painters of this time”•Anthony Van Dyck sketched her in Palermo and explained, she advised him on not positioning the light too high because the strong shadows would reveal her wrinkles.”

Correggio, Assumption of the Virgin, 1526-1530, Parma, Italy

El Greco, Burial of the Count of Orgaz, 1586-1588, Spain