Discussion Of Different Works Of Art
The choice of images for this assignment are “Galatea, Fresco at the villa farnesina” by Raphael in Rome in 1513 during the high renaissance art movement and “Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time (the exposure of luxury)” by Agnolo Bronzino, the Florentine, in 1546 and the art movement is mannerism.
“Galatea, Fresco at the villa farnesina” by Raphael
High renaissance art movement was the period denoting the visual art’s apogee during the Italian renaissance. This period began in 1490s and terminated in 1527. The term high renaissance in arts was used to denote high style of painting and sculpture. This term has however received criticism as being oversimplified and ignorant of critical historical context. This work of art showed the world as it really was with light and shade, colors and proportion, light, perspective, composition and spatial harmony used for the task.
Raphael Sanzio was an Italian architect of the Florentine school and master painter. He is greatly celebrated for the grace and perfection of his painting. Raphael was born in Urbino and his father Giovanni Santi was also a renowned painter of the Urbino Court. Before being orphaned by both parents at a tender age, his father placed him in the hands of Pietro Perugino’s workshop who later influenced his talent and he begun painting in churches. In 1508, he moved to Rome and was immediately commenced to paint the palace at Vatican.
Galatea was painted for the merchant and banker called Agosto Chigi. This man, in Rome back then, was probably the wealthiest when the painting was being commissioned. This artwork was then placed in Chigi’s villa known as the Villa Farnesina. The main intention of placing this artwork in this villa was to denote the position Chigi as a patron of art. After this artwork, Raphael became the most important Roman Architect which marked the peak of his fame. In this artwork, Raphael painted the story of Nereld Galatea who had fallen in love with a shepherd and a peasant named Acis but does not illustrate any actual events of the story.
Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time (the exposure of luxury)” by Agnolo Bronzino
Mannerism art movement was the work of arts that came after the high renaissance. The term mannerism was a 20th century coined phrase. This works of art occurred between 1520-1580. This art movement was a symbol of the exit of high renaissance and the incoming of Baroque in the 1600. This art movement did not have the great momentum that characterized the high renaissance. This was probably due to mitigating factors like the sacking of Rome in 1527 by the Armies of Charles who crowned himself emperor and ruled over majority of Europe. This king did not have the interest of sponsoring art and did not like the idea of independent city states.
On the other hand, Martin Luther King was stirring up Germany raising questions about the church. As a result, a zero tolerance policy towards renaissance innovations came to be. Mannerism works of art were filled with clashing colors, torturous looking bizarre and emotion themes combining, classicism, mythology and Christianity. The nude remained and sky given menacing colors.
Agnolo Bronzino was a famous artist in the mid sixteenth century and a court painter of the Florentine school. He was a student of Jacopo Pontormo and the two worked on frescos. Under the influence of his mater, Bronzino developed a feeling for color and his paintings were distinguished by sudden bursts of raspberry red or icy blue. His paintings depicted the extraordinary interest in female forms as depicted in his allegorical and religious works. However, he was not willing to give any spiritual relevance to his subjects hence adopted nudity.
The artwork was done during the reign of Cosimo De Medici who was an absolute ruler. The artwork contained pale elongated nudes posing against symbolic figures and luxurious fabric. The artwork displays no emotional intensity but was just a display of empty elegant posturing.
Comparison
The two images contain nudity especially for the female forms. This is a form of seductiveness. The two images also display twisting figures an adaptation of the ancient Hellenistic Greek sculpture. Raphael uses feelings to depict Galatea trying to free herself from her rough love in the sea shell. There is also an element of energy as each form in the painting is busy doing something while garments flutter and figures twist. This energy makes the scene in the painting joyous and exuberant. From the exposure of love, the scene of the painting is a revelation of foolish love surrounded by fraud or jealous and envy. This love is revealed in an untimely manner and is filled with deceit and ambiguity.
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