Note: This blog entry is the first of a series on the beautiful art at the National Gallery in London. This blog focuses on Venetian late Renaissance. Room 9 (Venice 1530-1600) visited Sept 2022. The rest will be under the 2022 visits under the National Gallery heading.
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The Way to Calvary by Jacopo Bassano (1544-5)
This is early into Jacopo Bassano’s career.
I think we see mannerism here. Christ’s elongated narrow anatomy through long fingers and his emaciated long face. Face drained & torpid, slightly detached with a few drops of blood flowing from his pierced brow. A bit disembodied. Christ stumbles - worn out by the beatings and exhaustion - but it looks like a strangely elegant fall. However, the Christ’s plight is hardly noticed by most participants in the painting. He’s right at the bottom, not occupying the centre. There is no linear perspective and no classic triangular composition. The painting is a bit of a mess and welter, and the viewer isn’t quite sure where to look. There seems to be two halves. In the upper-half, two figures seem transfixed by the sight of a floating suspended bit of rags. One has the expression and comportment of horror (why?). There is other drama than Christ.
Then, there is the exquisitely-bright and long loose flowing garments and gowns. Hard to believe Jesus would be wearing such refined rosy garments. The Virgin Mary weeps and and Saint Veronica - not Mary Magdalena- holding up a cloth for Christ (ref. to the ‘Veil of Veronica’). St Veronica is incredible here. The meticulousness of her beauty (e.g. such exquisitely braided brunette hair, or the hint of rosy-tint flushing to her lovely ears etc.) and the grace of her posture make her presence captivating.
This painting (as an altarpiece?) is a evocative, reflective and interesting. There is no calm or peace. There is tension and drama - but not all Christ? Christ’s apparent remoteness from his eventual execution is - according to the National Gallery - indicative of his divine superhuman dimension. That’s probably true, as it doesn’t fit in with emotional charge of the rest of the piece.
Very interesting.
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The Adoration of the Magi by Paolo Veronese 1573
Although there is some sense of linear perspective, the thrust of the main drama is pushed to the bottom which is the clear focus of the painting. It is ornate but also a bit complex. So I think it could fit in both High or late Renaissance - but more in the latter.
The Three Magi genuflecting before the baby Jesus bathed under long delicate rays of divine light. The lighting only focuses attention - no artistic effect in creating shadows. The whole setting is unrealistic. The stable sits on Roman ruins (= Christianity trumping the former pagan order) and not clear where the stable starts and the ruins end. Christ has farm animals all around. The skyline is pretty simple, and then there are bizarre angels whose limbs vanish to leave wings and heads floating down. The robes of the Magi are really quite exquisite. Are the soldiers’ caps’ plumage related to the Swiss Guard. Mary is also adorned in similar lavish and lustrous robes. Her face is detached and inscrutable.
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The Conversion of Mary Magdalene by Paolo Veronese 1548
There’s quite a lot of interesting details here.
It is worth noting that the Catholic Church has recently - belatedly - acknowledged that there was no evidence that Mary Magdalene was ever a prostitute. She came from a respectable family and was one of Christ’s closest disciples. Her name has been tarnished for millennia.
There is skilful use of shadowing; but the canvass light is coming from - not Jesus - the viewer. In fact, apart from a few people and the viewer; most of the scene with the Christ is similarly not observed. I think it’s interesting that there are people simply sauntering by in the back. Indeed, someone is looking down by a pillar.
In this painting, Mary is clearly overwhelmed and deeply affected by the Christ’s teachings. Her necklace of precious metals is broken. Her features combine both shock and awe. Her dress matches the Christ’s toga-like (pagan-esque?) cloth. I like the two males pivoting to take in the drama; like “what’s going on?”. The angelic cupid-like bum protruding is about to be clothed, on the left-hand side; and that is very Renaissance.
And while Mary’s reaction is quite poignant and effecting; to me, I feel the Christ is too detached and his movements seem strange. As if to say “what me?”. Probably related to the need for heavenly grace in the pose; otherwise too earthly. He seems to have a knee sticking out too. Not sure if his pose is natural against a background of Roman architecture and columns.
It is quite beautiful, but there is a certain something in the Christ which - for me - which holds the painting back.
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The Consecration of Saint Nicholas by Veronese 1562
Quite beautiful.
This depicts the election of a new Bishop. One received a vision of a young-man called Nicholas kneeling. The figures interact in a vista which is completely unrealistic; curtains on one side and an elegant classic column on the other. A young Veronese in the background by the Bishop? And a strange twisted figure - almost falling - in the angel bearing the mitre and crosier.
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Portrait of Vincenzo Morosini by Jacopo Tintoretto 1575
Wow.
Tintoretto gives us the frailty and vulnerability of old age and tiredness. It evokes a sense of tenderness and sentimental affection for the elderly. Especially, in his eyes. The penetrating gaze. The lines, furrows, creases in the skin around his sunken eyes. The fact that one eyelid droops slightly is skilful. His thinning wispy beard hair and those big age-old ears also begins to droop. The decay is counterposed by an elaborately and excessively ornamented scarlet-coloured robes
As per the National Gallery, the gold over his shoulder is a mark of a Venetian order of knighthood.
Captivating and charming.
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The Vendramin Family by Titian 1540
Amazing. Very special to look at. I feel there’s something epic or heroic in this painting.
Titian came to Venice in about 1500 at the height of its splendour - despite its onset of political, military and commercial decline (due to struggles on the peninsula against foreign powers). He was apprenticed to Bellini and then Giorgione. The arts were resilient and by the mid-16th century; the artistic mantle had been conferred from Florence/Rome to Venice via Titian (who succeeded Bellini as painter to the city). Titian would be commissioned by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and then Philip II of Spain. Titian’s versatility of approach and variety of his portraiture treatments were so outstanding that successors - even Impressionists - used him as a source-book - including Rubens, van Dyck, Reynolds and Rembrandt.
In this painting, Andrea Vendramin kneels in the centre beside his brother Gabriel surrounded by Andrea’s seven sons.
What is remarkable is the sheer fastidiousness. Firstly, there is the stooping, bent-forward, respectful-like modesty. Andrea’s disposition and demeanour speaks to a sense of propriety and humility. Their facial expressions are interesting. Andrea’s short but coarse disorderly beard; and his brother’s shaggy overgrown beard. And yet, such ostentation and splendour. Titian gives us ceremonial robes so sumptuous that they shimmer in the light. They are the focus. The surrounding landscape is unadorned and plain. And yet, their brightly-coloured lustrous fibres create a magnificent silky material and fur that gleams in smoothness. It screams wealth and opulence. I love how the folds in the robes create dark patches of shadow in between the glittering.
The sons were painted by assistants, so need not concern us too much. But they are charming in their own ways.
All-in-all, it’s captivating and very beautiful. It combines the aristocratic dignity with patrician wealth and status. It bears grandeur.
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The Good Samaritan by Jacopo Bassano 1562
The famous parable.
Traveller attacked by robbers and left for dead. A Samaritan stopped and cared for him - using oil and wine. A priest and Levite passed him by.
We’ve definitely left the High Renaissance with their depictions of an idealized or ‘normal’ man. Humanist in nature, this focuses on a ‘moment’ and the subject is strange and contorted. We seem to have an elongated emaciated man. Bones noticeably protuding under his skin; and the skin itself is pallid, ashen-gray and wan; almost imitating a cadaver. The high contrast between the colours of the two people and the landscape is striking. The horse is almost impossible to discern. I like how both characters aren’t looking in our direction.
This must have been a striking painting at the time, and perhaps made more poignant be the fact that the Samaritan doesn’t seem to notice us. The kindness and compassion is quite moving; and Bassano amps it up through the bloody bandage around his head, the affixing of a foot on some higher ground to leverage the traveller’s weight. It’s a beautiful moment.
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The Tribute Money by Titian 1560-8
Fascinating. Christ being asked by the Pharisees whether they should pay tax to the Romans.
There is something disembodied in Christ’s eyesight and posture. He doesn’t seem to be addressing the man at all - but rather looking beyond him. It seems the raised arm and elbow might be rebuffing the Pharisees’s coin. Interesting finger, elongated a bit? Smooth, delicate and wrinkle-free. Christ has lovely neat hair, and a glowing complexion with beautiful garments. All set against some vague unrealistic environment of a wall and a sky with clouds.
The Pharisees’s arm is fascinating. That amazing nuance of his arm’s flesh becoming flaccid with old age; and the muscles protruding under the thin skin. His other hand grasping some other wallet or object. And a spectacled observer in the corner. Then there are the grey hairs of his scalped having been combed; and the blood vessels in his throat.
Beautiful contrast in colours, details and postures; and that pointed finger as a cautionary suggestion.
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Lamentation of the Dead Christ by Giovanni Battista Naldini 1572
Christ is yellow. One of his hands has gone black from decomposition. Facial expressions and movements all-round seem a bit disembodied. There seems to be a dark calliginous shadow just above the middle and on top of the crowd. Crucifixions ongoing in the background. Christ doesn’t have the graceful idealized form; a little skinny. Feels a bit like there isn’t a balance in the painting. It’s not comfortable to look at.
I don’t find this painting all that moving.
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The Madonna and Child with Saints and a Donor by Sebastiano del Piombo 1517
Not sure what to think of this.
Perhaps somewhere in the middle of late and high R.. It seems to have a triangular composition at its centre; but background is a strange curtain under which John the Baptist sleeps (which suggests a private viewing?). The Madonna does have a disproportionately large size and has her arms around the Christ and the donor. Long fingers too. Donor = friend of Michelangelo and Sebastiano and was a wealthy friend. The Christ is barely holding on and he seems to have a similarly disembodied presence too with an asymmetric twisted figure.
Not sure if I warm to this painting. It feels a bit unsettling.
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The Aldobrandini Madonna by Titian 1532
Typical Renaissance pyramid structure, and nicely balanced with symmetry in the composition, I think. And such an intensely strong arresting vibrant blue. The Virgin sits with elegance and grace. There is a decent perspective against an arcadian vista with an angel soaring high above. The Virgin is accompanied by John the Baptist while Christ is held in such loving tenderness and affection. Both John and Jesus are painted with such innocence and pulchritudinous. This lady’s hair is beautifully arranged with a sumptuous golden piece of cloth about her neck and shoulders.
Very beautiful.
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The Family of Darius before Alexander by Paolo Veronese 1565
Wow! I love it.
Its enormous; pantheonic. So much to take in and so much detail. Large-scale grandeur.
Family of Persian emperor Darius coming before Alexander the Great, asking for mercy. But, the mother of Darius addresses his friend Hephaestion. Alexander brushes this off and protests the family.
Firstly, there is just so much richness in colour; the scarlet reds, blue-indigos, yellows, and beautiful forest green (man standing next to Alexander of Masedonia). The imposing Roman classical architecture - against the clear cloudy sky - holding even more people higher-up. There is a disparity in shade and light between both sides. It seems to be darker at Alex’s side. I love the monkey grasping a chain (symbol of the Asian?), the horses against the columns, and the cute dog at the side (restrained). They eye flies around trying to catch everything and it feels like there is motion in the painting. Everyone is doing something. I think there is a slanted symmetry of shade and weight. Not sure if this is closer to High Renaissance. The mother looks shocked - through her hand gestures; and Alexander’s hand raised in protest against any worry and distress.
A fabulous epic, full of dignify and drama; and very beautiful.
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The Dream of Saint Helena by Veronese 1570
So lovely.
Here, St Helena - mother of Christian emperor Constantine - dreams a vision of the Cross on which Christ was crucified.
She is just beautiful with swan-like grace and the painting has geometric balance around her. The window is the dreamworld perspective and yet the whole canvass is saturated in a certain hue, and we see 2 cute angels struggling to balance Christ’s cross - an object of profound religious importance.St Helena is painted in such opulent colours of Venetian golds, oranges and rouges; and in soft delicate fineness. The green shoulder wrap, and the subtle red brushstrokes towards the bottom of her dress. The brushwork creates such incredible folds in her garments. Her lovely hair, dainty hands, beautiful face and carefree expression make this quite an intimate sensual painting. St Helena is glamorous and irresistible.
Love it.
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The Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine by Parmigianino 1527
Parmigianino (AKA = ‘little one from Parma’) is iconic of mannerism.
In this painting St Catherine receives a ring from Christ. The Christ is looking at Mary, and it seems as though there is a mirror in the room. But that looks like a doorway onto a hall with two people in the distance observing the moment.
There is a haloed man at the bottom left giving the painting a curious imbalance breaking the illusion of a home scene. The wheel opposite him may try to balance the canvass. The graceful elongation of the figures and the augmented reality makes for a distinct feel.
This painting has the feel of a dream. Interesting.
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