A chisel is an essential tool in the art of woodwork - it smooths, balances, and shapes a part or sculpture to the exact specifications of the skilled woodworker who wields it. In the wrong hands, it can create illusions, and even cut flesh. Art can be a chisel; to see how, we must begin with the woodworker who holds the chisel. The rich and powerful have long been interested in art: the collection, commissioning, and even practice of painting, sculpture, and many other techniques. At first look, it can seem like a diversion. Expensive, esoteric, and time-consuming, attributes that easily satisfy the appetites of the uber-wealthy and bored upper crust. Sometimes, that is all it is; the affluent political or religious leader with a taste for beauty, color and paint. However, with a deeper understanding of the long, detailed history of patronage, the truth about art comes to light: art is a chisel, a powerful instrument with which the intuitive wielder can shape and influence opinions, history, and even economy and perception. In the small snapshot of the lavish lineage of patronage below, we can see 5 centuries of delicate, and not so delicate, manipulation of art to influence culture and people’s presuppositions. How can a flat piece of fabric smeared with oil claim so much power? What we see changes how we think, and the connections we make between people and things changes how we perceive. A sculpture on a tomb can tell a story (or a myth) about the departed, and even a familiar name saying something about a stranger can condition us to welcome an unfamiliar, and even unwelcome, figure. As we look at pieces of art, we need to be aware of not just how they look, but how they shape us, and who is doing the shaping.
Title: Samson Captured by the Philistines
Artist: Guercino (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri) (Italian, Cento 1591–1666 Bologna)
Date: 1619
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 75 1/4 x 93 1/4 in. (191.1 x 236.9 cm)
This painting, commissioned by Cardinal Giacomo Serra, portrays the biblical story of Samson and his struggle with his Philistine captors. Serra commissioned at least 4 paintings from Guercino, and also supported other artists. A well-known collector of art, Serra’s activity is a perfect example of patronage’s effect on the arts. Expressing interest in a particular subject matter, Serra would commission Guercino, and pay for the development of the paintings he desired; an advantageous relationship for both parties.
Title: Raising of Lazarus
Artist: Guercino (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri) (Italian, Cento 1591–1666 Bologna)
Date: 1619
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 199 x 233 cm
Widely considered as the pendant piece to Samson Captured by the Philistines, this large oil painting was also commissioned by Cardinal Giacomo Serra, possibly for his own personal collection. It portrays the moment Lazarus is raised from the dead by Jesus Christ, in Guercino’s muted, muscular style.
Title: Portrait of Isabella d’Este
Artist: Leonardo Da Vinci (Italian, Vinci 1452–1519 Amboise)
Date: 1499
Medium: Chalk on paper
Dimensions: 2′ 1″ x 1′ 6″
Title: Portrait d’Isabella d’Este
Artist: Titian (Tiziano Vecellio) (Italian, Pieve di Cadore ca. 1485/90?–1576 Venice)
Date: 1534-1536
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 102 x 64 cm
These portraits both portray the wealthy Marquess of Mantua, Isabella d'Este, daughter of the Duke of Ferrara. d’Este was an incredibly significant figure socially, politically, and culturally in her time, and understood the ins and outs of the hierarchies she was a part of. By commissioning portraits of herself, d’Este hoped to boost her own reputation and prestige. In Titian’s painting, we see a young woman in fine clothing, attractive, yet dignified and stable. In actuality, d’Este was 62 when this portrait was painted. Through visual art, d’Este is able to create an image of herself that affirms her power and influence, rather than her age and irrelevance. The artists themselves are no mistake either. By commissioning famed artists, d’Este hoped to further give legitimacy to herself through the reputation of the artists she employed.
Title: Pieta
Artist: Michelangelo
Date: 1498-99
Medium: Marble sculpture
Dimensions: 174 cm × 195 cm (68.5 in × 76.8 in)
Commissioned by Cardinal Jean de Bilheres Lagraulas, Pieta is a famous work of art portraying the virgin Mary cradling the sacred body of her dead son and Savior, Jesus Christ. The statue measures over 5 feet tall, and was intended to adorn the tomb of Cardinal Lagraulas in St. Peter’s Basilica. The religious nature of the subject matter no doubt was intended to reflect on the cardinal himself: in a tomb richly decorated with beautiful holy art, the occupant must himself be holy indeed.
Title: Excavation
Artist: Eugene Kingman
Date: 1937-38
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: –
This mural was commissioned by the Federal Treasury Section of Fine Arts, as a part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal Program. Located in a historic post office building in Kemmerer, Wyoming, the mural portrays two archeologists excavating a mastodon fossil with precise, sure care. This piece is representative of much of the art commissioned by the American Government during the Great Depression, in an effort to employ artists and craftsmen and boost the suffering economy. In addition to the economic boost, the Federal Government also benefited from being able to control the content of the artworks; portraying American agriculture, science, and innovation in a heroic light, providing an intangible, yet irreplaceable boost to the American psyche.
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