the Serpents (detail) (1735, 164x1356cm complete frieze)
_ During the 1720s Giambattista Tiepolo developed a new coloristic style
of painting derived in principle from the dazzling palette of Veronese and
the no less brilliant one of Sebastiano Ricci. Rejecting the tenebrous color
of Piazzetta, we witness in Tiepolo the triumph of color with a richness
of resonance and counterpoint elaborated within the ordered and monumental
composition. This great frieze is a fine example of Tiepolo's work of the
1730s. The painting in its ornate stucco frame decorated with fruit, flowers
and leaves is over 13 meters long. Three episodes are depicted with a decorative
illusionism contrasting with the declared realist-narrative intent, making
the painting's effect somewhat melodramatic.
— The
Triumph of Zephyr and Flora (1735, 395x225cm) _ As an allegory of Spring,
this picture brings together the god of the spring winds, Zephyr, and the
goddess of all that blooms, Flora. Accompanied by several putti, they hover
on a cloud in the sky, while on the lower edge of the picture, the god of
love, Amor, seems to be showing them the way. The brilliant coloring of
the robes, the successful modelling of the bodies and the dynamic depiction
of the multicolored cloud formations, full of contrasts, make the picture
one of Tiepolo's masterpieces.
— Pope
Saint Clement Adoring the Trinity (1738, 488x256cm) _ The painting shows
Pope Clement I at prayer, in an ecclesiastical architectural setting which
cannot be identified more closely, before a vision of the Holy Trinity.
The lively facial expressions suggest a conversation between Clement and
God the Father, which is further dramatized by the strong chiaroscuro contrasts.
In an allusion to the particular connection between the donor and his famous
patron saint, Tiepolo lends the portrait of the Pope a private character:
the tiara and crosier, symbols of his power, have been laid aside and placed
in the keeping of a putto.
— The
Institution of the Rosary (1739, 1200x450cm) _ The fresco is the largest
version of this subject in European art, and it combines two different iconographic
traditions: in the upper part of the picture, the Rosenkranzbild, in which
Mary gives the Rosary to mankind, and, in the lower part, a depiction of
the beneficence of the Rosary on earth, represented by Saint Dominic. As
well as the Madonna of the Rosary, the fresco also extols Saint Dominic,
the founder of the Dominican order, to whom the dog is a reference (lat.
domini canes, God's hounds). All manner of people are portrayed - represented
among others by the Doge, a Turk, a nun, and a mother and child, a symbol
of Christian charity - so that the viewer, whether rich or poor, could identify
with them.
— Christ
Carrying the Cross (1738, 450x517cm) _ The subject of the painting is
Christ's carrying of the cross to the hill of Golgotha, which rises up in
the centre of the picture as a tall rock, the crosses already erected upon
it. Directly beneath it in the foreground we see Christ in a flame red robe.
He has collapsed under the heavy weight of the cross. To the right, Veronica,
holding the sudarium, turns away from the dramatic scene, visibly moved.
To the left, the two thieves likewise condemned to crucifixion are being
led forward. In the exact centre of the picture, between Christ's cross
and the hill of Golgotha, and directly facing the viewer, are the figures
of Jesus' disciples, together with Mary and Mary Magdalene. Brightly illuminated,
they stand out symbolically from the other figures.
— The
Virgin with Six Saints (1740, 73x56cm) _ In Venetian Cinquecento paintings
of the Madonna, the Virgin and Child are usually represented in a terrestrial
environment, with a landscape background, in the company of saints. This
type of "santa conversazione" was subsequently altered to suit the taste
of the baroque era: in most instances the Virgin Mary, floating among clouds,
appears to the saints situated in earthly regions. As in the Budapest canvas
and in a number of other pictures by Tiepolo, the painter conveys a vision,
an apparition, seeking to establish a connection between celestial and earthly
elements. Most likely the Budapest picture was painted for some pious brotherhood.
Its airily receding architecture, the marvellous purity of its resplendent
colors, the harmony of construction are similar to Tiepolo's works of the
years 1737 to 1740, The Virgin with Six Saints was probably produced simultaneously
with pictures in the church of Gesuati, and the lost Saint Augustine altarpiece
of San Salvatore.
— The
Virgin Appearing to Saint Philip Neri (1740, 360x182cm) _ The saint
stands in profile at the steps of an altar in front of a highly-developed
architectural background. His gaze diverted upward in astonishment, he experiences
the manifestation of the Mother of God and her Child, who appear to float
in the interior of the church on a cloud, accompanied by angels. The rendering
of the material of the robes is particularly impressive, as is the mist-like
quality of the cloud, which almost turns the vision into an actual happening.
— The
Gathering of Manna (1742, 1000x525cm) _ The altarpiece shows Moses standing
on a rocky outcrop, with outspread arms, his gaze raised towards Heaven,
which has already heard his prayers. An angel pours bread from a large vase
down to earth, where the hungry Israelites scurry around on the ground to
collect it. The strict division of the composition into two different areas
- the spheres of heaven and earth - is broken by the figure of Moses, who
is placed dead centre, and so is characterized as a mediator between the
two spheres.
— The
Sacrifice of Melchizedek (1742, 1000x525cm) _ The Sacrifice of Melchizedek
is shown here as a pendant to the Gathering of Manna. The Priest-King of
Salem brings Abraham bread and wine on the evening following the Battle
of the Kings, and blesses him. Abraham, who kneels before him in armor,
and the army to the right are a reminder of the battle which went before.
To the left, we see the civilian population, including women, children and
the elderly, while a triumphal procession is already approaching from behind
the altar.
— The
Banquet of Cleopatra (1744, 249x346cm) _ Magnificent, brightly lit palace
architecture is the setting for Cleopatra's banquet. However, the historical
event of the meeting between the Queen of Egypt and the Roman Anthony takes
second place to the creation of an opulent banqueting scene in the manner
of Veronese. It is therefore the sumptuous costumes, the magnificent receptacles
and the rich variety of foods which draw most attention as they are proffered
by the servants of the court, who include moors, a dwarf and a dog - a collection
of elements typical of the work of Veronese.
— Worshippers
(1745, 410x198cm) _ Giambattista Tiepolo collaborated with the Venetian
quadratura painter Girolamo Mengozzi Colonna on the ceiling fresco of the
nave of the church of Saint Mary of Nazareth called the 'Scalzi', completing
the work in 1743-45 following the careful preparation of studies and models.
The grandiose fresco depicting the 'transportation of the holy house of
Loreto' was almost completely destroyed during World War I. The few remaining
fragments, such as this 'Worshippers', are enough to evoke the richness
of color and conception of this major decorative achievement. The silver-white
tones of the visionary shrine are illuminated by the dazzling hues of the
garments of the nobleman who looks up towards the saintly apparition while
his servant glances curiously downward towards the crowded nave.
— Apollo
and Daphne (1745, 96x79cm) _ The dramatic episode of Apollo and Daphne,
as narrated by Ovid in the "Metamorphoses", is staged in front
of an almost Alpine backdrop. Daphne escapes the attentions of Apollo, who
has fallen madly in love with her, by turning herself into a tree. The moment
in which the transformation begins is represented: Apollo is hard on her
heels and Amor, too, is attempting to hold her, but her hands have already
turned into foliage. The backward-facing figure of a river god in the foreground
marks the end of her desperate flight. The strong contrast between the brilliant
yellow and red robes and the dark blue shades of the background brings to
mind works of French art.
— Discovery
of the True Cross (1745, diameter 490 cm) _ According to legend, Saint
Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, discovered the True Cross on
a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Tiepolo portrays the saint, in daring foreshortening
from below, making a triumphal gesture in front of the Cross, which towers
up into the sky. She is surrounded by the usual retinue of soldiers, holy
men, the old and the young, women and children, commonly used by Tiepolo
as extras in his paintings. A number of angels hover over the scene, carrying
a thurible and a tablet bearing the name of Christ, looking down on the
miracle of the discovery of the cross.
This grandiose tondo, originally the centrepiece
of the ceiling decorated by Girolamo Mengozzi Colonna in the Capuchin church
in Castello, is a typical example of Tiepolo's ability to translate any
theme, sacred or profane into a stupendous Baroque magniloquence. Within
the monumental order the areas of color are arranged in patterns of polychromatic
splendor, suffused with a pure light which highlights every carefully observed
detail. In this remarkable example of illusionistic perspective, with which
Tiepolo never tired of amazing his contemporaries, the images are characterized
by distinct notes of colors and emotion with a fascinating musical decorative
freshness.
— The
Virgin Appearing to Dominican Saints (1748, 340x168cm) _ The Virgin
Mary hovers on a throne-like golden yellow cloud beneath a baldachin in
front of Renaissance architecture, dressed in brilliant reds and blues and
accompanied by angels. In the foreground are the three saints, all members
of the Dominican order. Agnes of Montepulciano (1274-1317) sits at the front
and meditates over a small crucifix. Her robes illusionistically jut out
into the viewer's space. To her left stands Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
with a crown of thorns and a crucifix, and Saint Rose of Lima (1586-1617),
holding the Christ Child in her arms. The figures in this altarpiece are
portrayed more as the heroines of noble dramas than as saints. They combine
true pathos with elegant sensuality, as if they were creatures of some higher
human species. At the same time, however, they are firmly linked to our
sense of everyday life through the descriptive details which are so naturalistic
as to border on trompe-l'oeil.
— Last
Communion of Saint Lucy (1748, 222x101cm) _ Still further proof of Tiepolo's
extraordinarily eclectic talents comes from the fact that at the same period
that he was working on the breathtakingly secular spectacle of the frescos
in Palazzo Labia, he also painted his most religiously intense Venetian
altarpiece. In no sense did he compromise the clear sobriety of the architecture
nor the brilliance of his palette. Indeed they seem to underline the sadness
of the scene.
With arms crossed, Saint Lucy kneels before
a priest to receive the last communion. Her half closed eyes and the elegiac
expression on her face hint at her later fate. The priests and secular dignitaries
who surround her wear magnificent robes, whose beautifully rendered material
and brilliant colors are of particular intensity. The scene takes place
in front of an imposing palace, upon whose balustrade Tiepolo has again
placed spectators. While the bloody knife and the platter with the gouged-out
eyes in the foreground are a drastic reminder of the impending martyrdom,
the heads of angels which hover over the saint announce her entry into the
Kingdom of Heaven.
— Adoration
by the Magi (1753, 408x210cm) _ Tiepolo painted this altarpiece during
his stay in Germany. Because if the damp climate, he could only work on
the frescoes in the Würzburg Residenz in the spring and summer. So in the
fall and winter he had to concentrate on painting in oil on canvas. He produced
some fantastic and exotically beautiful works in which the religious subject
seems merely a pretext for eye-catching, showy images, but he himself was
genuinely religious. The style of the age, however, meant that even religious
topics often became theatrical.
— Allegory
of the Planets and Continents (1752, 185x139cm) _ Tiepolo was the most
famous Italian painter of the 18th century. His greatest achievement was
the decoration of two rooms in the palace, or Residenz, of Carl Philipp
von Greiffenklau, prince-bishop of Würzburg, carried out between 1751
and 1753. This painting is the oil sketch presented by Tiepolo on April
20, 1752, for the vast fresco over the staircase of the palace. It shows
Apollo about to embark on his daily course across the sky; the deities around
him symbolize the planets, and the allegorical figures on the cornice represent
the four continents of the world. Numerous changes were made between the
oil sketch and the fresco, but this painting shares with the completed ceiling
the feeling for airy space, sun-washed colors, and the prodigious inventiveness
for which Tiepolo is admired.
— The
Death of Hyacinth (1753, 287x235cm) _ In the foreground, accompanied
by a putto, and with a sweeping gesture, Apollo laments Hyacinth, who he
accidentally killed during a ball game, and whose body is impressively laid
out on a red cloth. Behind them to the left, and somewhat distanced, is
a group of onlookers included as staffage, while a grinning statue of Pan
and a parrot, on the right, act as a third centre in the composition, their
presence turning the tragedy of the scene to irony.
— An
Allegory with Venus and Time (1758, 292x190cm) _ To enter fully the
radiant world of Tiepolo we must travel - to Venice, his native city, then
back to the mainland to Udine and Vicenza, across the Alps to Würzburg in
Bavaria, finally to Madrid in Spain where, fearing the shift of taste in
his homeland, he elected to spend the last years of his life. The greatest
decorative painter of his century, he was happiest working in fresco where
his 'rapid and resolute' manner was a technical necessity. Under his virtuoso
brush airy spaces, shimmering with light, opened on walls and ceilings to
admit heroic beings - Christian, mythological, allegorical, historic or
poetic - dazzling to mortal viewers. He has been called the last Renaissance
painter, and borrowed much from Veronese. But Tiepolo, even more than Veronese,
was never wholly serious when painting epic. He can be majestic but not
solemn; poignant rather than tragic. In the century which discovered feminine
sensibility, he introduced a note of tenderness into the sternest and loftiest
imagery.
Luckily for us, something of the freshness
of Tiepolo's mural decorations is preserved in his oil sketches and in this
canvas, painted to be inserted into the ceiling of a room in one of the
many Venetian palaces of the Contarini family. It is designed to be seen
from below, but at an angle, as we step through the door. From infinitely
luminous skies, Venus, sumptuous in her white, gold and pink nudity, has
swooped down in her chariot; her team of doves, released from harness flutter
lovingly above her, and from a dawn-tinted cloud the Three Graces strew
roses. Below, winged Cupid, her divine son, hovers with his quiverful of
arrows. Venus has come to consign her newly born child, freshly washed with
water from an earthenware amphora, to Father Time. Having set down his scythe,
Time here signifies eternity rather than mortality. The child - wide-eyed,
thick-lipped and with a precocious widow's peak in his hairline - resembles
page boys frescoed by Tiepolo shortly before on the staircase of the prince-bishop's
palace in Würzburg. He is clearly meant to be a real baby. Venus' only human
child, born to a mortal father, was Aeneas the founder of Rome. The Contarini,
one of the oldest families in Venice, had fabricated for themselves a lineage
from ancient Rome; the reference to Aeneas thus suggests that the ceiling
may have been commissioned to proclaim the birth of a son. Through august
parentage and his own heroic deeds, a Contarini boy might be expected, like
Aeneas, to win eternal fame.
— A
Seated Man and a Girl with a Pitcher (1755, 160x54cm) _ The painting
belongs to a series of four paintings of identical size.
— The
Theological Virtues (1755, octogonal, 39x38cm) _ This is a modello for
a fresco above the choir of the Santa Maria della Pietà in Venice.
The final fresco closely follows the modello with only minor changes.
— The
Martyrdom of Saint Agatha (1756, 184x131cm) _ This canvas was painted
for the high altar of the church of Saint Agatha in Lendinara. It must originally
have been rounded at the top, for it appears in this form in an etching
by Tiepolo's son, Giovanni Domenico. The part which is now missing showed
a heart surrounded by the crown of thorns in a nimbus, at which the saint
was gazing. The beautiful Agatha was a devout Christian who lived in Catania.
She steadfastly refused to make sacrifice to the heathen gods. When shlgen,
German painter born on 06 February 1772. He was trained from 1789 to 1790 by Januarius
Zick in Koblenz and by Christoph Fesel [1737–1805] in Mainz. In 1791 he moved
to Rome, where he lived with his twin brother, the landscape painter Carl Ferdinand
von Kügelgen [06 Feb 1772 – 1832], and studied the works of Raphael. He
went to Riga in 1795, and in 1798 to Reval (now Tallinn, Estonia) and Saint-Petersburg,
where he lived until 1803 and where he became a sought-after portrait painter.
In 1805 he moved to Dresden, where he lived in the house which is now the Museum
der Frühromantik. In 1814 he became a professor at the Academy. — Johann
Wolfgang von Goethe (1809, 73x64cm; 691x600pix, 66kb) _ Kügelgen schuf diese
erste Fassung seiner berühmten und viel reproduzierten Bildnisse Goethes, den
er hoch verehrte, neben anderen Porträts berühmter Zeitgenossen in Weimar. In
Goethes Tag- und Jahresheften (1809), heißt es: “Kügelgen der gute,
im Umgang allen so werthe Künstler verweilte mehrere Wochen bei uns, er malte
Wielands Porträt und meins nach der Person, Herders und Schillers nach der Überlieferung.
Mensch und Maler waren eins in ihm, und daher werden jene Bilder einen doppelten
Wert behalten.” (WA I/36, S. 50). Als Würdezeichen seines Amtes trägt Goethe
den Stern des russischen Saint Annen-Ordens und das rote Band der französischen
Legion d'Honneur. Durch eine kontrastreiche Licht-Schatten-Behandlung und die
bewegte Draperie ist es Kügelgen gelungen, Goethe als Minister und Dramatiker
gleichermaßen darzustellen. Bei den Zeitgenossen fand es großen Beifall. Über
Goethes Aussehen zu dieser Zeit sind schwärmerische Berichte überliefert, die
Ähnlichkeit des Bildnisses wurde oft betont. Caroline Herder schreibt, in dem
Bild sei eine “fast zerschmetternde Kraft, und doch nicht übertrieben”
(an Knebel, 25 Jan 1809); Knebel über eine Kopie des Porträts an Goethe (18 Oct
1810): “Dein Bild nach Kügelgen (...) scheint mir unter allen, die ich kenne,
das ähnlichste und ist ungemein wohlgemacht.” — Friedrich
von Schiller (418x384pix, 35kb _ ZOOM
to 930x690pix, 253kb) (read: Schiller
[10 Nov 1759 – 29 Apr 1805] Ein Leben für die Freiheit) — Königin
Luise von Preussen (450x365pix, 123kb) — Belisar
_ (1807) _ Der blinde Belisar sucht mit seinem Begleiter vor einem Unwetter Schutz
in einer Grotte, Als ein Gleichnis für die Seelengröße des zu Unrecht Gedemütigten
darf dieses Gemälde angesehen werden, das der in Bacharach am Rhein geborene Maler
Kügelgen zusammen mit dem Bild David spielt Harfe vor Saul ein Jahr nach
Napolens Einzug in Dresden gemalt hat. Kügelgen, ein enger Freund von Caspar David
Friedrich, gehörte patriotischen Kreisen an und nahm mit seiner Kunst zu den Ereignissen
der Zeit Stellung. In klarer Komposition und leuchtendem Kolorit stellt das Gemälde
des in Rom und Paris geschulten, von Raffel beeindruckten Malers ein Beispiel
dar für eine Kunst am Übergang vom Klassizismus zur Romantik.
1723 Constantyn Netscher, Dutch artist born on 16 December 1668,
son of Caspar
Netscher [1639 – 15 Jan 1684]
1677 Jan Meerhout (or Meerhoud), Dutch artist.
Born on a 27 March:
^
1915 Denton Welch, English painter and novelist who died on 30 November
1948. — ART
LINKS — Harvest
(1940, 91x122cm)
1894 Le Roy Leveson Laurent Joseph de
Maistre, Australian painter and designer who died on 01 March 1968. From
1913 to about 1915 he studied art under Dattilo Rubbo [1870–1955] and music
in Sydney. In 1919 he devised a color–music theory that allied the colors
of the spectrum to musical scales and, with fellow artist Roland Wakelin, held
an exhibition of eleven paintings and five room designs based on this theory.
The paintings, such as Boat Sheds, Berry’s Bay (1919), are characterized
by simplified forms, large areas of flat paint and heightened, non-representational
color. De Maistre was influenced by international art, but these works are a unique
Australian hybrid of Post-Impressionism. Further experiments in 1919 led de Maistre
to produce Australia’s first abstract paintings: only one documented example
is known: Rhythmic Composition in Yellow Green Minor (1919). From 1923
to 1925 he was in Europe on a traveling scholarship. On his return to Sydney he
held two solo exhibitions at the Macquarie Galleries (1926, 1928), worked on room
and furniture designs and lectured on modern art. In 1930 he returned to London
where he lived until his death.
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