In 1555,the Florentine Mannerist painter Giorgio Vasari(1511-1574)created two significant oil panels,the Chariot of the Sun and the Chariot of the Moon,on the ceiling of the Hall of the Elements in the Palazzo Vecchio...In 1555,the Florentine Mannerist painter Giorgio Vasari(1511-1574)created two significant oil panels,the Chariot of the Sun and the Chariot of the Moon,on the ceiling of the Hall of the Elements in the Palazzo Vecchio,Florence.1 Cosimo I de’Medici,Duke of Tuscany(1519-1574),commissioned Vasari to renovate his apartments in the Palazzo Vecchio.Vasari restructured and painted the ceiling and walls of the Hall of the Elements on the second floor,named for its depicted subjects.The walls were painted using the fresco technique,while the ceiling was executed in oil on panels.The walls depicted the elements of Fire,Earth,and Water,whereas the ceiling illustrated the element of Air,containing the panels of the Chariots.Vasari began his education in classical culture in Arezzo under the Latin grammarian Antonio da Saccone and the ancient historian and literary scholar Giovanni Pollio Lappoli,known as Pollastra(1465-1540).He continued his studies within the Medici household under the humanist and hieroglyphologist Pierio Valeriano(1477-1558).In 1539,he met the Milanese law professor and emblematist Andrea Alciato(1492-1550)in Bologna,from whom he learned about the moral aspects of emblems.Through their historical,philosophical,mythographic,and emblematic symbolism,Vasari skillfully synthesize d knowledge to construct intellectual programs that encompass the concepts of ekphrasis and history paintings in his decorative cycles,as revealed in the Chariots.In depicting the cosmic movement of stars and time in the Chariots,Vasari integrated the idea of the chariot illustrated in Baccio Baldini’s astrological engravings and the mythographic account of Apollo and Diana’s chariots in Vincenzo Cartari’s Le Imagini degli dei degli antichi(1547 and 1571).In the discourse regarding the physical and metaphysical movements of the cosmos,Vasari underscores the influence of Italian Neoplatonism,with particular emphasis on insights derived from Marsilio Ficino’s exploration of alchemical colors in nature,as articulated in Liber de Arte Chemica(Books 14 and 15),while also elucidating the importance of Plato’s Chariot of the Soul or Allegory of the Chariot(Jones,Litt,&Ormerod,1918,p.246).展开更多
Giorgio Vasari(1511-74)as an artist and art historian of Italian Mannerism viewed himself as huomo buono et docto in buon letter(a fine and learned man).1 In choosing to practice various arts such as writing treatises...Giorgio Vasari(1511-74)as an artist and art historian of Italian Mannerism viewed himself as huomo buono et docto in buon letter(a fine and learned man).1 In choosing to practice various arts such as writing treatises,collecting drawings,painting decorative cycles,designing buildings,and decorating facades,Vasari was viewed by humanists as a virtuoso.This Tuscan painter,architect,art collector,writer,and art historian is best known for his Vite de’piùeccellenti architetti,pittori e scultori italiani,da Cimabue insino a’tempi nostri(Lives of the Most Excellent Architects,Painters and Sculptors of Italy,from Cimabue to the present time),which was first published in 1550,followed by an enlarged edition illustrated with woodcuts of artists’portraits in 1568.2 In 1960,Einar Rud(1892-1980),a Danish biographer and a scholar of Vasari,characterized him as the first art historian.3 By virtue of Rud’s text,Vasari is known as“the first art historian”-in particular,of Italian art-since Pliny the Elder wrote Book 35 on the History of Art in Ancient times in the Natural History,published posthumously in 79 CE.4 It is almost impossible to imagine the history of Italian art without Vasari,so fundamental is his Vite(Lives).This sixteenth-century Italian work is the first real and autonomous history of art because of its monumental encompassing of all of the following:(1)preambles for explanatory data on the function of the text;(2)integration of individual biographies(with anecdotal,gossipy,and amusing commentaries);(3)theory of art with articulations about artistic creativity and intentionality;and(4)inclusion of explanations of the function and types of artistic materials as well as their applications and techniques necessary for the productivity of art forms(that is,a formation of an instruction manual for artists and the manual’s application to material culture in the sixteenth century).In his coat of arms,Vasari visualized these creative activities and honored his Aretine artistic ancestry(Figure 1).This study consists of four parts:(1)a brief history of Vasari’s family;(2)a brief discussion of Vasari’s homes,Case Vasari;(3)a discussion on the location of his coat of arms(stemma)in the Case Vasari;and(4)and an interpretation of the meaning of Vasari’s coat of arms in his Aretine home.展开更多
Giorgio Vasari’s educational background and association with Renaissance humanists engendered his familiarity with the texts and imagery of classical,emblematic,and mythographic traditions.Vasari’s composition of im...Giorgio Vasari’s educational background and association with Renaissance humanists engendered his familiarity with the texts and imagery of classical,emblematic,and mythographic traditions.Vasari’s composition of images as a compendium of iconography for a decorative program was in the vein of the literary practices of Andrea Alciato(1482-1550),Pierio Valeriano(1477-1558),and Vincenzo Cartari(1531-1590),and followed Paolo Giovio’s advice on how to depict an emblematic image or impresa1(Giovio,1559,p.9).For Giovio(1483-1552),an impresa or badge must contain a figure and motto,its meaning should be clear and precise,the imagery must be pleasant to look at,and the motto must be brief,inventive,and unambiguous.But sometimes Vasari did not follow his advice,relying more on the Renaissance Neoplatonic notion of a concept postulated by the Florentine philosopher Marsilio Ficino(1433-1499).In De vita coelitus comparanda(How Life Should Be Arranged According to the Heavens)2(Ficino,1489;1561-1563;1996,pp.7-19;Kerrigan&Braden,1989,pp.101-115).Ficino discusses the use and the magic potency of images by deliberating on the virtue of imagery,what power pertains to the figure in the Heavens and on Earth,which of the heavenly configurations are impressed on images by the ancients,and how the images are employed in antiquity3(Gombrich,1972,p.172;Chastel,1996,pp.81-89;Moore,1990,p.20,137,181;Bull,2006,pp.7-36).Vasari assimilated these concepts visually in the fresco painting of the Bride with a Rake(1548),located in one of the rooms in his house in Arezzo,the Chamber of Fortune(Chamber of Virtue),where he composed a paradoxical iconographic image-the subject of this essay.This essay is composed of two parts:an introduction to the location of the painting in the Casa Vasari in Arezzo and an iconographical and iconological interpretation of the imagery.展开更多
This essay includes a brief explanation of who is Michael The Archangel; discusses the manifold depictions of Saint Michael in Italian Renaissance art, in particular in Giorgio Vasari＇s imagery; and examines the impa...This essay includes a brief explanation of who is Michael The Archangel; discusses the manifold depictions of Saint Michael in Italian Renaissance art, in particular in Giorgio Vasari＇s imagery; and examines the impact of Neoplatonism in the interpretation of The Archangel and Michael＇s symbolic role. The Renaissance Neoplatonic philosopher Marsilio Ficino explained the signification of the Platonic celestial ladder as a spiritual vehicle for the human soul to achieve the divine＇s love. One step of this ladder is the Angelic Mind. The sparkling light of the Angelic Mind＇s realm reveals the splendor and beauty of God＇s grace. This is the realm where Michael, a Seraphim and a messenger of God, resides, delivering God＇s messages of grace and love to humanity throughout the world. In the vault of the Pope Pius V Chapel at the Vatican, once called Saint Michael＇s Chapel, for example, Giorgio Vasari （1511-1574） metaphorically visualized these divine messages. He painted al fresco Michael The Archangel in combat against personifications of vices as demons who want to prevent human beings from the obtaining divine grace that will allow their souls to ascend toward divine love.展开更多
The theme of the Conception of the Virgin Mary fascinated 16th-century Mannerist painters, as manifested in Giorgio Vasari＇s many drawings and paintings and also the numerous replicas in drawings, paintings, and engr...The theme of the Conception of the Virgin Mary fascinated 16th-century Mannerist painters, as manifested in Giorgio Vasari＇s many drawings and paintings and also the numerous replicas in drawings, paintings, and engravings made after his paintings by his contemporary artists. This essay focuses on Vasari＇s complex iconography of The Conception of Our Lady of 1540 at SS. Apostoli in Florence, Italy. In his documentation of the painting, Vasari never referred to or entitled the painting as an Allegory of the Immaculate Conception or Immaculate Conception but coined it as The Conception of Our Lady （Concezione di Nostra Donna） as it will be referred in this essay. Vasari＇s complex iconography derived from the writings of the A retine canon Giovanni Pollastra. The Virgin Mary is depicted as a victorious symbol of grace and salvation, triumphing over evil. Rejoicing angels surround her with scrolls containing Latin inscriptions, QUOS EVE CULPA DAAVIT/MARIAE GRATIAE SOLVIT, ECCE AGNIU[S] and UNIUS ONNOSTAA. These joyful words allude to the restoration of the fate of Adam and Eve after eating the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge in Paradise. A sinuous serpent coils around the fig tree, while tied-up Old Testament and New Testaments wait for forgiveness and salvation. Three considerations are addressed in this essay： （1） discussion of Vasari＇s recorded commissions; （2） stylistic observations and influences; and （3） interpretation of the imagery, that is, some observations on the symbolism of the painting.展开更多
Giorgio Vasari’s conception of artistic creativity is related to his theory of painting. He proposes two alternatives in a painter’s development or achievement of artistic creativity: imitation (imitazione) and inve...Giorgio Vasari’s conception of artistic creativity is related to his theory of painting. He proposes two alternatives in a painter’s development or achievement of artistic creativity: imitation (imitazione) and invention (invenzione).Imitation is the copying of art as a method of learning, whereas invention is independent of imitation and constitutes the means for conceiving artistic ideas. Imitation serves to guide and teach the artist in composing and creating perfection. Vasari maintains that artists must study antiquity and the masters, so that they may learn how others acquired the experience of imitating nature. For Vasari, imitation draws upon three different sources: the first two are copying from nature (copia dal vero) and the third one is selecting from one’s work (imitare se stessi). He emphasizes that copying from nature is important for the artist so that he may learn to create forms that are alive as visualized in the Fine Arts.展开更多
Giorgio Vasari （1511-1574）, painter, architect, and writer, was fascinated with the image of Saint Francis because of the association of La Verna with Arezzo, his native town, where the miraculous event of Saint Fra...Giorgio Vasari （1511-1574）, painter, architect, and writer, was fascinated with the image of Saint Francis because of the association of La Verna with Arezzo, his native town, where the miraculous event of Saint Francis＇s stigmatization occurred in 1224. Also in Arezzo, in the church of San Francesco, the beautiful frescoes of Piero della Francesca＇s Legend of the True Cross were commissioned by his wife＇s ancestors, the Bacci family. This study discusses Vasari＇s two types of religious representation of Saint Francis. One type is devotional, as in the paintings of Holy Families, e.g., The Holy Family with Saint Francis of 1541, at the County Museum of Art of Los Angeles, CA. The other is historical, focusing on the miraculous moment of the stigmatization, e.g., Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata, 1548, in the church of San Francesco in Rimini. Employing mannerist colors to express the spirituality of the event, Vasari created a new conception of piety, where sobriety and humbleness are honored. These paintings reveal the humanness and sanctity of the protagonist, Saint Francis, devoid of any heroic glamour.展开更多
Among the numerous themes on the suppers cited in the Bible, the Last Supper of Christ with His twelve apostles is the most poignant and rewarding for Christianity. Florentine Renaissance depictions of the theme are n...Among the numerous themes on the suppers cited in the Bible, the Last Supper of Christ with His twelve apostles is the most poignant and rewarding for Christianity. Florentine Renaissance depictions of the theme are numerous and varied, traditionally represented as a predella （step） panel and as an altarpiece in dining halls or sacristies of churches and convents. Vasari＇s Last Supper for the Refectory ofLe Murate （The Walled） in Florence is an unusual depiction of Christ＇s thanksgiving. This imposing religious structure was painted for a poor Benedictine nunnery＇s cenacolo （refectory） in Florence. Vasari completed two drawings for the commission in 1546. The drawings and painting reveal how Vasari drew upon the work of his predecessors to create an innovative expression of thanksgiving, betrayal, and departure. This large masterpiece was severely damaged, almost irreparably, by several mishaps and floods in 1583 and 1718 and, more recently, by the major Florentine alluvione （flood） of 1966. In commemoration of the 50th year anniversary of this last catastrophic event, Vasari＇s Le Mutate Last Supper was carefully and magically restored by a group of masterful technicians, artists, and scientists. Their collaboration and support from the private sector demonstrate the successful bond among art, technology, science, and patronage.展开更多
In previous studies on the iconographical symbolism revealed in Giorgio Vasari’s fresco decoration for the Cupola of Santa Maria del Fiore(also known as the Dome of Florence,1572-1574),I discussed three points:(1)the...In previous studies on the iconographical symbolism revealed in Giorgio Vasari’s fresco decoration for the Cupola of Santa Maria del Fiore(also known as the Dome of Florence,1572-1574),I discussed three points:(1)the impact of Dante’s Divine Comedy,in particular the Inferno;(2)the influence of Coppo di Marcovaldo’s mosaic decoration on the cupola of the Florentine Baptistery(1300);and(3)the inspiration of Renaissance Neoplatonism in Vasari’s paintings.(Aspects of this study were published in Cheney,2016,pp.488-519;Cheney&Hendrix,2002,pp.177-188;Cheney,1998,pp.35-55;Cheney,1987,pp.1-8).In this essay,I will focus on another iconographical representation:the metaphysical and physical symbolism of the eye(―l’occhio‖)in Vasari’s cupola imagery(Figure 1).This approach will connect with Cosimo Bartoli’s lecture on Dante’s Divine Comedy and,in particular,on Dante’s Purgatorio(Cantos XXX and XXXI)as well as with Vincenzo Borghini’s program for the decoration of the Cupola of Santa Maria del Fiore.展开更多
This essay discusses the manifold depictions of Saint Michael The Archangel in Italian Renaissance art,in particular in Giorgio Vasari’s imagery.It starts with a brief explanation of who Michael The Archangel is,expl...This essay discusses the manifold depictions of Saint Michael The Archangel in Italian Renaissance art,in particular in Giorgio Vasari’s imagery.It starts with a brief explanation of who Michael The Archangel is,explores his visual iconography in pagan,Judeo-Christian,and Byzantine imagery,and examines the impact of Renaissance Neoplatonism on the interpretation of Saint Michael and his symbolic roles.The Renaissance Neoplatonic philosopher Marsilio Ficino explained the significance of the Platonic celestial ladder as a spiritual vehicle for the human soul to achieve divine love.One step of this ladder is the Angelic Mind.It is here that the sparkling light of the realm of the Angelic Mind reveals the splendor and beauty of God’s grace.This is the realm where Michael,a Seraphim and a messenger of God,resides,delivering God’s messages of grace and love to humanity throughout the world.Giorgio Vasari(1511-1574)visualized these divine messages metaphorically in frescos on two major vaults.The first is in the small cupola of the Pope Pius V Chapel in the Vatican,once called Saint Michael’s Chapel,where between 1560 and 1566 Vasari and his assistants painted al fresco the Saint Michael and the Devils,a depiction of Michael the Archangel combatting vices personified as demons who want to prevent human beings from obtaining the divine grace that will allow their souls to ascend toward heaven(Figure 1).Between 1570 and 1574,Vasari continued his metaphorical visualization of God’s divine message in a large vault,the octagonal cupola of Santa Maria del Fiore,the Dome of the Cathedral of Florence,the major focus in this essay(Figure 2).He and his assistants painted al fresco the Last Judgment,portraying Saint Michael The Archangel residing in a heavenly realm-the divine reign of God,where he mediates and witnesses God’s divine judgment on humankind(Figure 13).Here,celestial trumpeters loudly announce the separation of good and bad souls of the terrestrial realm,Earth.The bad souls rapidly descend into a Dantesque infernal realm where demons capture them and transform them into hybrid forms.In contrast,the good souls quickly emerge from Earth to ascend into Heaven.Their skeletal figures transform into angelic beings,ready to receive divine grace and eternal love.展开更多
In 1569,Giorgio Vasari(1511-1574)completed painting an altarpiece of the Madonna of the Rosary and a Tondo of angels dispersing roses.The commission was for the private chapel of the Capponi family in the church of Sa...In 1569,Giorgio Vasari(1511-1574)completed painting an altarpiece of the Madonna of the Rosary and a Tondo of angels dispersing roses.The commission was for the private chapel of the Capponi family in the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence.In his Ricordanze(Book of Records),Vasari explained the commission as well as documenting the assistance of his favorite Florentine pupil,Jacopo Zucchi(1541-1590),in the completion of the commission.This essay focusses on Vasari’s design,location,and meaning of the Tondo and its emblematic symbolism of love through the rose motif.展开更多
In 1569,Giorgio Vasari(1511-1574)completed a painting of the Madonna of the Rosary for the private chapel of the Capponi family in the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence.In his Ricordanze(Book of Records),Vasar...In 1569,Giorgio Vasari(1511-1574)completed a painting of the Madonna of the Rosary for the private chapel of the Capponi family in the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence.In his Ricordanze(Book of Records),Vasari explained the commission as well as documenting the assistance of his Florentine pupil,Jacopo Zucchi(1541-1590),in the completion of this painting.This essay discusses Vasari’s symbolism of the rosary as a reflection of the Tridentine Reform in Florence as well as a visual interpretation of Italian Mannerist painters on this devotional subject.展开更多
In 1564,in honor of the death of Michelangelo Buonarroti(1475-1564),an artistic extravaganza was invented by the Benedictine monk Vincenzo Borghini(1515-1580)-prior of the hospital of the innocents,humanist,and admini...In 1564,in honor of the death of Michelangelo Buonarroti(1475-1564),an artistic extravaganza was invented by the Benedictine monk Vincenzo Borghini(1515-1580)-prior of the hospital of the innocents,humanist,and administrator of the Florentine Academy of Design(Accademia del Disegno or Florentine Academy)-and was implemented by Giorgio Vasari(1511-1574)-artist,writer,and artistic director of the Academy,who engaged his Florentine assistants to work on the execution of the tomb in the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence(see Figure 1).The commission of Michelangelo’s tomb was prompted by his nephew,Lionardo[Leonardo]Simoni-Buonarroti(1522-1599),and the Grand Duke of Tuscany,Cosimo I de’Medici(1519-1574).The tomb was completed in 1578.Vasari designed the architectural monument,and his assistants,members of the Florentine Academy,collaborated in the following manner:The sculptures of the Fine Arts were carved by Giovanni Bandini(1540-1599),who represented the personification of architecture;Valerio di Simone Cioli(1529-1599),who represented the personification of Sculpture;and Battista Lorenzi(1527-1594),who represented the personification of Painting and the portrait bust of Michelangelo.Giovanni Battista Naldini(1537-1591)completed al fresco the burning urns,the purple-colored doorway of the tomb,the suspended canopy,and the Pietàin the center of the marble tabernacle.This latter artistic contribution is the topic of this essay.展开更多
文摘In 1555,the Florentine Mannerist painter Giorgio Vasari(1511-1574)created two significant oil panels,the Chariot of the Sun and the Chariot of the Moon,on the ceiling of the Hall of the Elements in the Palazzo Vecchio,Florence.1 Cosimo I de’Medici,Duke of Tuscany(1519-1574),commissioned Vasari to renovate his apartments in the Palazzo Vecchio.Vasari restructured and painted the ceiling and walls of the Hall of the Elements on the second floor,named for its depicted subjects.The walls were painted using the fresco technique,while the ceiling was executed in oil on panels.The walls depicted the elements of Fire,Earth,and Water,whereas the ceiling illustrated the element of Air,containing the panels of the Chariots.Vasari began his education in classical culture in Arezzo under the Latin grammarian Antonio da Saccone and the ancient historian and literary scholar Giovanni Pollio Lappoli,known as Pollastra(1465-1540).He continued his studies within the Medici household under the humanist and hieroglyphologist Pierio Valeriano(1477-1558).In 1539,he met the Milanese law professor and emblematist Andrea Alciato(1492-1550)in Bologna,from whom he learned about the moral aspects of emblems.Through their historical,philosophical,mythographic,and emblematic symbolism,Vasari skillfully synthesize d knowledge to construct intellectual programs that encompass the concepts of ekphrasis and history paintings in his decorative cycles,as revealed in the Chariots.In depicting the cosmic movement of stars and time in the Chariots,Vasari integrated the idea of the chariot illustrated in Baccio Baldini’s astrological engravings and the mythographic account of Apollo and Diana’s chariots in Vincenzo Cartari’s Le Imagini degli dei degli antichi(1547 and 1571).In the discourse regarding the physical and metaphysical movements of the cosmos,Vasari underscores the influence of Italian Neoplatonism,with particular emphasis on insights derived from Marsilio Ficino’s exploration of alchemical colors in nature,as articulated in Liber de Arte Chemica(Books 14 and 15),while also elucidating the importance of Plato’s Chariot of the Soul or Allegory of the Chariot(Jones,Litt,&Ormerod,1918,p.246).
文摘Giorgio Vasari(1511-74)as an artist and art historian of Italian Mannerism viewed himself as huomo buono et docto in buon letter(a fine and learned man).1 In choosing to practice various arts such as writing treatises,collecting drawings,painting decorative cycles,designing buildings,and decorating facades,Vasari was viewed by humanists as a virtuoso.This Tuscan painter,architect,art collector,writer,and art historian is best known for his Vite de’piùeccellenti architetti,pittori e scultori italiani,da Cimabue insino a’tempi nostri(Lives of the Most Excellent Architects,Painters and Sculptors of Italy,from Cimabue to the present time),which was first published in 1550,followed by an enlarged edition illustrated with woodcuts of artists’portraits in 1568.2 In 1960,Einar Rud(1892-1980),a Danish biographer and a scholar of Vasari,characterized him as the first art historian.3 By virtue of Rud’s text,Vasari is known as“the first art historian”-in particular,of Italian art-since Pliny the Elder wrote Book 35 on the History of Art in Ancient times in the Natural History,published posthumously in 79 CE.4 It is almost impossible to imagine the history of Italian art without Vasari,so fundamental is his Vite(Lives).This sixteenth-century Italian work is the first real and autonomous history of art because of its monumental encompassing of all of the following:(1)preambles for explanatory data on the function of the text;(2)integration of individual biographies(with anecdotal,gossipy,and amusing commentaries);(3)theory of art with articulations about artistic creativity and intentionality;and(4)inclusion of explanations of the function and types of artistic materials as well as their applications and techniques necessary for the productivity of art forms(that is,a formation of an instruction manual for artists and the manual’s application to material culture in the sixteenth century).In his coat of arms,Vasari visualized these creative activities and honored his Aretine artistic ancestry(Figure 1).This study consists of four parts:(1)a brief history of Vasari’s family;(2)a brief discussion of Vasari’s homes,Case Vasari;(3)a discussion on the location of his coat of arms(stemma)in the Case Vasari;and(4)and an interpretation of the meaning of Vasari’s coat of arms in his Aretine home.
文摘Giorgio Vasari’s educational background and association with Renaissance humanists engendered his familiarity with the texts and imagery of classical,emblematic,and mythographic traditions.Vasari’s composition of images as a compendium of iconography for a decorative program was in the vein of the literary practices of Andrea Alciato(1482-1550),Pierio Valeriano(1477-1558),and Vincenzo Cartari(1531-1590),and followed Paolo Giovio’s advice on how to depict an emblematic image or impresa1(Giovio,1559,p.9).For Giovio(1483-1552),an impresa or badge must contain a figure and motto,its meaning should be clear and precise,the imagery must be pleasant to look at,and the motto must be brief,inventive,and unambiguous.But sometimes Vasari did not follow his advice,relying more on the Renaissance Neoplatonic notion of a concept postulated by the Florentine philosopher Marsilio Ficino(1433-1499).In De vita coelitus comparanda(How Life Should Be Arranged According to the Heavens)2(Ficino,1489;1561-1563;1996,pp.7-19;Kerrigan&Braden,1989,pp.101-115).Ficino discusses the use and the magic potency of images by deliberating on the virtue of imagery,what power pertains to the figure in the Heavens and on Earth,which of the heavenly configurations are impressed on images by the ancients,and how the images are employed in antiquity3(Gombrich,1972,p.172;Chastel,1996,pp.81-89;Moore,1990,p.20,137,181;Bull,2006,pp.7-36).Vasari assimilated these concepts visually in the fresco painting of the Bride with a Rake(1548),located in one of the rooms in his house in Arezzo,the Chamber of Fortune(Chamber of Virtue),where he composed a paradoxical iconographic image-the subject of this essay.This essay is composed of two parts:an introduction to the location of the painting in the Casa Vasari in Arezzo and an iconographical and iconological interpretation of the imagery.
文摘This essay includes a brief explanation of who is Michael The Archangel; discusses the manifold depictions of Saint Michael in Italian Renaissance art, in particular in Giorgio Vasari＇s imagery; and examines the impact of Neoplatonism in the interpretation of The Archangel and Michael＇s symbolic role. The Renaissance Neoplatonic philosopher Marsilio Ficino explained the signification of the Platonic celestial ladder as a spiritual vehicle for the human soul to achieve the divine＇s love. One step of this ladder is the Angelic Mind. The sparkling light of the Angelic Mind＇s realm reveals the splendor and beauty of God＇s grace. This is the realm where Michael, a Seraphim and a messenger of God, resides, delivering God＇s messages of grace and love to humanity throughout the world. In the vault of the Pope Pius V Chapel at the Vatican, once called Saint Michael＇s Chapel, for example, Giorgio Vasari （1511-1574） metaphorically visualized these divine messages. He painted al fresco Michael The Archangel in combat against personifications of vices as demons who want to prevent human beings from the obtaining divine grace that will allow their souls to ascend toward divine love.
文摘The theme of the Conception of the Virgin Mary fascinated 16th-century Mannerist painters, as manifested in Giorgio Vasari＇s many drawings and paintings and also the numerous replicas in drawings, paintings, and engravings made after his paintings by his contemporary artists. This essay focuses on Vasari＇s complex iconography of The Conception of Our Lady of 1540 at SS. Apostoli in Florence, Italy. In his documentation of the painting, Vasari never referred to or entitled the painting as an Allegory of the Immaculate Conception or Immaculate Conception but coined it as The Conception of Our Lady （Concezione di Nostra Donna） as it will be referred in this essay. Vasari＇s complex iconography derived from the writings of the A retine canon Giovanni Pollastra. The Virgin Mary is depicted as a victorious symbol of grace and salvation, triumphing over evil. Rejoicing angels surround her with scrolls containing Latin inscriptions, QUOS EVE CULPA DAAVIT/MARIAE GRATIAE SOLVIT, ECCE AGNIU[S] and UNIUS ONNOSTAA. These joyful words allude to the restoration of the fate of Adam and Eve after eating the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge in Paradise. A sinuous serpent coils around the fig tree, while tied-up Old Testament and New Testaments wait for forgiveness and salvation. Three considerations are addressed in this essay： （1） discussion of Vasari＇s recorded commissions; （2） stylistic observations and influences; and （3） interpretation of the imagery, that is, some observations on the symbolism of the painting.
文摘Giorgio Vasari’s conception of artistic creativity is related to his theory of painting. He proposes two alternatives in a painter’s development or achievement of artistic creativity: imitation (imitazione) and invention (invenzione).Imitation is the copying of art as a method of learning, whereas invention is independent of imitation and constitutes the means for conceiving artistic ideas. Imitation serves to guide and teach the artist in composing and creating perfection. Vasari maintains that artists must study antiquity and the masters, so that they may learn how others acquired the experience of imitating nature. For Vasari, imitation draws upon three different sources: the first two are copying from nature (copia dal vero) and the third one is selecting from one’s work (imitare se stessi). He emphasizes that copying from nature is important for the artist so that he may learn to create forms that are alive as visualized in the Fine Arts.
文摘Giorgio Vasari （1511-1574）, painter, architect, and writer, was fascinated with the image of Saint Francis because of the association of La Verna with Arezzo, his native town, where the miraculous event of Saint Francis＇s stigmatization occurred in 1224. Also in Arezzo, in the church of San Francesco, the beautiful frescoes of Piero della Francesca＇s Legend of the True Cross were commissioned by his wife＇s ancestors, the Bacci family. This study discusses Vasari＇s two types of religious representation of Saint Francis. One type is devotional, as in the paintings of Holy Families, e.g., The Holy Family with Saint Francis of 1541, at the County Museum of Art of Los Angeles, CA. The other is historical, focusing on the miraculous moment of the stigmatization, e.g., Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata, 1548, in the church of San Francesco in Rimini. Employing mannerist colors to express the spirituality of the event, Vasari created a new conception of piety, where sobriety and humbleness are honored. These paintings reveal the humanness and sanctity of the protagonist, Saint Francis, devoid of any heroic glamour.
文摘Among the numerous themes on the suppers cited in the Bible, the Last Supper of Christ with His twelve apostles is the most poignant and rewarding for Christianity. Florentine Renaissance depictions of the theme are numerous and varied, traditionally represented as a predella （step） panel and as an altarpiece in dining halls or sacristies of churches and convents. Vasari＇s Last Supper for the Refectory ofLe Murate （The Walled） in Florence is an unusual depiction of Christ＇s thanksgiving. This imposing religious structure was painted for a poor Benedictine nunnery＇s cenacolo （refectory） in Florence. Vasari completed two drawings for the commission in 1546. The drawings and painting reveal how Vasari drew upon the work of his predecessors to create an innovative expression of thanksgiving, betrayal, and departure. This large masterpiece was severely damaged, almost irreparably, by several mishaps and floods in 1583 and 1718 and, more recently, by the major Florentine alluvione （flood） of 1966. In commemoration of the 50th year anniversary of this last catastrophic event, Vasari＇s Le Mutate Last Supper was carefully and magically restored by a group of masterful technicians, artists, and scientists. Their collaboration and support from the private sector demonstrate the successful bond among art, technology, science, and patronage.
文摘In previous studies on the iconographical symbolism revealed in Giorgio Vasari’s fresco decoration for the Cupola of Santa Maria del Fiore(also known as the Dome of Florence,1572-1574),I discussed three points:(1)the impact of Dante’s Divine Comedy,in particular the Inferno;(2)the influence of Coppo di Marcovaldo’s mosaic decoration on the cupola of the Florentine Baptistery(1300);and(3)the inspiration of Renaissance Neoplatonism in Vasari’s paintings.(Aspects of this study were published in Cheney,2016,pp.488-519;Cheney&Hendrix,2002,pp.177-188;Cheney,1998,pp.35-55;Cheney,1987,pp.1-8).In this essay,I will focus on another iconographical representation:the metaphysical and physical symbolism of the eye(―l’occhio‖)in Vasari’s cupola imagery(Figure 1).This approach will connect with Cosimo Bartoli’s lecture on Dante’s Divine Comedy and,in particular,on Dante’s Purgatorio(Cantos XXX and XXXI)as well as with Vincenzo Borghini’s program for the decoration of the Cupola of Santa Maria del Fiore.
文摘This essay discusses the manifold depictions of Saint Michael The Archangel in Italian Renaissance art,in particular in Giorgio Vasari’s imagery.It starts with a brief explanation of who Michael The Archangel is,explores his visual iconography in pagan,Judeo-Christian,and Byzantine imagery,and examines the impact of Renaissance Neoplatonism on the interpretation of Saint Michael and his symbolic roles.The Renaissance Neoplatonic philosopher Marsilio Ficino explained the significance of the Platonic celestial ladder as a spiritual vehicle for the human soul to achieve divine love.One step of this ladder is the Angelic Mind.It is here that the sparkling light of the realm of the Angelic Mind reveals the splendor and beauty of God’s grace.This is the realm where Michael,a Seraphim and a messenger of God,resides,delivering God’s messages of grace and love to humanity throughout the world.Giorgio Vasari(1511-1574)visualized these divine messages metaphorically in frescos on two major vaults.The first is in the small cupola of the Pope Pius V Chapel in the Vatican,once called Saint Michael’s Chapel,where between 1560 and 1566 Vasari and his assistants painted al fresco the Saint Michael and the Devils,a depiction of Michael the Archangel combatting vices personified as demons who want to prevent human beings from obtaining the divine grace that will allow their souls to ascend toward heaven(Figure 1).Between 1570 and 1574,Vasari continued his metaphorical visualization of God’s divine message in a large vault,the octagonal cupola of Santa Maria del Fiore,the Dome of the Cathedral of Florence,the major focus in this essay(Figure 2).He and his assistants painted al fresco the Last Judgment,portraying Saint Michael The Archangel residing in a heavenly realm-the divine reign of God,where he mediates and witnesses God’s divine judgment on humankind(Figure 13).Here,celestial trumpeters loudly announce the separation of good and bad souls of the terrestrial realm,Earth.The bad souls rapidly descend into a Dantesque infernal realm where demons capture them and transform them into hybrid forms.In contrast,the good souls quickly emerge from Earth to ascend into Heaven.Their skeletal figures transform into angelic beings,ready to receive divine grace and eternal love.
文摘In 1569,Giorgio Vasari(1511-1574)completed painting an altarpiece of the Madonna of the Rosary and a Tondo of angels dispersing roses.The commission was for the private chapel of the Capponi family in the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence.In his Ricordanze(Book of Records),Vasari explained the commission as well as documenting the assistance of his favorite Florentine pupil,Jacopo Zucchi(1541-1590),in the completion of the commission.This essay focusses on Vasari’s design,location,and meaning of the Tondo and its emblematic symbolism of love through the rose motif.
文摘In 1569,Giorgio Vasari(1511-1574)completed a painting of the Madonna of the Rosary for the private chapel of the Capponi family in the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence.In his Ricordanze(Book of Records),Vasari explained the commission as well as documenting the assistance of his Florentine pupil,Jacopo Zucchi(1541-1590),in the completion of this painting.This essay discusses Vasari’s symbolism of the rosary as a reflection of the Tridentine Reform in Florence as well as a visual interpretation of Italian Mannerist painters on this devotional subject.
文摘In 1564,in honor of the death of Michelangelo Buonarroti(1475-1564),an artistic extravaganza was invented by the Benedictine monk Vincenzo Borghini(1515-1580)-prior of the hospital of the innocents,humanist,and administrator of the Florentine Academy of Design(Accademia del Disegno or Florentine Academy)-and was implemented by Giorgio Vasari(1511-1574)-artist,writer,and artistic director of the Academy,who engaged his Florentine assistants to work on the execution of the tomb in the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence(see Figure 1).The commission of Michelangelo’s tomb was prompted by his nephew,Lionardo[Leonardo]Simoni-Buonarroti(1522-1599),and the Grand Duke of Tuscany,Cosimo I de’Medici(1519-1574).The tomb was completed in 1578.Vasari designed the architectural monument,and his assistants,members of the Florentine Academy,collaborated in the following manner:The sculptures of the Fine Arts were carved by Giovanni Bandini(1540-1599),who represented the personification of architecture;Valerio di Simone Cioli(1529-1599),who represented the personification of Sculpture;and Battista Lorenzi(1527-1594),who represented the personification of Painting and the portrait bust of Michelangelo.Giovanni Battista Naldini(1537-1591)completed al fresco the burning urns,the purple-colored doorway of the tomb,the suspended canopy,and the Pietàin the center of the marble tabernacle.This latter artistic contribution is the topic of this essay.
