Yara Feda museum assignment first draft At first glance,Sandro Botticelli’s 1470 painting Madonna and Child is a simple depiction of a woman holding a baby. However, this work holds a great deal of Christian religious iconography and is stylistically representative of the Early Renaissance, particularly of the work coming from the artists under the patronage of Lorenzo de’ Medici, de facto ruler of the Florentine Republic and patron of Sandro Botticelli (“Florence and CentralItaly, 1400-1600 A.D.”). Because its written provenance starts with Prince Bartolomeo Corsini at Villa di Mezzomonte near Florence, this painting is sometimes called the “Corsini Madonna” (Boscovits 152). When it belonged to the Corsini collection, it was in a tabernacle frame, which would have been made out of the same piece of wood that the painting was on originally (Lightbown16; Kanter). The original frame had a painted dove representing the Holy Spiritand an inscription: “Ave. Maria. Gratia. Plena.”, which means “Hail Mary, full of grace,” the beginning of a traditional Christian prayer (Lightbown 16). This 29 5/16 x 217/16 inch tempera on wood panel work is in poor condition. It not only has several noticeable cracks,the most prominent of which runs across the child’s legs, and has paint that is wearing down (Boskovits 152). Additionally, the work has been restored with mixed results multiple times. The two planks that comprise the panels have been trimmed from the original frame and are worm tunneled (Boskovits 152). The woman in the painting, the Virgin Mary or Madonna, wears a red robe with sleeves embroidered in gold and a blue cloak draped heavily across her lap. The cloak appears to also be lined with a darker fabric along the edges. A gold star sits on the Madonna’s shoulder. She wears a gauzy veil covering her light hair and gazes sleepily at her son in her arms. In this painting, Mary is extremely pale and is crowned by a halo of gold rays and stars radiating from the top of her head. The gold is not just gold paint; it is gold leaf applied in a process called mordant gilding (Boscovits 152). This painting is an example of a common religious type of painting called theMadonna and Child or Virgin and Child. While the emphasis in medieval art was on the child in these paintings, Renaissance painters began to give equal importance to Mary both in stature and detail (Boskovits 152). Mary’s bright, sumptuous clothes show her importance following the conventions for painting her in colorat the time: in blue and red classical robes. It is also notable that she is blond and pale in the imagination of Botticelli, reflecting more the style and look of his fellow Florentines than the likely look of a woman from what is nowIsrael. The Christ child is active in her arms, returning her gaze. He too is pale andblond and appears to shifting his weight to climb up on his mother. His halo isa faint gold ring almost perpendicular to the horizon. He too wears draped clothing. The posture of the Child actively climbing toward his mother is a recurrent element in Tuscan painting (Boscovits 152). However, because Sandro Botticelli was bornc. 1445, this is an early work created in his mid-20s that departs from the“motif of the strongly foreshortened Child’s face” favored by a fellow classmate at Fra Filippo Lippi’s studio, Andrea del Verrocchio, which indicates a development in Botticelli’s composition (Boskovits 152). Many details of Botticelli’s early life are unknown, which means scholars have not been able to pinpoint an exact date the work was painted (Boscovits 153). In the background of the painting are a paneled wall and Corinthian columns. It seems possibly as though the mother and child are sitting in a portico open tothe outdoors, since an open golden field and row of cypress trees are visibleto the right of the most prominent column. The Corinthian columns are a reference to Roman architecture, which is both a nod to the Classical revival occurring during the Renaissance and the setting of the painting, which would have occurred during the time the Roman Empire controlled the area in which theHoly Family lived. Interestingly,the cypress trees in the background do not appear in photographs of the painting from the nineteenth century (Boscovits 152). While cypress trees, arenative to both Botticelli’s home, Florence, and Israel, where the event depicted would have taken place, it was a restorer who added the landscape where the gesso had deteriorated (Boscovits 152). Not only does this restoration add detail to the painting in a way the young Botticelli had not intended with his original simple background, it also alters the perspective of the painting, which was composed with a low vantage point (Boscovits 153). The low vantage point and simple landscape were intended to highlight the “monumentality” of the two figures in the painting, which is essential in indicating the holiness of the figures depicted in the early Renaissance style (Boscovits 153). Besides the use of perspective, Mary and Jesus are given much weight in the painting, but the triangular composition of Mary’s posture and the gaze of the Child still lift the viewer’s eye upward. The Corsini Madonna is representative of Botticelli’s early work. It draws so heavily on the work of other artists, including Botticelli’s teacher, Fra Filippo Lippi, that it was not originally attributed to Botticelli (Boscovits153). One of the stylistic decisions that is reflective of Lippi is the delicate gesture of Mary’s right hand; in later years, Botticelli’s work became more lively than delicate (Holberton). Even the subject matter reflects Lippi’s influence on Botticelli’s early work; Lippi was known for his Madonnas(Holberton). Over the course of his career, Botticelli became known for painting secular classical subject matter, for example, the Primavera. This shift from Christian subjects to secular subjects parallels an overall shift in European art at the time as patronage shifted from the Catholic Church to private donors during theRenaissance (Holberton). Thus, the work represents an example of an early work in Botticelli's life and a typical Early Renaissance painting full of Christian iconography. Boskovits, Miklols etal. Italian Paintings of the Fifteenth Century. Washington,DC: National Gallery of Art, 2003. “Florence and Central Italy,1400–1600 A.D.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: TheMetropolitan Museum of Art, 2000– .http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/?period=08®ion=eustc (October2002) Works Cited Holberton, Paul."Botticelli, Sandro." The Oxford Companion to Western Art.By Hugh Brigstocke. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2001. Kanter, LaurenceB. and George Bisacca. “Italian Renaissance Frames.” In HeilbrunnTimeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000– .http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/fram/hd_fram.htm (October 2008) Lightbown, R. W. SandroBotticelli: Life and Work. New York: Abbeville Press, 1989. In the background of the painting are a paneled wall and Corinthian columns. It seems possibly as though the mother and child are sitting in a portico open tothe outdoors, since an open golden field and row of cypress trees are visibleto the right of the most prominent column. The Corinthian columns are a reference to Roman architecture, which is both a nod to the Classical revival occurring during the Renaissance and the setting of the painting, which would have occurred during the time the Roman is this idea, or Empire controlled the area in which the Holy Family lived, give Interestingly,the cypress trees in the background do not appear in photographs of the painting coule? your from another from the nineteenth century (Boscovits 152). While cypress trees, arðpative to both Botticelli's home. Florence, and Israel, where the event depicted would have taken place, it was a restorer who added the landscape where the gesso had deteriorated (Boscovits 152). Not only does this restoration add detail to the painting in a way the young Botticelli had not intended with his original simple background, it also alters the perspective of the painting, which was composed with a low vantage point (Boscovits 153), The low vantage point and simple landscape were intended to highlight the "monumentality of the two figures in the painting, which is essential in indicating the holiness of the figures depicted in the early Renaissance style (Boscovits 153). Besides the use of perspective, Mary and Jesus are given much weight in the painting, but the triangular composition of Mary's posture and the gaze of the Child still lift the viewer's eye upward. The Corsini Madonna is representative of Botticelli's early work. It draws so heavily on the work give work by Flippo , Tipp/ example of other artists, including Botticelli's teacher, Fra Filippo Lippi, that it was not originally attributed to Botticelli (Boscovits153). One of the stylistic decisions that is reflective of Lippi is the delicate gesture 22 of Mary's right hand; in later years, Botticelli's work became more lively than delicate (Holberton) Even the subject matter reflects Lippi's influence on Botticelli's carly work; Lippi was known for his Madonnas(Holberton). Over the course of his career, Botticelli became known for painting secular classical subject matter, for example, the Primavera. This shift from Christian subjects to secular date ro compare The woman in the painting the Virgin Mary or Madonna, wears a red robe with embroidered in gold and a blue cloak draped heavily across her lap. The cloak appears to also E with a darker fabric along the edges. A gold star sits on the Madonna's shoulder. She wears a gaur covering her light hair and gazes sleepily at her son in her arms. In this painting, Mary is extremely and is crowned by a halo of gold rays and stars radiating from the top of her head. The gold is not gold paint: it is gold leaf applied in a process called mordant gilding (Boscovits 152). This painting is an example of a common religious type of painting called the Madonna and Child or Virgin and Child. While the emphasis in medieval art was on the child in these paintings, Renaissance painters began to give equal importance to Mary both in stature and detail (Boskovits 152). Mary's bright, sumptuous clothes show her importance following the conventions for painting her in colorat the werenge: in blue and red classical robes. It is also notable that she is blond and pale in the imagination of awkward Botticelli, reflecting more the style and look of his fellow Florentines than the likely took of a woman from what is nowisrael The Christ child is active in her arms, returning her gaze. He too is pale andplond and appears to be shifting his weight to climb up on his mother. His halo isa faint gold ring almost perpendicular to the horizon. He too wears draped clothing, The posture of the Child actively climbing toward his mother is a recurrent element in Tuscan explain significantry painting (Boscovits 152). However, because Sandro Botticelli was borc . 1445, this is an early work taborudeferested in his mid-20s that departs from the 'motif of the strongly forestortened Child's face" favored a fellow classmate at Fra Filippo Lippi's studio, Andrea del Verrocchio, which indicates a development in Botticelli's composition (Boskovits 152). Many details of Botticelli's early life are unknown, which means scholars have not been able to pinpoint an exact date the work was painted (Boscovits 153). * Good use of research, but make sure not to simply museum assignment reproduce what another author has said Yara Feda * ned more detailed observation first draft of your own when other artists are compared, give examples dan + justify At first glance Sandro Botticelli's 1470 painting Madonna and Child is a simple depiction of a woman holding a baby. However, this work holds a great deal of Christian religious iconogruphy and is stylistically representative of the Early Renaissance, particularly of the work coming from the artists messes up the marginsit spacing under the patronage of Lorenzo de' Medici, de facto ruler of the Florentine Republic and putron of Sandro Botticelli ("Florence and Centralstaly, 1400-1600 A.D."). Because its written provenance starts with Prince Bartolomeo Corsini at Villa di Mezzomonte near Florence, this painting is sometimes called the “Corsini Madonna" (Boscovits 152). When it belonged to the Corsini collection, it was in a tabernacle frame, which would have been made out of the same piece of wood that the painting was on originally and B Bacca (Lightbownl6; Kanterſ. The original frame had a painted dove representing the Holy Spiriöand inscription: "Ave. Maria. Gratia. Plena.", which means "Hail Mary, full of grace," the beginning of a traditional Christian prayer (Lightbown 16). This 29-5/16 x 217/16 inch tempera on wood panel work is in poor condition. It not only has itako several noticeable cracks the most prominent of which runs across the child's legs, and has paint that is wearing down (Boskovits 152). Additionally, the work has been restored with mixed results multiple times. The two planks that comprise the panels have been trimmed from the original frame and are worm- tunneled (Boskovits 152).
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