Comments on: Two 15th Century Drawings http://lucyvivante.net/2009/08/29/two-15th-century-drawings/ Drawings and their Appeal Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:27:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lucy Vivante http://lucyvivante.net/2009/08/29/two-15th-century-drawings/comment-page-1/#comment-788 Lucy Vivante Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:57:02 +0000 http://lucyvivante.net/?p=305#comment-788 Hi Barrie, You're right about it being a breathtaking drawing. I've just looked at the Uffizi site and it is in tempera on panel. I'll add that to the image. All best, Lucy Hi Barrie,

You’re right about it being a breathtaking drawing. I’ve just looked at the Uffizi site and it is in tempera on panel. I’ll add that to the image.

All best,
Lucy

]]> By: Barrie Ripin http://lucyvivante.net/2009/08/29/two-15th-century-drawings/comment-page-1/#comment-783 Barrie Ripin Sun, 25 Apr 2010 13:29:58 +0000 http://lucyvivante.net/?p=305#comment-783 Bravo of your selection of Bellini's Lamentation as one of your two highlighted drawings. I just came back from seeing this breathtaking drawing up close at the Uffizi where, to my eye and tastes it stood out as the most memorable 2-D work in that museum. It seems to me that the marks Bellini made with such great skill, subtelty and care were meant to be seen as a drawing. His extrordinary ability to show depth of field, such as including outlines, in additon to the other usual techniques is extrordinary. I'd compare Bellini's drawing to Bernini's sculptures in many ways, including their ability to render 'color,' emotion, form and action. I am curious as to what the drawing medium used was - charcoal, lead, ? Bravo of your selection of Bellini’s Lamentation as one of your two highlighted drawings. I just came back from seeing this breathtaking drawing up close at the Uffizi where, to my eye and tastes it stood out as the most memorable 2-D work in that museum. It seems to me that the marks Bellini made with such great skill, subtelty and care were meant to be seen as a drawing. His extrordinary ability to show depth of field, such as including outlines, in additon to the other usual techniques is extrordinary. I’d compare Bellini’s drawing to Bernini’s sculptures in many ways, including their ability to render ‘color,’ emotion, form and action. I am curious as to what the drawing medium used was – charcoal, lead, ?

]]> By: Lucy Vivante http://lucyvivante.net/2009/08/29/two-15th-century-drawings/comment-page-1/#comment-113 Lucy Vivante Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:53:29 +0000 http://lucyvivante.net/?p=305#comment-113 I'm sure you're right about the demands of patrons. How amusing to think of Van Eyck with a digital camera, Photoshop, and the full range of modern tools. Thank *you* for the insightful comments. I’m sure you’re right about the demands of patrons. How amusing to think of Van Eyck with a digital camera, Photoshop, and the full range of modern tools. Thank *you* for the insightful comments.

]]> By: r lockwood http://lucyvivante.net/2009/08/29/two-15th-century-drawings/comment-page-1/#comment-112 r lockwood Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:51:26 +0000 http://lucyvivante.net/?p=305#comment-112 My guess is, this was the underpainting for the next layers of tempera and/or transparent glazing. It might seem insane to painters even a half-century later let alone modern painters, to put this much detail into the prep, but that's partly the point: van Eyck is said never to have been forgeried, none would go to the trouble. Why did he? He had very sophisticated, demanding patrons enjoyed/endured by none since: the Counts John of Holland, and most importantly, the very fastidious and vain Duke Philip of Burgundy. Note the very substantial change in realism and detail between Hubert and Jan. Some of that may have been innate, and some may have been due to the very clear eye of his critic/patron. Had Jean, duc de Berry been Jan's patron, perhaps there would have been even greater detail (cf the putative tie of Jan to the Limbourg brothers circle). Without such pressure, as the patrons became the less art-sophisticated bourgeousie, modern artists have become lazier, hence the dregs of Minimalism, etc. But never fear, just as with the PreRaphaelites,there is a resurgence of Classical Realism, and as the new artists rise above photorealism, the world of disguised symbolism and classical allusions will become more detailed, maybe even more so than Master Jan. IMO he would have killed for the 16MP digital cameras, Photoshop, color printers and transfer paper as an apprentice. Thank you for raising this very important question. My guess is, this was the underpainting for the next layers of tempera and/or transparent glazing. It might seem insane to painters even a half-century later let alone modern painters, to put this much detail into the prep, but that’s partly the point: van Eyck is said never to have been forgeried, none would go to the trouble. Why did he? He had very sophisticated, demanding patrons enjoyed/endured by none since: the Counts John of Holland, and most importantly, the very fastidious and vain Duke Philip of Burgundy. Note the very substantial change in realism and detail between Hubert and Jan. Some of that may have been innate, and some may have been due to the very clear eye of his critic/patron. Had Jean, duc de Berry been Jan’s patron, perhaps there would have been even greater detail (cf the putative tie of Jan to the Limbourg brothers circle). Without such pressure, as the patrons became the less art-sophisticated bourgeousie, modern artists have become lazier, hence the dregs of Minimalism, etc. But never fear, just as with the PreRaphaelites,there is a resurgence of Classical Realism, and as the new artists rise above photorealism, the world of disguised symbolism and classical allusions will become more detailed, maybe even more so than Master Jan. IMO he would have killed for the 16MP digital cameras, Photoshop, color printers and transfer paper as an apprentice. Thank you for raising this very important question.

]]>