The Madonna in art (1897) (14773934594)

Identifier: madonnainart1897hurl (find matches)
Title: The Madonna in art
Year: 1897 (1890s)
Authors: Hurll, Estelle M. (Estelle May), 1863-1924
Subjects: Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint
Publisher: Boston, L.C. Page and company
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University



Text Appearing Before Image:
un tolearn of nature. Such a picture we find inthe Venice Academy, by Jacopo Bellini,painted at the beginning of the fifteenth 26 THE MADONNA IN ART. century, somewhat later than any corre-sponding picture could have been foundelsewhere in Italy, as Venice was chrono-logically behind the other art schools.The background is a glory of cherubheads touched with gold hatching. Bothmother and child wear heavy nimbi, orna-mented with gold. These points recallByzantine work; but the gentler, face ofthe Virgin, and the graceful fall of herdrapery; show that we are in a differentworld of art. The child is dressed in alittle tunic, in the primitive method. With the dawn of the Italian Renais-sance, the old style of portrait Madonnapassed out of vogue. More elaboratebackgrounds were introduced from thegrowing resources of technique. In thefifteenth and sixteenth centuries, picturesof the portrait style were comparativelyrare. Raphael, however, was not aboveadopting this method, as every lover of
Text Appearing After Image:
Jacopo Bellini. — Madonna and Child. THE PORTRAIT MADONNA. 29 the Granduca Madonna will remember.His friend Bartolommeo also selectedthis style of composition for some of theloveliest of his works. The story of the friendship betweenthese two men is full of interest. At thetime of Raphaels first appearance inFlorence (1504), Bartolommeo had beenfour years a monk, and had laid aside,apparently forever, the brush he had pre-viously wielded with such promise. Theyoung stranger sought the Frate in hiscell at San Marco, and soon found theway to his heart. Stimulated by thisnew friendship, Bartolommeo roused him-self from lethargy and resumed the prac-tice of art with increasing success. Itis pleasant to trace the influence whichthe two artists exerted upon each other.The older man had experience and learn-ing; the younger had enthusiasm andgenius. Now it happened that, by na- 30 THE MADONNA IN ART. ture, Bartolommeo was specially giftedin the arrangement of large composi-tions, with many