On to New things ....

Today is David’s 17th birthday and we are all beside ourselves with glee and happiness. David survived being a pree mee as well as a serious battle with spinal meningitis. Needless to say , he still has challenges but he has a strong life force and he is gifted with a great sense of humor.

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 Today I got a nice email from Sara Armstrong , former deputy chief of staff for Laura Bush. She is now Deputy Chief of Staff at the RNC. The RNC is looking to create a Christmas Card for this season and she thought of me as a potential candidate. I’ll be submitting my proposal along with other artists that are contacted . Stay tuned and let’s see if I am picked. Jamie Wyeth and Timothy Lawson , two of my favorite artists , have been chosen in the past.

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Several months ago, I was approached by the nice folks of the  Sun City Lincoln Activity Office and asked if I  would be interested in giving Art Tours for them. They asked me if I knew of any interesting destinations for their active seniors to visit and learn something new and culturally stimulating. If I was to do this, I told them that my first choice would be to visit the enchanting Ca’ Toga Villa in the Napa Valley. After a few discussions and meetings I signed on.

 This Monday will be our first trip to Ca’ Toga. My responsibilities will be to provide a backdrop to the spirit and creative muse that inspired Carlo Marchiori , a muralist by trade , to conceive and construct his stunning homage to the Classical Venician Villa and surrounding Roman Greco Gardens.

 I am putting together a short summary of the Venetian Renaissance and some of the principle characters that shaped and sparked this creative burst of artistic energy throughout Italy during the 15th and 16th century.



 The Italian Renaissance still is dominated by its 3 great artistic geniuses during the latter part of the 1400’s and middle 1500’s. Their names are forever etched in our cultural lexicon. They are Michelangelo , Leonardo Da Vinci and Raphael. These artists were identified with that creative fire storm  that ignited around  Florence and Rome . And because of their location , the Arts were supported by the Church, Wealthy Merchants and Bankers. But the Northern Renaissance , though not as well known to us,  was equally dynamic and propelled with Geniuses with a flair for Color and Light.  And they worked in Venice.

 

 The architect whose name is synonymous with Venice is Andrea Palladio , 30 November 1508 – 19 August 1580 . Venice was an empire unto herself and was the chief trading port with the World at that time due to its location on the Adriatic Sea. Due to its standing in trade and banking , Venice’s wealthy were able to construct a city built on a lagoon with the best talent springing forth out of Italy.

 Andrea Palladio , looking back to the symmetry of Roman Architecture , synthesized all that he learned from the ancients , namely Vitruvius  , and created a style named after him. The Palladian Style. He designed Churches and Palaces but he is chiefly known for his country Villas. Palladio was sensitive to where the Villa should be situated, so that the landowner/ farmer could have a sweeping 360 view of his domain. Not one to repeat himself , he designed his Villas for each client that mainly suited its location on the property . But he did introduce one element that is characteristic of his buildings. He built his villas on a block and the visitor walked up to the first floor . The sleeping quarters were usually on the third floor, giving the occupants the choice view . The ground level was the basement. A Greek Pediment ( that triangle at the roof line ) was a distinguishing element to his designs . Also, many Venetian artists such as Veronese were commissioned to paint frescoes inside these light and airy interiors that were celebrating allegorical scenes in vivid color. It was a stark departure from the somber tones of the Romanesque and Gothic buildings of the previous epoch .

 Our Congressional building was inspired by Palladian sensibilities. Also, Thomas Jefferson was a big fan and Palladio ( meaning Angelic Messenger ) inspired his conception of Monticello in Virginia. Also , many plantation owners in the South modeled their homes after the Palladian Style.

 Due to Venice’s proximity to the sea, fresco painting did not advance to a high degree as it's rival in Florence. As a result , the new invention of Oil painting by the Flemish flourished in this city of canals. The main artists were Bellini,  Giorgione , Titian ( the divine one ) , Tintoretto , and Veronese. And because of the spontaneity that this new  medium offered a divergence in approach occurred. In fact this conflict of how a painting should be constructed still rages on to this day. Designio vs Colorito. Titian’s approach is key to this difference. The Venetians were spontaneous where the Florentines were calculating ( shades of Macchiavelli ) . Titian would dip his brush in a mixture of red ochre and proceed to layin his figures with a sweeping and direct application of thick paint. Michelangelo would by contrast carefully make a preliminary drawing and then transfer the drawing to his paint surface and color it in. Kinda like paint by numbers. The Venetian approach was a celebration of light and color with the drawing a secondary consideration. It is with Bellini that the Renaissance discovers the use of color to create a true atmospheric rendition of light as opposed to the browns of Da Vinci.

 Giovanni Bellini 1430-1516

 

Giorgione c.1477 - 1510

Titian c. 1490 -1576

Tintoretto 1518 - 1594

 The height of pictorial decoration is achieved by Veronese who uses color and design to such an astounding level that his figures leap from their surfaces. His Religious and paintings of Allegorical Themes were in high demand by the church as well as wealthy merchants.

Paolo Veronese , 1528 - 1588

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