Hans Holbein the Younger’s “Henry VIII”

Hans Holbein the Younger’s “Henry VIII”

Date: 1540

Material: Oil on wood panel

Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica, Rome.

Hans Holbein was court painter to Henry VIII from around 1536 to his death in 1543, (www.wga.hu, Holbein, Hans.)

Henry’s figure takes up almost the whole space in the painting. Holbein depicts Henry in the clothes that he wore for his wedding to Anne of Cleves, (Stokstad, page 736.) Henry is wearing a white shirt with tunic over it and he is also wearing a coat. The upper part of his tunic has a red background with cream and gold embroidered pattern on top. The pattern looks like leaves twisting in figure eights from the neckline down to his wrist. In between the figure eights; tuffs of his white shirt are sticking out. Down the middle of his tunic; is a more closely embroidered pattern with four gemstones encrusted on it. Around his waist, he is wearing a belt, tied in the front. The bottom of the tunic has a vertical stripe pattern; solid red next to a yellowish cream leaf pattern. Henry’s coat is gold fabric with a pattern in a darker color, and is trimmed with dark brown fur. Across his chest is a jeweled encrusted ban connecting the sides of his coat. The sleeves of the coat come to rest an inch or two before his elbows. The rest of his arms are covered with his tunic. In his right hand, Henry is holding brown gloves, on his second finger he is wearing a jeweled ring. On his left hand second finger, his is wearing an identical ring. Around his neck, Henry is wearing a pendent with a cross on it; the length of the neckless falls to around his stomach. Hanging on his left side, at the bottom of the painting, is a sword hilt, almost the same color as his tunic. On his head, Henry is wearing a black hat with a feather on the right side. The hat has jewels on the front and a cream rim. The expression on Henry’s face looks angry, put out. He is sporting a brown beard that is shaved down the middle of his chin. He also has a mustache. The background of the picture is navy blue with writing in gold going across the top of the painting. The words are Latin; “ANNO AETATIS SUAE XLIX”: His year of age, 49 (www.wga.hu, "Henry VIII)

I picked Holbein’s “Henry VIII,” because I like the details Holbein put into Henry’s outfit, especially his tunic. Also, I have always been interested in the Tudors.

Sources:

Stokstad, Mary. Art History. 3rd ed. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc, 2008

Web Gallery of Art “Holbein, Hans.” <http://www.wga.hu/bio/h/holbein/hans_y/biograph.html>

Web Gallery of Art “Holbein, Hans. Henry VIII” <http://www.wga.hu/html/h/holbein/hans_y/1535h/06henry8.html>

Raphael’s “The Small Cowper Madonna”

Raphael’s “The Small Cowper Madonna”

Date; 1505

Material; Oil on panel

National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.

In Raphael’s “The Small Cowper Madonna,” Mary is wearing a red dress with a seam running down the bodice; the seam is worn and has been mended. She is sitting on a wooden bench outside, on top of a blue cloak that is wrap around her legs. Her face is framed with two braids on either side, and in her hair she is wearing a blue ribbon. Mary is holding Jesus with her left hand, his right arm wrapped behind her head, probably touching Mary’s hair. His left hand is resting by her neck. Jesus’s left foot is standing on Mary’s right hand, which is resting on her lap, his right foot is partially standing on her lap. He looks like he is trying to climb. Both Mary and Jesus have blond hair and fair skin and their expressions are tranquil.

Behind the seated figures is a stone wall that comes to the middle of Mary’s upper arm. Beyond the wall is the landscape. To the left, behind Mary, the lawn stretches and there is a path that breaks into two parts. Part of the path is leading straight toward a lake; walking on that path are two figures. One is on horseback, the other figure is standing next to the horse. The lake is surrounded by trees and bushes. Beyond the lake, in the distance, are hills with trees leading to the sky. To the right, behind Jesus, there is a top of a tree. Looking over the tree, the path from Mary’s side continues up a hill to a church. The church is the Church of San Bernardino, near Urbino where Raphael grew up, (Stokstad, page 666.) On the path leading to the church are more figures. In the distance, there are more hills leading to the skyline.

Raphael, whose full name was Raffaello Santi, was born around 1483 in Urbino. His father Giovanni Santi was a painter at the Montefeltro court. Raphael was not only a painter, but he also was an architect and print designer. One of his famous paintings is the School of Athens, part of the decoration he did for Pope Julius II library. Raphael

designed tapestry cartoons for the Sistine Chapel to hang on the lowest stage of the walls and he suppled designs for Marcantonio Raimondi to engrave, he also allowed Raimondi to reproduce some of his designs. In 1514, after Donato Bramante’s death Pope Leo X promoted Raphael as architect of Saint Peter’s, (Oxford Art Online.)

I picked Raphael’s “The Small Cowper Madonna,” because I like the way he painted Mary and Jesus. They look more realistic and like mother and child than in most earlier Madonna and Child paintings. I also like the colors that Raphael used, not only for Mary and Jesus, but also for the landscape.

Sources:

Nicholas Penny. "Raphael." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. 6 Apr. 2010 <http://0-www.oxfordartonline.com.lrc.cod.edu/subscriber/article/grove/art/T070770>.

National Gallery of Art <http://www.nga.gov/cgi-bin/pinfo?Object=1199+0+none>

Stokstad, Mary. Art History. 3rd ed. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc, 2008

Sandro Botticelli’s Madonna and Child with an Angel

Sandro Botticelli’s Madonna and Child with an Angel

Date: 1470

Material: Tempera on wood

Location: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston.

Botticelli had the patronage of the Medici family. His first dated painting was “Fortitude,” painted in 1470. In 1481, Botticelli was one of several artists commissioned to decorate the Sistine chapel. Some of his well know pieces are Primavera, Birth of Venus, Madonna the Magnificat, and the Mystic Nativity. His last work, one that he never finished, was the illustrations for Dante’s Divine Comedy. Early in his career, Botticelli worked in the workshop of Fra Filippo Lippi. It is said that Lippi influenced him in his earlier works, (Oxford Art Online.)

Botticelli painted “Madonna and Child with an Angel” around 1470. The medium he used to paint was tempera and oil on wood. In the painting are three figures. On the left is an angel wearing a white gown with a decorated collar. The folds of the gown gather under the collar and sweep over the front of the gown. His sleeves are puffed at the shoulder. He has shoulder length curly brown hair, and on his head is a laurel wreath. He is presenting a bowl full of grain and grapes to Christ. On the right, Mary is sitting with Christ. She is wearing a red empire waist dress. The folds of the dress gather at the bottom of the waist line. Over the dress, Mary is wearing a blue robe, that is lined with either dark blue or black cloth. Each of her sleeves have a flounce with the edges embroidered. Mary’s hair is tied in a bun and over

her head she is wearing a beautiful see though veil that rests on her shoulders. The red Mary is wearing symbolizes Christ’s passion and blood and the blue she is wearing symbolizes her purity. Christ is resting in her left arm. Botticelli has painted him to be a chubby and healthy looking baby. He has a light blue cloth that is wrapped over his left arm and goes over his middle, Christ’s right hand is in the air, blessing the grain and wine that angel brought. This symbolizes the Eucharist, (www.wga.hu, "Madonna and Child with an Angel.")

The figures are outside, Mary is sitting holding Christ, the angel is standing on her right side. Behind them, is a stone wall structure; the wall makes it seem like they are in a room. The wall directly behind them has a doorway, showing the landscape. There is a line of trees next to a river that curves out of sight. On the left bank of the river is a church, beyond the church are hills, and then the sky.

I chose this piece, because I like Botticelli’s details in the painting, especially Mary’s veil and the halos on the figures.

Sources:

Charles Dempsey. "Botticelli, Sandro." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. 2 Mar. 2010 <http://0-www.oxfordartonline.com.lrc.cod.edu/subscriber/article/grove/art/T010385>.

Web Gallery of Art "Madonna and Child with an Angel" http://www.wga.hu/html/b/botticel/1early/110madon.html

Bibliography:

Stokstad, Mary. Art History. 3rd ed. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc, 2008

Web Gallery of Art "Madonna and Child with an Angel" http://www.wga.hu/html/b/botticel/1early/110madon.html

Charles Dempsey. "Botticelli, Sandro." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. 2 Mar. 2010 <http://0-www.oxfordartonline.com.lrc.cod.edu/subscriber/article/grove/art/T010385>.

Web Gallery of Art “Botticelli, Sandro.” <http://www.wga.hu/bio/b/botticel/biograph.html>.

Jan van Eyck's Virgin and Child with Chancellor Rolin

Jan van Eyck’s Virgin and Child with Chancellor Rolin. Also called The Virgin of Chancellor Rolin.

Date: Around 1434

Commissioned by Nicolas Rolin, Chancellor of Burgundy for the his family chapel. It stayed there until 1793 when the chapel was destroyed. It is now in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.

In the painting, on the left is Chancellor Rolin, he is wearing a gold brocade jacket with mink trimming, and his hair is in a bowl cut. He is kneeling on a prie dieu that is covered in purple velvet, symbolizing royalty, facing the Virgin and Jesus. The purple on the prie dieu and on the angel are also the colors of lent in the Roman Catholic church.

On the right, Mary is sitting holding baby Jesus on her lap. She is wearing a voluminous red robe that is embroidered with jewels. Behind her is an angel, hovering, holding a magnificent crown over her head. Jesus is sitting on her lap, holding his right hand up blessing the Chancellor. In his left hand he is holding globe of the world, which is a sign

of his power of creation, (www.louvre.fr.) Behind the Chancellor, Mary, and Jesus, are three ornate arches leading you out into a garden and balcony. The lilies and roses in the garden symbolize Mary’s virtues. Next to the garden are two

peacocks, which symbolize immortality, (www.wga.hu, "The Virgin of Chancellor Rolin.")
and Behind the garden is the balcony that is overlooking the river below. On either side of the river is the is the city. Each side is connected by the bridge over the river. Beyond the city are hills and farm land. The river curves through the land and in the distance are snow topped mountains.

Jan van Eyck was employed in the court of Philip the Good, as both an official and a painter. One of his jobs was to paint the portraits of princesses for whom Philip would choose his wife. He worked wonders painting in oil medium. Because of that, he had been credited with the invention of oil painting, but that is

incorrect; people had been painting with oils centuries before him. Some of his other paintings are, the Ghent Altarpiece and the Arnolfini Marriage. Jan’s brother Hubert had painted some of the panels of the Ghent Altarpiece, but he died leaving the piece unfinished. Jan than stepped in and completed the panels of the Altarpiece, (Stokstad, page 598.)

I picked the Virgin and Child with Chancellor Rolin, because I think it is a beautiful piece. The way Jan painted it, with the Chancellor, Mary, and Jesus in front, then the arches leading into the garden and balcony, and beyond that the city, river, and mountains makes it feel like I’m in the room. I like the two guys in the painting, looking over the balcony. Who are they and why did he put them in? It gives me something to think about.

Sources:

Stokstad, Mary. Art History. 3rd ed. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc, 2008

Web Gallery of Art "The Virgin of Chancellor Rolin"

Louvre Museum “The Virgin of Chancellor Rolin.” <http://www.louvre.fr/llv/oeuvres/detail_notice.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673225618&CURRENT_LLV_NOTICE%3C %3Ecnt_id=10134198673225618&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=9852723696500812&baseIndex=10&bmLocale=en>

Web Gallery of Art “Eyck, Jan van.” <http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/bio/e/eyck_van/jan/biograph.html>

Bernardo Daddi’s The Crucifixion

Bernardo Daddi’s The Crucifixion.

Tempera on wood.

Date; between 1325 to 1330.

Bernardo Daddi was a supposed student of Giotto di Bondone. Most of Bernardo Daddi’s influence came from Giotto, Gaddi, and Sienese art, but others influenced him, too.

Though he included Byzantine elements, as you can see in The Crucifixion, Daddi also had more realistic elements. Daddi had a talent for intimacy in his paintings. I’ve read that he might have been influenced by Sienese art, (www.getty.edu) but most likely it was from his:

“happy conjunction between his own temperament, the rather relaxed taste of the 1340’s,” (History of Italian Renaissance, page 120.)

In The Crucifixion, the scene takes place after the soldiers pierced Christ’s side. Mary and Saint John are on either side of him. The background is gold, like

in Byzantine artwork.

We have Mary on the left, sitting. She is resting her head on her hand. Her face is grief stricken; she looks like she is crying.

On the right, Saint John is sitting, also grief stricken, but you don’t get the same feeling of agony as in Mary’s face. In the middle, you have Christ on the cross. Blood spurting from where the soldiers had pierced him. Both hands are dripping with blood. On his feet, blood is running down the cross onto the rock below. In the sky there are four angels, two on either side of Christ.

The angels are circling Christ, which is putting the focus on him. This can be found in Byzantine iconography. What is also in Byzantine iconography, that Daddi used in this painting, is the open space between the angels and Mary and Saint John symbolizing the divide between heaven and earth.

The blood from Christ’s body connects heaven and earth. Like in Byzantine iconography, Mary, Saint John, and the cross are not casting shadows, because according to the orthodox research institute:

“In a Byzantine icon there is no outside source of light. There are no shadows.”(http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org)

If you look at the picture, you can see a border around the painting. The border looks like a medieval illuminated manuscript and makes the painting look like a page out of a book.

I picked this painting because it caught my eye. I like the coloring of Mary’s clothing. I think Daddi caught the expression of Mary’s face well. When I look at this painting I feel sadness at what is happening. It is a beautiful painting.

Sources:

Hartt, Frederick and Wilkins G. David. History of Italian Renaissance Art. 5th ed. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc, 2003, page 120

http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/articles/family/allen_youth_values.htm

(Picture) http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/european_paintings/the_crucifixion/objectView.aspx?&OID=110003086&collID=11&vw=0

Oxford Art Online, http://www.oxfordartonline.com/public/

http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artMakerDetails?maker=1085

Stokstad, Mary. Art History. 3rd ed. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc, 2008

Hartt, Frederick and Wilkins G. David. History of Italian Renaissance Art. 5th ed. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc, 2003