Posted on 04/17/2020 10:50:35 AM PDT by mairdie
Sofonisba Anguissola (1532-1625) was a well-known portraitist during the Italian Renaissance, studying with a variety of artists from the age of 14. Upon receipt of a drawing she made for him, Michelangelo informally tutored her for a couple of years. A young Van Dyck visited her the year before her death at the age of 93, and wrote that she had taught him more than all of his teachers had up till then. Lost to history in the centuries since her death, the quality of her work is becoming known again.
Music is from:
Early Venetian Lute Music: “O Mia Cieca E Dura Sorte” and “La Villanella”, Vincenzo Capirola
Joyaux de la Renaissance Era: “Saitorella Tylman”, Susato and “Italian Ground”, Orlando Gibbons
Feedback requested: Do the text images help or hurt?
the coloring and stylizing on several of those looked like they mighta influenced El Greco some later on- possibly- things liek hand poses, skin color, etc- kinda sparked a memory of el grco in me-
Because of the lack of documentation, there are some roaring battles out there over attibutions on some pieces. El Greco and Sofonisba are both claimed for Woman in a fur, though a rather convincing book makes the argument for Sofonisba.
Her work DID inspire following artists to mimic some of her pieces.
whic h one was the woman in fur?
I dunno- as i scrolled through the paintings, i just had a distinct feeling I’d seen the style before- only more exaggerated - El Greco immediately came to mind- it’s funny that you mentioned that there was controversy about it- but i can certainly see why in some of the paintings-
dang never mind- that is attributed to someoen else- doh-
There are 3 people it’s attributed to. But an entire book makes an excellent argument on why it’s Sofonisba, based on relationships and geographical likelihood.
From what I read, I’d also go with Sofonisba.
i used to like reading books about artists- picked up Van Gogh’s massive book with all his notes, letters, paintings and commentary by people like his brother, and others- was long book but really enjoyed reading it- such a fascinating character he was- tortured in mind, but truly a great artist in his own right- very cool read-
Very interesting video at the link. Thanks.
What a stunning portrait!
This could pass for a very stylish woman in the 1930s.
Just beautiful.
I was raised on Benvenuto Cellini’s Autobiography as a kid. Read it again while in college and was thrilled by his discussion of comparing city eggs with country eggs for egg tempera. It was glorious going to a school that preferred original sources. We didn’t have a biology book. We had collected sources. I still prefer original books from people like Joshua Chamberlain and Longstreet.
Very pleased you enjoyed it. For a change, I just used most of the paintings and kept adding music as I went along. Couldn’t do that with most of the more prolific artists.
I always appreciate these threads. Always nice to get a little culture on the Free Republic in between all the arguments! Nice touch as always integrating period classical music with the art.
I also love Sofonisba’s expressions. If I saw some of her informal pieces and was told they were more modern than Italian Renaissance, I’d buy it.
So many thanks, Sam. I loved art history and it’s pure joy to be able to recover memories and to create new ones. I spend almost as much time finding music as I do creating the videos.
I’m sorry, I don’t understand.
Why would you do that?
agreed-
[[I always appreciate these threads. Always nice to get a little culture on the Free Republic in between all the arguments!]]
I Second that :)
The lack of stiffness in some of the expressions, especially of her family and of children. There’s a naturalness I don’t associate with the more formal set portraits or the mythological pieces. I love the little boy holding the dog’s paw rather than just sitting beside it. Of course major amounts of her work are fitting into the Spanish Court formality. But you get a grin from one of her sisters and it just stops you.
I KNOW.
It’s as though she was somehow able to see what future artists would take years to see.
I am not at all deep into the study of art, but I have some interest for the subject. And yet, I never HEARD of her.
I am ashamed to admit. I loved the artists of that period.
I was looking at Leonardo’s bio just last night.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.