we live forward, but we understand backwards
5th century BC
6th century AD
16th century
16th – 17th century
18th century
19th century
20th century and beyond
Happy New Year!!!
P.S. This came as a result of rediscovering X’s letter with the extensive quotation from Eliot’s poem “Four Quartets”. The hand written page is hers.
I borrowed half of the title of today’s post from an article by Jonathan Jones in the Guardian.
As Jones says,
“Titian painted the Pietà when Venice was struck by plague. It was made as an ex voto offering, a prayer for the survival of himself and his beloved son, Orazio. In the bottom right-hand, propped under the stone lion, is a tablet on which Titian and Orazio are depicted praying to the Virgin for delivery from the plague. His plea went unanswered. Titian is recorded as having died “of fever” on August 27, 1576. Orazio also died during the plague.”
Compare the dark oppressing colours of the Pieta to the exhuberant light of the Transfiguration of Christ in San Salvador in Venice,
or the Assumption of the Virgin, in Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari in Venice.
The world of the light has been transformed into the underworld of the Dead.
The kneeling Nikodemus is a self-portrait of the painter himself. The brushwork is visible only in some parts of the huge canvas. In many others, the careful observer can see smudges of paint, rather than brush strokes.
The tablet in the right-bottom under the lion shows the painter and his son Orazio pleading to the Virgin for salvation.
But there has been no salvation. And the painting itself is anticipating this. It is full of fear, and silent resignation to the inevitability of Death. A Death that is anticipated as the entry in a dark, damp, frozen chamber, without any natural light. The painter of light, the admirer of women, the master of color, locks himself in the vision of his own death in the most horrific way imaginable.
The Pieta is allegedly Titian’s last painting. He did not even manage to finish it. According to the incription at the bottom of the picture, it was finished by Palma the Younger, one of his apprentices.
Today we are celebrating the Dormition of the Mother of God, Theotokos, and I want to share with you some of my favorite images of Her. I will start from the North of Europe, and the turn from Gothic to Early Renaissance. The direction is from North to South.
The North begins with Jan van Eyck, the Master who opened the way for the rejuvenation of art in the north, for the decisive transition from the Gothic to the Renaissance. His influence is visible in the works of all the Masters who succeeded him.
Rogier van der Weyden was an Old Master who following the lead of van Eyck, pioneers Early Renaissance in Northern Europe (second half of 15th century).
This extraordinary study of the head of the Virgin is one of very few surviving drawings that can be attributed with any certainty to the early Flemish masters, and one of an even smaller number of drawings with a generally accepted attribution to Rogier van der Weyden. Its extreme sobriety and intensity of expression are utterly characteristic of van der Weyden’s work.
Source: Louvre Museum, Prints and Drawings, Head of the Virgin
Martin Schongauer was a follower of van der Weyden and a superb engraver. He was born and worked in the town of Colmar in Alsace. The Madonna in a Rose Garden is his masterpiece. It can be seen in the Dominican Church, in Colmar.
Matthias Gruenewald was one of Schongauer’s students. His masterpiece is the Isenheim Altarpiece, to which I have dedicated a separate post. In this post I want to present another of his major works, the Stuppach Madonna.
Around 6 km/4 miles from Bad Mergentheim’s old town in the suburb Stuppach is a small, unremarkable chapel that houses a remarkable painting, the Stuppacher Madonna. This painting of Mary with Child was removed from the Maria Schnee Kapelle in Aschaffenburg during the 1525 Peasants’ War. It remained in the hands of the Teutonic Order until it came to this chapel in 1812.The Stuppacher Madonna was long thought to be the work of Rubens. Only in 1908 was it recognized as one of the pieces from the Marienaltar (Mary Altar) and the 1519 work of the great German Renaissance painter Matthias Grünewald. (A second piece of the altar is in Freiburg, while Aschaffenburg only has copies.)
Source: European Traveller, Top Sights in Bad Merghentheim
And in order to remember the Isenheim Altarpiece, here is a detail from the Nativity panel.
We are now going south, to meet the Italian Masters, and a Greek who became Spanish.
I begin with Lorenzo Monaco, whose brilliant colors make him one of the pioneers of Renaissance in Italy. See in the picture below how wonderfully the pink becomes the dominant color of the picture, eliminating the black. The picture is practically flat, maintaining in this respect the Byzantine tradition.
Giovanni Bellini, the Venetian Master, with his solemn Madonna is next. I love the use of green in the painting, it becomes the center of the harmonies and works superbly with the pale blue of the sky and the ultramarine of Madonna’s dress.
Young Rafaello, with his Madonna del Granduca, gives us a masterpiece in the study of black. In this he anticipates Caravaggio and chiaroscuro.
Titian, turns the tables and presents a dark haired pale woman as his Madonna, named the Gypsy Madonna. She is like a an ordinary girl carrying a huge burden. You notice the green curtain in the background, tribute to Giovanni Bellini.
Rafaello a few years later gave us the Madonna of the Chair, a much more vivid and “alive” painting, where the faces almost jump out of the canvas to reach us.
El Greco, the Greek, Dominikos Theotokopoulos, started his life in Crete, and via Venice ended in Toledo, Spain.
El Greco lifts us up in the skies and the clouds and the greyness of the storm that is about to come. El Greco does not use the domestic environment used by the other artists. He belongs in the sky, and this is what he paints.
Back to where it all started. the most fitting end of all.
We traveled from the North to the South, from the Earth to the Skies, from the simple, ordinary faces of everyday women, to the incredibly beautiful faces of sheer perfection. Next trip will be from the West to the East.
Do not touch me
Touch me
Do not touch me
Touch me
Do not touch me
Touch me
Do not touch me
Touch me
Do not touch me
Kiss me
I know, I know, it was supposed to be only a three part sequence, but life is unpredictable, and Monica is the favourite of the Maestro. While I was indulging with all the others, the Maestro appeared in front of me and said that Monica is his clear favourite! How could a mere mortal confront the Maestro Tiziano?
It is not a blonde after all!
It is not an American!
It is an Italian girl!
And what a girl she is!
She is smoking hot, she is true fire, she is going all the way!
Lets face it, the Maestro is right!
Beauty is such a transient feature,
but again, life is!
And yet it is not,
it depends on how you look at it!
And how you feel!
And what you want and what you need!
Buonanotte amici!!!
Mille bacci a tutti!!!
I could not resist the temptation to share some of the stunning works of art that one can see in Firenze.
Here we go! Boticelli’s Primavera (Uffizzi)
Michelangelo’s Holy Family (Uffizzi)
Titian’s Venus of Urbino (Uffizzi)
Michelangelo’s David (Academia)
Donatelo’s David (Bargello)
Raphael’s Madonna of the Chair (Palazzo Pitti)
Medici Chapel, New Sacristry, San Lorenzo
Giambologna, The rape of the Sabine women (Academia)
Updated 21 February 2024
Women combing their hair has always been a magnificent and revealing image for me.
I start with a solemn piece by Munch, who opens this small collection of pictures. I love the red, the fiery orange and dark yellows, in contrast with the cool colors of the window. There is a sense of transience in the picture, the young woman is ready to do something else, go out and enjoy life, open the window for good, this little ceremony is like the last thing she does before delivering herself to the world. She is ready to enjoy life, she does not have much time for brooding and contemplation, she gets the job done as required, but this is about it! The sure sign of this psychological posture is the fact that the woman is fully dressed when she is combing her hair, and she is standing.
It may be the length of the hair (οι βοστρυχοι στα ελληνικα) it may be the serenity of the process, it may be the curved body parts, it may be the fact that in the process the woman is reflecting upon her appearance or something else.
Whatever it is, this type of image speaks to me.
Rossetti’s Lady Lilith (1863) is combing her hair and watching herself on the hand held mirror. The first wife of Adam has a lot to think about and to contemplate while watching her own beauty on the mirror. The atmosphere of the picture is gloomy and totally inward. Lady Lilith is not interested in anything really, but herself. This morbid narcissism is totally captivating in the picture. It is after all, a picture of vanity. The simple act of combing the hair becomes an open door to the woman’s personality. Her naked shoulder is escaping from the gown and is a clear sign of the intense carnal aspect of the picture. Although she is not naked or half dressed, this may be even more powerful.
Renoir is here painting the innocence and quite anticipation of the young girl in a fantastic way! The contrast of the browns and the beige with the flesh and the white night gown is startling. The purity and magnificence of the innocent is portrayed in the picture. Here, we see that this is really a portrait, not just a portrayal of the act.
The subliminal Titian is here painting the wife of one of his clients, who emerges triumphant from the act of combing her hair, and is helped by the servant who humbly looks down. She is not primarily a sexual agent, she is primarily a woman in charge. Her sight is full of determination, whether this refers to the hair or something else. She is a woman who means business and nothing else. The posture of the servant is exemplifying the power as virtue that the picture radiates. The colors of the gown and shirt of the lady are not accidental. She is a creature of black and white.
Let me now move to pictures that are made by Edgar Degas in the last decade of the 19th century. One of the reasons I fell in love with Degas was his mastery of this subject.
Here we have an orgy of reds, oranges, mixed with pink and the combing is done by a domestic helper. The young woman is totally left to the hands of her servant, maybe asleep, maybe dreaming. In stark contrast, the helper is awake, alert, and diligent in performing the task. The only sign that she may be awake is the posture she makes with her left hand.
This is a similar picture of Degas, but the combing here is done most likely by the sister of the young girl. The most beautiful part of the picture is the bent hand that supports the hair.
P a b l o – P i c a s s o, Hairdressing, 1906
What a change when we move to the endlessly fascinating Balthus and his Alice! Alice is practically naked, and exhibits her beauty unashamedly. And why not?
She is young, she is beautiful, there is nothing to worry about, but the extent to which she will enjoy the pleasures of life. The room is empty, there is only one chair, we cannot make out her social class or status. Does it matter? I believe this is one of the points made by Balthus.
Cathy’s Toilette is a violent vibrating picture of domestic life gone on the rocks.
As I go through a period of preparation for my long anticipated trip to Japan, I include a serene picture from Japan.
“Scene of combing hair” (髪梳き), a 1977 (Shōwa 52) kappazuri-e / stencil print, by 20th century Japanese sōsaku-hanga (創作版画, creative prints) artist Mori Yoshitoshi (森義利, 1898-1992) who specialised in such pictures.
Another Degas picture, whose colours I love.
Edgar Degas, ‘Femme se peignant’, c.1887-1890, Charcoal and red and brown chalk on tracing paper laid down on board, Pallant House Gallery, Chichester (Accepted by HM Government in Lieu of Inheritance Tax from the estate of Stephen Brod and allocated to Pallant House Gallery, 2016)
This drawing by Edgar Degas was once owned by Gladys Deacon, an American socialite whose beauty inspired authors, royalty and artists alike.
Deacon was a prolific collector during the early 20th century, owning works by artists including Rodin, Degas, and Toulouse-Lautrec. Marcel Proust once wrote of her “I never saw a girl with such beauty, such magnificent intelligence, such goodness and charm.” And with such a lot of works by Impressionists, it seems!
This work, borrowed from Pallant House Gallery, is currently (February 2024) on display in the ‘Impressionists on Paper exhibition’ at the Royal Academy of Art in London.
Ενας απο τους μυθους της Ελλαδας ειναι ο μυθος της Δαναης.
Θα σταθω στο επιεσοδιο με τη χρυση βροχη και θα το ντυσω με τα χρωματα και τα σχηματα ζωγραφων που εμπνευστηκαν απο το θεμα.
Η ελευθερη αποδοση του επεισοδιου εχει ως ακολουθως:
“Μια φορα κι εναν καιρο, ζουσε ενας βασηλιας με το ονομα Ακρισιος. Ειχε γυναικα την Ευρυδικη, και κορη την Δαναη. Βασιλευε ομορφα και καλα στην Πολη του Αργους, ωσπου μια μερα τα παντα χαλασαν.
Ο Βασιληας ελαβε χρησμο οτι μια μερα θα τον σκοτωσει ο γυιος της Δαναης.
Πανικοβλητος, εχτισε μεσα στη γη ενα δωματιο με σιδερενιους τοιχους και εκλεισε εκει μεσα τη Δαναη. Ενα μονο μικρο παραθυρο στην οροφη εριχνε λιφο φως στην φυλακη της Δαναης.
Τα εφερε ομως ετσι η μοιρα και ο Διας ερωτευθηκε τη Δαναη. Κι ετσι περασε απο το μικρο παραθυρακι της στεγης, παρουσιαστηκε μπροστα της σαν χρυση βροχη, και της εκανε ερωτα.
Υστερα απο 9 μηνες η Δαναη γεννησε τον Περσεα.”
Σταματω εδω γιατι ο μυθος εχει μεγαλη και υπεροχη συνεχεια, ισως θα τη δωσω σε επομενες αναρτησεις.
Το επεισοδιο ενεπνευσε πολλους και μεγαλους καλλιτεχνες μεσα στους αιωνες, κι ετσι εχουμε πολλες αναπαραστασεις, μερικες απο τις οποιες θα δουμε σημερα.
Ξεκινω με ενα αγγειο απο το Λουβρο. Η Δαναη μοιαζει εκπληκτη, και απλα παρατηρει μαλλον παθητικα. Η σταση του σωματος της δεν ειναι ερωτικη, απλα ειναι ξαπλωμενη.
Συνεχιζω με τον αγαπημενο μου Τιτζιανο, με την καλυτερη εκδοχη του επεισοδιου, που φιλοξενειται σημερα στην Βιεννη. Εδω ο ζωγραφος παρεβιασε τον μυθο, κι ετσι η Δαναη ειναι σε πολυτελες δωματιο, με θεα, και ο Διας ερχεται σαν χρυσο συννεφο που γινεται χρυση βροχη. Η παραμανα απλωνει την ποδια για να τις μαζεψει, ενω η Δαναη ειναι πιο υποψιασμενη, και κοιταζει δυσπιστα, ενω η σταση του σωματος δηλωνει αυτη την αναμονη να φανερωθει αυτο που πραγματικα ειναι μεσα στη βροχη.
Συνεχιζω με την εκδοχη της Δαναης του Τιτζιανο που σημερα φιλοξενειται στην Αγια Πετρουπολη.
Υπαρχει και αλλη εκδοχη, που φιλοξενειται στη Ναπολη. Εδω την θεση της παραμανς λαμβανει ο Ερως, ενω ολ μηρος της Δαναης καλυπτεται απο ενα σεντονι.
Μια απο τις ελαχιστες γυναικες ζωγραφους του 17ου αιωνα, η Αρτεμισια Τζεντιλεσκι, απεθανατησε και αυτη το επεισοδιο. Εδω ειναι νυχτα, η Δαναη εχει τα ματια κλειστα και δειχνει αποκοιμισμενη. Το εντυπωσιακο κοκκινο υφασμα στην κλινη κοντραρει το παλλευκον της σαρκας της νεας.
Ενα τετοιο θεμα δεν θα μπορουσε να αφησει αδιαφορο και τον μεγιστο Ρεμπραντ, που ζωγραφισε και αυτος τη Δαναη. Στον πινακα αυτον ο χωρος ειναι εντελως εσωτερικος, δεν φαινεται ουρανος. Ολο το παιχνιδι γινεται με το φως, ενω η παραμανα στο βαθος ειναι πιο μαζεμενη απο εκεινη του Τιτζιανο, και παρατηρει μονο χωρις να επιχειρει αποθησαυριση. Η σταση του σωματος της Δαναης ειναι σα να εχει μολις ξυπνησει και να ξεσκεπαστηκε για να σηκωθει, ειναι εκπληκτη, και τεινει την χειρα προς την πηγη του φωτος.
Κλεινω αυτη την περιοδεια με τον Κλιμτ, που απεδωσε και αυτος την Δαναη. Οποια ομως Δαναη! Ας μιλησει η εικονα μονη της!
Δεν βρισκω καλυτερο τροπο να συνεχισω το καλωσορισμα του Νεου Χρονου απο μιαν γρηγορη περιηγηση στην Βενετια.
Οι δρομοι του νερου με φερνουν ξανα και ξανα στα καναλια.
Και η Εκκλησια των Ιησουιτων με το Μαρτυριο του Αγιου Λαυρεντιου του Τιτσιανο. Μια εκκλησια αποθεωσης του Μπαροκ σε βαθμο που μονο οι σκληροπυρηνικοι το αντεχουν!
Το ανυπερβλητο εργο του Τιτσιανο, ο πρωτος πινακας “νυχτας”.
Εδω που τα λεμε και μονο να ακολουθεις τα βηματα του Τιτζιανο χανεσαι και δεν προλαβαινεις. Ειμαστε τωρα στη Σαντα Μαρια Γκλοριοζα ντει Φραρι.
Στο βαθος διακρινεται ο υπεροχος πινακας του Τιτζιανο “Αναληψη”, ντυμενος σε αυτο το βαθυ πορτοκαλι φως που με μεθυζει. Στην ιδια εκκλησια βρισκεται και ο ταφος του μεγαλου ζωγραφου.
Ο μεγαλος ζωγραφος προειδε το τελος του, οταν ζωγραφιζε την Πιετα, που σημερα βρισκεται στην Πινακοθηκη της Ακαδημιας.
Η Βυζαντινη Παναγια απο τη Λευκαδα θυμιζει την μιξη των πολιτισμων, που σφραγιστηκε με την Αλωση τηε Πολης το 1204 απο τους Σταυροφορους.
Ωρα για ξεκουραση που εχει πολλες εκδοχες. Ξεκιναω με το κολατσο στο καναλακι.
Συνεχιζω με τη ρεμβη στην αποβαθρα.
Και ολιγη σιεστα για να εχουμε δυναμεις για αργοτερα.
Οι βολτες μετα το διαλειμμα συνεχιζονται στα στενα δρομακια με τις γεφυρουλες.
Και λιγα ψωνια ειναι οτι πρεπει καθως ερχεται το απογευμα.
Ου γαρ επ αρτω μονον ζησεται ανθρωπος. Γιαυτο παιρνω και μια μασκα καλου κακου.
Ο δρομος με φερνει στο σπιτι του Μοντιλιανι, που εζησε στην πολη απο το 1903 εως το 1905.
Η αναμνηστικη πλακα τα γραφει ολα.
Η μερα κυλαει γρηγορα. Καταληγω στην Πλατεια του Αγιου Μαρκου.
Εκθαμβωτικα ψηφιδωτα.
Και ζωγραφιες.
Ο ηλιος μας αφηνει.
Εις το επανιδειν.