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Bronzino: Painter and Poet at the Court of the Medici
Traces the career of this 16th century Italian Mannerist.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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June 22, 2011
A Stately Exhibition and Catalogue
BRONZINO: ARTIST AND POET AT THE COURT OF THE MEDICI is an impressive catalogue or even monograph of the life and works of Bronzino, more that a memento of the exhibition at the Palazo Stozzi in Florence last winter. The curators and writers of this amply illustrated book are Carlo Falciani and Antonio Natali and they bring life to the work of a nearly forgotten but very great artist. Agnolo di Cosimo (1503 - 1572), usually known as Il Bronzino, or Agnolo Bronzino (Bronzino, in all probability refers to his auburn hair), was an Italian Mannerist painter from Florence, 'an artist for whom the essence of art lies in the very fact of its creation: for him, artifice and artificiality are positive virtues.'
Bronzion, by his own admission, was the very opposite of the type of painter that Caravaggio represents - raw, virile, emotionally charged dark and exciting images - while Bronzini was known for his flagrantly, triumphantly composed paintings, meticulously planned out in preparatory sketches, working his way up to pastel sketches and ultimately to large canvases painted with the finest and m, such as painting overstuffed and bejeweled codpieces for his young men. He was for the better part of his career in the serve of the Medici - especially Cosimo de' Medici.
But the authors are careful to point out in both words and illustrations that the redeeming grace of this man was the fact that he was 'a consummate artist who drew and painted with extraordinary, uncannily consistent skill.' His paintings may be easily dismissed as decorative on first view, but as the authors reveal, repeated examination results in a certain
Grady Harp
BRONZINO: ARTIST AND POET AT THE COURT OF THE MEDICI is an impressive catalogue or even monograph of the life and works of Bronzino, more that a memento of the exhibition at the Palazo Stozzi in Florence last winter. The curators and writers of this amply illustrated book are Carlo Falciani and Antonio Natali and they bring life to the work of a nearly forgotten but very great artist. Agnolo di Cosimo (1503 - 1572), usually known as Il Bronzino, or Agnolo Bronzino (Bronzino, in all probability refers to his auburn hair), was an Italian Mannerist painter from Florence, 'an artist for whom the essence of art lies in the very fact of its creation: for him, artifice and artificiality are positive virtues.'
Bronzion, by his own admission, was the very opposite of the type of painter that Caravaggio represents - raw, virile, emotionally charged dark and exciting images - while Bronzini was known for his flagrantly, triumphantly composed paintings, meticulously planned out in preparatory sketches, working his way up to pastel sketches and ultimately to large canvases painted with the finest and m, such as painting overstuffed and bejeweled codpieces for his young men. He was for the better part of his career in the serve of the Medici - especially Cosimo de' Medici.
But the authors are careful to point out in both words and illustrations that the redeeming grace of this man was the fact that he was 'a consummate artist who drew and painted with extraordinary, uncannily consistent skill.' His paintings may be easily dismissed as decorative on first view, but as the authors reveal, repeated examination results in a certain
Grady Harp
Displaying 1 of 1 review