Читать книгу Sculpture - Victoria Charles - Страница 6

In 13th century Tuscany, an artistic renovation movement began that would bring sweeping changes to the art of sculpture. Nicolas de Pise was at the head of this movement, followed by his son Giovanni, his student Arnolfo, Agnolo di Ventura of Sienna, and later Donatello, Della Robbia and Michelangelo.

Harmodius and Aristogiton The Tyrannicides

477 B.C

Marble copy of a Greek original in bronze

National Archaeological Museum, Naples

Born in Florence in 1474, Michelangelo Buonarroti would often start work on a block of marble without any preparation, without any sketches, and without any models. He would sometimes run out of marble, or would sometimes cut the marble too deeply, which stopped him in his creation, leaving the block of marble only roughly worked.

Zeus and Ganymede

470 B. C.

Marble and polychrome sandstone

Archaeological Museum, Ferrara

However, none would complain as such work, like with any artist’s sketches, offers a look at the early thoughts and inspiration of the artist. His finished works offered an extraordinary perfection, such as the delicate forms found in Bacchus (1496–1497). About the same time that Michelangelo was living in Florence, and Sansovino in Venice, another Florentine, named Benvenuto Cellini (1500–1570), left Italy to work in Fontainebleau, just outside of Paris.

West Pediment of Zeus Temple in Olympia, centaur raping Déidamia

460 B. C.

Marble

Museum of Archaeology, Olympia

There he met another italian Gian Lorenzo Bernini from Naples. Lorenzo was an architect and artist credited with starting the Baroque style of sculpture. He was named ‘the second Michelangelo’ and it was he who came to be asked by Louis XIV to help to restore the Louvre.

Two Discus Throwers

Myron, ca. 450 B.C

Vatican Museums, Rome

It was Antonio Canova (1757–1822) who continued the line of impressive sculptors. His figures were apparently so realistic that he was accused of making plaster casts from live models. Among his most important commissions were the tombs of two popes, Clement XIII and Clement XIV.

Metope from the Selinonte Temple The Acteon’s Punishment

Sicily, ca. 450 B. C.

Archaeological Museum, Palermo

In 1802 he became court sculptor to Napoleon I in Paris. He dominated European sculpture around the turn of the century and was of primary importance in the development of the neoclassical style in sculpture. He was not, however, a disciple of Michelangelo’s!

Doryphorus (Spear-Carrier)

Polykleitos, 440 B.C

Marble copy of a Greek original in bronze, height 2.12 m

National Archaeological Museum, Naples