Drawings and art in London
On Friday I visited The King's Gallery to see their exhibition: Drawing the Italian Renaissance. The Italian Renaissance is the period between 1400-1600 and in Italy (and elsewhere) the training to become an artist began with drawing - copying statues, drawing from life or refining techniques for portraits, clothing and composition. Drawing was also used to show patrons ideas for frescos, paintings and designs for architectural details of items such as candlesticks. It was a large exhibition with a huge number of drawings (everything was on paper), but a fascinating look at how drawing was so important at the time for all artists.
A Young Man Drawing with a Sleeping Dog (unidentified Florentine artist) (1460)
Lots more photos under the cut...
There was so much to photograph, but some of the ones I would have loved to have taken photos of were in places that meant there were bad reflections obscuring the work. So these are the ones I thought were notable and could be photographed:
In the first section of the exhibition Drawing the Figure - artists started to use male models to refine their practice.
A Standing Male Nude Leonardo Da Vinci (1504) red chalk
Drapery of a Kneeling Figure Leonardo Da Vinci (1491). Fabric would often be coated in plaster and draped around wooden models so that it would remain in place to be drawn after it had dried. This is a study for The Virgin of the Rocks.
St Jerome Bartolomeo Passarotti (1580) - pen and ink
Close up of St Jerome by Girolamo Muziano (1580). You can see how he has changed his mind about placing of the hand and head in red chalk.
The Three Graces Raphael (1517), drawn from a single female nude model (it was rare to use nude female models). It is a study for the graces in a fresco the Wedding Feast of Cupid and Psyche in Villa Farnesina, Rome.
The Risen Christ Michelangelo Buonarroti (1532) - black chalk and probably from Michaelangelo's imagination rather than from a model.
The next section was Drawing the Head. Portraits were becoming popular and drawing from life gave compositions realism.
The Head of a Youth Lorenzo di Credi (1490) - metalpoint with white highlighting. A study for a painting of St Francis.
The Bust of a Cleric Fra Angelico (1447). There are very few drawings surviving by Fra Angelico which makes this extra special. Metalpoint and ink with white highlighting.
The Head of an Old Woman Domenico Ghirlandaio (1488)
The head above is a study for Ghirlandaio's fresco Birth of the Virgin - the woman was probably a lady in waiting of the patron's daughter shown in the fresco below and so likely to be a good likeness of her.
The Head of the Virgin Federico Barocci (1582) - such a beautiful drawing with coloured chalk on blue paper. A bit of an odd angle to try and avoid reflections. This was stunning in RL.
The face is a study for this painting - The Annunciation
The Head of a Youth - attributed to Pietro Faccini (1590) - oiled charcoal (literally a charcoal stick soaked in oil) and white on brown paper.
The Head of Julius Caesar by Parmigianino (1535) in pen and ink, probably a sketch of a plaster cast or marble head of Caesar.
The next section was Observing Nature:
Study of a wax figure (1520). The model was probably made by Michelangelo from wax or clay and drawn by an apprentice.
The Muscles of the Trunk and Leg - notes and drawings made by Leonardo Da Vinci identifiable by the 'mirror' handwriting.
A Lily - attributed to Andrea del Verocchio (1475). Originally thought to be by Leonardo, this is now attributed to the sculptor and painter Verocchio in whose studio Leonardo worked in the 1470s.
Studies of Horses - Leonardo Da Vinci (1490)
Cats, Lions and a Dragon - Leonardo Da Vinci (1517-18). One of my favourite drawings.
Studies of Dogs (1522) Parmigianino, pen and ink.
The next section was Designing the applied arts
The Head of a Man (1470) - this is probably from the studio of Cristoforo Canozzi da Lendinara and is a working study for intarsia (where different coloured woods are used to create images or patterns).
A Costume for a Masque Leonardo Da Vinci (1517). Artists would be expected to create all kinds of art, not just paintings and sculptures. This is for the French Court in the Loire Valley.
A Design for a Ceiling - unknown artist (1585). This would have been a design for a painted wooden ceiling and shows scenes from the Old Testament.
A Design for a Mace Luzio Luzi (1550). A ceremonial mace or staff of office, probably to be made in silver.
The Betrayal of Christ Polidoro da Caravaggio (1525). A design for carved rock crystal that would have been set into the foot of a crucifix.
This is the design carved into rock crystal (in the Vatican).
The next section looked at how the collection was put together Collecting Italian Renaissance Drawings. Most were acquired by King Charles II (reigned 1660-85).
An Ideal Female Head copy after Michelangelo Buonarroti (1540). Originally bought by Charles II from a dealer for £2 (a high price for the time as it was originally thought to be by Michaelangelo). The original is in the British Museum.
The next section was Drawing the Divine
The Virgin and Child with the young Baptist - Michelangelo Buonarroti (1532).
The Virgin and Child Bernardino Campi (1570). This was a huge drawing, known as a 'cartoon' used to transfer a design so that it can be painted. This is an altarpiece in a church in Codogno, near Milan. The drawing has a faint red squared grid used to enlarge the design onto the painting surface. These rarely survive as they are discarded once the design is transferred.
The altarpiece
Drawing as Art - works that are not preparatory drawings for other paintings, but works of art in their own right given as gifts to friends or patrons.
Hercules in the Garden of the Hesperides Paolo Farinati (1590)
Christ Enthroned Bartolomeo Montagna (1500)
A Classical Head Giulio Clovio (1540). Black chalk
A Children's Bacchanal Michelangelo Buonorroti (1533) Red chalk. A gift to the Roman nobleman Tommaso De'Cavalieri
The exhibition was well worth seeing. I like the King's Gallery-the cloakroom is free (so you don't have to carry your coat around with you!), and you also get a free audio guide, which is really good and includes a lot of information about the conservation of the drawings. Apparently, some had been glued onto wooden boards, and others were extremely dirty-it was fascinating to listen to.
You can explore the Royal Collection online to see more of the wonderful things that are part of it here.
A Young Man Drawing with a Sleeping Dog (unidentified Florentine artist) (1460)
Lots more photos under the cut...
There was so much to photograph, but some of the ones I would have loved to have taken photos of were in places that meant there were bad reflections obscuring the work. So these are the ones I thought were notable and could be photographed:
In the first section of the exhibition Drawing the Figure - artists started to use male models to refine their practice.
A Standing Male Nude Leonardo Da Vinci (1504) red chalk
Drapery of a Kneeling Figure Leonardo Da Vinci (1491). Fabric would often be coated in plaster and draped around wooden models so that it would remain in place to be drawn after it had dried. This is a study for The Virgin of the Rocks.
St Jerome Bartolomeo Passarotti (1580) - pen and ink
Close up of St Jerome by Girolamo Muziano (1580). You can see how he has changed his mind about placing of the hand and head in red chalk.
The Three Graces Raphael (1517), drawn from a single female nude model (it was rare to use nude female models). It is a study for the graces in a fresco the Wedding Feast of Cupid and Psyche in Villa Farnesina, Rome.
The Risen Christ Michelangelo Buonarroti (1532) - black chalk and probably from Michaelangelo's imagination rather than from a model.
The next section was Drawing the Head. Portraits were becoming popular and drawing from life gave compositions realism.
The Head of a Youth Lorenzo di Credi (1490) - metalpoint with white highlighting. A study for a painting of St Francis.
The Bust of a Cleric Fra Angelico (1447). There are very few drawings surviving by Fra Angelico which makes this extra special. Metalpoint and ink with white highlighting.
The Head of an Old Woman Domenico Ghirlandaio (1488)
The head above is a study for Ghirlandaio's fresco Birth of the Virgin - the woman was probably a lady in waiting of the patron's daughter shown in the fresco below and so likely to be a good likeness of her.
The Head of the Virgin Federico Barocci (1582) - such a beautiful drawing with coloured chalk on blue paper. A bit of an odd angle to try and avoid reflections. This was stunning in RL.
The face is a study for this painting - The Annunciation
The Head of a Youth - attributed to Pietro Faccini (1590) - oiled charcoal (literally a charcoal stick soaked in oil) and white on brown paper.
The Head of Julius Caesar by Parmigianino (1535) in pen and ink, probably a sketch of a plaster cast or marble head of Caesar.
The next section was Observing Nature:
Study of a wax figure (1520). The model was probably made by Michelangelo from wax or clay and drawn by an apprentice.
The Muscles of the Trunk and Leg - notes and drawings made by Leonardo Da Vinci identifiable by the 'mirror' handwriting.
A Lily - attributed to Andrea del Verocchio (1475). Originally thought to be by Leonardo, this is now attributed to the sculptor and painter Verocchio in whose studio Leonardo worked in the 1470s.
Studies of Horses - Leonardo Da Vinci (1490)
Cats, Lions and a Dragon - Leonardo Da Vinci (1517-18). One of my favourite drawings.
Studies of Dogs (1522) Parmigianino, pen and ink.
The next section was Designing the applied arts
The Head of a Man (1470) - this is probably from the studio of Cristoforo Canozzi da Lendinara and is a working study for intarsia (where different coloured woods are used to create images or patterns).
A Costume for a Masque Leonardo Da Vinci (1517). Artists would be expected to create all kinds of art, not just paintings and sculptures. This is for the French Court in the Loire Valley.
A Design for a Ceiling - unknown artist (1585). This would have been a design for a painted wooden ceiling and shows scenes from the Old Testament.
A Design for a Mace Luzio Luzi (1550). A ceremonial mace or staff of office, probably to be made in silver.
The Betrayal of Christ Polidoro da Caravaggio (1525). A design for carved rock crystal that would have been set into the foot of a crucifix.
This is the design carved into rock crystal (in the Vatican).
The next section looked at how the collection was put together Collecting Italian Renaissance Drawings. Most were acquired by King Charles II (reigned 1660-85).
An Ideal Female Head copy after Michelangelo Buonarroti (1540). Originally bought by Charles II from a dealer for £2 (a high price for the time as it was originally thought to be by Michaelangelo). The original is in the British Museum.
The next section was Drawing the Divine
The Virgin and Child with the young Baptist - Michelangelo Buonarroti (1532).
The Virgin and Child Bernardino Campi (1570). This was a huge drawing, known as a 'cartoon' used to transfer a design so that it can be painted. This is an altarpiece in a church in Codogno, near Milan. The drawing has a faint red squared grid used to enlarge the design onto the painting surface. These rarely survive as they are discarded once the design is transferred.
The altarpiece
Drawing as Art - works that are not preparatory drawings for other paintings, but works of art in their own right given as gifts to friends or patrons.
Hercules in the Garden of the Hesperides Paolo Farinati (1590)
Christ Enthroned Bartolomeo Montagna (1500)
A Classical Head Giulio Clovio (1540). Black chalk
A Children's Bacchanal Michelangelo Buonorroti (1533) Red chalk. A gift to the Roman nobleman Tommaso De'Cavalieri
The exhibition was well worth seeing. I like the King's Gallery-the cloakroom is free (so you don't have to carry your coat around with you!), and you also get a free audio guide, which is really good and includes a lot of information about the conservation of the drawings. Apparently, some had been glued onto wooden boards, and others were extremely dirty-it was fascinating to listen to.
You can explore the Royal Collection online to see more of the wonderful things that are part of it here.