Comments on: Venetian Red in Tuscany: The Masterwork of Piero Della Francesca

By: Camilla Loveridge

Camilla Loveridge — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 02:44:47 +0000

Thankyou for your insights into the earthiness of this magnificent artist. I am currently curating a religious art award “Mandorla Art Award 2012″, the theme of which is taken from Galatians (4:4) ‘born of a woman”. Piero della Francesco’s “Madonna del Parto” in Monterchi resonates a very human experience of this event.

By: Barry Briggs

Barry Briggs — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 04:34:11 +0000

Thanks, Liz. I’d love to see you write about Uccello sometime. I’m particularly interested in the circular imagery that is present in some of his work – in the St. George (the dragon’s wings, the sky) and in the Battle triptych (on the horses gear and in other locations). This imagery isn’t so prominent in reproduction, perhaps, but jumps out when viewed directly (to my nutso eyes, anyway).

And I am a nut about Uccello – I once justified a trip to England just so I could go to Oxford and see # The Hunt in the Forest at the Ashmolean. Yow!

By: Liz Hager

Liz Hager — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 02:34:48 +0000

Barry, I too could not help but think of Uccello. Paolo was nearly a generation older than Piero, and I could find nothing (yet) which links the two men directly, so did not make the connection in the post.

Piero was known to be in Florence around 1432, where Paolo had been living for some time, so it’s reasonable to imagine that he saw the latter’s work there. Still the Battle of San Romano was painted 1450-56; Piero started his True Cross frescoes as early as 1432, and the dates of the Battle scene are undocumented.

Overall, I think Piero’s battle scenes are more restrained—Uccello’s seem to me to be full-blown extravaganzas. Quite enthralling in their own right.

Additionally, as you probably know, both artists were deeply absorbed in the study of perspective, and there battle scenes show that.

By: Barry Briggs

Barry Briggs — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 22:51:01 +0000

As I looked at the details of the Battle of Heraclius and Chosroes, I was reminded of Paolo Uccello’s masterwork, the Battle of San Romano. The two works were painted contemporaneously, I believe, and I wonder if there was some kind of cross-fertilization of imagery or concept.

Beautiful post. Thank you.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 16:08:51 +0000

I am speechless with awe and wonder – another one of your amazing posts! You should think about collecting these for a book because your insights and scholarship are awesome. I remember when I was studying Renaissance art. It took me a while to “get into” Della Francesca because I was so smitten with the masters of the High Renaissance. But once I “got it,” I saw what a unique vision he had, one that laid the foundation for the artistic revolution to come. I also adore Massaccio and hope that you can get around to a post on him as well. Now that I think about it, I believe that my figures are inspired by his geometric treatment of forms (but he’s a genius; I but a follower).

By: Maureen

Maureen — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 18:41:58 +0000

Your image selections beautifully illuminate your writing. The frescoes are gorgeous.

By: Hazló

Hazló — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 18:03:32 +0000

I was just expecting such a post about one or another fresco cycle : Piero della Francesca, Masaccio, Giotto of course…
There is something you noticed which I find very important: the spirituality, so present in all those artists master-works.
I’ve been often wondering how this particular emotion could be given by those masters. Of course they were tremendously talented but there is also something that is given by the fresco process itself : An image trapped inside a stone, and the contrast between the elusiveness of an instant of life, such as an expression on a face, and the limestone that will be able to cross centuries ! A kind of dizziness we can feel every time we are faced to how fleeting our stay here is…
Many thanks Liz for this post.

By: Monique de Tezanos Pinto

Monique de Tezanos Pinto — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 15:47:54 +0000

thank you for sharing such beauty I very much appreciate your blog, so refined, so interesting, and your generosity at writing it

By: mary helen fernandez stewart

mary helen fernandez stewart — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 01:44:30 +0000

My heart swells as I view your travels and photos…the expertise and sensitivity you share in your descriptions and history of these works reminds me how badly I would love to return to Italy again. Thank You for your generosity…Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart