This next video focuses on the Italian courts
in the early Renaissance. So, the Italian courts are a number of different
territories, regions that were dominated by
dukes and marquises, so relatively small
small-time leaders: leaders in places like Ferrara,
which we see here, Mantua, which we see here. We'll also talk about
Rimini and Urbino, which were eventually
incorporated into the Papal States. Basically, these are small
kingdoms -- very small kingdoms that often relied on other
rulers that were nearby. They weren't on the same scale
as for example the Holy Roman Empire which was to the North,
France, which was also considered a more powerful
ruler and group.
So, these are relatively small town rulers, so what we see
is that they need to fashion an identity. They need to fashion some
kind of individual identity through the
art and architecture that they are commissioning, so we'll be thinking about this idea of self-
fashioning, and we see it too even a greater extent with some of these rulers.
So, we've already been talking ideas fame and individual identity in the
Renaissance,
but really with these rulers we see a strong desire to differentiate oneself
from some of these other rulers.
So, first off we'll talk Leon Battista Alberti a little bit
because he actually gets some work
working for these different rulers. One, for example, was in the court of Rimini --
we'll look at that
first and then he also works for the court in Mantua, so we'll also look at that.
So, Leon Battista Alberti, although he did work quite a bit in
Florence. He lived in Florence for a while.
He also wrote books on architecture. We already talked about his work with
painting,
but he also wrote books on architecture. He has a strong reverence for
antiquity
when he talk about architecture, as well, so this remains consistent between painting and
sculpture and architecture.
He refers to temples throughout his text, and he refers to the "gods"
so it seems like he even trying to create
an identity for himself where he's putting himself in the period of antiquity.
He wants structures that are symmetrical, harmonious. He really wants to
carry on some of the traditions from the ancient world
in his architecture. So, let's look at one of his architectural projects.
So, being an architect was a relatively high status artistic position. It was considered
more important in most cases than being a painter or sculptor.
These were functional spaces; these spaces required knowledge of
engineering, design. These were spaces that couldn't just crumble to the ground.
So, Alberti really took pride in participating in these
larger scale architectural projects. So, let's have a look at one.
This was for the court of Rimini, which is in an area of North-
east Italy. So, Rimini will be court #1 in this lecture. So Leon
Battista Alberti creates the Tempio
Malatestiano, which was for a ruler whose
last name is "Malatesta," so Sigismondo Malatesta was
what was called a "condottiere" or figure that was a military leader that
could be hired by
other rulers or other regions
powers to come in and fight on their behalf, and he was known to be a very
very good fighter, but
he was also known to be someone who married a number of times. He had a
couple of wives. He had
a couple of mistresses. And, in fact, this structure, which was
dedicated to him, it's called the Tempio Malatestiano
after him. It was also dedicated to his mistress, or one of his
mistresses.
Isotta degli Atti. And you see her name listed right here.
So, this dates to the mid 15th century, and you can see that
Alberti has been asked to create a very classical-style structure,
where you have a nice white exterior with engaged columns.
You have a lot of perfectly geometric forms:
circles, perfect squares, nice
semi-circular arches. So, you see Leon Battista Alberti using
some of that inspiration from antiquity, and bringing it into this temple structure.
Clearly, however, this structure is not completed. You can see there's
an archway that's missing. Alberti clearly had the idea of putting in a dome.
We can see that
from metal cast or designed by Matteo de'
Pasti. So, a lot more was intended to be added to this structure,
which would have added to its classical resonance.
This dome is somewhat reminiscent of the Pantheon, which
was a Roman temple. You have a pediment
that's been modified with the introduction of semi-circular arches at the
center. So clearly they were grand plans for the Tempio Malatestiano,
but did not all come to fruition --
unfortunately for Sigismondo Malatesta. So,
another thing is that he's taking a church here. This was actually
San Francesco. This was the church dedicated to Saint Francis.
You can still see a little bit of the interior church -- the church here,
and he's wrapping it -- he's covering it, so Alberti's wrapping it with this new
classical look.
And in a way this is clearly very disrespectful to the religious foundation
that's underneath,
so he taking a religious structure -- Sigismondo Malatesta is taking this religious
structure,
and dedicating it to himself and his mistress,
and clearly it's no surprise that Sigismondo Malatesta
had a lot of trouble with the pope! So, something to keep in mind.
Here's just a portrait of Sigismondo to keep this
a mind -- to give you a face to go with the name.
What's interesting is that there were actually burial sites not just for
the prince -- not just for Sigismondo and for his mistress --
but also for their courts. You actually see sarcophagi on the outside.
So, a way that his whole court could be incorporated into the structure
to demonstrate that he was very popular, if not everywhere,
at least in his court. Alright, court #2 is Urbino.
This is a work by Piero della Francesca. He also painted that portrait that we
saw of Sigismondo Malatesta.
So, Piero della Francesca also worked for
another military leader -- a condottiere -- whose name was Federico da Montefeltro,
and he was Duke of Urbino --
this other court that we're looking at. Clearly Piero has a great mastery
of perspective. You have a nice vanishing point being established right
around the area
of the Virgin and Child. You have a nice "Sacra Conversazione" (sacred conversation) here, where you see the
Virgin surrounded by angels and saints,
and, of course, Federico da Montefeltro get
pride of place as the patron putting himself
right in front of the Virgin position in a position of prayer.
And, what's interesting is he's clearly left a gap on the other side
for his recently deceased wife. So, his wife Battista Sforza, who came from
Milan,
she had recently died. She'd given birth to numerous children -- finally gave
birth to a boy --
and then passed away at a very young age, so they've left to space for her.
So clearly her absence would have been recognized, and also, if you missed
that she was missing, you also would notice that John the Baptist is here, so
Battista Sforza was her name,
and there is her patron saint. You have this reminder
that would be easily be recognized. The background also incorporates
some classical elements, so nice
marble inlay, classical style architecture, with
string courses and
coffers and barrel vaults. The kind of architecture
you would see in ancient Greek and Roman
world. So, here I'm showing you the full altarpiece that Federico commissioned
and there is a detail. And, this is a diptych that was commissioned by
Federico,
probably after his wife had died, so they may be working from a death mask or
it may have been created soon before her death,
but you can the but she looks very pale reflecting
either that she stays inside a lot -- not uncommon for women at this time --
and pale skin was very very much sought-after -- also blonde hair, which she
has --
and clearly showing how wealthy her husband is. She's wearing pearls and fine
jewels,
beautiful costume, so she is showing off the wealth of
her husband. He looks very serious. He's more of a man of
action in the world. He has water behind and more
of a city scene and actually behind her, you have a small town, which may be the town
Gubbio, where she passed away.
So, most likely this was commissioned after her death -- not 100 percent [sure]
however, but it commemorates both of them and gives them strong identities on both
the front
and also on the back. So, on the back, you can see
praise for Federico, who's on this side. You can see him right here in his armor,
and he was praised for justice, prudence, strength, and temperance,
and then Battista, who is here on her chariot with unicorns at the front,
she is praised for chastity and piety.
And unicorns are a symbol of chastity.
Federico da Montefeltro also has a very interesting space called the "studiolo"
a studiolo was a small study where one could keep
their collections, and also retreat, so that you could
have a quiet place to study. What's interesting about his studio
is you have beautiful intarsia
or wood inlay that uses strong one-point perspective,
so definitely had a strong Renaissance
strong Renaissance influence here. And then also images
great men up above. So, this idea that in the Renaissance, many men wanted to be
being famous, wanted to well-known, wanted to be known for the good things that they did,
and so you often see these cycles of famous men, and so this is one of the most
famous ones,
where you have groups of men -- learned men, Old Testament figures,
philosophers -- lots and lots of different
men that are incorporated together -- [also] men of the church.
So the interesting thing is Federico could be down here -- Federico da
Montefeltro could be down here working away,
and these great men looking down at him.
This is the view from the studiolo. The studiolo would have had a
wonderful view in this area here, where he could look out.
Alright, court #3 is Ferrara,
and Ferrara is also in Northeastern Italy,
and what I wanted to point out here is a medal, and medals were quite common during the
Renaissance. It was a way to you
cast something -- cast multiple copies -- and then you could pass them out.
You could get them to friends -- give them to other court. These were not currency.
These were not [functioning as]
money. But what you could do you do is you could record your likeness. You could
record your
portrait. So, here we see Leonello d'Este who has this very
leonine mane happening here with his hair, and then you have a lion,
of course, in the back, and this was probably commissioned around time of his
wedding.
So, you have a lion being tamed and being taught to sing by this
cupid, and then you have some animals that are probably associated with
at the d'Este family -- that is his last name
or possibly the King of Aragon
or the family that he's marrying into. So it has this inscription
that says he is the son-in-law of the King Aragon, Leonello was the marquess
d'Este, Lord of Ferrara, Reggio, and Modena,
and then giving the year. And it
also says that the artist is Pisanello, so Pisanello is
listed here. So here, I'm showing you the front and the back, so these were kind of like the
business cards at these rulers --
a way to you demonstrate how learned they were
through the imagery, through the artistry, and also to promote their likeness, or their
portrait.
Alright, our final court is Mantua, and Mantua is a court
in central North Italy, and Mantua is a site where you had a couple
important things.
The first thing is this very important painted room by Andrea Mantegna,
who was the court artist. This artist who paid to be full time
in the court of the Gonzaga -- the family that controlled
this city. And so in this painted room, which was the bedchamber
of the Lord of Mantua
whose name was Ludovico Gonzaga. You can see this room that would have been his
bedchamber, and so you would have seen
Ludovico here, and also here. And he's shown with his family, his sons, showing that
his
his territories will live, his family will live on
as rulers of this city. You have Roman emperors
that are represented up here, so he has a nice connection to
rulers the past. And then you this [painted] oculus that opens up the sky,
so you have some wonderful illusion that's being played upon here.
if we zoom in on the one side, you can see Ludovico is with his family. He's
receiving an important note.
The Gonzaga love dogs, so you see dogs here. You see his wife
next to him, and then you see members of their court. So, easy that these courts
had
large entourages. On the opposing wall
you can see that the Gonzaga were also well known for their horses. The horses
are here.
Additional dogs are there, and you have this message praising Ludovico
Gonzaga and his wife.
And then you see Ludovico greeting his son, so you have one son
who's coming from Rome, so you see this figure, who has become a cardinal.
You also see the figure who's going to become the next ruler, as well as an
additional
son, so this is a way to feel very confident in the future of Mantua.
And there actually is an inscription that goes into detail,
and Mantegna may have inserted his face. You see the face there.
Alright, so looking up at this oculus, you can the
some of the views, some of the playfulness here, where you can see that
it would look like a basket was going to fall on you.
You also have little putti,
little cupids and things like that that look like they might
fall on you -- kind of hanging over here, so there's a playfulness to this room, as well.
And it was known as one of the most beautiful rooms in the world when it was first painted.
Another important commissioned for the Gonzaga:
Ludovico commissioned this grand church of Sant'Andrea,
which held a relic of the holy blood of Christ, and you can see. And you can see that
Alberti came in to do it. He created a composite of
a temple front -- so you have a pediment, you have columns --
and a triumphal arch. You really have this combination of classical forms
coming into this church front [or facade] and also you have a window up here that would
have allowed
light to enter in to hit [or illuminate] that relic of the holy blood.
You can see that the church form itself from the interior is very
open, and if we look at here you can see you have this massive barrel vault.
So the idea that a lot churches at this time had a lot of columns,
and these are really being melted away.
And -- just to finish -- we'll look at a drawing by Leonardo da Vinci
Isabella d'Este, who becomes an important figure in Mantua, as well,
and she really wanted a portrait by Leonardo, and we'll talk more about this when
we get into our Leonardo da Vinci lecture
for next week.