Michaelangelo's Rivalry and Friendship with Sebastiano Chronicled in the Tate's Exhibition in London Through June 2017

Chronicling the Rivalry and Camaraderie of Michelangelo and Sebastiano

The exhibition methodically and academically does what it says on the tin:

 offer compelling instances of collaboration and reveal the twists and turns

 of a 25-year friendship and artistic relationship.

Olivia McEwan

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Sebastiano del Piombo, “The Judgement of Solomon” (c. 1506-9) tempera (lower layers) and oil on canvas, traces of gold leaf (in half-dome) 208 x 318 cm, Kingston Lacy, the Bankes Collection (National Trust) (© National Trust images by Derrick E. Witty)

LONDON — It is fair to say Sebastiano del Piombo is not the first name that springs to mind when thinking of High Renaissance Italy — specifically the artistic hub of Rome during the early 16th century. That role goes to Michelangelo, then working on the immortally iconic Sistine Chapel. Considering that the new exhibition, Michelangelo and Sebastiano, in London’s National Gallery promises in its press release the “first ever exhibition devoted to the creative partnership” between these two artists, and thinking of this year’s earlier Caravaggio show remarkable for its lightness on Carvaggio’s actual paintings, one’s immediate dread is that Michelangelo’s ticket-selling name has been shoehorned into a study seeking to elevate an obscure contemporary of his. How delightful it is then that the show methodically and academically does what it says on the tin: offer compelling instances of collaboration, consistently demonstrated with convincing examples, and reveal the twists and turns of a 25-year friendship and artistic relationship. A happy bonus is how this survey paints an image of a deliciously Machiavellian art world in Rome — all scheming competition and heated rivalry.

Michelangelo “The Entombment (or Christ being carried to his Tomb)” (c. 1500-1) oil on poplar, 161.7 x 149.9 cm (© The National Gallery, London)

As such, it quickly becomes clear that curator Matthias Wivel is not out to champion del Piombo as an unsung master. Throughout the show, his work is shown to be decidedly clunky and lacking in comparison to the finesse and genius virtuosity of Michelangelo. Beginning with the Venetian-trained del Piombo’s arrival in Rome, the focus is exploration of the technical differences between the two artists within the context of fiercely competitive art patronage in Rome. We are thus invited to compare the working method behind Michelangelo’s “Virgin and Child with Saint John and Angels” (c. 1497) — its unfinished state revealing meticulously exact linear planning, green coloring of the dead flesh, and a piecemeal approach regarding covering the canvas surface — with del Piombo’s also unfinished “Judgement of Solomon” (c. 1506–09). With its underdrawing clearly showing hesitancy and a late-stage change in composition characteristic of an improvisatory way of working, it contrasts with Michelangelo’s determined precision. Del Piombo’s preference for an overall painterly fuzziness that evokes mood and atmosphere is consistent with the Venetian school of painting. Elsewhere, del Piombo’s Saints Bartholomew and Sebastian (c. 1510–11) from the doors of the Church of San Bartolomeo in Venice, similarly show a kind of all-over sfumato that fuzzes outlines, giving a murky, moody tone. In his paintings there is none of the distinguishing dynamism of the Florentine Michelangelo’s solid figures and strong composition.

Sebastiano del Piombo “The Visitation” (1518-19) oil on canvas, transferred from wood, 168 × 132 cm Musée du Louvre, Département des Peintures, Paris (© RMN-Grand Palais (musée du Louvre) by Hervé Lewandowski)

This technical introduction to the two artists in the exhibition makes the story that del Piomobow as actively promoted by Michelangelo as competition against his “detested” rival Raphael, all the more compelling. In an era of prodigious art commissioning by the ruling religious and political elite (most famously, the powerful Medici family), a highly cynical scene emerges in which del Piomobo, specializing in oil painting (tempera being the more common medium), is championed by Michelangelo specifically as a challenger to the city’s only other big oil painter, Raphael. The National Gallery makes a convincing case of del Piomobow seeing himself as being in direct competition with the famed colorist skills of Raphael via a progression of works showing del Piomobow’s increasing tendency away from murky painting towards pure brilliant color. More juicy illustration of the two artists’ devious machinations in pursuit of patronage comes with the display of their correspondence: del Piombo says to Michelangelo in 1519, having just finished his Raising of Lazarus, “I beg you to persuade Messer Domennico [Boninsegni] to have the frame gilded in Rome, and to leave me to arrange the gilding, because I want to make the Cardinal realize that Raphael is robbing the Pope of at least 3 ducats a day for gilding .” 

Similarly, in 1520 following Raphael’s death, Michelangelo writes to Cardinal Bernardo Dovizi da Bibbiena persuading him to take on Sebastiano to “share in the work at the Palace, now that Raphael is dead,” humbling adding “You are always granting favors to men of esteem; I beg your Lordship to try out [the favor] with me.”

After Michelangelo “Pietà” (1975) (copy after “Pietà” (1497-1500) St Peter’s, Vatican City) plaster cast from five piece moulds, with wood and iron armature, 174 x 195 cm, Vatican Museums, Vatican City (© Photo Vatican Museums)

In terms of concrete art historical evidence, the show works brilliantly with a methodical presentation of clear examples of the cross-pollination of ideas and designs between the two artists. The Vatican museums have loaned the Gallery a 1975 plaster cast of Michelangelo’s “Pietà” of 1497–1500, shown opposite del Piombo’s Pietà, or “Lamentation over the Dead Christ” (c. 1512–16). (Enjoy it — this is the closest you’ll get to the sculpture; the real thing should never leave its bulletproof case at St. Peter’s cathedral in Rome.) Each piece has its monumental, centrally positioned Virgin arranged to be perpendicular to the horizontal Christ, yet del Piombo makes innovative changes by including a nocturnal setting. More thrilling is the adjacent drawing by Michelangelo: a study of hands (among other bits and bobs), which is placed directly in the line of sight of the Virgin’s hands in del Piombo’s “Lamentation.” So displayed, it’s extremely hard to defy the argument that the former was a preparatory drawing for the latter. If this isn’t exciting enough, on the back of the “Lamentation” panel are sketches the National posits as studies consistent with designs in the Sistine Chapel; suggesting Michelangelo used this panel to sketch out designs and ideas eventually used there.

Sebastiano del Piombo, after partial designs by Michelangelo, “Lamentation over the Dead Christ (Pietà)” (c. 1512-16) oil on poplar, 248 × 190 cm, Museo Civico, Viterbo (© Comune di Viterbo)

The same presentation occurs again for two main del Piombo showpieces, demonstrating a working relationship in which del Piombo blended into his oil painting drawings provided by Michelangelo. The near four-meter-tall “Raising of Lazarus” (1517–1519) — apparently del Piombo’s answer to Raphael’s “Transfiguration” (1516-20) — is surrounded by supporting drawings. Sensationally, del Piombo’s Borgherini Chapel in Rome has been reconstructed here using state of the art printing technology to add visual heft to the translation of Michelangelo’s preparatory drawings.

The rigorous, academic method of display absolutely makes this show. It is undeniable, looking at the key examples in the “Lamentation” and “Raising of Lazarus,” that there is little to distinguish del Piombo as a key Renaissance presence. The latter piece has been in the National’s collection since 1824, yet for all its scale and vibrant color it somehow still feels uninspiring and workman-like. That del Piombo was not a Renaissance master of the level of Michelangelo is confirmed in the final room covering their parting of ways after 1536. 

.. It is fortunate that their 25-year friendship has proven ripe for examination. It provides a rewarding experience that overcomes the complaint by some critics that Michelangelo by nature just dominates any other artist on the bill.

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Color Organizing Fun

'Encyclopedia of Rainbows' Is the Perfect Book for Color Organizing Enthusiasts

BY REBECCA OCONNELL

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RAINBOWS: OUR WORLD ORGANIZED BY COLOR BY JULIE SEABROOK 

REAM, PUBLISHED BY CHRONICLE BOOKS 2017.

Let's face it: Whether it be stamps, coupons, or fruit, everything looks 

better when color-coordinated. Julie Seabrook Ream highlights a

collection of colorful flat lays in Encyclopedia of Rainbows, a whimsical 

index that's bursting with color.

Each page offers readers a different selection of eye candy all neatly 

organized in rainbow order. The book is separated into two categories, 

the natural world and the built world, which include themes like daisies, 

toy trains, matchbooks, berries, and more.

If organizing is your gift, this book's pages will make thrill you.

 You will delight in the author's arrangements of natural elements

and man-made ones

and, if you need to organize stamps as I do, here is a beautiful example

of creative arrangement by color of ordinary ephemera.

The book is available on Amazon. If you are inspired by this book and/or post, send me a picture of your arrangements. You may see them as examples of colorful things, with your permission of course!

Art Nouveau Has Global Influences

Art Nouveau is a style of art that appeared in Europe during the late 19th century, though it's influence is global and continuous. The artistic style, which takes its name from the French, literally means "new art" and is characterized by the use of organic shapes and dramatic, curving lines that encompass many forms of art including paintings, glassware, furniture, and architecture. Many of its themes are taken from nature, though presented quite abstractly, and includes plants, flowers, and naturally curved lines. Some famous artists for this style include Aubrey Beardsley, Thomas Malory, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. This stylistic choice was eventually replaced in the twentieth century, but its influence can still be seen in Europe and other parts of the world.

Poster by Toulouse Lautrec

Influences

Besides nature, the Art Nouveau style also gleans inspiration from High Victorian, Roccoco, and Japanese art; in addition, this artistic style has affinities with the contemporary Pre-Raphaelite, Symbolism, and Arts and Crafts styles. The 19th century artistic style was succeeded in the 20th century by the emergent Art Deco style, which incorporated more geometrical shapes and had an even more stylized appearance; however, Art Nouveau still holds somewhat of an influence in certain decorative arts, especially jewelry. Art Nouveau had a few revivals throughout the Western world in the early 20th century, notably the artistic style known as Jugendstil in Germany and Scandinavia.

Art Forms

Commonly found in architecture and design, the art nouveau style can be seen in many of the world's cities, and perhaps most famously in the Parisian Metro stations. Many of the metro stations have cast iron supports that resemble plant stems on the exterior portions of the buildings, and others have detailed glass canopies designed in the "new art" style. While there were glass canopies designed in this artistic style, smaller glassware were created as well. This lead to jewelry being created in the new art style, which is still used today for jewelry design. Art Nouveau also frequently appeared in paintings, illustrations, and advertisements of the 19th century, as well as many furniture pieces.

Famous Artists 

Adele Bloch-Bauer portrait by Gustav Klimt 1907

Rennie Mackintosh was a major Art Nouveau architect and furniture designer who worked in Scotland and England, and his work provides classic examples of the artistic style. Parisians Rene Lalique and Emile Galle, and the American designer Louis Comfort Tiffany are among the artists who helped extend the style to jewelry and various decorative arts. Aubrey Beardsley famously illustrated Oscar Wilde's play Salome, Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur, and the periodical The Yellow Book.

In the category of painters, Alphonse Mucha was a Czech painter best remembered for his "new art" poster designs, and Gustav Klimt was a Viennese painter and muralist noted for his heavy use of gold and mosaic-like designs. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec became famous for his Moulin Rouge, Art Nouveau style, while Edvard Munch, a Norwegian painter, produced some of the darkest examples of the artistic style in his Frieze of Life series of paintings.

Poll Shows Most Surveyed Would Prefer More Vibrant Colors in Home Decor But Many Still Play It Safe with Neutrals.

These findings and more are revealed in the National Painting Week Color Psychology Study by Harris Poll on behalf of Sherwin-Williams. The study included an online survey and analysis of social media posts that include colors and areas of a home. To celebrate National Painting Week, May 19–29, Sherwin-Williams is showing the impact of color by refreshing hundreds of community organizations, sharing these new research findings and providing insights from color psychologist Dr. Sally Augustin and its own color expert, Sue Wadden.  

"Homeowners shouldn't stress when trying new colors, and many will likely find it is a worthwhile endeavor. Vibrant colors can have positive psychological effects. Emerald greens can be energizing, seeing red can give us a boost of strength and yellow can provide a sense of warmth," said Dr. Augustin, principal at Design with Science, a cognitive science-based design consultation firm.

Blue might be a good choice for homeowners considering more vibrant colors, with 62 percent of Americans selecting blue as one of the colors they like most. The strong preference for blue is consistent across genders, regions and age. Many Americans also said they associate blue with calmness (45 percent).

"In the case of blue, it's often subconsciously linked to trust, dependability, and competence and can also be associated with rest and provide a cooling sensation – making it a great choice for a bedroom or office," said Dr. Augustin.

The color black is the second-most popular color (32 percent), followed by red (31 percent).

Other key insights from the report, which also examined upcoming painting plans, include:

• The majority of Americans (58 percent) say that more vibrant colors should be used throughout the home rather than just neutral tones.
• Millennials¹ welcome extra help when it comes to choosing a color for their space. More than half (52 percent) agreed that they would rather get professional help to choose paint colors than professional help when choosing clothing.
• Generations see green differently. Millennials are more likely than older generations to most associate the color with energy (33 percent vs. 24 percent of Gen Xers² and boomers³). Baby boomers are more likely than millennials to associate green with calmness (26 percent vs. 20 percent).
• Forty-two percent of Americans associate yellow with happiness; men are more than twice as likely as women (35 percent to 17 percent) to associate yellow with weakness.
• When looking at the social media posts including areas of the home, mentions of green, pink, and red index higher in the Midwest than in other regions. In the South, blue indexes higher than in other regions.
• Fifty-eight percent of Americans are planning to paint an area in their home in the next 12 months, with nearly seven in 10 millennial men (69 percent) planning to paint within the next year. The bedroom topped the list with 44 percent of Americans who plan to paint choosing this room, followed by bathrooms (39 percent).

Refreshing hundreds of deserving spacesDuring National Painting Week and throughout May, thousands of Sherwin-Williams employees across North America are volunteering to refresh more than 240 locations in need of a fresh coat of paint, such as community centers, parks and historic landmarks. The company is donating the paint and supplies for projects, and plans to continue to give back throughout the year thanks in part to the help of supporters who "donated" their digital color as a part of Sherwin-Williams Donate Your Color Campaign (DonateYourColor.com).

Sherwin-Williams is partnering on many of these projects with local affiliates of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Canada, Ronald McDonald House Charities and Rebuilding Together. Painting contractors and builders are also participating in several community projects with the teams from their local Sherwin-Williams stores, lending their expertise to the benefit of many communities across the country.

And for homeowners inspired to refresh their own home, there's no better time than now. Sherwin-Williams is offering 30 percent off its branded paints and stains, and an additional 20 percent off the everyday low price on custom-order wallpaper, from May 19-29, in its neighborhood stores across the country.

More information on National Painting Week is available at Sherwin-Williams stores and swpaintingweek.com.

Ask Sherwin-Williams™
For more than 150 years, Sherwin-Williams has been an industry leader in the development of technologically advanced paint and coatings. As the nation's largest specialty retailer of paint and painting supplies, Sherwin-Williams is dedicated to supporting both do-it-yourselfers and painting professionals with exceptional and exclusive products, resources to make confident color selections and expert, personalized service at its more than 4,200 neighborhood stores across North America. For more information, visit sherwin-williams.com. Join Sherwin-Williams on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.     

About The National Painting Week Color Psychology StudyThis survey was conducted online within the United States between March 23-27, 2017 among 2,201 adults (aged 18 and over) by Harris Poll on behalf of Sherwin-Williams via its Quick Query omnibus product. Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region, and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the surveyed populations. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. Social results were obtained by harvesting 12,089 public geo-tagged social media posts in the U.S. between January 1 - April 13, 2017 where selected colors appear within two words of areas of the home.

¹ Millennials are defined as ages 22 - 40
² Gen Xers are defined as ages 41 - 52
³ Boomers are defined as ages 53 - 71Sherwin Williams Paint It Week

Klimpt's Floral painhtings

• Brilliant patterns of flowers by Gustav Klimt resemble his portrait patterns.

  Gustav Klimt, Bauerngarten, 1907. Image: Wikimedia Commons.

Last year the billionaire talk show host Oprah Winfrey sold the Gustav Klimt painting Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II (1912) to a Chinese buyer for $150 million. As Bloomberg first reported, the deal was one of the biggest private sales of 2016 and represented a near-doubling of the work’s price, just 10 years after she bought it for $87.9 million. And that wasn’t even the highest price the painter has fetched of late. A year earlier, the Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev sold Water Serpents II (1904–07) privately for $170 million to an unknown Asian buyer.

“It’s an excellent time to be selling a Klimt,” says Thomas Bompard, a Senior Director in the Impressionist and Modern Art department at Sotheby’s, which is auctioning the Viennese Secessionist artist’s vibrant landscape painting, Bauerngarten (1907), with an estimate in excess of $45 million, on March 1st. The painting last sold in 1994 for $5.8 million.

Bompard says two factors have contributed to the recent steep rise in prices for Klimt’s work. One is the rarity of his works on the market: Klimt only created around 250 paintings in his whole life, most of which are now in museums.

The other is the growing number of Asian collectors who have recently been snapping up trophy works by Western Modernists such as Klimt, Picasso, and Van Gogh. Over the past five years, Sotheby’s has seen a 69% increase in the number of Asian buyers in its Impressionist and Modern art sales, a Sotheby’s spokeswoman said.

“Klimt appeals to Asian buyers because he often blurs the boundaries between decorative and fine art, painting and drawing,” Bompard says.

Klimt only painted around 55 square-format landscapes like Bauerngarten—a composition he adopted quite early in his career, according to the Viennese curator Alfred Weidinger, who wrote the 2007 catalogue raisonné of Klimt’s paintings.

“There are very few landscapes by Klimt left in private hands,” Bombard says. “Works that tick all the boxes—sublimely executed, impeccable provenance, excellent condition—only come on the market every 20 years.”

That scarcity, combined with growing demand from Asian collectors, is expected to push his work to new auction highs. “Collectors should be prepared to commit at the highest level if they want to be sure to hang this painting on their wall,” he says.

For example, the current record for a Klimt landscape painting at auction is $43 million, on a par with the estimate for Bauerngarten, but Bompard expects that figure to be surpassed. Weidinger says he knows at least three Asian collectors are looking for works by the Austrian artist, one of whom was the deep-pocketed likely buyer of Adele Bloch-Bauer II last year.

Interest for Bauerngarten is not limited to Asia, says Weidinger, who describes the work as one of Klimt’s 10 best landscape paintings. Klimt painted most of his landscapes, including Bauerngarten, in the Salzkammergut region of Austria, at Lake Attersee and elsewhere. And, as it happens, “a non-Asian collector with a country house on Attersee is searching for an important piece,” according to the curator. Article by Anny Shaw

RELATED ARTICLE

What Is Art Nouveau? See the article next week. BBL

Regency Wardrobe Colors

A List of Regency Colors for Clothing

One of my favorite eras in history is the Regency.  I love the clothing styles--the delicate slipper shoes, the elegant bonnets, the silk stockings.  Even the hair ribbons and small purses called reticules.   Below is a list of colors used during the Regency.

PINKS

Pink

Rose

Blush - pale pink

Laylock - warm pink

PURPLES

Amaranth - purple‐red with a pink tint

Amethyst -  light purple

Deep Violet

Lilac

Purple

Violet - parma violet

BLUES

Azure - bright, sky blue

Bishop's Blue - blue/purple

Cerulean Blue - a bluish green color during the Regency (not the sky blue we think of today)

Spanish Blue - dark blue, used for men's coats

GREENS

American Green - bright green

Bottle Green - dark green with a hint of blue

Emerald Green - a bluish green color made from a copper arsenic compound.  Yes, it was poisonous, but not known to be at the time

Green

Pea-green

Pistache/Pistachio  - light green

Pomona - Apple green

YELLOWS

Bois de Citron - a yellow green

Canary yellow -  bright yellow

Evening Primrose - deeper yellow than Primrose

Fawn - a light yellow‐tan

Jonquil - daffodil yellow

Primrose - soft yellow

Yellow

REDS / ORANGES / BROWNS

Brown

Capucine - dark orange

Coquelicot - named after the Poppy flower

Devonshire Brown - rich reddish brown

Garnet - same as today

Hazelnut - reddish‐brown

Pompeian Red - the deep red color

Poussiere de Paris - light brown

Puce -  brownish-purple/purplish-pink

Sorrel - cinnamon color

Scarlet

Egytian Earth-Brown

MISC. 

Black

Manilla - light, hemp brown

Nakara - pearl color

Slate - a dark gray/stone gray

Steel‐grey -  a metallic blackish gray

Straw -  the golden beige hue

White

Resources:  A Lady of Fashion - Barbara Johnson's Album of Styles and Fabrics;  Sandra Brands Regency Clothing Workshop; The Regency Companion by Laudermilk and Hamlin