Raphael into Castiglione and vice-versa: A843 Ex. 3.5.1
Friday, 29 Sep 2017, 17:32
Visible to anyone in the world
Consider Raphael’s
portrait of Baldassare Castiglione in the Louvre (Figure 3.7), asking what it
reveals about the sitter and artist.
·
How is the portrait composed?
·
How would you describe the relationship between sitter, artist and
spectator that it sets up?
I have attempted in the Figure above to use rough geometric
shapes to describe the composition and suggest the almost axial centrality of
the central figure and the distribution within that figure of the volumes
suggested. I have described it as almost like a set of notional triangles that
work in interaction to focus the face of the sitter, and render it the compelling
focus of a viewer’s attention.
This attention I do not equate with that of the artist since
the latter employs a number of devices that get noticed in the picture only as
a function of time and attentive looking. Whilst a viewer first notices the
humanity of the central figure in its face and latterly hands (almost occluded
by the apparent arbitrary placement of the bottom marginal line of the whole).
We definitely start with the face. This is in part because that feature (or set
of features seems almost islanded in volumes of clothes stuffs, whose size is
emphasised and forms the width of the picture frame as a whole.
Colour is important here. The choice of soft dark colours
which animate merely by being folded in ways that distribute light as the main
source of their tonal variation. Colour in the face contrasts pallor with
effects that appear to emerge from within the figure to interact with light –
the blush like central colouration of the centre face reflected in those
prominent lips.
Yet Raphael does not centre Castiglione on the picture
plane itself. The torque of his body, twisted so his right side moves beyond
the picture plane and leaves an important gap of space on the left (viewer’s
left) of the picture. That emphasis on space creates the sense of necessary
distance that modifies our human closeness to this man. It is as if Raphael
reserves him slightly for himself by this compositional device. Likewise the
torque of the body emerges, as viewers concentrate on that ideally placed eye
level as a means of showing Castiglione’s eyes as fundamentally indirect in
their imagined attention. While the iris has moved to retain an appearance of
centrality (given the turn of the body), the pupil focuses above rather than on
the viewer. The sitter seems both to see you and not see you.
Moreover, the embodied turn emphasises one ear, such that
Castiglione is seen as both a person who sees and hears – as himself attentive
(as someone who takes in the world rather than projects himself into the world.
This is emphasised to me too by those reticent hands. Raphael composes the
picture so that they just appear above some arbitrary line, as if caught by
accident. How different from earlier Renaissance uses of a balcony to emphasise
the resting place of hands. These hands are tense and enfolded, appearing to
move into themselves. To me they imply a tension moving against and into the
body of the man, again emphasising interiority – areas of something unknown and
hence forever distant from the viewer.
This enfolding is mirrored in the clothing, which although
asserting boldly (if also in a muted fashion) colour, volume, decoration and both
social & financial value emphasise the recesses of shadow and a folding in
of light to a darker interior. Castiglione’s outline is less prominent against
the shadowed background to our right.
Castiglione is clearly a man who both values art and
manifests that value in the hidden features of that costume, otherwise made
beautiful by light. The gem on his hat mirrors the expressive and open shape of
its highs and resides (unobtrusively just above them). Likewise the woven
refinements of his garments almost hide – that gold button, the line of woven
patterns above them in the base of the inverted triangle the button proposes,
and the apex of the triangle in the woven insignia at the centre of his
headpiece. This is most reticent – beauty and taste shown nonchalantly (Bull’s
translation of Castiglione’s (1976:67) term sprezzatura) _ Wikipedia opens in new window (use with caution).
I have discovered a universal
rule which seems to apply more than any other in all human actions or words:
namely, to steer away from affectation at all costs, as if it were a rough and dangerous
reef, and (to use a novel word for it) to practise in all things a certain
nonchalance which conceals all artistry and makes whatever one says or does
seem uncontrived and effortless. … So we can truthfully say that true art is
what does not seem to be art: and the most important thing is to conceal it …
I would say that this is precisely about the relationship
between Castiglione, Raphael and his viewers. What we see conceals the art of
both men only to blazon that art more in the paintings (and the philosopher’s) deeper,
richer truer and well-educated art. In fact I would say the picture constructs
art as riches – praises the luxury of the prince and entourage whilst it
decries and vulgar show of that richness. However, show there must be or there
would be no art alone.
Sitter and artist display not only exterior but interior
riches (those of deep character so loved of the period). The viewer will see
these if they can from a distance as an admirer but not as an equal
That’s about as much as I can think of – now to the
revealed discussion.
Raphael into Castiglione and vice-versa: A843 Ex. 3.5.1
Consider Raphael’s portrait of Baldassare Castiglione in the Louvre (Figure 3.7), asking what it reveals about the sitter and artist.
· How is the portrait composed?
· How would you describe the relationship between sitter, artist and spectator that it sets up?
I have attempted in the Figure above to use rough geometric shapes to describe the composition and suggest the almost axial centrality of the central figure and the distribution within that figure of the volumes suggested. I have described it as almost like a set of notional triangles that work in interaction to focus the face of the sitter, and render it the compelling focus of a viewer’s attention.
This attention I do not equate with that of the artist since the latter employs a number of devices that get noticed in the picture only as a function of time and attentive looking. Whilst a viewer first notices the humanity of the central figure in its face and latterly hands (almost occluded by the apparent arbitrary placement of the bottom marginal line of the whole). We definitely start with the face. This is in part because that feature (or set of features seems almost islanded in volumes of clothes stuffs, whose size is emphasised and forms the width of the picture frame as a whole.
Colour is important here. The choice of soft dark colours which animate merely by being folded in ways that distribute light as the main source of their tonal variation. Colour in the face contrasts pallor with effects that appear to emerge from within the figure to interact with light – the blush like central colouration of the centre face reflected in those prominent lips.
Yet Raphael does not centre Castiglione on the picture plane itself. The torque of his body, twisted so his right side moves beyond the picture plane and leaves an important gap of space on the left (viewer’s left) of the picture. That emphasis on space creates the sense of necessary distance that modifies our human closeness to this man. It is as if Raphael reserves him slightly for himself by this compositional device. Likewise the torque of the body emerges, as viewers concentrate on that ideally placed eye level as a means of showing Castiglione’s eyes as fundamentally indirect in their imagined attention. While the iris has moved to retain an appearance of centrality (given the turn of the body), the pupil focuses above rather than on the viewer. The sitter seems both to see you and not see you.
Moreover, the embodied turn emphasises one ear, such that Castiglione is seen as both a person who sees and hears – as himself attentive (as someone who takes in the world rather than projects himself into the world. This is emphasised to me too by those reticent hands. Raphael composes the picture so that they just appear above some arbitrary line, as if caught by accident. How different from earlier Renaissance uses of a balcony to emphasise the resting place of hands. These hands are tense and enfolded, appearing to move into themselves. To me they imply a tension moving against and into the body of the man, again emphasising interiority – areas of something unknown and hence forever distant from the viewer.
This enfolding is mirrored in the clothing, which although asserting boldly (if also in a muted fashion) colour, volume, decoration and both social & financial value emphasise the recesses of shadow and a folding in of light to a darker interior. Castiglione’s outline is less prominent against the shadowed background to our right.
Castiglione is clearly a man who both values art and manifests that value in the hidden features of that costume, otherwise made beautiful by light. The gem on his hat mirrors the expressive and open shape of its highs and resides (unobtrusively just above them). Likewise the woven refinements of his garments almost hide – that gold button, the line of woven patterns above them in the base of the inverted triangle the button proposes, and the apex of the triangle in the woven insignia at the centre of his headpiece. This is most reticent – beauty and taste shown nonchalantly (Bull’s translation of Castiglione’s (1976:67) term sprezzatura) _ Wikipedia opens in new window (use with caution).
I have discovered a universal rule which seems to apply more than any other in all human actions or words: namely, to steer away from affectation at all costs, as if it were a rough and dangerous reef, and (to use a novel word for it) to practise in all things a certain nonchalance which conceals all artistry and makes whatever one says or does seem uncontrived and effortless. … So we can truthfully say that true art is what does not seem to be art: and the most important thing is to conceal it …
I would say that this is precisely about the relationship between Castiglione, Raphael and his viewers. What we see conceals the art of both men only to blazon that art more in the paintings (and the philosopher’s) deeper, richer truer and well-educated art. In fact I would say the picture constructs art as riches – praises the luxury of the prince and entourage whilst it decries and vulgar show of that richness. However, show there must be or there would be no art alone.
Sitter and artist display not only exterior but interior riches (those of deep character so loved of the period). The viewer will see these if they can from a distance as an admirer but not as an equal
That’s about as much as I can think of – now to the revealed discussion.
All the best
Steve