To begin today’s class, we studied the “Allegory with Venus and Cupid” painting by Agnolo Bronzino. Bronzino was known for his mannerist style of painting and no one really know what is going on in this painting, which was typical for art at the time. The subject matter of this artwork is important, as it was commissioned by one of the Medici’s as a gift to the King of France. Toward the top of the painting, Father Time can be seen holding a clock, while unveiling the scene we see. The goddess Venus and her son Cupid are presented in the center of the scene. The figure in the background is holding honey in one hand and a scorpion in the other. Honey represents happiness and love whereas the scorpion represents danger and death. The hands of this figure are reversed, signifying mannerism art which was known for its unusual and puzzling elements. This figure represents a hybrid character. On the one hand, time is revealing love and the amazing things that come with love, but on the other side, we see the dangers of love at times and jealousy that can stem from it.
We then transitioned to the High Renaissance in Northern Europe. The Protestant Reformation played an enormous role in Northern Europe during this era. Martin Luther criticizes the church, writing his 95 Theses criticizing the papacy. The most famous artist in this era was Albrecht Durer. He is referred to as the “German Leonardo” because he has lots of different talents similar to Leonardo and his work is extremely well known in the region to this day. One of Durer’s most famous paintings is his “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” which was made in 1498. Durer used woodcut to create this painting and it is part of a larger series of prints on the “Book of Revelations.” Durer used print making to mass produce his paintings and more easily transfer them across villages, which expanded his popularity massively. The four horsemen consist of death, famine, war, and conquest, who all kill creatures as they ride away. The artwork portrayed the fear in the turn of the millennial in 1500.