Sixtus IV appoints Platina Prefect of the Vatican Library

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sixtus IV appoints Platina Prefect of the Vatican Library (Melozzo da Forlì)
Sixtus IV appoints Platina Prefect of the Vatican Library
Melozzo da Forlì , between 1475 and 1481
Fresco, transferred to canvas
370 × 315 cm
Vatican Pinacoteca , Rome

Sixtus IV appoints Platina Prefect of the Vatican Library - also under numerous similar names - is a fresco by Melozzo da Forlì . It is his best known work and was created in the third quarter of the 15th century in the early Renaissance . In addition to Pope Sixtus IV and Bartolomeo Platina , four nephews of the Pope are shown, including the later Pope Julius II as a cardinal . In terms of art history, the picture is one of the main works in the representation of groups of people in the 15th century.

Event, dating and whereabouts

Melozzo da Forlì, about whose training or possible early works little is known or preserved, was one of the best painters of his time. In the early 1470s he is mentioned as pictor papalis , that is, as the Pope's painter. The fresco of the appointment of Platina is the only surviving from a series of frescoes for the Vatican library, which he created on the direct order of Sixtus IV and his family.

The event depicted, the appointment of the humanist Bartolomeo Sacchi, known as Bartolomeo Platina, as Prefect of the Vatican Library , took place on June 15, 1475. It is unclear whether the family members depicted were actually present and whether the room in the painting ever existed as depicted.

Art history disagrees over the dating of the fresco. It is mentioned between 1475 and 1477, Wolfgang Braunfels puts the picture before 1477, others around 1477, Karl Woermann exactly 1477, still others a little later, around 1480, the last-mentioned period is 1480 to 1481.

Melozzo da Forlì originally created it on the wall opposite the entrance of the so-called Latin Library within the Vatican Library, on that wall and in the adjoining rooms, Domenico Ghirlandaio and his brothers had previously created frescoes, and with his he completed the program. It was later removed, transferred to canvas and taken to the Vatican Pinacoteca in the Vatican Museums , where it is still located today.

presentation

Melozzo da Forlì divided the six people involved into two groups of three, which is considered a pioneering anticipation of the High Renaissance . Common to all the people portrayed are the clear outlines, the strong coloring of the robes and the individual portrayal of the people, which is based on monumentality; Melozzo da Forlì certainly adopted this type of representation from Piero della Francesca . Another characteristic of the picture is the calm, measured posture of the figures with very economical gestures. Although there is eye contact, the participants appear independent and almost a little isolated from each other.

Left group

The left group consists of two nephews of Sixtus IV, on the far outside Giovanni della Rovere , on his right Girolamo Riario . To the right below the two, the appointed platinum kneels before the Pope. His right hand points to the inscription in the lower part of the picture. It reads: “Templa domvm expositis: vicos fora moenia pontes / Virgineam Trivii qvod repararis aqvam. / Prisca licet navtis statvas dare commoda portvs: / Et Vaticanvm cingere Syxte ivgum: / Plvs tamen vrbs debet: Nam qvae squallore latebat: / Cernitvr in celebri biblioteca loco. “ She refers to the activities of the Pope as a builder.

Right group

It consists of the people of the then Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere , later Pope Julius II, with tonsure and in cardinal purple and addressing him from the right: Cardinal Pietro Riario , also with tonsure and also both nephews of the Pope. As in the group on the left, the third person in the group, the seated Pope Sixtus IV, is shifted slightly to the right, a fine trick to liven up the scene. It is the first representation of a Pope as a seated figure in art history. Numerous artists followed this model in their portraits of Popes, Raphael , Titian , Velázquez , etc., and ultimately the tradition created with them continues to this day.

Spatial representation

The representation of the surrounding space is considered a masterpiece of perspective . The back below three arcades expiring pillars follow an ornate and in the capitals partly gilded variant of the Tuscan order . The ceiling is coffered and shown with gilded rosettes on a blue background. The vanishing point of the construction is exactly at the level of the lower third of the picture between the robes of Platina and the later Pope. The column behind the arch, however, follows the Corinthian order . It is not known whether this room ever existed in this form in the Vatican; it is more likely an ideal idea of ​​a room corresponding to the courtly appropriateness of the time. The two pillar fronts that border the picture are decorated with oak leaves and acorns on a blue background. This is no coincidence, but represents the heraldic symbols of the Della Rovere family, from which both Sixtus IV and the later Julius II depicted come from. Overall, the construction follows models from Andrea Mantegna and Leon Battista Alberti .

Image statement

The message of the picture results from the monumentality of the people, the inscription and the original place of the picture. Sixtus IV wanted to ensure that he was understood as a patron, builder and promoter of humanism. Not only had he appointed Platina Prefect of the Vatican Library, but he also made it accessible to the public. At the same time, the picture depicts the encounter between spiritual and secular culture in a solemn setting. It is a representative image of the Della Rovere, shows the high artistic and literary culture of the time, but also Sixtus IV's self-confidence for the Holy See and ultimately for Rome itself.

literature

  • Stefano Zuffi: The Renaissance - Art, Architecture, History, Masterpieces . DuMont Buchverlag, 2008, ISBN 978-3-8321-9113-9 .
  • Rolf Toman (Ed.): The art of the Italian Renaissance - architecture, sculpture, painting, drawing . Tandem Verlag, Cologne 2007, ISBN 978-3-8331-4582-7 .
  • Christiane Stukenbrock, Barbara Töpper: 1000 masterpieces of painting . Tandem Verlag, special edition hfullmann, 2005, ISBN 978-3-8331-6172-8 .
  • Manfred Wundram: Art of the World - Renaissance . Holle Verlag, Baden-Baden 1980.
  • Marco Bussagli (Ed.): Rome - Art & Architecture . Könemann, Cologne 1999, ISBN 3-8290-2258-1 .
  • Wolfgang Braunfels : Small Italian Art History . DuMont Buchverlag, Cologne 1984, ISBN 3-7701-1509-0 .
  • Karl Woermann : The Italian portrait painting of the Renaissance . Vol. 4 of the series of guides to art , edited by Hermann Popp, Paul Neff Verlag (Max Schreiber), Esslingen 1906.

Web links

Commons : Sixtus IV by Melozzo da Forlì  - collection of images

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Rolf Toman (ed.): The art of the Italian Renaissance - architecture, sculpture, painting, drawing . P. 306.
  2. ↑ a b c Stefano Zuffi: The Renaissance - Art, Architecture, History, Masterpieces . P. 146.
  3. ↑ a b c Marco Bussagli (Ed.): Rom - Art & Architecture , p. 384.
  4. ^ Wolfgang Braunfels: Small Italian art history . P. 273.
  5. ↑ z. B. Stefano Zuffi: The Renaissance - art, architecture, history, masterpieces . P. 146.
  6. ^ Karl Woermann: The Italian portrait painting of the Renaissance . P. 53.
  7. ↑ a b Christiane Stukenbrock, Barbara Töpper: 1000 masterpieces of painting . P. 618.
  8. ^ Rolf Toman (ed.): The art of the Italian Renaissance - architecture, sculpture, painting, drawing . P. 307.
  9. ↑ Manfred Wundram: Art of the World - Renaissance . P. 189.
  10. ^ A b Wolfgang Braunfels: Little Italian Art History . P. 274.