100 Great Artists:A Visual Journey from Fra Angelico to Andy Warhol

210 Pages·1963·25.09 MB·English

by  Charlotte Gerlings

A visual journey from Fra Angelico Andy Warhol
to
Ow-lotte Gerlings
100
•
G r e a t tlStS

•
r IS S
visual journey from Fra Angelico to Andy Warhol
harJotte Gedin · .
ARCTURUS
CoVER IU.uSTlIA:rtoss
Artist<' ponr.irs, kft to right:
"Ii,l' ",," I'.ul C6..tnne, Ed,. . ,,] ,\ lunch, \r,nCt:nt ,'an Gogh,
p<~<.,. I'aul Rubens, Angelico Kauffi"ann,
Jean-Aug"''': Ingn:s, Iknhc ,\ lori,ot
11",::e erntrll images: D<"t:I.il frum Tb, Gartlm a/EArtbly DdigbtJ
I')' Ilicrunp"us Rosch: Marla lita by Lc().,."k, d. \r,nei: ,bail
rr.""
Tb, C'bair and rb, Pi", by \r,,..,rnt ,"n Gogh
nottom rO,,': E<~"J:t "I ,\ to oct, John.n'l"iStc Cor"', Rcmlmtndt
, .. n Rijn, Francisco Gora, J'''''I><' "I'nt().-ct"', P.ul G.uguin,
I hns 11(~bcin the Youngcr, Raphael Santi. J(Jl", Scll COb"an,
Eugene Dehcro;x
W
ARCTURUS
Arctums l'ublL'<lling Lim i((xi
26127 Bid:els Yard
1:'1 1:'3 Ikrmon<i'>('YS(R'e(
London SE I 3HA
l'ublL,lwd in ",~ocialion ,,;(h
foulsham
w. Fotll.'<llam & Co. Ltd,
Th.: I'ubli.shing HOll_"':' Iknnem CI05<:, CipPGnhatll,
Siougb, ikrl<sbir<: SLl :'AP, England
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CONTENTS
Introduction 6 Giotto <Ii Hondonc .". Peelers. CJ3rJ "S
Gin.in. Tholl"" 7S Picasso, Pablo ';0
Angelico, Frn S Goya, Frnncisco Picro Ddla Frnllcesca '"
Anguissola, Soronisb. W EI Greco S' Pollocl J.d.on '"
Arcimboldo, G i"''''I'I''' " Griinc"'a1d, ,\lathias "' Popova, Liulx", 156
Bellini, CiovalUli " Hal• • Frnns SO Poussin, Nicolo. ""
Blake, \\r,lIiam " Hiroshigc, ","do R8 Pu.·is de Ch~\'anncs, Pierre-
Bonhcur, Rosa '" Hockney. David 90 cecile '6<J
Bosch, Hieronymus 10 Hodler, Ferditl3lld 91 RaJ'had Sam; 162
BOIticdli, S,ndro 11 HOg"lrth. \\"lIi,m '" Rcmbrnndr nil Rijn '"
Boucher, F"",<;<>is " Holrusai, K>l<ushika % Renoir, Pierre Augus.e '"
Bruegd, Piclcr 10 /-Ioll>ein. HailS ,he Younge.- 98 Rou,,,,.u, Henri ""
Can.lctro, Antonio 'S Homer, \\""slo", '00 Ruben., Peler Paul '70
C.r<waggio, ,\Iichel.ngdo )0 De Hooch. Piclcr '01 S"",so. ., Alexei m
CezalUlc. Paul )l /-Iol'per. Edward "" Schiele, Egon '"
Chardin, jem-B~I,r.is!e H In gres, je.n-Augu.<le "" Seu,.,.!, Georges no
".
Cimabue, Giov~nni J6 Kandin.<L:y, Wassily Stubbs, Ceorl\" ""
Claude LOlT'Jin )S Kluffinann, Angelic~ "0 Tinroreuo, j.COllO 'SO
Cole, Thomo< <0 Kiim!, Gustav '" Titian '"'
Con<!able, john 41 Leonardo Ih Vinci '" Turner,Josel,h ,\hllord
Com!, Jeon -ihl,tisre 44 Lorenzeui, Ambrogio '" \\r,lIi.m ,"4
COlnl3n, john Sdl 46 ,\bc~e, Augus!e "S Uccdlo, P~olo 186
Courbe!, c.usr,,,'e 4" ,\bgriue. Rene 120 Van Der Wcyden, Rogier '"S
Crnnach, Lucas the Elder 50 ,\Jalcl'ich, Klsimir '" \'iln Dycl:. Anrhony ,9<)
Doli, Salvador 51 ,\Jane!, Edouard '" \'iln Eyd:, jan 192
D,vid, jacques-Louis 54 ,\bn!egn;}, Andrea 'M \'iln Gogh. Vincenr '"
Deg>.<, E<1g>r " ,\brtini, Simone "" VeI.zquez, Diego de Silva y 196
DeI:>eroix, Eugene 5" ,\\asaccio, TOnllll3SO "0 Vermeer, johannes ""
Ducciodi Buonin<egn. 00 ,\luis,"" Henri '" Veronese. Paolo '00
Durer, Albrechl " ,\Iichd.ngdo Buon.rmti '34 W~rhol, Andy 202
Eakin<, Thomas " ,\Iillai<.john E,,=u '" \ValleaU, Anroine '04
Friedrich. ('.:I<llaI' David ("- ,\Iodigli.ni, Amedeo "" \ Vltistler. j.mes Abbou
G~insborough. Thoma< 68 ,\Iondrian. Pie! "" ,\Jc,'\'eill 206
C.~ugin, Paul 70 ,\Ione!. Oaude '"
C.enrileschi, AJ1eml";' 72 ,\Iorisol, BeJ1he "4
Gcricauh, Theodore 74 ,\IWlch, Edv~rd "" ,\d:nOldedgemen IS 70S
INTRODUCTION
I t is a pleasant but far from simple task to pick one hundred \,'Tcat' artist.~ from hundRxls
of others. Everyone has a range of favouritcs, and a gL"{)gI'aphiGil spread is necessary too.
With the carlysccdcrs, the European an tradition crossed thcAdantic to [be New \Vorld,
and travelled with traders to the Far East. This hook helps to show how that tradition was re
imerpreted in different locations. inL"Vitahly, my editors and I had to make many reluctant
omissions, and the constraints of copyright affent.:\ the choice of twentieth-century and
conccmpol'JI)' artists. However, the sck~[ion that follows is intcndc<i to take readers on a
"idc-I'Jnging journLj' through the story of wcstern art, with the aid of one hundn..:! examples
of its leading cxponcnt.~. For the most part, thL]' have trained, inspired or influenced one
another from the thirteenth century to the present day. It is a fJscinating, L·ver-dL-vc!oping
part of our lives that we shall never tire of looking at.
Major exhibitions are a feature of g'dlleries in every principal city now3lLiys. CUl'dtors put
years of planning and negotiation into assembling 'hlod:hlL~ter' shows of both old and
modern masters, whose works are borrowed and tl'dnsportL-d all over the worM. Yet we must
remember that we can go to the S3me g'd!!eries at other times, simply to vicw their standing
exhibitions; and the youngest of gallery visitors are often b>1ven a special welcome. National
and provincial galleries not only house famous works hut also brive us the opportunity to
discover the paintings of less well-known artists. These pcople frl"tluently \\"Orkl-d alongside
the b'Tcat names, sharing idcas ani\ techniques, sometimes in
the role of teacher or pupil.
Standing in front of a Renaissance picture hy the likes of
Botticc!!i Of Mantegna, for example, it is hard to imab>1ne that
the painters and sculptors we admire were oribrinal!r
classified as 'mere' Cl'dftsmen. ,\'Iost came from humble
backgrounds and were accepted into a studio around the age
of nine. At first, they earned their kcep by cleaning and
running errands, graduallr working up from apprentice to
journLym'ln and finally mastcr. The fresco painter Qnnini
has !eft this daunting account of the Renaissance apprentice's
tl'Jining schl-dulc: 'Start fin"!: of all by grinding colours,
t"Ntall from The ,\Iystic Nat i,;ty (/500) by
Sandro Bom'"Uj
hoiling up giue, mixing plaster, then going on to prepare pands, re
touching them, polishing them, applying gold leaf, learning how to
grain. Then another six years to ... tudy the w;e of colour, the
application of mordant.~, to find out how to paint d!"aperies and folds
and how to work in fresco. And all the time you must p!"actise
drawing .. work-tby and feast-tlay.'
If an artist brraoiuate.:i to set up his studio, the process hegan all
O\\Tl
over ag-ain with ~warms of apprentires ~u!Tounded hy the tools and
materials of the blL~ine<..... . , in pUl"!.uit of lucr.ltive commissions. The
ma~1:ers who became Court painters had father more security- as long
as thl"}' pleasl-.:i their patrons - hut their stlm~ was often that of a
selVant or rabce workman. Some fresm paintel'o", lOr c.\::Jmple, were
p,lid only hy the amount of wall they covered. OCGIsionally, an astute
artist like CralJach or Ruhens was elL-vatcd to the rank of diplomat.
The more we examine the b'Teat artises of all periocls, the more we
1)",,,,1 tum fr"'" ,\\..orie de
appreciate that, no matter how suhlime their work, thl"}' were
Medici Discmb ... ldng~t
touchl-.:i hy the l-venes of history as much as the next person. Their ,\\..orseillcs After ,\\..orrioge
lives were disrupted by wars, transformed hy scientific discoveries, To Henry IV of Fr .... "" by
p,," P"ul RuJm" (/622-2 5)
{"tit short by the tlll-.:iil"val p!3b'lle or twentieth-century influenza.
To treat our subjeces as fully as possible, each one occupies their
own double-page spread containing two pictures, a commentary and a time line that poines to
the principal l-venes of his or her life. The selection of some less familiar pictures will, I hope,
hroaden appreciation and encourage a fresh approach. OcC"asionally, I have combinl-.:i a pair,
where the connection is particularly interesting or useful. \¥here the commentary mentions
an artist with his or her own entry in the hook, that name appears in bold type for easy
reference. For the same reason, the arr.mgement is alphabetiGlI, incidentally making for some
remarkahle neighbours.
It is hopl"{/ that this hook may he enjoYl"{/ as ,I reference by student.s and pr.lctising artises,
and a companion to the genera! reader who loves looking at pictures and is interestl-.:i in
fincling out how skills and personal st}1e come through in service of the creative process.
Charlotte C~rlings 100)
FRAANGELICO
1187(') B()rn Guno di
P~!TO in Vl«bio di
MUg<Uo, TW<lmy
1407 EnutT /J(}miniam
mo""'try al
Find" mar
florm"
1409_14 Papal pditi,""ik
monk< '" F()h!;"",
in Umbria
1414-18 PlaK''' dr;"" ,b,,"
'" Comma
1419_1f R"""", long_turn
10 Find" krom~
Fra Gi"'anni
14JJ Co,"miIJioRM '"
paim rb,
Linenwo.-kers'
Ttir,,),ch
Ikposition ofChri., (d"aif) (14J6-4f)
1416-4f C"mmiIJiomd by Tbr fr"''''' in Ibr am-ml if S"" Marro drnJnl"d botb ,b,
C",""O th' Mu/sii. ",,"munal '1'''''I mill ,b, nun,' p;,-"u "lb. ,;:b'H rbry
drnml1" Gm'''''' "."" dmg",d '" ''''"Mag' m,dilll1ion. Fra Ang<h"Q"
s""
of MlIT'o, '7'-;"'" '" an il/","i"""'r ,IMt.":! in bi, Ibin. pm"
FI()rm" appJication ofp aint. I, "'aI "" ithal ,""bod f()r d",';ling
".,1/
"'ingfalbff'! ""d ,,"bro<dny., and rniud '"
Int'iud 10 Rom, by baaground fa",,,,,, ", II""::,, in Ibi, d"ail
Pop' Eugmiw Iv.
Pain1T ponrai' if
Cbarl~ I'll if Fr~ Angeli"" and his 1",,,hcI lk""dL~tt, No'hing is known of Ft~ Angeli""'s early
Frana ioined 'hc Dominic.n O"kT of ,cachl:rs, othcr ,h.n 'he influer-.cc hc >hows of
Pre..,h~rs 'oge,her in 1407. A, thcir ,he Siene", ",hool. Angelico .nd Ikn.,<lctto
fr,,,(n
B'gi", in mon~"."y in Fie,ole, ,he }'"ung men wen: pmbahly m.de ,he le~p to full.,;""le fn:s""
Cap<Ua di S""
di",,,,,,l to illwnin ..i ng manuscripts, .nd i, is I",iming during 'hc fill: l'cars tha' ,heir order
Bri=io, On'i"o
p(. ..i t~e ,hey "'m.in"l in artistic 1>1"""rshil' ""!S exiled in ,hi: U m1lri.n hill 'own of FoIig"".
1447-49 TriR. .d "o Rom, for n""" of ,h<;t Ii"",. Giotto's f",sco", .. Assisi would h,,'e been
,;:ilb pupil Go;::",}i F,.. Angelico S<lOn gain"l. "'1.,. . ';0", j;:Jr his within <:asy tc:lch .nd 'hc bmthers a'" "",. .i n to
PJ<fJ"
10 paim of ,echnical ,kills in ""ml_"i,i(lfl ~nd colour .nd hal<: "isi",1 ,hml.
SS S""bm and
un::r"',, ,,"is I'nJlllo,,,1 to ",.::rsl..::ing a busy W(,.-I..>11(1' On<:-.:: he h.d mOl',,1 to Floren<:-.:: ., 'he
in
inside 'hc Order. His religious ti,le " ..., F.. illli .., ;on of Cosimo de' ,\I"lici .nd ..., ,<,1
J" tiam', Cap<Ua
Ni«di"" Gin.'.nni hu, 'he other fri.rs n.,kn.m"l him de"lra,ing ,hc Com'::n' of S.n ,\hrco, Fn
'Angelico'lt:.r his pil"Y'nd ,hi: be.utiful worl Angelico's h.ndling of fo.-m, PLT'l'l-cr;,'e .nd
1449_fZ R"ur'" 10 Fi""k,
,h. . he p",<lu<:-.::d. lie is "'I>u,,,l nc • .::r to h".:: ",lour d""dopcd e"'n fur,her. Ik""d",to is S3id
<i<,,,d Prior
.hen:d or n:n".,h"l.ny of his pain'ings, fi",~y to h"" wo.-k,,) alof1g,ide his bru,her on 'he "~>'
,ha,
14H Rmum 10 Rom, belie,ing to do so would h,nt: bl..::n alrin" S.n ,\lam, ",mmi,,;on, .nd one of 'hcir
,;:b= br din God's will. 'pl1«",,';<:-'::''''''s 'hc l"ung Iknozw Gozl.(~i.
The Alblrpiece of ~ ,\1:>""0 (/4J6-4f)
F", Angdi'" bad an im"'''a';,~ apprOilch to comp",i,;"n and I!. i, <T,di"d t::i!b
tl!. im~rlti"n if ,I!. S:lCrl Comer.;; ,ju.,e, a dn-r, ,:,bich plllm all tb, Jig"'""
in a p"intingd_!o '"" aTlOlb<r, a, tlxJugb in rom-m"lltion, Althougb !b,
m"", "",*
R,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,",an! a rmmg "'t::amr bUman;"", Fra Ang,/ico',
mairltai",d a firm ,"-,.,-Nl,", for !I!. Cbrim'ilt/ id,al