Francesco del Cossa's Saint Lucy: A Mannerist's Depiction

-

 

Photo via https://www.nga.gov
Francesco del Cossa's Saint Lucy (1473/1474) depicts St. Lucy, the patron saint of the blind. This was, unlike other Renaissance paintings, not painted with oil paints, but with the older medium of tempera. While at first glance, this painting may seem like an ordinary Renaissance painting, a further look into the details show that this painting falls into the budding mannerist category.
The mannerist movement, which reached its peak more than 50 years after this painting was created, exaggerates lines and distorts the anatomy of subjects. Many people believe this style to be a commentary on the ideas and norms of the time period, specifically those perpetuated by the Church. Despite its earlier creation, this painting shows some of the key characteristics of mannerism.
For example, St. Lucy's eyes in this painting may seem to be simply looking to the side at first glance. However, when you look more closely, you see that her eyes are very distorted, specifically her left eye. The outline of her left eye follows a backward "S" shaped pattern, while her right eye seems much more anatomically accurate, respectively.
The more noticible pair of eyes, however, is that which St. Lucy holds in her left hand. These eyes seem anatomically accurate, other than the fact that they are disembodied. It is obvious that in real life, a pair of eyes that seem to be growing from a stem is not plausible. However, del Casso makes this seem so organic, both with the way in which St. Lucy holds the eyes, as well as the eyes' ability to almost blend in with the background, that the viewer may initially overlook this detail: a sense of surrealism before the birth of surrealism.
The emphasis on eyes in this painting is, of course, related to the role St. Lucy played as the patron saint of the blind. The eyes that she holds in her hands could be representative, or even a replacement, of her own distorted eyes. In both instances, the focus on human anatomy is a key characteristic of this painting, as well as others of the humanist movement. The focus on the individual is evident in this painting. To me, this painting emphasizes the spirit of St. Lucy and her role as a saint.
While I am extremely fascinated by this painting, I do not think I would display a copy of it in my home. I would consider owning a copy of just the eyes in St. Lucy's hand, but then I fear that only focusing on the parts that I find aesthetically appealling would take away the true meaning and experience of this painting. I have a raw appreciation for the detail that encompasses Renaissance paintings, although I find most of their subject matter to be something that does not resonate with me on a personal level.







Works Cited

Catholic Online. “St. Lucy - Saints & Angels.” Catholic Online, https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=75.

Editorial, Artsy, and Alexxa Gotthardt. “I'm Obsessed with Saint Lucy's Extra Set of Eyes in This Renaissance Painting.” Artsy, 15 Jan. 2020, https://www.artsy.net/series/obsessed-artworks/artsy-editorial-obsessed-saint-lucys-extra-set-eyes-renaissance-painting.

Goldberg, Vicki. “A Spooky Fascination with Disembodied Eyes.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 24 Jan. 1993, https://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/24/arts/photography-view-a-spooky-fascination-with-disembodied-eyes.html.

“Saint Lucy.” Art Object Page, https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.369.html. 

Comments

  1. Cindy NafpliotisOctober 1, 2021 at 1:14 PM

    I like your attention to detail, there are a lot of thing that I wouldn't have noticed such as how the eyes are distorted, not looking to the side. It's a very unique piece of art, like there is a deeper meaning to it, but it's different for everyone.

    ReplyDelete
  2. RebeccaOctober 4, 2021 at 2:15 PM

    I agree with you that this piece really pushes the role of the saint. The gold back really insinuates that role and even the way her hands and posture are in place. I am really in awe of this piece and I am highly intrigued by the story behind the second link you shared. I think I'll be doing more research on this St Lucy, thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Welcome to my Blog: An Introduction

-
Image
 Hello! My name is Emily King, and this is my first year studying at UAF. Before moving to Alaska to live with my husband, who was stationed at Fort Wainwright unexpectedly, I lived in Arizona, and studied at The University of Arizona for a year. I am a secondary education major, and I plan on becoming a high school English teacher, but not before exploring Alaska with my husband and our two huskies! The Love Embrace of the Universe, the Earth (Mexico), Myself, Diego, and Senor Xolotl , Frida Kahlo, 1949 Photo via fridakahlo.org I have always been a fan of all forms of art, and I have always been a strong advocate for funding the arts in any and all ways possible. I personally love to create, paint, and draw. I also dream of visiting many museums/exhibits such as The Louvre, MOMA, The Met, the Vatican Museums, and many more. I have always been a very big fan of Frida Kahlo because I admire her persistence to express herself, as well as her advocacy for women, equality, and the disabled
Read more

A True Baroque Era Painting: Girl with a Pearl Earring

-
Image
  Photo via  www.mauritshuis.nl Johannes Vermeer painted Girl with a Pearl Earring  in 1665 in the city of Delft in the Netherlands. Vermeer painted only 35 paintings before his death, Girl with a Pearl Earring  being arguably his most famous. I chose this piece to write about because upon learning the origin of the term Baroque  (which was derived from the Portuguese word Barocco , meaning irregularly shaped pearl), I immediately thought of this painting. The pearl in this painting would not have been based on a real pearl, but rather an artificial one, due to its large size and teardrop shape. To the uneducated or misinformed viewer, this painting may originally be mistaken for a portrait. It is, however, a tronie. You can distinguish that this is a tronie because of the unknown identity of the subject. In addition, the girl in the painting is wearing costume-like attire, such as her turban. Johannes Vermeer had been Protestant until he married his Catholic wife, Catharina Bolnes, an
Read more

The Elements of Art in Gustav Klimt's The Kiss: An Art Analysis

-
Image
  Photo via  www.gustav-klimt.com Gustav Klimt's 1907 painting The Kiss is a prime example of the use of multiple visual elements of art that create an enticing work of art. Painted in Austria, this painting is the last of Klimt's "Golden Period." The full effect of the painting is only efficient because of the careful and thoughtful use of line, shape, color, and pattern. Line The outline of the couple creates an organic shape that directly contrasts the straight lines that make up the shapes found within the man's clothing. Conversely, they coordinate with the softer lines that make up the circles in the woman's dress. The general organic feel of the outline creates a calming feeling that surrounds the couple. Additionally, the vertical lines in the clothing create a sense of strength and stability. Shape The round shapes found within the woman's clothing suggest a gentleness that surrounds the woman. In contrast, the sharp rectangles that are found wit
Read more