Giorgio Vasari’s Teachers PETER LANG New York ! Washington, D.C./Baltimore ! Bern Frankfurt am Main ! Berlin ! Brussels ! Vienna ! Oxford Giorgio Vasari’s Teachers PETER LANG New York ! Washington, D.C./Baltimore ! Bern Frankfurt am Main ! Berlin ! Brussels ! Vienna ! Oxford Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Cheney, Liana De Girolami. Giorgio Vasari’s teachers: sacred and profane art / Liana De Girolami Cheney. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Vasari, Giorgio, 1511–1574—Criticism and interpretation. 2. Vasari, Giorgio, 1511–1574—Knowledge and learning. 3. Influence (Literary, artistic, etc.). I. Title. ND623.V2C46 709.2—dc22 2006033677 ISBN 978-0-8204-8813-4 Bibliographic information published by Die Deutsche Bibliothek. Die Deutsche Bibliothek lists this publication in the “Deutsche Nationalbibliografie”; detailed bibliographic data is available on the Internet at http://dnb.ddb.de/. Cover design by Sophie Boorsch Appel Cover art: Giorgio Vasari, St. Luke Painting the Virgin and Child The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council of Library Resources. © 2007 Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., New York 29 Broadway, 18th floor, New York, NY 10006 www.peterlang.com All rights reserved. Reprint or reproduction, even partially, in all forms such as microfilm, xerography, microfiche, microcard, and offset strictly prohibited. Printed in the United States of America CheneyLiana_VasariTeachers.qxd 1/16/2007 12:33 PM Page v (cid:2) (cid:2) Contents List of Illustrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 I. Maestri: Uomini docti Giorgio Vasari’s Visual Teachers: The Ancient Painters . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Giorgio Vasari’s Literary Mentor: Dante Alighieri. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Giorgio Vasari’s Philosophical Mentor: Marsilio Ficino. . . . . . . . . . . 48 Giorgio Vasari’s Political Mentor: Niccolò Machiavelli . . . . . . . . . . . 61 II. Art and Nature: Natura mutandis Giorgio Vasari and the Maniera Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Giorgio Vasari’s Interpretation of Nature and Rebirth: Ceres, Muse of Cultivation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Giorgio Vasari’s Ages of Life:The Seasons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Giorgio Vasari’s Avidity for Classical Quests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Giorgio Vasari’s Saint Luke and Minerva: Muses of Disegno. . . . . . . 127 III. Sacred Art: Biblical Virtues Giorgio Vasari’s Judith:A Biblical Amazon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Giorgio Vasari’s Saint Jerome:A Biblical Icon of Diligence . . . . . . . 156 IV. Moral Virtues: Virtutis amore Giorgio Vasari’s Patience:A Personification of Daily Tolerance . . . . 169 Giorgio Vasari’s Prudence: A Personification of Good Judgment. . . 177 CheneyLiana_VasariTeachers.qxd 1/16/2007 12:33 PM Page vi vi CONTENTS V. Profane Art: Pagan Virtues Giorgio Vasari’s Andromeda: A Tale of Love and Enchantment. . . . 187 Giorgio Vasari’s Calliope: Muse of Poetry and Music. . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205 Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 Illustrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 Selected Bibliography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345 Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381 CheneyLiana_VasariTeachers.qxd 1/16/2007 12:33 PM Page vii (cid:2) (cid:2) Illustrations Unless otherwise indicated, illustrations of the works of Giorgio Vasari and other artists are from my collection. I am grateful to the Ministero per i Beni Culturali e Ambientale of Arezzo, Florence, Naples, Rome and Venice in Italy; Cabinet des Dessins at the Musée du Louvre, The Collection F. Lugt, Istitute Neerlandais, Bibliothèque Natonale in France; Museo del Prado in Spain; Wallace Collection and the British Museum Library in England; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Philadelphia Art Museum, the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, and, in particular, Art Resource in New York in USA for permitting me to have access to these images. Introduction 1. Giorgio Vasari, Self-Portrait,1565–60, Casa Vasari, Arezzo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 I. Maestri: Uomini docti Giorgio Vasari’s Visual Teachers: The Ancient Painters 2. Giorgio Vasari, Lazzaro Vasari,1542, ovato, Chamber of Fame, Casa Vasari, Arezzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .270 3. Giorgio Vasari, Zeuxis’ Story of Helen,1548, north wall, Chamber of Fortune, Casa Vasari, Arezzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .271 4. Giorgio Vasari, Zeuxis and Parrhasius,1548, east wall, Chamber of Fortune, Casa Vasari, Arezzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .272 5. Giorgio Vasari, Protogenes’ Ialysus and his Dog,1548, west wall, Chamber of Fortune, Casa Vasari, Arezzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .273 6. Giorgio Vasari, Timanthes’ Sacrifice of Iphigenia,1548, west wall, Chamber of Fortune, Casa Vasari, Arezzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .274 CheneyLiana_VasariTeachers.qxd 1/16/2007 12:33 PM Page viii viii LISTOFILLUSTRATIONS 7. Giorgio Vasari, Apelles’ Alexander and Campaspe,1548, west wall, Chamber of Fortune, Casa Vasari, Arezzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .275 8. Giorgio Vasari, Gyges’ Outlining his Shadow,1548, east wall, Chamber of Fortune, Casa Vasari, Arezzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .276 9. Giorgio Vasari, Man Outlining his Shadow,1561–69, Sala Vasari, Casa Vasari, Florence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .277 10. Giorgio Vasari, Apelles’ Studio, 1561–69, Sala Vasari, Casa Vasari, Florence . .278 11. Giorgio Vasari, Drawing of Apelles’ Studio, 1561–69, Gabinetto dei Disegni e Stampe, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, (Courtesy: Gabinetto dei Disegni e Stampe, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence) . .279 12. Giorgio Vasari, Apelles and the Cobbler, 1561–69, Sala Vasari, Casa Vasari, Florence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .280 13. Giorgio Vasari, Apelles’ Studio and Apelles and the Cobbler, 1561–69, Corner view, Sala Vasari, Casa Vasari, Florence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281 Giorgio Vasari’s Literary Mentor: Dante Alighieri 14. Coppo di Marcovaldo, Last Judgment,1300, Baptistery, Florence . . . . . . . . .282 15. Giorgio Vasari, Six Tuscan Poets, 1544, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis (Courtesy: Minneapolis Institute of Arts, The William Hood Dunwoody Fund) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .283 16. Giorgio Vasari, Last Judgment,1572–74, Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence . . .284 17. Flower,8th Century, pavement, Santa Reparata, Florence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285 Giorgio Vasari’s Philosophical Mentor: Marsilio Ficino 18. Giorgio Vasari, Ceiling of the Chamber of Fortune, 1548, Chamber of Fortune, Casa Vasari, Arezzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .286 19. Albrecht Dürer, Celestial Map,1515, British Library, London, (Courtesy: British Library, London) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .287 20. Farnese Globe,second century, Museo Archeologico, Naples . . . . . . . . . . . . .288 21. Zodiac Signs,9th century, pavement, Baptistery, Florence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .289 22. Vincenzo Cartari, Chart of Gods and Planets,woodcutin Imagini delli Dei degl’Antichi(Venice: Marcolini, 1556) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .290 Giorgio Vasari’s Political Mentor: Niccolò Machiavelli 23. Giorgio Vasari, Portrait of Duke Alexander de’ Medici,1534, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence (Courtesy: Art Resource, NY) . . . . . . . . . . . . .291 24. Francesco Melchiori, Dii melius (The Best)impresa, Jacopo Gelli,Divisi, Motti e Imprese (Rome: Antonio Blado 1534) . . . . . . . .292 25. Antonio Borghesi, Idem et Alter(The Same and Another), impresa, Jacopo Gelli,Divisi, Motti e Imprese (Rome: Antonio Blado 1534) . . . . . . . .292 26. Andrea Alciato, Ex bello pax (Peace from War)Emblem 178, Emblemata(Lyon: Roville-Bonhomme, 1549) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .293 CheneyLiana_VasariTeachers.qxd 1/16/2007 12:33 PM Page ix List of Illustrations ix II. Art and Nature: Natura mutandis Giorgio Vasari and the Maniera Style 27. Rosso Fiorentino, Dead Christ,1540, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Courtesy: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .294 28. Giorgio Vasari, Toilette of Venus,1558, Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart (Courtesy: Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .295 29. Giorgio Vasari, Saint Luke Painting the Virgin and Child,1560 Chapel of the Artists, Santissima Annunziata, Florence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .296 30. Giorgio Vasari, Saint Luke Painting the Virgin and Child, 1560, drawing. Museo del Prado, Madrid (Courtesy: Museo del Prado, Madrid) . . . . . . . . . .297 Giorgio Vasari’s Interpretation of Nature and Rebirth: Ceres, Muse of Cultivation 31. Giorgio Vasari, The Chariot of Ceres,1548–1550, Corridor of Ceres, Casa Vasari, Arezzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .298 32. Vincenzo Cartari, Ceres,woodcutinImagini delli Dei degl’Antichi (Venice: Marcolini, 1556) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .299 33. Giorgio Vasari, Ceres of Palazzo Altoviti, 1551–1553, Palazzo Venezia, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .300 Giorgio Vasari’s Ages of Life:The Seasons 34. Giorgio Vasari, Youth (Summer), Childhood (Spring), Old Age (Winter) andAdulthood (Autumn), 1548, Ceiling of the Chamber of Fortune, center, Casa Vasari, Arezzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .301 35. Anulus Barptolomäus, Aeterna Hominum Natura(Eternal Human Nature) Emblem, Pictura Poesis(Lyon: Roville-Bonhomme, 1552) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .302 36. Andrea Alciato, In quatour anni tempora(The Four Seasons), Emblem 101, Emblemata(Lyon: Roville-Bonhomme, 1549) . . . . . . . . . . . .303 37. Andrea Alciato, In iuventam (On Youth) Emblem 100, Emblemata(Lyon: Roville-Bonhomme, 1549) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .303 38. Andrea Alciato, Ars naturam adviunas(Art Helps Nature), Emblem 99, Emblemata(Lyon, Roville-Bonhomme, 1549) . . . . . . . . . . . . .304 Giorgio Vasari’s Avidity for Classical Quests 39. Apollonious of Athens, Torso Belvedere,1st century BCE, Musei Vaticani, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .305 40. Giorgio Vasari, Portrait of Pisano,1568, woodcut in Vite (Florence: La Giuntina, 1568) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .306 41. Giorgio Vasari, Portrait of De Rossi,1568, woodcut in Vite (Florence: La Giuntina, 1568) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .307