The first " making of " from a picture on the Internet....with daily updates!
"An Allegory with Venus and Cupid" 1540/45
from Angelo Bronzino
Help keep me painting, thank you! :)
A great replica I am painting from this nice picture which the original is exposed at the National Gallery in London...good thing to end til my trip to London in August 2003 ...stay is touch I will show the making of!
Original size Originalformat: 146 x 116 cm = Factor 0,7945
100 x 80 cm = factor 0,80
The very first things you must see is the proportion if you are not painting the original size. With 100cm x 80 cm I found a very good format as you can see above.
About the original...
The picture is likely to be that mentioned in Vasari's
'Life of Bronzino' of 1568: He made a picture of singular beauty,
which was sent to King Francis in France; in which was a nude Venus
with Cupid
kissing her, and on one side Pleasure and Play with other Loves;
and on the other, Fraud, Jealousy, and other passions of love.
Venus and Cupid are identifiable by their attributes,
as is the old man with wings and an hourglass who must be Time (not
mentioned by Vasari). The identity of the other figures, and the
meaning of the picture remain uncertain.
The howling figure on the left has been variously interpreted as
Jealousy, Despair and the effects of syphilis; the boy scattering
roses and stepping on a thorn as Jest, Folly and Pleasure; the
hybrid creature with the face of a girl, as Pleasure and Fraud;
and the figure in the top left corner as Fraud and Oblivion.
The erotic yet erudite subject matter of the painting was well
suited to the tastes of King Francis I of France. It was probably
sent to him as a gift from Cosimo I de' Medici,
ruler of Florence, by whom Bronzino was employed as court painter.
Bronzino was also an accomplished poet. The picture reflects his
interest in conventional Petrarchan love lyrics as well as more
bawdy poetic genres.
As I am not able to make a replica as for a replica you need
to be in front of the picture, observing every detail and color
and this picture I would need 3 or 4 mouth at the National
Gallery / LONDON, I made a own interpretation.. It is possible to
obtain maximally a 5 weeks permission to the NG London, also I am
not able to live there.....I used bright colors giving the whole
picture a other aspect. Frames and glazing will give this picture
more temper....
Angelo Bronzino was for me one of the best painters ever!
