Newsletter #4
Bronzino, Portrait of a Young Man as Saint Sebastian (1533), Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid
Hello,
For this newsletter I wanted to write about one of my current influences Agnolo di Cosimo di Mariano (1503-1572), also known as Bronzino. I've known about him for a while, but I was never particularly inspired by his paintings. I thought his work was too unnatural and severe. However, over the last couple of years I’ve slowly become a convert to his mannered, stylish works.
There’s this absolutely beautiful rendering of his subjects. The mastery of draftsmanship is daunting as it is inspiring. He sculpts form with this delicate, descriptive line which appears so effortless. These lines form the structure of his exquisite paintings which portray haughty, arrogant subjects. Portrait of A Young Man (1530s) at the Met is the perfect example. It’s this smoke and mirror treatment of his subjects which I find so compelling. At first glance these paintings can feel artificial, but the more you look at them the more it feels like the portraits are hiding something, a mysterious undercurrent. I would love to know what Bronzino was thinking about, or perhaps hiding?
As much as I admire his masterpiece An Allegory with Venus and Cupid (1545), which is such an usual, enigmatic painting, I probably refer more to Portrait of a Young Man as Saint Sebastian (1533). Apart from obviously being a beautiful depiction of the male figure, I find the facial expression to be so captivating. He almost looks bemused or unbothered by the arrow in his side; the slight curl and part in his lips are so sensual. And the large sweep of luxurious red fabric accentuates the man’s pose and flesh colour. It’s actually quite frustrating! I can’t put my finger on this painting, and I suppose it’s this ambiguous expression which keeps me looking back again and again.
If you’re in Sydney, there’s a Bronzino in the AGNSW collection, Cosimo I de' Medici in armour (1545) – a hidden gem that is on permanent display in the galleries.
Also, I’ve been busy painting and hope to show you some work soon!
Until next time,
Jackson
