This masterpiece is by Agnolo Bronzino (Agnolo di Cosimo Toni or di Cosimo Mariano, 1503-1572). It was done for Cosimo I, Duke of Tuscany to be sent as a gift to Francis I, King of France. It features both Cupid, who lets fly his arrows without any conscious purpose, and his mother Venus, the Goddess of Love. Around them are a cast of characters, all of whom are significant in this allegory. Since allegories tell stories with a moral, or sometimes a hidden meaning, it is important to look at these figures to see what role they might be playing. However, the academic debate over what is happening here and the real reasons for which the painting was done remain unresolved. Let’s just start with the painting style.
“La Bella Maniera” or Mannerism
In the 16th century, European art was still in the Renaissance, where allegories featuring classical Greek and Roman deities were in fashion, especially among the well-educated noble and royal classes. The symbolic meanings were coded messages which were difficult if almost impossible for the general pubic to understand. Some art historians even think that this period was the first real “avant garde” movement in Western art because the artists took a lot of liberties. Some of the art almost approaches 19th century styles of art. The Cathoic Church decided by the end of the 16th century to pull all this back down to recognizable figures, with stories that regular people were familiar with, which fit in with its counter-reformation moves to oppose Protestantism. That art became the hallmark of the Baroque period, which started in the 17th century.
While on the topic of Bella Maniera, a thing to note besides the classical themes and hidden messages is the bold use of colors, especially pastels. One excellent example comes from Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, which when first cleaned some years ago shocked the art world with is beautiful light pastel colors. Another example from that period is the painting here of biblical figures taking the body of Christ off the cross (The Deposition, 1528) by Pontormo (born Jacopo Carucci, 1494-1557), who was Bronzino’s teacher.
In Bronzino’s painting, the rich color tones are in the background and contrast with the white, almost marble-like bodies of the mythical characters of Venus, Cupid, and the small putti (angel) who carries rose petals to shower on the couple. Other aspects of Mannerism are exaggerated postures and curious images, all of which are seen here.
Now, of course, you are thinking, but wait Venus and Cupid are mother and son. What is this? So here is where the allegoical part comes in. Cupid is an unconscious being; love and lust is all he is about. He is pure id – if it feels good, do it. You will note that a word for sexual licentiousness is cupidity. Here Venus looks like a good enough partner (hints of the old Greek tale of Oedipus who through the working of fate married his own mother). However, though Cupid kisses and embraces Venus, it is Venus who holds Cupid’s arrow, meaning she is in control. (I will let you all think further on that one yourselves.) The little putti is along for the fun with no thought to anything else, hence why he is called Folly. Folly would certainly describe the actions of Cupid.
Now come the characters in the background. The old man with the extremely long arm is Father Time (see the hourglass on his shoulder). He is attempting to pull back the blue satin curtain to reveal the truth, while his blind daughter, Oblivion, wishes to pull it down over the whole scene. What truth about this activity lies behind that curtain? On the floor to the right are masks that have been tossed aside. What is being unmasked here? And on the left in the corner is one lone turtle dove, as opposed to the normal pair of love birds. All of these are signs that things are amiss.
This figure with the beautiful face and the honeycomb in her hand is called Fraud or Deceit. While her face captures the attention and her gift seems well-meaning, when one follows the green dress, one sees that she is a monster underneath. Part reptile, part wild beast, she is not to be trusted. Bronzino positioned her against that beautiful blue satin which draws attention to her pretty face. It takes a bit of looking at the details to see the rest of her story. So not unlike reading the fine print in a contract, the Devil is in the details. When the concept is applied to love, we can easily think of the deception of beautiful looks and attractive images that can turn out to be not beautiful at all.
So even though there is dispute about what some of these images are, one thing is clear. It is a painting about indiscretion and inappropriate lust. It may also be about the consequences of unbridled passions, a sort of 16th century health warning. For more on that, I will send you to this article from the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) The article looks in particular at the head of the screaming figure of a man (just to the left of Cupid’s back). Art historians say that this figure is Jealousy and that he is screaming in a jealous rage. Perhaps, but the doctors say he is screaming about something else.
This painting is itself a bit deceptive, not in the sense of fraud, but in the sense of veiled mockery. It is a skillful, beautiful masterpiece of a painting done by one of the period’s great painters. As such it was an appropriate gift from one important ruler to another, but did it serve another purpose? Francis I was a very cultured man, educated in the Humanist traditions and familiar with the classics. He was also quite the womanizer. Was Duke Cosimo mocking Francis for his licentiousness by reminding him of the consequences? When this painting arrived, Francis I was already very ill with the disease that would kill him a few years later, syphillis. So the real purpose of this painting may have been quite different from what some assume.
This painting is in Public Domain.
Marjorie Vernelle is an artist, writer, college professor, and traveler. For more see the Pages at ofartandwine.com or her author page at amazon.com and her art at Vernelle Art Boutique vernellestudio.com.
A Valentine for the Heart, Cabernet
Well, we have all heard of the French Paradox. You know, how French people fill themselves with cheeses, rich sauces, and creamy desserts, only to never gain much weight and not be bothered very much with heart disease. And there is the Mediterranean diet, which focuses on fresh fruits and vegetables but allows you to enjoy life by eating other things in moderate proportions. It is considered a very healthy choice. So what do these two have in common? It seems to be wine, and red wine in particular, with the wine suspected of being the secret ingredient in regard to heart health.
Now before continuing, let me make it clear that health professionals and I, as someone who follows their guidelines, do not suggest that people just take up drinking wine for its proported health benefits. Wine should be consumed in moderation and along with a healthy meal. Moderation means one 5 oz. glass for a woman and perhaps 2 of same for men under 65 (one glass for men over 65). Beyond that comes the question of what red wine does or does not do for the health of your heart.
The key ingredient in red wine may be something called resveratrol, which may be responsible for lower risk of inflammation and blood clots. However, there are also many anti-oxidents present in the wine which increase levels of HDL, or good cholesterol. However, the debate still rages, not unlike those in art history, about what the effects really are, whether there are other aspects in the lives of the study participants that affect their health, and even if any wine or alcohol might be just as efficient as red. Case in point, the Japanese seem to have lower risk for heart disease and they drink beers more than wines. Of course, they also eat a lot of fish and not much red meat.
However, since the jury is still out, and since Valentine’s Day is coming, let’s take a look at the wonders of the King of Red Wines, cabernet. (The title is mine, so it is unofficial, except here on my blog). In particular, let’s look at and compare cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon.
One thing that cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon have in common is the southwestern region of France in and around Bordeaux. The famous Bordeaux blends can be made up by mixing cabernet franc grapes and merlot or cabernet sauvignon grapes with merlot. The cabernet sauvignon grape in fact came into being when some cabernet franc fields got mixed with fields of sauvignon blanc around the 16th century, and nature did its thing. U.C. Davis found out what nature had been up to when in 1996 it genetically linked (a plant-based paternity test?) this combination of grapes as the origin of the cabernet sauvignon grape. The cabernet franc produces a red wine that is lighter in color than the cabernet sauvignon, dry to the taste, and highly acidic. That means it goes well with goat cheeses, burgers, stews, wild game and anything with a tomato base. For a deep dive into cabernet franc, I will send you to www.winefolly.com
Cabernet sauvignon grapes seem to travel well, as they have invaded vineyards all over the world to the great delight of vintners and consumers around the globe. The Napa Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountains of California produce excellent cabernet sauvignon wines with the taste of dark berries, spice, and vanilla, with aromas of leather and tobacco. The high tannin levels allow the wine to spend time in oak barrels which brings out its flavors, such as vanilla. These California cabernet sauvignon wines came to the fore as some of the best in the world in 1996. The alcohol content is high, 14.5% and even 15%. It is definitely best to drink them while consuming food, so that they don’t overwhelm you. However, cabernet sauvignon is a food-friendly wine, so think of roast meats, BBQ, vegetables with savory sauces, Asian food, and on and on.
Both of these cabernets fit into the low carb category, with a glass having as low a carb count as 0.45 grams and going up to 3.8 grams of carbs. Calorie counts range from 99 to 125 per 5 oz. glass. They are Keto-diet friendly. The more expensive ones, definitely over $30, are appropriate for aging, with one being able to keep them, in proper conditions of course, for up to 10 years. So while the verdict is still out on all the possible benefits of red wine for the heart, you can certainly have a glass of this wonderful red for Valentine’s Day and dedicate it to your heart or your sweetheart.
Now, since California produces wonderful cabernets, you need to have a way to try them. A good wine club can give you that opportunity, so try Cellars Wine Club’s West Coast Wine Club. Look at the information in the Cellars Wine Club page on the right side of the screen or go directly through this link www.cellarswineclub.com. Cellars offers free delivery, a “no bad bottle” return policy, and allows you to donate part of your purchase to one of number of vetted charities in the Give Back Program.
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©marjorie vernelle 2020
Coming Soon on Of Art and Wine: Still Life, Chardin, and Merlot.
Still Life with Plums by Jean-Baptiste Siméon Chardin, 1730. Click on the picture to magnify.
Chardin (1699 – 1779) was a master of the still life and of gentle domestic genre scenes. His use of diffused light as well as a variety of textures on the surface of his paintings earned him great fame during his lifetime. Though a painter in the period known as Rococo, he never went too far in representing objects, preferring to let their natural beauty take center stage. Here we have a group of plums, plums which seem to be the flavor often associated with Merlot. Ah, Chardin and Merlot, a perfect pairing.