Analyze This: Correggio's Venus with Mercury and Cupid

[bjs0704]

'Venus with Mercury and Cupid ('The School of Love')'

Created about 1525

I became interested in Correggio when I was looking for images of the god Mercury/Hermes. (I have been working on a series about the Greek myths.) Then, I discovered one of his major works The frescoes of the Camera di S Paolo. He sometimes gets overlooked today, but was a very influential painter. I thought it would be nice to show one of his pieces as an "Analyze This"

Correggio (Antonio Allegri) (c. 1489-1534). Italian painter. He was influenced by Mantegna and Leonardo da Vinci.

He was probably the most important painter outside of Venice in the early 16th Century. The frescoes of the Camera di S Paolo is possibly his most spectacular work. He is also known for many altarpieces and other mythological works.

Correggio’s earliest mythological paintings, Mercury Instructing Cupid before Venus (the ‘School of Love’; London, N.G.) and the Venus and Cupid with a Satyr, sometimes wrongly entitled Jupiter and Antiope (Paris, Louvre) were commissioned by Gonzaga court in Mantua. Sometimes they are considered a a pair even though they are on different scales.

The ‘School of Love’ is the smaller and earlier of the two. It shows Venus standing and Mercury seated teaching their son, Cupid, to read.


The National Gallery in London, which owns this painting says on its web site:

This classical subject is not one commonly painted. Correggio handles it with characteristic naturalism and tenderness.

The scene takes place in a forest clearing, with Mercury to right acting as schoolmaster to the young Cupid, accompanied by his mother Venus. Mercury apparently lacks his winged helmet and looks tenderly down towards Cupid while Venus, unusually shown with wings, faces more directly to the front in a decorous pose loosely based on the classical Venus Pudica.

Correggio was indebted to the example of Leonardo for the softness of his modeling but developed his own confidence and freedom in the handling of oil paint, shown in his creation of a sense of living flesh emerging from the darkness of the landscape.

The painting may have been painted for the ruler of Mantua, where it is first recorded in 1627 together with 'Antiope' (now in the Louvre, Paris). The nude figure in 'Antiope' is shown in a more abandoned posture.



Oil*on*canvas
155.6 x 91.4 cm.


For the original link:
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/cgi-bin/WebObjects.dll/CollectionPublisher.woa/wa/work?workNumber=NG10

[dcorc]

...National Gallery in London, which owns this painting says on its web site....

..Mercury apparently lacks his winged helmet...

So what's THIS then?

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/04-Feb-2004/30792-mercury.jpg

:rolleyes: !

Dave

[bjs0704]

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: Oh my Goodness!! :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Well, I quoted the Museum's quip word for word. I can see wings on Mercury. You can see wings on Mercury. I am sure that people, for generations, have known that this is Mercury because the fellow has a helmet with wings. But the Museum apparently isn't aware that he has wings on his helmet. What more can I say?

Actually the main points of the "placard" do point out important qualities of his work. But you are totally right about the wings.

Thanks

Barb Solomon :cat:

[bjs0704]

While it would be great to hear any observations that you may have about this painting, does anyone see the similaries or influence of Leonardo?

Barb Solomon :cat:

[dcorc]

If one compares here
Leonardo's The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist


http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/04-Feb-2004/30792-leo.jpg

where there's also a family group - in the Correggio, certainly Venus looks leonardo-esque, with the soft face, and also a slightly thorax-forward sort of pose one sees in leonardo. Curiously, the overall posture of Correggio's Mercury is virtually a mirror-image of that of the Virgin (who definitely lacks a winged helmet :p ), in the Leonardo.

Dave

[artmom]

It is interesting how Venus's arm, hip, and leg pull the eye toward the child, as does the angle of Mercury's right leg.

Whoops! You attached the image--if you had used the UPLOADER function (found under Quick Links above right, we could have viewed the image by scrolling down while analyzing it. :)

Lyn

[bjs0704]

Here it is:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/04-Feb-2004/11410-venus_mecury_to_go.jpg

In addition to making figures that were in many ways similar, Correggio was known for the way he had adapted Leonardo's composition. The drawing Dave found really shows some of these similarities and differences.

Lynn, your right, I have heard of "parenthesis" in composition, but this Venus is one of the best example I have ever seen.

Barb Solomon :cat:

[Biki]

Lovely choice Barb. Thanks for posting this.

I love the triangle they fit into - and the way they three, are joined together with the circle of their arms.

Even their feet seem to move in a semi circle.

Very lovely.

[bjs0704]

According to Frederick Hartt in his 2 vol. art history text., one of the inventions of Correggio was to try to get more variation from the traditional pyramid composition by making it asymmetrical. DCor Dave’s Leonardo cartoon is great as a comparison.

Biki, that’s a really interesting observation.

I had never noticed this similarity until Biki mentioned it but, I was once reading about the symbolism of the Three Graces in Botticelli’s Primivera. The 3 Graces are attendants to Venus. They dance in a ring with one facing out, one facing in, and the last one facing out again. This was to represent Love (or friendship) as a “dance” going in a continual circle, of giving love, receiving love and returning love. You have me wondering if Correggio was doing his own variation of a similar idea. (Just my speculation and curiosity)

Mantegna and Raphael are the other two influences that historians will always mention when writing about Correggio. Can anyone see any similarities between Correggio and these other artists?

Barb Solomon:cat:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Feb-2004/11410-botticellitogo.jpg

[bjs0704]

By the way, Correggio’s illusionistic church ceilings are too good to miss. He was one of the first to try to make it look like the roof the church had come off and the angels were coming in.
Here is an and a link:
http://www.kfki.hu/~arthp/html/c/correggi/frescoes/index.html

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Feb-2004/11410-correggioceiling.jpg

[Biki]

Barbara

My sister used to have a statue of the 3 Graces in an atrium of her apartment ( since sold & moved on). I always thought it was a sculpture only.

This is SO beautiful.

I love anything that speaks of Love. :)

[arlene]

Biki, I've been so busy lately could you do me a favor and give me the links to all the analyze this so i can put them into the link in the sticky? thanks in advance...(only the ones not already there.)

[bjs0704]

Not just a sculpture, Correggio even put his version of these ladies on one of his ceilings. Apparently, people at one time made a trivia game of knowing all of these gods and goddesses and their stories.

My Three Graces came from Botticelli’s Primavera. (It would be a good “Analyze This:” for one of these weeks. The Three Graces, Venus (as a symbol of the Arts and Beauty” were common subjects in art from the Renaissance until the early 20th century. They each have names(Euphrosyne- Joy, Aglaea -Splendor, Thalia - Good cheer) and were representative of qualities just as Venus, Cupid and Mercury. They were also known to give bestow talents on mortals.

Is it my imagination or does Venus have wings in this painting? That’s unusual.

I was reading trying to find out about each of the characters to see what they could represent.

In Roman mythology Venus is the goddess of love and beauty and Cupid is love's messenger. Mercury is god of trade and profit, merchants and travelers. Mercury is also the messenger of the gods and so is sometimes considered the god of communication. Eros, the Greek god of love and sexual desire so we could see Venus as the goddess of love and Cupid, as either the messenger or the god of desire.

In one of my books ”Hall’s Dictionary of Symbols, this painting is interpreted as meaning:

In allegory Mercury personifies Eloquence and Reason, the qualities of a teacher. He is shown teaching Cupid to read, in the presence of Venus, Cupid’s mother, a theme that echoes the ideals of learning in the Renaissance.

So what could these mythological characters mean in this case?

Another question, some painters try to paint as realistically as they can. Correggio is one tried to create as beautiful an image as he could. He tried to idealize (as Raphael). What methods can you see him use to get this “ideal” quality. (It would be great to be able to make something as lovely.:)

Barb Solomon :cat:

[zynnya]

Am I the only one who has noticed what weird toes people had 500 years ago?!?

:confused:

[bjs0704]

Actually, these haven't bothered me until you pointed it out. I have sometime wondered about other paintings. There does seem to be a thing about making the feet grip the ground - but I have never read or heard anything of it.

Barb Solomon :cat:

[Biki]

Am I the only one who has noticed what weird toes people had 500 years ago?!?

:confused:

Barb's answer gave me an idea. Maybe the models were in such a precarious position, that their feet really did need to grip the earth so they could stay in place.

I remember years ago my brother telling me when/if I climb on a nature walk - even if I am wearing shoes, to grip my toes like an ape & it will help me to stay sure footed.

Barbara: The thing about the "Gods" really fascinates me. - why? because I believe that there is some underlying TRUTH to it all. I have never really delved into it, but I hear tell that these "gods" are actually Rulers of the Universe & indeed have a role to play as THE ONE God's helpers.

Maybe one day when I become an actual artist ( ho ho), I will delve further into this. :D ( one thing at a time, right?)

However, I am delighted that you put this painting up for us - thank you.

[bjs0704]

Thanks Biki. I have enjoyed doing it and will be happy to do it again. (This was my first time posting our Analyze This.) Since one person doesn't make a discussion, I want to thank everyone who joined in. Sometimes the littlest observation - even a question can really change people's point of view.

About feet - I was thinking that it might be that gripping feet might seem more active than "normal" feet which could (on a painting) look as if the just hang there. But I haven't worked with figurative painting of my enough to do anything more than speculate and wonder.

About gods - While some of their stories just belong to another time and place, I found others that are just the perfect metaphor for things in my life. The three graces could be an example.

For a long time, I just would look up the characters that I found in paintings that really caught my eye to know what they were about.

It is hard to learn to paint and I know that you do have to go through at least a couple of very intense years to do really well.

Barb Solomon :cat:

[zynnya]

Am I the only one who has noticed what weird toes people had 500 years ago?!?

:confused:

My theory is that feet have evolved, because of the wearing of shoes, & because toes are not used as much as they were several hundred years ago.

(or did the weird-toed people just not breed as much as the others?) hehe

[bjs0704]

zynnya- Your theory makes a lot of sense. Except for one thing, if the paintings from this period are any sort of proof these "weird-toed people" are doing a fine job of attracting each other. :D

Barb Solomon :cat:

[Nickel]

Hey Barb, just found this and soooooooo interesting, hope you don't mind if I bring it up again, :) Going to read a little and come back later to comment, maybe a Correggio is to be on my easle :eek:

Tuesday it will be 100F in shade here, so I think I need to put the paint in the freezer, just kidding, I don't think I like the idea of doing that, anyway, for sure moving the turpentine to a cooler location. See you later, Nickel

[bjs0704]

Nickel - That’s great! It is a really good feeling to know that these thread keep on being appreciated!

I hope to hear from you soon! (If anyone else wants to join in, please do!)

It has been so warm here that the one day that it slip down to 80 degrees (F) seemed brisk! It’s been in the 90’s (F) everyday.

Correggio has a lot of extremely beautiful paintings! He would be an excellent choice for a Master’s copy!

Barb Solomon :cat: