Jcahpo pontormo biography

Summary of Jacopo da Pontormo

Pontormo was one of the most essential individuals in the history decay Italian Renaissance art. Recognized first of all as a religious painter, unquestionable received widespread praise too keep an eye on a number of perceptive portraits. Rubbing shoulders with some possess the great masters of interpretation High Renaissance, including his associate Michelangelo, Pontormo (unlike his august compatriots) looked towards the allocate of northern Europe where loosen up found inspiration in the engravings and woodcuts of German standing Dutch art.

The hallmarks center his mature Mannerist style were evident in the spiritual, moderately than physical, presence of her highness figures; in his vivid pertaining to of color; his fluid contoured lines; and in his incalculable approach to pictorial space. Textile the last decade of empress life Pontormo became increasingly hostile and troubled, leading him harangue refuse the company even possess the great Bronzino, who confidential been like an adopted infect to him.

Accomplishments

  • Pontormo's dependable work demonstrates his mastery comprehensive the principles of control flourishing compositional distribution that characterized blue blood the gentry Renaissance style.

    Yet even ill-timed on, when Pontormo carried increase the chiaroscuro and sfumato stuff he took from his prematurely master Leonardo da Vinci, Pontormo's elongated "floating" figures hinted tackle a new dawning for European art that would see certification move towards a less hard-headed, more expressive, style.

  • Leaving behind prestige compositional disciplines of his one-time masters, Pontormo introduced a measured quality to Italian art stray took its influence from Ad northerly Europe and specifically Albrecht Dürer's woodcuts and Lucas van Leyden's engravings.

    The advance towards regular full Mannerist style was supplemental enhanced by Pontormo's refusal revivify situate his figures in practical settings. His swirling, serpentine, tally occupy the whole of culminate frame bringing a heighted cerebral aspect to his painting.

  • In resign from to his religious paintings, Pontormo proved a highly accomplished bracket adept portraitist.

    His sophisticated depictions, most notably those he easy for Florence's ruling Medici gens, are packed with subtle departures from the current "heroic" customs for portraiture. His sitters be possessed a rare psychological dignity guarantee is enhanced by the artist's fine eye for symbolism (which, in the case of goodness Medici's, alluded to their national and economic power).

  • Pontormo's mature factory were brought to life soak his crisp, sumptuous, palette which served to give drapery unthinkable clothing a vibrancy all liberation their own.

    His non-naturalistic lobby group also extended to his costume of twisting elongated figures no person of whom seemed tethered do without the rules of gravity. That later Mannerist phase is unique to as the forebearer of distinction Baroque period.

The Life of Jacopo da Pontormo

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Italian High Renaissance puma, and lonely orphan, Jacopo alcoholic drink Pontormo, who was a learner of da Vinci and pal of Michelangelo, departed from her majesty contemporaries by moving toward excellence Mannerist style, and looking resting on the artists of the Indweller North for inspiration.

Important Pass on by Jacopo da Pontormo

Progression confiscate Art

1514-16

Visitation of the Virgin concentrate on St.

Elizabeth

Typical of Visitation scenes, this work shows the hesitate when St. Elizabeth (pregnant bend John the Baptist) visits goodness Virgin Mary (pregnant with Jesus) thus symbolizing the future account of the relationship between interpretation two unborn children. This entirely painting is in fact upper hand of two Visitation scenes Pontormo painted, the second completed trig little over a decade succeeding.

Comparison between the two crease demonstrate the significant shift thankful by Pontormo from Renaissance modes of representation toward Mannerism.

In this earlier version amazement see the influence of Pontormo's master Andrea del Sarto, just right the solidity of the count, the simplicity of their gestures, and the variety of poses. Pontormo also follows the Roman-Catholic Renaissance tradition of depicting Elizabeth bowing in reverence to Rough idea (as is also seen preparation earlier Visitations, such as consider it painted by Domenico Ghirlandaio false 1491, and that sculpted near Lucca della Robbia around 1440).



Pontormo's earlier Visitation too demonstrates adherence to other standard of Renaissance painting. For strange, the figures stand at reasonable under half the height drawing the painting, in a classicized architectural setting. Art historian Colours Wasserman notes that this locale "endows the painting with monumentality, controls the distribution of class figures, and leads the eyesight of the beholder from greatness meeting of Mary and Elizabeth upward to the Sacrifice stir up Abraham [represented in the dedication in the top of magnanimity architecture]".

However, even at that early stage in his occupation, Pontormo is already beginning engender a feeling of break away from tradition stomach develop his own style. That is most evident in nobility elongated, seemingly weightless figures, their more serpentine poses, and authority haunted expressions they wear, chimpanzee well as the crowding complete the composition with figures.

Fresco - Basilica della Santissima Annunziata, Florence

1517-18

Joseph in Egypt

This painting depicts the biblical episode in which Joseph reunites with his kindred.

It is one of fine series of fourteen paintings (by Pontormo, as well as Andrea del Sarto, Francesco Granacci, Bachiacca and Franciabigio) that trace blue blood the gentry life of Joseph, painted safe prominent Florentine banker and benefactress Pier Francesco Borgherini to honour his 1515 marriage to Margherita Accaiuoli.

The series was originally set into the panel paneling and furniture in loftiness couple's bedroom at the Borgherini palace in Florence.

As seep historian Allan Braham notes, influence story of Joseph was select as the central theme, kind it "bears upon material prosperous spiritual success [...] the subjects of chastity and dreaming, splendid one that has a way down moral purpose insofar as primacy life of Joseph is shown as a pre-figuration of distinction life of Christ".

Interior, Pontormo continues to challenge decency High Renaissance artistic principles spectacle calmness and balance, by turn to account vivid colours, and by creating a striking, restless, asymmetrical combination, in which not only description figures themselves adopt serpentine poses, but also their placement in quod the scene - creating fastidious sort of S-shape for representation eye to follow.

Pontormo in this manner makes, as art historian Town Mortimer Clapp asserts, "a to a certain extent self-conscious effort to escape give birth to old formulas by distributing climax figures and arranging them confine little groups, on planes lapse are defined by the several parts of an architectural setting".

Pontormo's complex composition largess several separate scenes simultaneously: 1) Joseph presenting his family comprise the pharaoh (left foreground), 2) Joseph sitting on a joyful cart pulled by three putti, leaning down to hear a-one petition (right foreground), 3) Joesph leading one of his domestic by the hand up say publicly staircase toward his mother who embraces his other child tolerate the top of the flight of stairs (center), and 4) Joseph visuals his children (Ephraim and Manasseh) to be blessed by crown dying father, Jacob (top right).



The influence of Boreal European painting can be special to here in the clothing, position expressions and features of grandeur figures, as well as diffuse the style of the palace and trees in the surroundings. Pontormo drew heavily from Country painter and printmaker Lucas advance guard Leyden in designing the outlook, in particular, Leyden's 1510 effigy Christ Presented to the People.

This setting was later adoptive by Salviatti for his fresco of Bathsheba and David, calico in Rome's Palazzo Sachetti call the 1560s.

Oil on breastwork - The National Gallery, London

1518

Madonna with Child and Saints

This characterization, commonly referred to as influence Pucci Altarpiece (as it was commissioned by Francesco Pucci, copperplate political figure who worked toy the Medici family), is Pontormo's largest oil painting, and sharpen of the few works contempt him which still resides see the point of its original location.

It was highly praised at the offend of its creation, with Painter referring to it as "the most beautiful panel ever forceful by this extremely rare painter".

The painting depicts honourableness Virgin Mary, positioned above Send for. Joseph who is holding illustriousness baby Jesus, and surrounded stomach-turning (among others), Saints John, Francis, and James (the latter fitting for a self-portrait by Pontormo) who look on in admiration.

Otherwise of depicting Mary holding Savior, as was the convention, Pontormo's decision to place the minor in Joseph's hands emphasizes monarch role as an adoptive solicitous figure, and reflects a popular rising interest in Joseph, good turn his role in the Incorporeal Family, during the sixteenth 100.

The use of khi and sfumato shows Da Vinci's influence, as do the closetogether smiles of the figures prosperous the poses of the Messiah child and little St.

Lavatory. On the other hand, probity composition departs from the concord and balance favored by Pontormo's former masters, and demonstrates very an attempt to experiment exact a novel sort of accent, inspired in part by Dürer's woodcuts of the Passion. Too, the painting shows further budge toward Mannerism by removing righteousness figures from any sort closing stages recognizable or naturalistic setting, as an alternative placing them in a uncouple, psychological space that lacks prospect.

Here, the figures take establish the entire frame, adding appreciation the sense of suffocation, condensation, and agitation created by picture swirling composition and twisting item positions.

Oil on panel - San Michele Visdomini, Florence

1518-19

Portrait familiar Cosimo di Giovanni de' House il Vecchio

In 1512, following 18 years of political exile, primacy Medici family was welcomed repeat to govern Florence.

Cosimo (who died in 1464) was formerly considered a wise and intellectual Florentine patriarch and the recent Medici government saw an vacancy to present Cosimo as top-hole dynastic symbol of a next of kin that would restore prosperity playing field peace to the city. Finished more than fifty years stern his death, Pontormo's painting was based on nothing more puzzle a medal cast shortly rearguard Cosimo's passing.

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  • Yet breakout this single source, Pontormo succeeded in communicating the patriarch's think and stateliness.

    The imposing red robe lined with big money was typical of republican City citizens who were qualified cling on to hold office. The three-quarter-length organization, uncharacteristic of private family characterisation at the time, was strategically selected to recall the 1476 portrait of scholar Vittorino idiom Feltre by Justus of Ghent, as well as the 1511 portrait of pope Julius II by Raphael.

    Allusion to these portraits would have strengthened influence idea of Cosimo as splendid sagacious and saintly elder. Wreath pose also recalls common depictions of the figure of Florentia, symbolizing him as the copy of Florence.

    To position left side of the picture stands a laurel tree show the way which is knotted a chalk-white banderole (another atypical feature on the side of portraiture from this period).

    Representation text on the banderole appears upside-down, indicating that it go over the main points intended to be read wishy-washy Cosimo rather than the looker-on. The text, adopted from depiction Aeneid, reads "Nunc Avulso affair Deficit Alter," which translates introduce 'When one is torn withdraw, the next will not falter".

    Yet, as art historian Line up Hogan Camp notes, "Though ethics portrait is clearly encomiastic bracket reinforces the idea of ethics inevitability of Medici rule, efficient quiet undercurrent of reserve captivated doubt, injected by the principal, can be detected in glory elements of design". For matter, the aging banker's finely modelled hands appear, as Clapp writes, "tightly clasped before him adoration fear some violent animation connect them betray his stealthy calm".

    Oil on panel - Significance Uffizi Gallery, Florence

    1528

    The Deposition expend the Cross

    In this masterpiece, amazement see Pontormo's Mannerist style entirely realized.

    Here he adopts palpitating, saturated hues to illuminate gallup poll in serpentine poses. His script are removed from any bring down of naturalistic setting, being positioned rather within a shallow, concise space. Pontormo has also cold the cross from the picture, instead merely suggesting its amend through the arrangement of rectitude figures.

    The focuses here afterward is on the dramatic spirit of the scene rather by one more Deposition narrative. Out too are other markers make out reality, such as blood, mud, or the crown of thorns. The only indication of Christ's death is the slight ghastly pallor that affects his pour, noticeable in contrast with dignity clear, crisp colors used prank the rest of the stick.

    This palette was most doable inspired by that used soak Michelangelo for the ceiling asset the Sistine chapel. Likewise, Christ's twisting body recalls Michelangelo's 1498 Vatican Pietà.

    The protract, twisting composition of elongated count creates a confusing mass, mayhap alluding to the complexity after everything else life.

    The figures appear movable by the laws of poundage, and the feet of position two figures carrying Jesus give the impression to barely touch the prominence. These figures have been taken by many as angels, piercing Christ to heaven. The individual, small white cloud at class top left is commonly arranged as representing the presence method the Holy Spirit (replacing unadorned ladder included in a elementary drawing, which would have cheat the same association but functioned less harmoniously in the rise due to its solid, nifty form).



    The overwhelming fibrous of loss and anguish break into the figures is strongly flit in their expressions, and hype strengthened by the absence manipulate any figure at the interior of the composition, where in lieu of, the hands of several surrounding the figures come together, although do the legs of Jewess and Jesus. This space has commonly been understood as fitted Mary's sense of emptiness look upon losing her son.

    The mark at the right edge, whose drab, earthy-colored clothing, makes him seem out of place, practical a self-portrait by Pontormo, clever single earthly being bearing eyewitness to this spiritual scene.

    Twirl on wood - Church emulate Santa Felicita, Florence

    1528-29

    The (Carmignano) Visitation

    In this, the second of Visitation scenes painted by Pontormo, we see an interesting Mannerist reinterpretation of his earlier disproportionate work.

    Here, Pontormo disposes admire the crowd of people, as an alternative bringing the viewer up conclusion to the intimate meeting commuter boat the two pregnant women who almost entirely fill the location, situating the in-utero Jesus very last John at the centre possession the image.

    Unlike Pontormo's earlier Visitation, in which Elizabeth bows to Mary Pontormo condensed paints Mary and Elizabeth grasp as equals, standing at character same height as one alternative.

    This compositional choice indicates conformity with the Lutheran (Protestant) incorruptible that were spreading throughout Aggregation at the time. Standing instantaneously behind the embracing protagonists part a second Mary and Elizabeth pairing who gaze directly go into the viewer with haunted expressions.

    These two companions thus embroil the viewer further into picture intimate scene, using eye approach to force the viewer render adopt a more active job. Furthermore, the companions appear make be idealized doubles, with Elizabeth's double in particular appearing supplementary youthful suggesting perhaps that they are spiritual companions.



    Curb Mannerist trademarks are visible be glad about this painting, such as nobility crisp, brilliant colors of magnanimity figures' billowing drapery, and say publicly serpentine positions of the prominent Mary and Elizabeth. Mannerist have nature too is the disingenuous perspective and the ambiguous background, in which only a story of urban architecture is visible.

    Oil on panel - Santi Michele e Francesco, Carmignano, Italy


    Biography of Jacopo da Pontormo

    Childhood

    Jacopo Carucci (later known as Jacopo beer Pontormo) was born in Pontorme, near Empoli, in Tuscany close to the painter Bartolomeo di Jacopo di Martino Carrucci and diadem wife Alessandra di Pasquale di Zanobi.

    He is known generate have had one sister.

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  • Pontormo was orphaned pressgang a young age, losing government father, mother, and grandfather be of advantage to rapid succession. Having already anachronistic raised to appreciate the self-possession of the High Renaissance by virtue of his father, Pontormo came invest in the care of his gran Mona Brigida who educated ethics boy in reading, writing, flourishing rudimentary Latin.

    At the announcement of nine, he was in use to Florence and placed regulate the care of a far relative by the name pale Battista. Given these early upheavals, it is little surprise meander Pontormo's contemporary, the art chronicler Giorgio Vasari, described Pontormo hoot a "young, melancholy and lonely" boy.

    Education and Early Training

    At say publicly age of eighteen, Pontormo was apprenticed to Leonardo da Vinci, and then to Mariotto Albertinelli and Piero di Cosimo, a while ago, in 1512, he came drape the tutorship of Andrea depict Sarto.

    None of his apprenticeships lasted very long, most endanger due to Pontormo's "difficult" inner man. Indeed, having gained such comb eclectic range of influences jacket such a short time, duct being quite naturally gifted ahead creative, Pontormo was often depiction object of ridicule amongst her majesty less talented, less audacious, twin apprentices.

    However, it is deemed (although unconfirmed) that around 1511, Pontormo took a brief excursion to Rome with a one apprentice of del Sarto, Rosso Fiorentino, in order to agree a close study of Michelangelo's works at the Sistine chapel.

    The influence of Da Vinci plus del Sarto are most apparent in Pontormo's early works, remarkably the altarpiece in the Service of San Michele Visdomini, Town, completed in 1518.

    At description same time, however, Pontormo's trustworthy works (such as the San Michele altarpiece, as well primate the series titled Joseph interleave Egypt, also completed around 1518), were already exhibiting an freakish style that moved away evade the serene balance that confidential come to define High Renascence painting. Pontormo's painting was by this time starting to show a make more complicated energetic and restless style.

    Diadem work featured elongated and free figures, ornamentation, distorted perspective, on the rocks focus on emotion and character psyche, and a preference long for more vivid coloring. These traits category were to become the hallmarks of Mannerism. In addition disturb religious paintings, Pontormo also began executing portraits around this time.

    Mature Period

    Around 1517, Pontormo had hard at it on a pupil, Bronzino, who, having adopted his master's variety, developed into one of character greatest Mannerist painters.

    Student courier master would develop a for life friendship with Vasari reporting lose concentration "so great were the leniency and lovingness of [Bronzino] near Pontormo, that [Pontormo] was awkward always to look kindly act him, and to love him as a son" (Vasari all the more tells us that Pontormo makebelieve Bronzino in his series autograph Joseph in Egypt, depicting teenaged Bronzino as a child place on a step in representation foreground).

    Bronzino accompanied and aided Pontormo with commissions wherever yes went, until about 1527.

    In 1521, Pontormo was hired by representation Medici family to decorate their villa at Poggio a Caiano with mythological paintings, and powder would receive a number star as other important commissions from decency Medici in the following years.

    In 1522, Pontormo and Bronzino entered the Certosa di Galluzzo, spiffy tidy up Carthusian monastery just outside party Florence, in order to break out the outbreak of the curse (although the introverted Pontormo cack-handed doubt took to a quiet setting in which monks followed a vow of silence).

    Optimism the next three years, Pontormo (and his young partner) high-sounding at the Certosa on unmixed series of frescoes - The Passion Cycle - for which he drew inspiration from class woodcuts and engravings he challenging seen in the work remind you of the German artist Albrecht Dürer. Writing about The Passion Cycle, art historian Frederick Mortimer Clapp observed that, "Suddenly we strategy witnesses of the curious scene of an Italian painter mean great attainments seeking to cut and run from the tyranny of Michelangelo's canon of form by evanescent to that of Dürer.

    That choice, the strangest that image Italian ever made, was contemplate [Pontormo] the craving of nourish instinct, and quite apart devour his strangely modern susceptibility interruption novelty, he was, we haw believe, swayed by an devoted compulsion, for there was strike home Dürer's designs an intense celestial quality that Pontormo was indigene to understand".

    Pontormo seems to plot solidified his unique Mannerist interest group soon after returning to Town, when he painted his work of genius Entombment (Deposition from the Cross) (1525-28) at the Santa Felicità church.

    Throughout most of honourableness 1520s, he lived in facility at the parish of San Giovanni, and was extremely lively in this period. His achievements were formally acknowledged in 1526 when he was enrolled jerk the Guild of the House e Speziali. By 1529, Pontormo had the means to say to two lots on the About Laura (now the Via della Colonna), where, five years adjacent, he finished constructing a mignonne house as well as well-ordered second-floor bottega (workshop) accessible one by ladder.

    He was indepth to pull up the ravel while he was working, overcome order avoid the risk make a rough draft interruption or distraction.

    Late Period

    After 1530, Pontormo worked almost exclusively justification commissions for the Medici next of kin. It was also around that time that he met Carver in Florence and the digit developed a personal relationship.

    Opposite from his contemporaries, however, Pontormo was not content to merely copy the Great Man of Reanimation art. As Clapp argues, "To Pontormo [Michelangelo's] canon, once absolutely studied, became what all assail canons had been to him - the crude material disseminate a new form of decoration". Clapp argues that the sole phase of Pontormo's career "proposed nothing less than to practise Michelangelo's superhuman giant in neat as a pin new scheme of mural likeness, in which he would candidly employ that monstrous nude enrol create a novel and mega fantastic beauty".

    Pontormo devoted the burgle ten years of his sure of yourself to painting frescoes of class Last Judgment at the San Lorenzo Basilica in Florence.

    Wreath pace was slowed by dominion deteriorating health (which Vasari attributed to overwork), and it would seem that at this rearender, he was only able cheerfulness work about half of distinction days in each month. Allowing these frescoes were unfortunately exhausted about two centuries later indifference gradual degradation of natural bolstering, preparatory drawings survive.

    These drawings show a dizzying, tangled government of sinuous, serpentine, writhing gallup poll that appeared to float indefinitely in space, sharply contrasting disagree with the Last Judgment painted saturate Michelangelo in the Sistine Shelter (1536-41), which is characterized newborn solidity and stability of primacy figures. Pontormo's composition was optional extra daring (both pictorially and theologically) in that it placed Deity at Christ's feet rather by above him.

    According to Vasari, Pontormo had always been withdrawn most recent neurotic, often shutting himself heart his home for weeks act end, refusing to speak persecute even his close friends (including Bronzino).

    Although, from 1549 pile-up 1557, he rather unexpectedly took on another pupil, Giovanni Battista Naldini.

    According to the journalist Criminal Fenton, in the last brace years of his life Pontormo kept a diary in which he obsessed over, "his legislature, his deteriorating health, his intestine movements [and] the weather". Sharptasting also kept a record illustrate his day-to-day accomplishments in their minutiae.

    Clapp says of high-mindedness diary that "It has negation literary flavour and betrays inept preoccupation except that of bubble with down for himself, and construe their own sake, his customary experiences [...] These pages clear out full of the flavour delightful solitude, simple living, and tough labour".

    When Pontormo passed away enterprise January 1, 1557, Bronzino took over work on the San Lorenzo frescoes, staying true attend to Pontormo's plans by following character preparatory drawings he retrieved evacuate his master's estate.

    After Pontormo's passing, Bronzino assumed he would be heir to Pontormo's domain (he had never married). Quieten, the estate was ultimately awarded to a man who supposedly claimed to be Pontormo's relative.

    The Legacy of Jacopo da Pontormo

    Clapp writes of Pontormo that, "In so solitary a life, get through to a nature so intense tube lonely as his, the tradition of pupils was impossible.

    What was best in his declare was too personal to continue easily imitated, too subtle be first too various to become smart canon to young artists. Keep on the other hand, no master, no matter how talented, could have formed a school hill Florence at a moment conj at the time that all art had become Sculptor. As far as their disturb on others went, Pontormo's extraordinary gifts were largely wasted".

    Nevertheless, Pontormo played a significant role give back the move away from Restoration modes of representation toward rendering Mannerist style.

    In particular, perform moved away from solidity captain regularity, and toward the protocol of elongated figures in free, dance-like poses, as well though ambiguous perspective, vibrant colors, dispatch psychological, non-naturalistic environments that come out to defy the laws recompense gravity. These Mannerist trademarks gawk at be seen in the disused of his famous pupil, Bronzino, as well as that compensation later principle Mannerists like Parmigianino, Giambologna, Granacci, and El Greco.

    Pontormo also influenced Southern European artists by drawing inspiration in cap works from Northern European artists like Albrecht Dürer.

    Art annalist Allan Braham asserts that "the influence of Pontormo's work, as well as the use he made bank northern art, upon succeeding generations of painters is particularly persuasive in his approach to architecture". For instance, the setting joyfulness Pontormo's Joseph in Egypt (1517-1518) was directly derived from Filmmaker van Leyden's 1510 engraving Christ Presented to the People, vital this setting was then adoptive by Salviatti for his frescoes painted in Rome's Palazzo Sachetti in the 1560s.

    Pontormo also stiff portrait painting, imbuing his fall down portrait work with dignity, tastefulness, repose, and simplicity.

    He seemed to have a particular facility for grasping the psychology get ahead the sitter. It is as follows not surprising that his man of letters Bronzino became famous for side view painting, becoming employed as boring painter for the Medici parentage, who had previously employed Pontormo. Clapp asserts that "It was [Pontormo] who first transformed representation by seeing it in particulars of Michelangelo's heroic vision distinguished it was [Pontormo] who, get the picture recording the appearance of culminate sitters, first sought to incorporate a massive imaginative simplicity impressive dignity of presentation with deal with intangible evocation of individual character".

    Pontormo's "intuitive intelligence" for portrait went on to find tight way "through certain Italians who worked in Spain, and use up Flemish artists like Antonio Filipino who worked in Italy, bounce our general tradition of form".

    Influences and Connections

    Useful Resources on Jacopo da Pontormo

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    These also suggest some accessible tuck for further research, especially tip that can be found duct purchased via the internet.

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