Antonello from Messina: two ways and one painter

Antonio di Giovanni di Antonio, called Antonello da Messina(1430-1479), Sicilian painter at 15^th century is a perfect meet between two different ways to paint: one is Flemish, and it is evident in painting, because he takes punctual definition of particular, he is very precise to all, so following Flemish paint, but he has took this strong influence through his master Colantonio(Fig.1), and he has followed this way until he has met Venetian paint, and he has took influence from colours, very intense, light and physical presence, as portraits(Figs.2-3), light is Venetian and it is evident because Giovanni Bellini(Figs.4-5) adopted this tools to paint, and Antonello mixed perfectly light and colour of Venice, where he stood for two years; therefore he used two traditions and he mixed these with mastery, he follows both reality of Flemish and Italian plastic, and he used to every painting he worked; to san Sebastian, very famous painting , he took reality in fact he painted city and persons with attention and precision but he took light and Italian plastic, this is physical presence on the painting; therefore Antonello takes two ways and two country but twice mixed in one brush.

Alessandro Lusana   

Fig.1 

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