Damn Tuscans

The title of this essay is original, no certainly, it is an Italian expression that has object the Tuscans, now I not heard it, last time I were old 10 years, and remembered this judgment when I have thought a question, this is localism of Giorgio Vasari(1511-1574) biographer of artists and painter himself; this think is because am reading a book about Giotto, and the steps of Vasari about graphical art, that is characteristic of Tuscan school, it is enough remember Michael Angel and Sistine Chapel(Fig.1), and we can very easily the style of Michelangelo and his culture of drawing, the bodies are limited from lines and it show their presence on figure that are colored but without heavy, as the Venice school where the color is chiefly element to painter; the hard color we can see to Titian Vecellio(1490-1576)(Fig.3) or his master Giorgione(1477-1510), and we can note the heavy color that is peculiarity of Venetian school, on contrary Tuscan school and Vasari above all considers the drawing as chiefly shipped to painting, but drawing that is present in painting and it is observable, I have mentioned Sistine Chapel, but Leonard is same(Fig.2), his painting are Tuscan culture of drawing, this character of Tuscan painting is going to be until Modigliani between 19^th and 20^th century; therefore it is very important to study of art history. Vasari lives of artists says: “…on the places and on earth he(Giotto) drew sheep and other through a sharp stone, without he has knowledge of drawing, and Cimabue very astonished asked to him if he want come with him, and Giotto answered that it is possible in conformity of judgement of his father…and he became so clever that he has outweigh his master and clumsy Greek style(Bizantine), has equalize his master and he became good imitator of nature” we must consider this miracle in art history, because all is born from drawing that Cimabue seen in 1278, when he has been in Rome; thereby renaissance of painting art is occurred by a drawing, but as we have read, this element is typically Tuscan, therefore new history of art in born in Tuscan and through a Tuscan as Giotto; if somebody thinks that it isn’t localism I invite him to read lives of Vasari; certainly Giotto has been genial painter but Vasari didn’t known Roman painting about 13^th century(Figs.4-5), that Cimabue could see and describe to Giotto, and he has took it, but Vasari was very busy exalted Tuscan manner, and I think that he has seen Roman painting he could write same this live so. The last precision, name Giotto is a short form of Ambrose. Anyway the judgement is constant: Damn Tuscans.

Alessandro Lusana   

    

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