Economic lex artis

The statues of arts in Italy is a reference, certainly less important than others materials of art, as painting, sculpture, architectures, biographies and handbook, above all in Middle Age, instead to biographies is Renaissance, to Giorgio Vasari, the life of painters, sculptors and architects from Cimabue until our days, edited in 1550 and 1568; but the statutes are very scant, thereupon when we have possibility of read and shown some characteristic we can, no certainly must, consider from these boring read some information that can give to us news about the arts and his practice: the first is in Statues men’s of art of painting of Perugia city, translated but original is(ORDINAMENTA HOMINUM ARTIS PICTORUM CIVITATIS PERUSIJ 1366); we can ascertain that this corporation,  is born in 1366, before of Saint Luck academy of Rome, that is native to from 1478, year when are renewed his statues; but we can think that this date is posterior to original foundation, though we don’t what is year; anyway taking the certain date of Roman corporation, 1478, it thinks that the corporation of Perugia, an Italian in center Italy, is specific of painters, because in Florence, for example, the painters could signup alone to corporation of doctors and apothecaries, because one of most important corporations of Florence, even Dante Alighieri, eminent poetry of Italy, was signup to this corporation; anyway the statues of Perugia, indirectly, inform us that the cost of colors, to specific qualities was very relevant, so that is necessary a fine to who cheats, in fact: “So we assert that who promises give to other the ultramarine blue and instead he gives blue from Germany, he is going to give to arts 100 money”, (the Latin text says: “ Item dicimus et ordinam; quod;quicunqe promittet dare alicui auzurum ultramaìnum et dabit auzurum alamanie cotati dee artis nomiè pene .C foldos denari.ibi uere teneatur”. This is nothing that is important certainly but we must consider that the color of blue ultramarine then was very rare and costly because was necessary grind the lapis lazuli that was imported from Afghanistan, hence it was very precious, and the art work that uses this color could be very costly. We can also deduce that this statute is written after the 1366, why? Simple because is ordered that is celebrate the holyday of blessed Hercolaneum, born in Piegaro, near Perugia, to end of 14^th century, thereby 1366 is outstripped. The corporation have to defend the interest of painters but they have to be present, as says an article: “So we say and order that if somebody from this art is ordered or rector, if he come to meeting or with other name. A note about valor of material is both to color, as we have seen, and to parchment; in fact we can read an article of this statue that says: “So we say and order that the chief that now and temporary is liable must restitute the statute and codex of statutes…”; why? It is useless you can write a copy, or not? Certainly but the parchment was very costly, and the statute is a copy alone, thereby the chief have to restitute it and stop. This read certainly much short, can induces us to think that in this statute are present, although no explained, also economic motives and we can consider these rules are tied to frame economic of his time, that include also the economy, today 200 dollars, that today isn’t much, and thereupon we can understand that the job of painter, then, isn’t limited to gain, because the fine is very skarn, we must also consider that during Middle age the art was very short, alone with Giotto and the cycle of Assisi art become narrative and above all decorative.The corporation is also medical assistant because an article says: “So we order that if somebody of this art corporation has brigade both in palace or jail some was detained or illness in body he bears to health life chief and rector have to provide until to necessary quantitate. But health is both of body and the wit, because following article says: “So we say and order that the matters of discordance that are heard among the signup they must give to rector…”, I think that this article wanted avoid that these querrels and with usual beating or died, because in Italy so is normal, also in 14^th century. But this corporation protects also from others signup, because other article says: “So we says that  if somebody of this art takes a commission and this work isn’t satisfy the signup must work this painting until the corporation judgement it satisfying, and thereupon the painter is free of other duties”.

Alessandro Lusana