Who can vividly depict an object, even in the form of a fake reality? The grapes in the paintings of the ancient Greek painter Zeuxis attract birds; His colleague and rival, Parrhasios, created a curtain so real that Zeusis tried to pull it open. This story has been repeated since the Renaissance – ancient times have been seen as exemplars of art.
The Paper has learned that the Vienna Museum of Art History (KHM) recently held an autumn exhibition "Idols and Rivals", the exhibition brings together the important collections of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, and has been loaned by institutions such as the Louvre Museum in Paris and the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam in the Netherlands to tell how artists cooperated and competed with each other in the ancient Greek, Renaissance and Baroque periods, and how to get inspiration and transcendence from ancient works, thus giving birth to the most famous works in art history.
Titian's The Girl with the Fur (left) inspired Rubens 100 years later, who created Little Fur (right).
Paul Sartre once said that Titian was Tintoretto's main source of inspiration. In fact, the latter wrote a sentence on the wall of his studio to define his practice—"Michelangelo's paintings, the colors of Titian." "It's not only the goal of his art, it's also a competition.
At the exhibition site, Rubens was inspired by Michelangelo's work "The Robbery of Ganemedes".
From competitions between ancient Greek sculptors to artistic rivalries that sometimes ended in tragedy during the Renaissance; From competing commissions to trying to imitate the masters of the past; From debates about the value of different artistic mediums to academic awards... The rivalry between artists has been driven by artistic practice since ancient times.
Exhibition site
In the fifth century BC, Euthymides (one of the finest vase painters of 500 BC) proudly signed his name on a freshly finished Attica red-painted amphora. On the back, he writes "because Euphronios will never (draw it)." He claimed that his technique was better than that of E'Fromonio, but the latter was clearly in the leading position in Athenian vase painting. But in terms of the quality of the carving, Osemides did surpass his opponents.
Eusymides, ancient Greek Attica red-painted amphora (front and reverse), 510-500 BC, 60 cm high, ancient sculpture exhibition collection in Munich, Germany
Three marble sculptures from the Vatican Museums in the exhibition recreate a sculpture competition from 430 BC. The best sculptors of ancient Greece at that time were proud to have created a wounded statue of the Amazon at Artemis Temple in Ephesus (present-day Ionia, Turkey). The most famous sculptors of the time, Phidias, Polyklet, and Kresilas, all participated and formed a jury to find the best. In this competition, Polykrit came to the forefront, the original bronze version of the sculpture no longer exists, and the exhibition features three replicas of second-century Rome, standing side by side on a pedestal, allowing the viewer to re-examine it with a contemporary perspective.
Roman replica of the work of Fidias, marble, 211 cm high, in the collection of the Vatican Museums
"Paragon" started by the Renaissance
Renaissance and Baroque artists drew on ancient competitive cultures, when there was a contest known as "paragone". In 1515, Pope Leo X commissioned the young Raphael to design 10 tapestries for the low walls of the Sistine. Knowing that the tapestry would hang directly under the ceiling painted by Michelangelo, Raphael worked hard to bring his creativity to a new level. It was this "Paragon" that inspired the painterly geniuses of the 16th century to improve their skills and gave birth to many works of art that have been handed down to future generations. This is why some humanists see this competition as a driver of cultural progress. But whether Titian was jealous of Tintoretto's abilities or how much reverence Rubens imitated Titian, "Holy Michelangelo" has been the ultimate example for contemporaries and later followers.
The rivalry of the Renaissance dates back to 1401, when the north gate of the Florentine Baptistery hosted a bronze double-door competition.
Dawn of a New Era: Brunelleschi vs. Ghiberti
Although such a competition was not uncommon at the time, this game was considered a classic. There were many artists participating in the competition at the time, and the original seven finalists included Donatello, Brunelleschi, Jacob Bergoglio. Della. Quilca (designer of the Fountain of Joy in Siena) and 21-year-old Florence native Lorenzo Gilberti were eventually selected for the final. A jury of 34 people announced that Gilberty had won the bid and that his work was considered more balanced and saved about 7 kilograms of bronze. Almost all Renaissance art histories list this event as the founding moment.
Giberty, The Sacrifice of Isaac, 1401, bronze, 45×38cm, National Museum of Baglo, Florence
Brunelleschi, The Sacrifice of Isaac, 1401, bronze, 41×36cm, National Bargello Museum, Florence
Battle of the Giants: Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo
In 1503, the Republic of Florence commissioned Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo to depict a famous battle in each of the large chambers of the Palazzo Vecchio. Leonardo da Vinci painted "The Battle of Angeli", Michelangelo painted "The Battle of Casina", and Leonardo da Vinci first sketched the walls of the Palazzo Vecchio. Michelangelo regarded him as a rare opponent in his life, and he looked at da Vinci's sketches and pondered before drawing the idea of the Battle of Casina. But while Michelangelo racked his brains to compete with Leonardo da Vinci, Leonardo da Vinci took the time to help Florence design a hydraulic project, a contest more like Michelangelo's unilateral persistence.
Michelangelo, Studies in the Raised Arm, circa 1504, pen and brown ink, chalk, 226×315mm, collection of the Albertina Museum, Vienna
However, neither mural was completed. Michelangelo was summoned by the Pope to Rome to build a mausoleum after completing the sketch, and Leonardo da Vinci tried new wax materials, which later melted and deteriorated, was discussed by the Florentine people, and left his hometown again. Surviving facsimiles may hint at whose work is more perfect.
Rubens imitated Leonardo da Vinci, The Fight for Morality, circa 1605, canvas, 82.5 × 117 cm, collection of the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna
Bastiano da Sangallo (named after Michelangelo Bunarotti), The Battle of Cassina, circa 1542, planks, 77×130cm, Count of Leicester and Holcam Manor Collection
Florence: Race on the square
Even today, Piazza della Signoria in Florence is a highly competitive arena. With great skill, Benvenuto Cellini's Perseus and Medusa was unveiled in Florence in 1554, surrounded by works by Donatello and Michelangelo. In his autobiography, Benvenuto Cellini wrote that he planned to use the sculpture to "kill all my enemies." He specifically mentioned his rival Bandinelli, saying that "he stood in the square with a group of Hercules." ”
Benvenuto Cellini, Perseus and Medusa, 1545-1549, bronze partially gilded, 85.5 cm high, Bargello National Museum, Florence
Painting and sculpture, which art is better?
In 1547, the humanist Benedetto Varchi launched an inquiry into which art was better. Eight artists wrote back. Sculptors believe that sculpture can be viewed from all angles. But Lorenzo Lotto proves that painters can also depict subjects from multiple angles. Later Marten Jozef Geeraerts technically proved that painting mimics sculpture more than sculpture.
Lorenzo Loto, Three Angles of Goldsmith, 1525/1535, canvas, 52 × 79 cm, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Martin Jozev Giratz, Relief Love and Spirit, 1755, oil on canvas, 101×73cm, collection of the Kunstmuseum Kunststadt, Vienna
Jealousy and respect among artists
Deadly competition: Andrea del Castagno's murder of Domenico Veneziano
While artistic competition can inspire inspiration, it can also fuel jealousy and malice. Vasari chronicles how Castagno, out of jealousy, gained the trust of his opponents and lured Veneziano to a secret place to kill him. Now we know that Vasari's record was wrong, because Castagno died of the plague in 1457 and Veneziano died four years later in 1461. However, the claim that "the murderer Castagno" was popular at the end of the 15th century.
Vasari, Portrait of Castagno, 1568, woodcut, Austrian National Library, Vienna
Respect and recognition: Sofonisba Anguissola and Lavinia Fontana
In 1578, Lavinia Fontana was asked to create a small self-portrait, which was published with Anquisola's self-portrait. The young Fontana expresses his high respect for Anquisola through his creative reflections. In a letter, she humbly wrote that when put together with her own work, Anquisola's art "can show its brilliance to a greater extent."
Anquisola, Self-Portrait, 1554, poplar planks, 19.5 × 14.5 cm, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Fontana, Self-Portrait, 1579, copper, 15.7 cm in diameter, Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Beyond the Gacsimile: Michelangelo and Rubens
Vasari urged posterity to "imitate Michelangelo in every way". Rubens was one of several painters who rose to this challenge. But Rubens is not just an imitation, but a creative refinement – for "competitive imitation" (aemulatio) and "transcendence", Rubens creates powerful works full of allusions.
Imitation Michelangelo, The Robbery of Ganemedes, 1575/80, plank, 96.5 × 75.3cm, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Rubens, The Robbery of Ganymedes, 1611/12, canvas, 203 × 203cm, Prince Vaduz Collection, Vienna
Teachers and Students: Rubens vs Van Dyck
Although he studied under Rubens for just over two years, Van Dyck as an apprentice was able to perfectly imitate his teacher's painting style. Compared to Rubens, his brushstrokes are looser and freer. At the age of 21, Van Dyck left Antwerp for London and began to go his own way, but Rubens's influence on the young painter was indelible.
Rubens & Van Dyck, Emperor St. Ambrosius and Theodosius, circa 1617, canvas, 308×248.5cm, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Van Dyck, Saint Ambrosius and Emperor Theodosius, 1618/19, canvas, 149×113.2cm, National Gallery Collection
Collaboration of painters
For Medusa, Rubens decided to collaborate with the animal painter Frans Synders, who painted snakes. But Rubens was also battling Leonardo da Vinci and Caravaggio, both of whom famously portrayed the subject.
Rubens and the Studio, Head of Medusa, 1612/13, canvas, 68.5 × 118cm, collection of the Kunsthalle Kunsthalle Vienna
Colleges and Salons: From competitions to exhibitions
In the 17th century, painting competitions organized by the Academy began in Rome and Paris, then moved on to Vienna and then swept across Europe. The competition generally sets the theme, and the winner has earned a reputation in addition to winning prizes and the opportunity to study abroad. In public exhibitions (salons), the works are often displayed in a dense way – art critics join the track, and the salon exhibition is also a lively social event.
Pietro Antonio Martini, Exhibition of the Salon du Louvre, 1787, etching, 356×502mm collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Gaining attention: Vernet vs. Loutherbourg
The Paris Salon of 1771 exhibited so many works that artists had to come up with strategies to attract public attention—such as depicting thrilling scenes of shipwrecks.
Claude-Joseph Verne, Shipwreck in a Thunderstorm, 1770, canvas, 114.5 × 163cm, Munich Museum of Ancient Paintings
Fort Luterre, Harbor Storm, 1771, canvas, 98×130cm, collection of the Kunsthalle Kunsthalle in Vienna
Rome Prize: Joseph Benoît Suvée & David
In 1663, during the reign of Louis XIV, the Prix de Rome was founded. At that time, the prize was rigorously selected by the French Royal School of Painting and Sculpture among its students, with four places to the most outstanding participants in painting, sculpture, architecture and art medals. The winners will be able to travel to Rome, live in the famous Medici villa for three years, and receive guidance from famous Italian artists. And all expenses of the winner during his stay in Rome shall be borne by the King of France.
In 1771, at the Rome Prize at the Académie française, Jacques-Louis David, then 23, was full of expectations for the grand prize, but lost to the older painter Su Wei. The Rome Prize lasted for more than three hundred years until 1968, when it was last selected. The competition in the field of art continues to this day.
Su Wei, The Battle of Mars and Minerva, 1771, canvas, 143 × 109.5cm, Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille, France
Jacques-Louis David, The Battle of Mars and Minerva, 1771, canvas, 114 × 146 .8cm, Louvre Museum Collection
In ancient Greece, voting was made with pottery or cobblestone fragments. The exhibition features an "Ancient Greek Attica Red Painting Bowl" that shows the stone that determined where Achilles' weapons went after his death – whether to give them to Aeus or Odysseus. Even in the 18th century, beans were used for voting. For example, at the Paris Academy of Fine Arts, white and black beans are used to make decisions, and the exhibition at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna is also like a vote to see how many centuries ago "idols and rivals" have achieved in a contemporary light.
Durris collaborated with potters, ancient Greek Attica red painted bowl, circa 490 BC, collection of the Vienna Historical Museum
Note: The exhibition will run until 8 January 2023 and this article is compiled from the website of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna and the Austrian newspaper Standard.