Andrea Mantegna
Ellen Harnsberger
BIOGRAPHY
- Andrea Mantegna was born in 1431 in Isola Carturo, Italy.
- He was born in Isola Carturo, Italy then moved to Padua making frescoes for a chapel, and then moved to Mantua and did other works.
- He was a leading artist in the School of Padua.
- His life was very busy. He was adopted by Francesco Squarcione. Later, Mantegna sued Squarcione because he had earned more than 400 ducats for him and wanted reimbursement. He moved to Padua and then to Mantua making masterpieces for people.
- He created paintings. He used perspective in his works. He also took details of armor, costume, and architecture in his paintings. He had an architectural interest in classical antiquity. Some of his paintings were St.Sebastian and Agony in The Garden.
- He had many patrons. He was appointed court painter in 1459 by Ludovico Gonzagna. Another patron was Lorenzo de Medici, the ruler of Florence. He was wanted and called to Rome by Pope Innocent VIII.
- He was a humanist person because he took many classical ideas into his art.
- Mantegna died on September 13, 1506.
*"Andrea Mantegna." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Biography in Context. Web. 9 Nov. 2013.
*"Andrea Mantegna." Almanac of Famous People. Gale, 2011. Biography in Context. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
*"Mantegna put chisel to canvas." Christian Science Monitor 24 Dec. 2004: 14.Biography in Context. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
*Kimmelman, Michael. "Review/Art; A Mantegna Masterpiece at the Met." New YorkTimes.24 June 1988. Biography in Context. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
THE WORK
- The name of this piece is Saint Sebastian.
- The painting was created in 1457. It was done with oil on poplar wood.
- Today, you can see the piece in the Kunthistorisches Museum.
- This piece was significant because it demonstrates new techniques such as 3-dimensional perspective. The piece illustrates a setting of grand isolation. Mantegna's painting resembles sculpted, carved figures that are very detailed.
- I find this piece interesting because it is so unique. The techniques that were used in this painting made the objects look like they were sculpted. His paintings have a stony, flinty, carved incisiveness. Mantegna takes architecture into his works.
- This piece exemplifies humanism because classical objects are used. There are gods and goddesses hidden in the clouds and carved into the columns. Scientific naturalism is also seen in the painting. Far away in the painting you can see small mountains, people, and buildings this shows that a three dimensional approach was taken into the painting.
*"Remote Login to Artstor Digital Library." Remote Login to Artstor Digital Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013.
*"Andrea Mantegna." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Biography in Context. Web. 9 Nov. 2013.