Benozzo Gozzoli
By: Abby Meszar
Biography:
Benozzo Gozzoli was born in Florence Italy in 1420, and lived there for a large portion of his life. He fought for food in his early life because he was very poor but was very talented and apprenticed with many famous artists, including Fra Angelico, on places such as the Medici Palace. Benozzo created paintings such as, Angels Worshiping, Procession of the Youngest King, and Procession of the Middle King. One of his most famous patrons was Cosimo de Medici. Benozzo enjoyed painting in styles such as Secularism because his paintings were a lot about the ideas of the church and the political individuals. He also like to paint in the style of Idealism because his paintings paid attention to detail and looked perfect.
Description:
The Title of this painting is Saints Nicholas of Tolentino, Roch, Sebastian, and Bernardino of Siena, with Kneeling Donors, created in 1481. You would see this at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This piece was so significant because it was part of the Procession of the Magi and Gozzoli used a style of painting called fresco. Fresco was rapid watercolor painting on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling, so colors penetrate the plaster and become fixed as it dries. I see Secularism most in this painting because it goes along with the church and focuses on the political individuals. You would see a picture of this on the Metropolitan Museum of Art website ( http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/436561 ) and you may also see it is textbooks because the background around it has to do with the city being struck by plague and the saints protecting them.
I thought this painting was two younger saints looking to the two older saints for guidance and the people kneeling were begging for help. I also noticed that the city is kind of lower and behind them so it could be as if they look over the city. I realized that there were angels circling above maybe representing the heavens. I find this piece interesting because it shows so much detail and uses vibrant colors along with having a lot going on in the painting.