Benozzo Gozzoli
by Kelsey Van Dalsum
Biography
-Spent most of his life working on paintings in the Camposanto in Pisa, Italy. (1468-1484)
-For training, he was an apprentice to many prominent artists. He assisted Ghiberti on Baptistery doors and other artists with their work.
-As part of his lifestyle, he spent years helping others on their paintings and creating his own. For 3 years he worked on art in San Gimignano before he was forced to leave.
-A few patrons to him were Botticelli, Mantegna, and Cosimo Tura. They requested one of his biggest and most important commissions; painting 25 frescoes of the Old Testament for the Camposanto of Pisa.
-Created paintings. He was most famous for his frescoes - watercolor on wet plaster on a wall/ceiling, which were oftentimes in churches. (Some examples are: Saints Nicholas of Tolentino, Roch, Sebastian, and Bernardino of Siena, with Kneeling Donors, Journey of the Magi, and Predella with the Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine)
Triumph of Saint Thomas Aqunas
-The painting is currently found in the Musée de Louvre in Paris, France
- Religion is significant in this piece. There are Christian and church figures present, such as God, popes, and what appears to be Saint Thomas Aqunas.
- Saint Thomas is standing over an overthrown church leader, which explains the title of the painting, The Triumph of Saint Thomas Aqunas, and why there is a pope on the floor. On the top portion of the painting, God is shown with saints bowing before him. Below, on the next portion, it shows Saint Thomas himself being praised. On the last part of the painting, it depicts everyday church-goers. Supposedly this painting as a whole represents the social classes of the church, starting with God at the top, and citizens at the bottom.
- This is closely related to Secularism, because it focuses on paganism and the different levels of religious power.
-I find this piece interesting because of the way it shows the varying powers in the church system. I learned that saints are a higher class than the popes, and having the title as a saint is an honorable opportunity. It is interesting to see the old-fashioned english on the painting as well.
Works Cited
"Benozzo Gozzoli." International Dictionary of Art and Artists. Gale, 1990. Biography in Context. Web. 3 Dec. 2015.
Gozzoli, Benozzo. Triumph of Saint Thomas Aqunas. 1468-1484. Painting. Musée de Louvre, Paris.