“Veronese: Magnificence in Renaissance Venice” at the National Gallery was indeed magnificent.
The scale of paintings from that period never fails to amaze. Grandeur of theme and style overwhelms us, as was intended. I would love to try my hand at work on that scale!
The number of sacred paintings is of course testament to the importance of the church buildings and church commissions.
Once art had moved on from primarily a sacred to a secular world the scale of paintings becomes the one familiar to us today, more intimate paintings for domestic interiors,
Figures painted with this monumentality have to be convincing and with Veronese they really are. The grand figurative gesture has become largely a thing of the past but what a past and what a painter.
Sometimes big is beautiful and maybe something has been lost along the way, we will never see this monumental style again.
One of my large Dance paintings is hanging in the studio this week, about as large as my studio allows!
Gold is also the theme this week; a photo of the golden light shining on a visitor in the splendour of the Veronese and a Gold Dancer for my Drawing du Jour:
Enjoy the Light
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