Bronzino Da Man

 Agnolo Bronzino, Head of a Smiling Young Woman in Three-Quarter View, ca. 1542–43

i always like looking at artists' drawings. you can see so much, you see process and thinking. Bronzino is no exception. these drawings at the Met were gorgeous! what struck me most in these preparatory drawings was the delicate and nearly invisible line. there's softness in the beautiful undulation between form, shadow and detail, i.e. sfumato. there's a reason the image above was in all press material - it is stunning! the drawings from the renaissance and this later period (mannerism) always floor me. i think, "really? this is just a sketch!? that's it? nobody considered this beautiful and didn't want to own this?" i think herb and dorothy vogel would have been ALL over these artists' castaways.

Study of a Left Leg and Drapery, ca. 1550

look at this beauty above! a drawing like this, in context of art history, seems radical for this time period. who would have created this and sold it as is to patrons back in the day? NO ONE!  but of course he didn't create this as a final piece. but that's what i mean. this drawing was a means to an end - that's it. it's only after an extended period of time before we say, "yes, that's fantastic as is. let's put it in a museum." i'm amazed how much the art world has changed since bronzino's time. how much the art world has changed since the internet made it viable for an artist to truly be independent and create their own network of patrons or whatever you wanna call it. i like to call it making your own possibilities.

Crawling Male Nude, ca. 1548–52

but back to bronzino - look at that skill! that shadow is fucking fantastic! and woah!, where did his right leg go? and you can see where he changed his mind about the placement of the left hand. this is why i love looking at these drawings. the artist seems human, flawed, thinking. sometimes i look at work from this period and i'm discouraged and awed by the immense talent of these artists. i didn't get that kinda education when i was in school. no one pushed copying the masters. i didn't have to master the masters before going into what interested me. there's something about the rigor that is needed to create this type of work that is the foundation for cultivating your own studio practice (i know this term studio practice is lame, don't like it myself, but it's the only succinct terminology i can think of right now!). jesus, i went off again!

Head of a Curly-Haired Child Looking Up to the Right, ca. 1527

 Head of Dante in Profile Facing Right and Wearing a Cap, 1532

you get to see some lines/hatching in this piece.  if i remember correctly, the wall text said something about how bronzino bent his nose so that it could fit on the paper - luv that!

Standing Male Nude with Back Turned, ca. 1565–69

 

this one, ready for transfer for the REAL thing. like how his staff goes beyond the grid and pokes out at the top.

 

 

 

Modello for "The Virtues and Blessings of Matrimony Expelling the Vices and Ills", ca. 1565

 

a tangle of bodies is always sexy and fascinating to look at. included on the homepage of this exhibition is audio about the show - totally worth listening to while perusing the rest of the images they have available online!