To what Extent did the System of Patronage Effect Works of Art

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To what Extent did the System of Patronage Effect Works of Art?

By Charlie Howarth

During the Renaissance, the system of patronage came into being, mainly as a reflection of the increasing capitalist emphasis being placed on life in Renaissance Italy, most notably in Florence. In its very nature as a commercial, capitalist place, Renaissance Italy was a hugely competitive place. It was therefore not surprising that works of art were very often commissioned for competitive reasons. During the Renaissance, art was not just as we think of it today, as an expressive, interesting creation. Art was a focal point of society, and a very powerful tool that powerful people used to gain an advantage. Discarding the effects it had on society for a moment, it was the key feature of the Renaissance.

        In earlier times, art had less status. However, mirroring the economic development of the time, art became the thing to spend money on, for various reasons. Money lay at the centre of art, and that is why patronage is so important.

        The system of patronage is a wide term and therefore there are a number of influences to consider when answering this question. Among them are the glory of the family; the honour of the city; the increasing economic power of individuals and groups; and the classical legacy that influenced art so much.

        Although in the later Renaissance time, Rome became increasingly involved (with the Pope’s influence), Florence and Venice were the two leading protagonists as centres of culture in the earlier years. Not surprisingly, they were also the two leading cities economically. The two cities heavily competed with the other; honour was of primal importance. As merchants and artists were encouraged to travel as much as possible, innovative ideas in pieces from other cities quickly became incorporated into artists’ own city. For example, after the death of Savonarola, Florence sought to make her constitution much more similar to Venice’s. As a reflection of this, a large room in the palace of the signoria was designed to act and look like Venetian Hall of the Great Council and two huge frescoes were commissioned, one by Leonardo, the other by Michelangelo.

        By commissioning their own great works of art, smaller states could quickly achieve prominence and be “put on the map”. Padua and Mantua were two lesser states at the beginning of the Renaissance, but at the end of it they were relatively important. These two examples became centres of humanist learning, as well as being locations for Donatello’s equestrian statue and Pisannello’s jousting scenes.

        In Mantua, the second Marquis, Lodovico Gonzaga, commissioned Alberti to paint the magnificent Triumph of Caesar paintings. When they were finished, Lodovico’s grandson told the artist that it gave the family glory “in having them in the house”. This example shows the classical influence over the content of paintings. Asking for a series of paintings with Caesar in them gave Lodovico great honour. Many ambassadors flocked to see the paintings, and this seriously improved Mantua’s status. So city honour was extremely important too. Lorenzo ‘de Medici also said how much he admired them, increasing his association with classical times. With such important figures as Lorenzo promoting classical times, it is easy to see why so many works contained classical content.

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        Venice, which has already been mentioned as an important city, had very little past and only came to be powerful due to its geographic location, favourable for trade. In establishing itself as a major cultural centre, it placed emphasis on paintings which contained ancient figures who could be generic (although all Renaissance cities did to a large extent, Venice did this almost exclusively). For example, Pope Alexander III featured in a prestigious work by Gentile da Fabriano and Pisanello.

        Rome, the centre of Catholicism, was an important city prior to the Renaissance. However, when the Renaissance came about, Florence and ...

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