Interpreting Italian Renaissance Paintings from a Different Perspective

Hans Holbein, Venus and Amor, circa 1524/1525,
Kunstmuseum Basel (The model is the artist's mistress)

I originally meant to write a post about the Renaissance courtesan. It was a topic of interest for me some time ago when I had noticed the distance in terms of quality between the Renaissance courtesans and the nowadays escorts. I wanted to express how everything in the Renaissance period was of a higher level and so I wrote some notes about it. However, I thought that writing a blog post about this comparison was not appropriate and would not take me much further on my journey.  

So I started wondering what courtesan meant in a relationship with mistress and lover. I asked my dear friend Rosemary for confirmation that my supposition about the meaning was correct. Then I waited for more inspiration to write this post and this is what I came up with. I hope you will enjoy it.  

The Renaissance courtesan was in general a very educated woman who could speak foreign languages and was talented in communication, politics, and in the art of love. The  Renaissance courtesan's religious counterpart is St. Catherine of Alexandria, who had the Renaissance courtesan's talents except for being a mistress.  A Renaissance courtesan could never become a saint. However, a Renaissance courtesan, as well as a mistress, could be an artist's model thanks to their beauty.  

Titian, La Bella, 1536, Galleria Palatina, Florence
(The model is often described as a courtesan from Urbino)

An example of a mistress as a model comes from Raphael's Madonna Sistina, which is famous for the pensive angels at the bottom. We have seen these angels reproduced on many popular wall picture decorations in the past couple of decades and they probably are still fashionable. Indeed the Virgin Mary's model is known as La Fornarina, Raphael's mistress.

Raphael, Madonna sistina, 1513-1514, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden, Germany
(the model was known as Raphael's mistress) 

There is much secular life in religious art paintings from the Italian Renaissance period. The secret to me is reading such paintings from a different perspective: which means that most of the time commissioners had themselves painted in the shape of immaculate religious saints so that they could not be attacked by their people.

Such freedom was extended to the artist himself who selected real women from the real world contributing by their beauty to make the paintings eternal. What could be best than celebrating one's own mistress and all the love, story, and emotions involved?

Another point of view is using irony in order to decipher Italian Renaissance paintings. What is refraining us from thinking that the angels at the Virgin Mary's feet are bored and annoyed by the fact that they cannot keep good company with their famous angel friend Cupid?

Last but not least I wish to mention St. Catherine of Alexandria and the triumph of love with her mystical marriage with Baby Jesus. St. Catherine of Alexandria in Renaissance paintings is depicted as a young woman to marry. That's what love is all about when we think of it as a romantic liaison that is celebrated with a wedding. In a way, the woman we see and wish to take to the altar is a symbol of perfection.

One way or the other the Renaissance courtesan, the mistress, and the romantic lover all receive their moment of glory through art.

Parmigianino, Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine of Alexandria, circa 529, National Gallery, London
(The ideal lover for life: St. Catherine of Alexandria)

I wish to thank my friend Rosemary for her contribution to this post. Yesterday I called her Rosemerina, with the endearment I like to use so much in Italian. I often call my American friends with endearments to such an extent that they call me with endearments in return. In particular, they call me FORRESTINA from Forrest Gump, because maybe I do not look that smart but I end up everywhere and get lots of opportunities in life. Go, Forrestina, go!

                                                                   

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