5/10/06 - History of Art - The Patron

Patron - person, agent or institution who commissons a work of art.
Patronage also means collections, but this lecture is concerned with the former definition.

From middle ages to the 1800s. Religious orders, nobility, etc. Artists little known. Late thirteenth century artists and sculptors signed work and gave themselves higher status. Patrons began to be interested in individual artists. The artist-patron relationship began to develop.

Charles V and Titian almost equal in relationship. See Titian's portraits of Charles V. Restrain depicted in paintings of Titian's which became influential. Also painted mythological scenes. Charles V knighted Titian - new idea. Legend that Charles V bent to pick up Titian's fallen paintbrush (Udolphi).

This story related to another by Pellini. Alexander the Great and Apellus. Gave his own mistress to Apellus. Many artists aspired to this status, but few achieved it.

After 1579, Dutch provinces prominent. New situation changed patron and art relationship. Calvanist art, not Catholic. Only private, commemorative religious paintings. But they then had to change this, e.g. small cabinet pictures.

Industrialisation in Europe in the nineteenth century changed patronage, e.g. British institution provided exhibitions.

Why study patrons? Some should be regarded as artists? Not just the actual artist? If one understands the patron's ambitions, politics, etc. then one can unlock the 'meaning' of a piece of art. Monographical books on patron and artist available.

Gombrich: Causimo's artist merely acted as a mediator of Causimo's ideas.

Patronage studies rely on documentary evidence, e.g. diary, employment contracts. Sometimes evidence is not available.

Jill Burke, Changing Patrons.

It may be impossible to write accurately on patronage due to lack of evidence. So such studies may not be reliable.

Monastery of the Escoria. Philip II, outside Madrid. Thought he was a king by divine right. Catholic, counter-revolution. Philip wanted to reinstate use of religious paintings in churches. Should inspire devotion and be in accordance with historical texts. He was strict and censored some works.

St. Maurice wanted to die rather than worship Roman pagan gods. Philip replaced El Greco's painting for another depicting the same scene of martyrdom because it was much clearer.

Case study. Church of the Hospital, of the Charity in Saville. Organised 'dignified' burials for those left dead on the streets. Mariara founded four new charities for sick, old, etc. New infirmary for those refused admission elsewhere. Supervised building work of new church until his death. He commissioned paintings for the church. The Blink of an Eye depicts death and ecclesiastical power and there are books of history depicting knowledge. ...So no one escapes death. Corintheus. These images result from the patron's obsession with death (due to the untimely death of his family).

Johnathan Brown Themes and Ideas in Seventh Century Spanish Painting.