Signoria Battles

 “Painting their battles, Leonardo and Michelangelo would battle each other” (Goffen  150). It is evident through my early reading on Leonardo that he did not like Michelangelo much at all and wrote despising letters against him and his artwork. It wasn't until 1504 that “the paintings of Leonardo and Michelangelo were intended to be seen together, and judged together” (Goffen 150) in the Signoria (Florence) commission of the battles. Leonardo began the work of the Battle of Anghiari, while Michelangelo received the commission a year later to work on the Battle of Cascina. Michelangelo’s early draft of the Battling Horseman and Soldiers seems influenced from Leonardo’s Anghiari. It incorporates horses and soldiers in tangled, dynamic movement. “Leonardo interpreted the theme in a completely characteristic way, imposing unity and order on a scene of mayhem” (Goffen 152). In completion it is considered that Leonardo’s Battle “would have been a far more decorative work than Michelangelo’s, and far more painterly (152). Michelangelo’s Bathers is very sculptural and un-unified , each character tending to its own need.

The Battle of Anghiari is a lead up to the Florentine Victory by the capture of the Milanese flag. Michelangelo’s Bathers stages an event that occurred the day before the battle. I consider Leonardo’s figures to be greatly expressing the emotions attached to the episode depicted, whereas Michelangelo seems to focus again on the male nude and it lacks the emotive qualities. “The figures themselves were more important to Michelangelo than the narrative they were meant to enact” (154).

Michelangelo was pleased to hear Leonardo had abandoned the project for whatever reason, but it wasn’t much later that Michelangelo left to work on a series of Tondo’s that reflect his confrontations with Leonard, including the the Taddei, Pitti and Doni Tondos.

Michelangelo's Battling Horseman and Soldiers

Renaissance Rivals - Michelangelo's David

Michelangelo and david
 Agostino di Duccio “had contracted with the Operai of the cathedral Office of Works in Florence to produce a giant representing a prophet, for a cathedral buttress” (Goffen 119). This giant was to be sectioned into four pieces.  However the mention of being carved from one block sparked interests in Agostino. This giant or prophet later came to represent David. Leonardo was considered for this commission before it was given to Michelangelo.

Michelangelo locked himself away until the sculpture was finished. The unveiling brought much fame to Michelangelo and such remarks as ‘the greatest artist in Italy.’  Instead of being used as a buttress, it was placed in the Palazzo della Signoria.

As this is a commentary on the rivals I will again mention Leonardo. It is thought Michelangelo referenced Leonardo’s studies on human expression that reflect the spiritual and intellectual life when carving the face of David. In size and technicality it surpassed Leonardo’s terracotta Horse.

During its placement, vandals threw rocks at the statue. I can’t begin to understand why someone would do this and an answer wasn’t given in my reading.

Leonardo's sketch of Michelangelo's David... his attempt at a more dynamic pose. Do you think it is better?

Artistic Theory in Italy - Leonardo

Leonardo is quite different than Michelangelo. Leonardo is very scientific minded, whereas Michelangelo focusing on the spiritual and divine. Leonardo refers to the creation of art as scientific and he focuses on nature for inspiration and studies on painting. He pioneered systematic ways of producing the aerial perspective and effects of landscapes. Leonardo explains more in depth that an artist should not simply copy nature but instead capture and express in painting the ‘mind’ of nature… What is the object in nature expressing? – “the qualities of forms which nature produces.”

Artistic Theory in Italy - Michelangelo

The personal writings of Michelangelo express his feelings and views on art and its spiritual connections to the divine and the audience. Michelangelo struggled between his passions and admiration towards the male figure and his desire for God and reaching salvation. He viewed his lustful appeals of the figure as separation from God. To unify the two Michelangelo chose to convey the male form as a divine beauty. Rather than focusing on grace and beauty, he conveyed the idea and revealed a spiritual state in his figures. In effect, he raises the mind to contemplate divine beauty rather than physical beauty. Like Leonardo, Michelangelo studied life scientifically and anatomy. He used nature to conform to this ideal form of the human figure.

Renaissance Rivals - Michelangelo

Michelangelo is predominantly one of the most celebrated of the artists during the Renaissance. A self-created artist, he remained unsurpassed in his extraordinary achievements (Goffen 69).  Michelangelo apprenticed under Ghirlandaio. Ghirlandaio had Michelangelo copy works by other artists. Brilliantly Michelangelo would infuse his own style into the art piece and produce a work better than the original. Regarding Schongauer’s Temptation of Saint Anthony, “Michelangelo did not intend only to copy the engraving; he meant to transform it. Redoing Schongauer, he would outdo him” (Goffen 73). Michelangelo first exhibited his talents to the public through his Saint Anthony. “So Michelangelo launched his career with a copy that surpassed its original and with drawings that surpassed his (unacknowledged) master [Ghirlandaio]” (Goffen 74).

Following the copies, Michelangelo would learn the art of forgery by copying old master’s work and aging them in smoke and soils. These counterfeits were unrecognizable when compared to the original. Michelangelo did not intend to sell these frauds, but they did award him an “invitation to study in the sculpture garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici, il Magnifico” (Goffen 74). In the garden Michelangelo carved his very first sculpture during a competition against Torrigiani. Without any previous training, Michelangelo picked up the carving tools and sculpted the Head of a Faun. “Lorenzo was stupefied (…) Michelangelo was given a room in the Medici palace and dined with the family and their distinguished guests” (Goffen 75). Surrounded by antiquity and nature, Michelangelo became inspired and progressed to creating his own ancient work such as the significant Battle of the Centaurs and Lapiths.

Temptation of Saint Anthony by Martin Schongauer

Engraving

The Torment of Saint Anthony by Michelangelo

Colored pencil on wood panel

Battle of the Centaurs by Michelangelo