Mantegna and Bellini
Superb exhibition at the National Gallery looking at the work of the brothers-in-law Mantegna and
Bellini.
I love the work
of both these artists and have been interested in the fact there were related
by marriage so found this show fascinating and will definitely be going back to
do the tape tour and study the pictures in more detail. The pictures were
beautifully shown and I loved the use that was made of drawings to enhance the
arguments it makes.
The show proposes
that the two artists inspired each other and used similar themes. I formed the
impression that often Mantegna tried out an idea first which Bellini then
adapted an enhanced. I love the clarity and sharpness of Mantegna and his story
telling ability but also like Bellini’s soft lyrical style. I was surprised
that the possible influence of Netherlandish artists was not mentioned until
the 5th room as the use of false frames and landscape was screaming Van Eyck at
me much earlier in the show.
I loved the fact
that the show matched paintings of the same theme by the artists side by side.
Not just the galleries own two version of the Agony in the Garden but also St
Jeromes, two versions of the Presentation at Temple and the Descent of Christ
into Limbo.
My favourite room
was the last one which brought private devotional works together with portraits
as both were detailed studies of people. It was particularly interesting as
these works came from a time when the artists were working apart with Bellini
in Venice and Mantegna in Mantua. It included the gallery’s own, stunning Dog
Loredan by Bellini but also a beautiful portrait of a similar level of realism
by Mantegna of Cardinal Ludovico Trevisan which I’d never seen before.
Closes on 27
January 2019
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