On the Contrary: Il Tramonto

Fun online discussion from the National Gallery examining whether Giorgione’s Il Tramonto (The Sunset) should be considered a fake or a true image by the artist.

The discussion was around whether so much had been added or repaired that this had now become an image which had not been imagined and devised by Giorgione. Two of the educators from the gallery, Marc Woodhead and Carolo Carsato, took opposing views to make for an interesting half an hour  with one speaking from the heart and the other analysing the science and evidence.

They had great slides of the damage and how it was repaired in the 1930s when many of the stranger elements of the picture such as St George and a rather add dragon were added to hide missing areas of paint.  They talked about how the composition might have looked and at how the picture links stylistically to other by the artists.

In the end  they both agreed that 88% of a Giorgione is still quite a lot and worth having!


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