Re-learning to appreciate all art

I recently returned from Florence, Italy. My aunt Suzanne, who is a curator at the Yale Art Gallery, was given a fellowship at I Tatti, just outside of Florence. I Tatti is managed by Harvard University and hosts an extensive library of prints from the Renaissance era, and fellows there are given the opportunity to use the resources for new research on Italian Renaissance art. Beyond the library of prints, I Tatti was the residence of art collector Bernard Berenson, from 1900-59. Berenson amassed a large collection of Renaissance paintings in his lifetime, which are now preserved on the walls of his home. The Villa now houses some of the fellows, and is otherwise off limits to the public. My family and I, while visiting, had the opportunity to tour the Villa, accompanied by an immensely knowledgeable docent, and learn about many of these works of art.

The real surprise to me, was how quickly my interest developed as information was provided by our docent. Although I’ve been an avid museum goer most of my life, I generally breeze through the section of endless Madonna and Child paintings from the Renaissance era. No offense to the artists, but I had a hard time separating one piece from the next. But given information from an art historian who knows and cares about the history, the context, and the development that was happening within the field of painting itself proved to be fascinating.

Firstly, the number of artists that are considered iconic Renaissance artists come from Florence and the Tuscan region during the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. This provides some historical context to these artists and their artwork while you are visiting the area from which they came and lived.

Although I was never very taken by the repetitive images of Mary and Jesus, one has to realize that these types of paintings were the only ones around at the time. Art didn’t exist for arts’ sake as we now understand it; it existed for the wealthy, upper-class who were commissioning pieces to honor the church and the papal institution.

Berenson collected these paintings in an effort to become an art critic. He developed a reputation for himself as someone who artist’s and other art historians respected and sought his respect and approval in return. By collecting famous works of art, he placed himself in the dialogue within the art world.

Certain paintings that he collected are now one-of-a-kind works that you would generally only see in a national museum. In fact, one piece in particular by Sassetta, is a panel of Saint Francis dating from the 1430’s. The original multi-paneled originally built for an alter, has parts all over the world including The National Gallery of Art in Washington DC and the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. To have the opportunity to see a piece like this up close, knowing that it is not on view for the general public, was a treat.

Our docent pointed out some of the ways that paintings and artists were developing at the time- something that we now take for granted. In one particular painting of Madonna and Child, the two are looking at a third object that is being held. Our docent explained that it is one of the first examples of creating a painting where the gaze is focused on a third object. To think about how something that is commonplace in art today, took time to develop within these Renaissance art circles, really opened my eyes to the progression of artistic skill.

Having the opportunity to visit a place like I Tatti, for which visitation is so limited, was really a unique experience. It reminded me that I should be open to different styles of art, old and new, and remember that art has it’s purpose, it’s subtleties, and it’s historical context, and something can always be learned from it.