Art and Eye

  The identity of the sitter that meets the eye of the viewer remains much discussed and ultimately unknown. Some think it to be Botticelli himself, but born around 1445 and so in his thirties when the painting was done, others deem it unlikely. It could be his brother Antonio, in keeping with the family likeness. Perhaps it is a goldsmith who designed the medallion presented to us, such as Michelozzo, who interestingly also had a hand in the creation of the Palazzo Medici. Ultimately, most scholars believe it either to be a member of the Medici family or a supporter, due to the medal showing the likeness of Cosimo de' Medici. It would make sense for the man to be one of Cosimo's sons, making this a piece of propaganda to display Medici family lineage. Interweaving portraiture into commissions was a common way of showing the enduring family heritage of prominent Florentine families. In Botticelli's own Adoration of the Magi there are multiple Medici portraits. Moreover the

  Full of complexities, this painting overloads the eye with detail. With multiple different titles proposed, the painting is both devotional, cultural and political. The career of the artist himself is just as unique. El Greco grew up learning the ways of the Cretan icon painter. His early works in Greece are defined by a propensity towards gold, elongation and a flattened picture space, all motifs of Byzantine art. Deciding to try his luck in Italy, he travelled through Venice and to Rome, hoping to gain commissions from key patrons. Establishing these cultural links, he synthesised the Italian Renaissance style and interest in colore of the Venetians with his Cretan roots as an icon painter. It was natural for him to visit Venice as Crete was among the key territories of the lagoon city. However, Rome was unsuccessful for him, and his final move was to Spain. In 1577, after having been unsuccessful yet again in Madrid, he went to Toledo, where he would paint his final works and ulti

  With no gazes directly linked to the viewer, it is difficult for the eye to know where to look. A violent struggle is being portrayed - without the title to define it, this piece would be difficult to deconstruct. It may remain elusive, but its style is less so. A Mannerist work, it is characterised by a tightly enclosed scene, figures who struggle to dominate the space as well as struggle with each other, and an originality in its colouration. Mannerism has long been linked to a negative period in the history of art, a decline after the death of Raphael. This was amplified after Giovanni Bellori in 1672 characterised it as 'corrupt' and 'fatal'. A continuous rejection of the period was heightened in the nineteenth century and has not disappeared since; the artworks continued to be viewed with suspicion. To further complicate the situation, Mannerism was not just one artist, or one artistic style but it was a broad category among many others during the sixteenth centu