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12-1-1996

The French Renaissance in prints [Review]

Patricia Emison University of New Hampshire, [email protected]

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Recommended Citation Emison, Patricia, "The French Renaissance in prints [Review]" (1996). Renaissance Quarterly. 49. https://scholars.unh.edu/art_facpub/49

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The French Renaissance in Prints, from the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. by Karen Jacobson Review by: Patricia Emison Renaissance Quarterly, Vol. 49, No. 4 (Winter, 1996), pp. 910-912 Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of the Renaissance Society of America Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2863008 . Accessed: 21/02/2013 10:45

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This content downloaded on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:45:10 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 910 RENAISSANCE QUARTERLY

Petrus Christus lived until 1475 or analysis continues to represent special- 1476. While several other Bruges paint- ized knowledge about which the lay ers are prominent in the archives of the viewer is advised rather than actively period, scholars have not yet isolated engaged. their works by name. Hans Memling, In the Friedsam Annunciation, for who became a citizen of Bruges in 1465, instance, the reader is invited to com- and who signed his name and dated sev- pare the underdrawing of the Virgin's eral of his own works, is the next major garments with that of the Virgin's gar- Bruges artist. ments in the Frankfurt Madonna and Ainsworth's basic chapter on Saints (figs. 132, 142, 145). Not only is Christus deals with the historiography the comparison inconclusive when the of Christus scholarship and the docu- images are confronted, but the styles mentary evidence of signed and dated of drapery in the two paintings are so works, seven of which are valuable as different as to increase doubts as to the such, especially since no proven docu- common source. ments of commission or payment for The Friedsam Annunciation is in Christus's paintings survive. Ainsworth generalan ongoing problem, presented follows with an analysis of the artist's here as "attributed to Christus" with painting technique and chronology, many arguments for the attribution. devoting considerable space to the com- Unconvinced, this writer has no rea- parison of underdrawing techniques by sonable alternative to present for an Petrus Christus. attribution but can only note the These criteria tend to be confusing. work's affinity with the several mag- The discussion of the Lamentation in nificent paintings displayed as "School Paris, for instance (not in the exhibi- of van Eyck" or even "Hubert van tion), first acknowledges the apparent Eyck" in the world's museums. authenticity of the underdrawing of CHARLES I. MINOTT figures and faces, then finds the faces in University of Pennsylvania paint uncharacteristic of the artist, though these follow the underdrawing closely. Meanwhile no discussion ensues Karen Jacobson, ed. The French on the poor condition of the entire Renaissance in Prints, from the surface or of the Paris paint repainting Bibliotheque Nationale de France, work which is distinctly evident, even Los Angeles: Grunwald Center for in the reproduction. Comparison of the Arts, 1994. 14 + the Lamentation with the Death of the Graphic pls. 493 Virgin, cat. 15, in the Timken Art Gal- pp. n.p. For too the French Renais- lery, San Diego, presents some distinct long sance has fallen between two schools: affinities in painted drapery style, faces, its Italianate character Italian and landscape, despite the erosion and (and per- size differences between the two works. sonnel) let the northernists off the the French Renais- The computer-assembled reflecto- hook, yet clearly sance was not a extension of the graphic images were difficult to read in simple Italian need look at St. originals at the exhibition and are much (one only more so in the text. Further, the asser- Eustache in Paris), and so the Italianists the work too. tions of technique that seem to derive neglected from them seem based on far too few 1995 provided the needed stimulus with exhibitions of drawings, comparisons for this reader to feel se- prints, cure about the conclusions drawn. This and illustrated books. The ample and

This content downloaded on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:45:10 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions REVIEWS 911 beautiful exhibition catalogue under others' studies of German pamphlet review here is more than just a record and broadsheet imagery of the Refor- of one of those exhibitions, co-orga- mation, dealing in particular with the nized by the Grunwald Center for the period of the Catholic League in the Graphic Arts at UCLA and the 1580s and with woodcut imagery, Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris. As the much of it anonymous. Cynthia Renaissance is increasingly redefined as Burlingham of the Grunewald Center part of the early modern period, and in "Portraiture as Propaganda, the revival of antiquity is accordingly Printmaking during the Reign of made to compete for scholarly attention Henri IV," brings the scope of the ex- with issues such as the rise of national hibition into the seventeenth century. cultural identities, The French Renais- Peter Fuhring discusses grotesques, sance in Prints will stand out as a valu- terms, moresques, strapwork, and able resource for scholars of various other essentials of ornament at persuasions and diverse concentrations. Fontainebleau and beyond in "French Henri Zerner's book on Fontaine- Ornament Prints." bleau prints appeared twenty-six years As Zerner notes, the exhibition ago. Here he provides the introduction, was not conceived of as "Duvet to followed by "Printmakersin Sixteenth- Bellange," that is, as a succession of Century France," by Marianne Grivel, master or nearly master printmakers. formerly of the Bibliotheque Nationale. Instead a happily melded diversity of She discussesthe documentary record as methodological approaches in the es- it informs us about production and con- says yields a new, more inclusive pic- sumption. Marie Fontaine wrote "Sto- ture of French Renaissance print- ries Beyond Words," covering new making, one which extends chronolog- ground on the interaction of poetic and ically and geographically, not to men- visual imagination, including an excur- tion artistically, beyond Fontaine- sus on Barthelemy Aneau's L'imagi- bleau; assigns a significant part to nation poitique of 1552 in which poems woodcut even apart from book illus- were written expressly to gloss woodcut tration; and deftly avoids terminologi- illustrations (oddly, none is illustrated). cal straight jackets in handling a body Suzanne Boorsch on "The Prints of the of prints that has long been dismissed School of Fontainebleau," tries to pin as falling short of the standard of down the identities of Master IV, Anto- peintre-graveur, being often poorly nio Fantuzzi (the conflation with Anto- printed and by any reasonable defini- nio da Trento is dismissed without dis- tion not "original"prints. The authors cussion in the thumbnail biographies at are in general comfortable with treat- the back), Leon Davent, and Jean Mig- ing the print tradition in France with non. Nancy Vickers, in "Courting the respect even when labelling it craft or Female Subject," expands upon her es- the ancestor of the cartoon; indeed say of 1986, "The Mistress in the Mas- they welcome the chance to deal with terpiece," in The Poetics of Gender, giv- popular imagery alongside that which ing a close analysis of Cellini's fraught is not. The book is a treasure, and also relationships with his French model an open door, as the paucity and aged- Caterina and with Francois I's mistress, ness of many of the bibliographical the Duchess d'Estampes. Philip Bene- references makes clear. Two quibbles dict in "Of Marmites and Martyrs, Im- may nevertheless be mentioned: the ages and Polemic in the Wars of Reli- index is rudimentary, and the authors gion," complements Keith Moxey's and of the catalogue entries are at times

This content downloaded on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:45:10 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 912 RENAISSANCE QUARTERLY hard to identify (see the Contentsfor their tastes. Others, however, might authors'names). The entriesare never- find it useful,as this readerdid. Just as thelesssubstantial. For instance,Pierre importantly, non-specialist readers Milanis now giventhe Marsand Venus with basicmusical skills, to whom this afterRosso, instead of Caraglio. book is also addressed,would find his PATRICIAEMISON work hereinvaluable. Universityof New Hampshire Monteverdiis cast in three parts, which correspondto the cities in Paolo Fabbri. Monteverdi. Trans. which the composerresided. Chapters Tim Carter.Cambridge: Cambridge 1-6treat his youth and apprenticeship in his native 7-21 Press, 1994. xvi+350 Cremona,chapters University pp. his of serviceto the in $69.95. years Gonzaga Mantuafrom 1590to and This the best 1612, chap- book, completesurvey ters 22-40 his service as maestrodi of the life and works of Claudio of S. Marcoin Venice. Each Monteverdi first cappella (1567-1643), appeared consistsof of in Italianin 1985and is now madeavail- part chapters biography with devoted to able to readers alternating analysis English-speaking Monteverdi'smusic. The former are Tim Carter's transla- through graceful nar- tion. The new edition is valuablefor distinguishedby straightforward rich and selec- other reasonsas well. As Carter ration, detail, generous points tions fromthe letters.The out in his Fabbrirevised his composer's foreword, musical the cutsmen- text in new re- chapters,despite 1988-89,incorporating tioned are useful nonetheless. search. for above, Thus, example,chapter 30, The contentsof each book or whichnarrates the life from madrigal composer's sacred collection are listed in 1628to now summarizes detail, 1632, findings with all known authors of that datethe together precisely agingcomposer's the librettiof works into the in 1631 and poetic texts; stage entry priesthood are accorded careful treat- 1632 Another is the elimi- similarly (226). change ment. Fabbri also offers a sensitive nation of the delle of "Catalogo opere" reconstructionof each work'shistori- the in favor of an "Indexof original cal informationon Monteverdi's works" an context,providing (323-336), such as and lit- easier-to-read that is questions patronage alphabeticallisting Monteverdithe contro- also to a more detailed urgy. Finally, keyed catalogue in his ManfredStattkus the same versialist, enormouslyimportant publishedby with the conservative as Fabbri'sbook. twelve disagreement year Finally, theorist Giovanni Maria Artusi, is pagesof half-toneplates have been sup- given first-ratecoverage in chapter10 pressed,as well as much of the discus- sion of the music.The no doubt (34-52). former, A final word on this otherwise an economic is no decision, greatloss; book is in order. After ex- the latter is a less The splendid happy change. Fabbri'sdecision to cut most author, Carterwrites, did so himself, plaining of his musicaldiscussion, Carter adds "giventhat it was designedfor a specific that "presentreaders can find ample Italianreadership" (xi). Still, one won- materialin the rich bibliographyin ders from which side of the Alps the Englishon the composer"(xi). Perhaps ideaoriginated. Those Anglo-American so, but not from this bibliography readerswith a penchantfor moresevere alone. "Workscited" (312322)is an musicalanalysis may findFabbri's treat- impressivelist, but it omits the two ment too empirical,too descriptivefor most importantmonographs in Eng-

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