Andrea Del Sarto (1486-1530) and the Art of Reform
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ABSTRACT Title of Document: ANDREA DEL SARTO (1486-1530) AND THE ART OF REFORM. Steven J. Cody, Doctor of Philosophy, 2015 Directed By: Professor Meredith J. Gill, Department of Art History and Archaeology During the second and third decades of the sixteenth century, Andrea del Sarto (1486- 1530) distinguished himself within the city of Florence as a painter of considerable talent. He worked within a variety of religious institutions, creating altarpieces rich in theological complexity, elegant in formal execution, and dazzlingly brilliant in chromatic impact. This dissertation analyzes six of those altarpieces, offering a cross- section of Andrea’s working life and stylistic development. Approaching the artist’s career from this perspective provides modern audiences with a valuable glimpse into his strategies for marrying his own social ambitions to the spiritual teachings that informed ecclesiastical art. These strategies evolved as Andrea learned from each artistic commission he undertook, each altarpiece that he produced in dialogue with educated patrons and learned religious advisors. Over the course of his career, he himself privileged with increasing sophistication theological texts concerned with the idea of reform. I argue that Andrea’s stylistic development as a painter describes this process of spiritual education. This argument reconsiders the established conventions of the art-historical monograph, as it adds significantly to the broader scholarly discussion of Renaissance religious art, shedding fresh light on early modern theories of subjectivity and sensation. ANDREA DEL SARTO (1486-1530) AND THE ART OF REFORM By Steven J. Cody Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland, College Park, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2015 Advisory Committee: Professor Meredith J. Gill, Chair Professor Anthony Colantuono Professor Steven Mansbach Professor Arthur K. Wheelock, Jr. Professor Philip M. Soergel © Copyright by Steven J. Cody 2015 Dedication For Maryca, e per la mia Bella ii Acknowledgements When I think about the development of this dissertation, about the many debts of gratitude I owe, I cannot help but recall the sage widsom of John Shearman, a great scholar of Andrea del Sarto. “It ought to be a sufficient punishment to find oneself married to an art historian; it is almost intolerable that he should want to write a book.” Of course, there is an important difference between a book and a dissertation, but that difference does not diminish the sacrifices my wife, Maryca, made in order to see this project come to fruition. I wish to thank her, first and foremost, for her love, for her encouragement, and above all, for her patience. I would also like to thank my parents, Joe and Patty Cody, who have always supported me, as well as my daughter, Isabella. I hope someday she will understand what an inspiration she is. This project began in 2010 as a graduate seminar paper at the University of Maryland, College Park. It developed there, at the University of Maryland, under the guidance of Meredith Gill. She followed my work on Andrea del Sarto from its inception. She responded with enthusiasm when I expressed an interest in carrying my research beyond the seminar level, giving generously of her time and advice. The thoughts expressed in the following pages have been marked, in so many ways, by the imagination she always brings to the classroom, by the sensitivity she exemplifies in her own scholarship, and by the kindness she shows in all circumstances. What I owe her can never be repaid. I can only offer my thanks and look forward to the day that I can start paying it forward. It is with a similar sense of profound appreciation that I recall the unflinching support I received from other teachers. Jane Long and Brent Adkins shaped my iii thinking in important ways. I like to say that Jane, my art history professor at Roanoke College, taught me to look, while Brent, my undergraduate philosophy professor, taught me to read. Arthur Wheelock and Philip Soergel, two individuals I know to be extraordinarily insightful readers, paid me a great courtesy by agreeing to participate in my dissertation defense. Steven Mansbach and Anthony Colantuono, both of whom have been invested in this project from its beginning as a dissertation, have offered thoughtful feedback at crucial stages of my research. Their willingness to talk about issues ranging from the intersections of art and philosophy to the activities of iconographic advisors has been invaluable. So, too, have been the gifts of friendship that have sustained me along the way. Debbie Down deserves special attention in this respect, as without her I might never have ended up at the University of Maryland. Henry “Quint” Gregory has been the very image of generosity. I warmly took advantage of his willingness to discuss any idea on more than one occasion. In much the same manner, I frequently turned to Lara Yeager-Crassel and Andrew Eschelbacher. Both gave freely of their time, energy, and expertise. At various stages, especially when I refined part of Chapter 4 for a presentation at the 2015 Middle Atlantic Symposium, I benefited from the insights of Renée Ater, June Hargrove, Yui Suzuki, Joshua Shannon, Nicole Riesenberger, Caroline Shields, and Maryl Gensheimer. Each of these remarkable individuals sharpened my thinking, and I am grateful for their efforts. It is a pleasure, finally, to acknowledge the financial support I received towards this project. A Summer Research Fellowship from The Graduate School at the University of Maryland, College Park allowed me to spend several weeks in iv Florence. A Dissertation Completion Fellowship from Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Council of European Studies made it possible to devote a full year to research and writing. The significance of this time cannot be overstated. I am indebted to Siovahn Walker, the director of the CES; to the wonderful staff members who facilitated the fellowship program, Henrike Dessaules and Aleksandra Turek; and to Patty Woodwell, who coordinated with the CES on behalf of The Graduate School. v Ubi amor, ibi oculus. [Where there is love, there is the eye.] Albertus Magnus The whole life of a good Christian is a holy longing. Augustine vi Table of Contents Dedication ..................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ........................................................................................................ vii List of Figures ............................................................................................................ viii Disclaimer .................................................................................................................... xi Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1: A Touch of Reform in the Noli me tangere .............................................. 34 1.1: Figures and Figurae ......................................................................................... 41 1.2: Touching Christ ............................................................................................... 50 1.3: A Painterly Touch ............................................................................................ 57 Chapter 2: The Sweetness of the San Gallo Annunciation ......................................... 69 2.1: Conceiving Christ ............................................................................................ 74 2.2: Dwelling and Indwelling ................................................................................. 84 2.3: Delectable Light ............................................................................................... 92 Chapter 3: Light from the Light of the Madonna of the Harpies ............................. 108 3.1: The Painter on the Pedestal ............................................................................ 114 3.2: The Pursuit of Brilliance ................................................................................ 129 3.3: In “the quiet of contemplation” ..................................................................... 147 Chapter 4: The Disputation on the Trinity and the “Sighs of Holy Desire” ............. 168 4.1: Patron Saints, Surrogate Selves, Paradigms of Reform ................................. 174 4.2: Visionary Execution ...................................................................................... 187 4.3: Attending to Color ......................................................................................... 200 Chapter 5: The Splendor of the Luco Pietà ............................................................. 209 5.1: Dialects and Dialectics of Maniera ................................................................ 214 5.2: Christ’s Death in Living Memory .................................................................. 232 5.3: The Bread of Life in Living Color ................................................................. 244 Chapter 6: In the Shadows of the Gambassi Altarpiece .......................................... 259 6.1: From the Shadows of History ........................................................................ 263 6.2: Shades of Brilliance