The Case of Guercino
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
arts Article Marketing and Self-Promotion in Early Modern Painting: The Case of Guercino Daniel M. Unger The Department of the Arts, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel; [email protected] Abstract: This article focuses on Guercino’s Return of the Prodigal Son, commissioned in the name of Cardinal Alessandro Ludovisi and on his marketing choices. This is a case study in terms of self- promotion tactics employed by an ambitious artist. My argument is that one finds in the painting a secondary and more sophisticated level of interpretation, which relates to the relationship between the painter and his patron. To the most traditional iconography of the scene, Guercino added musicians and spectators, thus positioning the entire composition in the theatre. One of the musicians is depicted in a way that casts him as a representative of the painter. The patron understood Guercino’s intentions and commissioned what became Guercino’s most important artworks. It was Guercino’s ability of shifting the attention of a given iconography and deliver current political meaning that is discernible in his Roman works commissioned by the same Cardinal Ludovisi who was elected Pope Gregory XV. Keywords: Guercino; Gregory XV; prodigal son; early modern theatre; self-presentation 1. Introduction Citation: Unger, Daniel M. 2021. Today we may confidently assert the extent to which Guercino’s career was impacted Marketing and Self-Promotion in by Pope Gregory XV (Alessandro Ludovisi 1554–1623). In 1621, immediately after his Early Modern Painting: The Case of 1 Guercino. Arts 10: 55. https:// elevation to the papal throne, the newly elected Ludovisi pope summoned the painter to doi.org/10.3390/arts10030055 Rome and commissioned him to depict The Burial and Reception into Heaven of St. Petronilla (1621/3, Pinacoteca Capitolina, Rome) for St. Peter’s.2 Guercino was the first Bolognese Academic Editor: Thor J. Mednick painter to be called to the eternal city by this pope, where he created his most important works, and where he first encountered success and great acclaim. Received: 18 July 2021 The Burial and Reception into Heaven of St. Petronilla is Guercino’s most prestigious Accepted: 13 August 2021 work in Rome. In fact, this is the only major work of art commissioned by Pope Gregory Published: 18 August 2021 XV for St. Peter’s. This monumental altarpiece, which seems to have marked the climax of the painter’s success, was installed above the altar that replaced the demolished chapel of Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral the French kings, in which the remains of St. Petronilla had been interred by Pope Paul V with regard to jurisdictional claims in in 1606 (Pinelli 2000, p. 646). published maps and institutional affil- There are many questions concerning the reasons that motivated the Ludovisi pope to iations. invite the obscure young painter from Cento to Rome. Foremost among these questions is: what exactly did the old clergyman find so compelling in Guercino’s work? The answer to this question, as I would like to argue, can be found in one of the paintings that were commissioned on his behalf while he was still serving as the archbishop of Copyright: © 2021 by the author. Bologna, the Return of the Prodigal Son (Figure1). 3 It is unknown who commissioned the Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. painting on behalf of the archbishop. It is very likely that Guercino’s first encounter with This article is an open access article the Ludovisi patronage was initiated by Alessandro’s nephew Ludovico.4 The latter was distributed under the terms and an art connoisseur, and later created a major collection, housed at the Casino Ludovisi.5 conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). Arts 2021, 10, 55. https://doi.org/10.3390/arts10030055 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/arts Arts 2021, 10, 55 2 of 18 Arts 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 19 FigureFigure 1.1. Guercino,Guercino, ReturnReturn ofof thethe ProdigalProdigal SonSon,, 1618,1618, GalleriaGalleria Sabauda,Sabauda, Turin.Turin. Photo:Photo: ©© DanielDaniel M.M. Unger.Unger. InIn thisthis essayessay II willwill argueargue thatthat CardinalCardinal AlessandroAlessandro LudovisiLudovisi waswas fascinatedfascinated byby Guer-Guer- cino’scino’s abilityability to infuse familiar familiar themes themes with with additional additional layers layers of of meaning, meaning, through through the the in- incorporationcorporation of of particular particular elements elements that that shift shift the the viewer’s viewer’s attention attention from from a well-known a well-known and andcommon common understanding understanding of a given of a given subject subject toward towardss a more a morespecific specific message. message. This ability, This ability,discerned discerned in Guercino’s in Guercino’s St. Petronilla St. Petronilla altarpiece, altarpiece, is also evident is also evident in the Return in the ofReturn the Prodigal of the ProdigalSon. Indeed, Son. Indeed, the St. thePetronilla St. Petronilla altarpiece altarpiece is a tour is a de tour force de forceof Guercino’s of Guercino’s innovative innovative em- employmentployment of ofsigns signs to todirect direct the the viewer viewer to towardswards the the message, which goesgoes beyondbeyond thatthat whichwhich cancan be gleaned gleaned from from the the title title of of the the painting painting (Unger (Unger 2010, 2010 pp., pp.10–11). 10–11). Modern Modern schol- scholars,ars, such suchas Leo as Steinberg, Leo Steinberg, Louise Louise Rice, Rice,and Carolyn and Carolyn H. Wood, H. Wood, have havealready already suggested sug- gestedpolitical political interpretations interpretations for this for presentation, this presentation, that is first that and is first foremost and foremost a religious a religious artwork artworkmeant to meant commemorate to commemorate a Catholic a Catholic saint (Steinberg saint (Steinberg 1980; Wood 1980; 1988;Wood Rice 1988 1997;; Rice Unger 1997; Unger2010). 2010). AA carefulcareful analysisanalysis ofof thetheReturn Return ofof thethe ProdigalProdigalSon Sonoffers offersa asimilar similarintention intentionthat thatmay may explainexplain Guercino’sGuercino’s stunningstunning earlyearly successsuccess andand whywhy hehe waswas thethe Pope’sPope’s preferredpreferred painter.painter. TheThe paintingpainting should should be be explainedexplained in in terms terms ofof anan ambitiousambitious youngyoung painterpainter seeking seeking to to makemake aa namename for for himself. himself. Indeed, Indeed, for for a a painter painter at at the the outset outset of of his his career, career, it would it would seem seem natural natural to tryto try and and impress impress his viewers,his viewers, and toand search to search among among them them for a powerfulfor a powerful patron patron by producing by pro- theducing most the compelling most compelling painting painting possible—through possible—through actions actions which, inwhich, today’s in today’s terminology, termi- wenology, could we describe could describe as marketing as marketing choices towardschoices towards the creation the creation of an effective of an effective commodity. com- Inmodity. this regard, In this one regard, should one be should constantly be constantly reminded reminded that he wasthat athe the was outset at the of outset his career of his whencareer Guercino when Guercino completed completed his first his version first version of Return of ofReturn the Prodigal of the Prodigal Son. The Son painting. The paint- was intendeding was intended for a high-ranking for a high-ranking patron, who patron, paved who his paved way toward his way fame toward and fame success. and Thus, success. in thisThus, early in this commission, early commission, Guercino Guercino added a personal added a undercurrentpersonal undercurrent note that wasnote meant that was to impressmeant to the impress recipient the ofrecipient the painting—Alessandro of the painting—Alessandro Ludovisi. Ludovisi. Arts 2021, 10, 55 3 of 18 Arts 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 19 2.2. TheThe LudovisiLudovisi Commission Commission TheTheReturn Return ofof the Prodigal Son Son isis one one of of three three paintings paintings that that Carlo Carlo Cesare Cesare Malvasia, Malvasia, the theBolognese Bolognese bio biographer,grapher, mentions mentions as having as having been been comp completedleted by Guercino by Guercino for forCardinal Cardinal Lu- Ludovisidovisi in in 1618. 1618. The The other other two two paintings paintings are are RaisingRaising of of Tabitha andand SusannaSusanna andand thethe Elders Elders (Prado,(Prado, Madrid). Madrid). According According to to Malvasia, Malvasia, these these three three works works truly truly exceeded exceeded the the cardinal’s cardinal’s 6 expectations.expectations.6Susanna Susanna and and the the Elders Eldersis is the the only only painting painting among among the the three three that that is is mentioned mentioned inin bothboth LudovisiLudovisi inventories—those of of 1623 1623 and and 1633. 1633.7 Nicholas7 Nicholas Turner Turner explains explains the the ab- absencesence of of the the ReturnReturn of of the the Prodigal Prodigal Son from bothboth inventories,inventories, wherebywhereby thethe painting painting was was givengiven to to the the Duke Duke ofof Savoy,Savoy, Carlo Carlo Emanuele Emanuele I I by by the the Pope’s Pope’s nephew,nephew, Ludovico Ludovico Ludovisi, Ludovisi, soonsoon after after its its execution.