History of Venetian Painting, Vol. III

The manuscript submitted forms the third part of a projected series of five volumes, covering the history of Venetian painting from the beginnings through to the 18th century - a undertaking so far lacking in German history of art, apart from a few surveys of a more popular kind. From the start I had the intention to fill this gap by a thorough presentation of this development which still remains of utmost concern from a scientific point of view. This is also true with regard to the Italians and their own history of art. The three volumes of the "Pittura nel Veneto" from 1989-1999 offers a great amount of reproductions and a list of almost all the artists involved, and innumerable endnotes, refering to the actual stand of research. This mass of information lacks a coherent structure; the reader is rather at a loss as to get a clear picture of the situation, let alone to get a vague notion of the central theme: the outline at stake. Questions dealing with colour, formal structure, iconography, hermeneutics, etc. here play an inferior role. The want of structural analysis is especially to blame - a deficiency which characterizes most of the Italian papers in art history, and the monographs of the single artists as well. The present book focusses on Giorgione, the first painter to introduce the "maniera moderna" (Vasari), thus paving the ground for Venetian painting in the 16th century. None of the contemporary artists could evade his influence. It therefore seemed legitimate to devote about two third of the text to the master of Castelfranco; one can almost speak of a monograph. Giorgone remains the central figure in the scientific discussion dealing with Venetian painting of the age, and accordingly the amount of literature on him is exuberant. The state of scientific discussion which harks back well into the 19th century, proves to be very heterogeneous, a selection of statements proves to be inapt as to serve as a basis for a further critical discussion. The outcome of all this is a general dissent, caused by the poor state of sources and the comparatively small number of secured works. In consequence, we are confronted with a constant struggle of attributions, increasing and decreasing in number, and a host of dates, often contradictory. It has been my endeavour to sort out this disorder, gauge the arguments pro and contra, and to sustain or reject arguments as to attain results I venture to call my own. Stress has been laid here, as in the two previous books, on the criticism of style, based on an accurate analysis of the works of art and ensuing comparisons, a method which has been rather neglected during the last decades, except for the insisting study of Christian Hornig, dealing with the later works of the master. Hornigs undertaking to reintegrate the "Judgment of Solomon" and the altarpiece of San Giovanni Crisostomo into the late oeuvre of Giorgiones - in opposition to the prevailing trend - in my opinion has to be acknowledged as a major achievement. Hereby, the share of Sebastiano del Piombo has been reduced to that of an assistant, completing the unfinished works. Moreover, a brake has been put on the general, undisputed trend to ascribe the "Sacra Conversazione" in the Prado and the "Concert champêtre" in the Louvre to Titian. Giorgione becomes rehabilitated as the originator. Vasari once refered to Sebastiano del Piombo and Titian as Giorgiones "due creati". This remark served as a starting point for my analysis of the early works of Titian. In the appendix, dealing with the phenomenon of the "giorgionismo", special attention has been paid to Sebastiano. The chapter is brought to an end with two discourses on Palma Vecchio and Catena.