[Lee Jong-gil's Autumn Return] When David Firmly Closed His Mouth, 'Mannerism Art' Began

Lee Cheshire 'Decisive Moments in Art History Read at a Glance'

Furrowed brows and tightly pressed lips. The eyes staring into the distance reveal clear tension. The veins on the neck are swollen. This is the solemn determination Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475?1564) infused while creating 'David.' He realistically expressed the tense atmosphere of David, who had resolved to fight.

David struck down the enormous Goliath with a stone. He became a symbol of small but strong victory. The citizens of Florence, Italy, embraced this as a symbol of independence and civil rights. They planned 'David' to check the power of the Pope and the Emperor and to protect the city's independence. Michelangelo hurriedly sought out the officials in charge, repeatedly persuading them that he was the right person for the job.

In Lee Chester's The Decisive Moments in Art History Read at a Glance, 50 events that changed the course of Western art are introduced. 'David' appears as the fifth. The reason for its selection is as follows:

"Through 'David,' Michelangelo demonstrated the pinnacle of artistic talent embodying the essence of the Renaissance, and created an opportunity to further solidify the dominance of Florence and Italy in 16th-century art history."

Michelangelo became famous with this work. Afterwards, he took on important projects such as the ceiling frescoes of the Sistine Chapel in Rome and the reconstruction of St. Peter's Basilica. Other artists rarely imitated the advanced techniques embodied in Michelangelo's sculptures. Instead, they mimicked the dynamic and emotionally charged painting style, developing a new movement known as Mannerism.

The next decisive moment introduced in this book after 'David' is Raphael Sanzio's (1483?1520) fresco 'The Disputation of the Holy Sacrament' painted in the Pope's chamber. Upon hearing that the Pope was recruiting painters, Raphael even asked the Pope's nephew, the Duke of Urbino (1490?1538), for a letter of recommendation. He completed 'The Disputation of the Holy Sacrament' earlier than expected. Impressed, the Pope halted the work of other painters and arranged for Raphael alone to paint frescoes in his office.

Raphael became famous overnight. Until his death at 37, he exerted tremendous influence in the art world. Michelangelo, who was struggling alone to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling nearby, had mixed feelings upon hearing of Raphael's death. For years, he had accused Raphael of plagiarizing his work, claiming that Raphael secretly viewed his works with the help of their mutual friend, architect Bramante (1444?1514).

Despite Michelangelo's accusations, Raphael's reputation lasted until the 19th century. Raphael was revered as an exemplar of an artist who realized ideal harmony. The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, formed in mid-19th century England, effectively put a brake on this trend. At that time, British critic John Ruskin (1819?1900) recorded the following:

"The tragedy of European art history began from that moment... The idealized figures and perfect craftsmanship expressed through the works of Raphael and other great contemporary painters led all artists to pursue only the external perfection and beautiful forms of their works. From then on, emphasis was placed on technique rather than meaning, and aesthetic beauty rather than truth became the focus."

The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood opposed the restrictive teachings of the Royal Academy of Arts in England, which regarded Raphael as the ideal standard. They mocked Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723?1792), the first president of the Royal Academy, calling him 'Sir Sloshua.' When the existence of the secret society Pre-Raphaelites was revealed, the established art world was outraged. They criticized the group for depicting sacred figures such as Jesus and the Virgin Mary from a naturalistic perspective.

The innovations led by young painters in the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood later attracted much attention. Especially their romantic view of the pre-industrial world became the starting point for the Arts and Crafts Movement led by William Morris (1834?1896). It is even regarded as the first avant-garde art movement.

One commonality can be found among them: they did not simply wait for someone to appreciate their created works. At some point, someone made important decisions and chose something. As Post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh (1853?1890) said, "Great achievements are not made by sudden impulses but are completed by slow, repeated small efforts."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.