Discover the light, elegant and imaginative world of Italian Rococo through the works of Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and the gifted Gandolfi brothers, Ubaldo and Gaetano. Tiepolo became internationally renowned for his soaring frescoes and luminous paintings, creating breathtaking illusions of space and light in palaces and churches across Europe. The course then turns to the less familiar but equally accomplished Gandolfi brothers, who carried forward the painterly vitality of the Rococo while responding to changing artistic tastes and the rise of Neoclassicism. Through close examination of their works, participants will gain insight into one of the most sophisticated and visually captivating periods of European art.
Face to face
Pen and notebook recommended. A reading list will be provided.
Module 1
- What is the Rococo style of painting? - origins of a term.
- How did the Rococo's origin in France differ from that of Italy?
- Who were the Venetian artistic precursors to the art of Tiepolo? - Examining the works of Sebastiano Ricci, Giovanni Battista Piazzetta and Giulia Lama.
- Tiepolo - from Venetian painter to European celebrity.
Module 2
- Ubaldo and Gaetano Gandolfi - the last great Masters of the Bolognese school.
- Ubaldo Gandolfi's mythological frecoes for Palazzo Marescalchi.
- Gaetano Gandolfi's patron and his study of Tiepolo in Venice.
- We will conclude with their prolific output of exquisite chalk drawings and academic studies of the nude, which heavily influenced art education across Northern Italy.
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
- Perceive of the overarching significance of the artistic careers of Tiepolo and the Gandolfi brothers for the Rococo style in Italy.
- Be able to identify a work of art produced in the Rococo style.
- Have gained an understanding for the importance of Venice for Rococo art in Italy
- Understand the significance of these artists, both in Italy and across Europe.
