Florence Museo dell’Opera Donatello Christ

Dear Art Lover,

  In Florence, Italy, the Museo dell’Opera, which houses the treasures of the famous Florence Cathedral (or Duomo in Italian), recently received a facelift.  You may now view more of the art and in a better context with how it was all intended to be viewed in the first place.  In some cases, you are viewing the original sculptures since pollution was causing too much harm to it in its original position on the Duomo or the nearby Baptistry. 

     I am often struck by how the quality of the figurative art changed back and forth over the centuries, as well as how much was accomplished only with hand-powered tools.  But then, they likely had other technical abilities of which I am simply unaware.  Still, did we lose the skills after Greek art or did artists just make a point to change styles?  I have heard that the current beliefs of the church often affected how representational artists were allowed to portray the human figure.  And churches tended to be the only ones wealthy enough to pay for difficult-to-create art. 

    I was surprised to see this marvelous piece of stone carving among some fragments on exhibit from the Porta della Mandorla (the Almond Door).  It turns out that this relief figure of the Man of Sorrows Christ that decorates an arch border is by Donatello!  It is funny seeing his work paired with obviously less stunning carved figures.  Here is a part of the museum’s own description:

     “The most richly decorated side-door of the Cathedral, that to the northeast call the Porta della Mandorla (Almond Door), was realised [sic] by various sculptors in the years 1391-1422.  The components shown here, from the archivolt and lateral pilasters, belong to the years 1404-1409 and illustrate the range of styles used in the early 15^th-century Florence, with some of the figures still gothic while others proclaim a reborn interest in Greco-Roman sculpture.  The Suffering Christ from the door’s keystone, a work by the young Donatello, appears to be an early study for that artist’s wood crucifix in the Basilica of Santa Croce.”

Note that the Italians, as I suspect most Europeans, used British English more than American [hence the “sic” above.]

Note also that another sign under the arranged fragments titles the work by Donatello as “Rilievo con Cristo Vir dolorum” (Relief with Christ Man of Sorrows).  1404-1409.  Perhaps the two titles is simply a matter of different translations.

     In the image of the architectural drawing, the blue section of the pointed arch above the doorway, labeled F, is where the Donatello and gothic fragments originally resided.

     Enjoy!  I am happy to report that I am back to painting and drawing daily in my new temporary home.  Most of my things are still in storage until my real home is ready, but I have taken what I need from there and am working away with lovely views and birds singing daily.  Sanity is starting to return.

Happy birthday to my first brother, Paul! 

Peace,

Kelly

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor, painter, writer, teacher

http://BorsheimArts.com

Donatello Bas Relief Sculpture

Dear Art-loving friend,
My friend and fellow sculptor here in Florence, Italy, enjoys giving lectures on art and art history.  Jason Arkles has recently created a new series of podcasts, called “The Sculptor’s Funeral.”  That title alone ought to get some attention!

The podcast that I listened to this Sunday morning was all about the sculptor Donatello.  He has not been one of my favorite artists, but Jason makes a great argument on why I should never discount Donatello’s importance or creativity.  Give it a listen, will ya?

"Oh Boy!" bronze mirror of men

Over fifteen years ago, I took a sculpture class from Eugene Daub.  We did a portrait in plastilina in three days and studied bas-relief sculpture the last two days of the week-long workshop in Colorado.  Eugene made bas relief interesting to me because for some reason, I had not understood the possibilities of having a sculpted figure INSIDE of an environment.  Looking back, I probably just had very little experience looking at bas-relief sculpture in general.  The idea of adding architectural “frames” around a figure intrigued me.  I remember thanking Eugene for opening my eyes to this art form, admitting that I had only thought before of bas-relief sculpture as “Puffy Painting” and had not been interested in it.  He seemed amused.

Eugene Daub taught bas relief with the same idea that my friend Vasily Fedorouk did:  as compressed form.  From then on, I looked at bas-relief in that way.  I had often assumed that some artists just did that badly.  Perhaps you can imagine my surprise this morning to hear Jason’s voice coming through my laptop to say that Donatello was the first sculptor to understand and successfully demonstrate this idea.  Sculptors before used mainly outlines to describe their forms!

"Rehearsal" bronze bas relief / wall hanging

Since Eugene’s class I have tackled many bas relief compositions.  Here are just a few:
"Oh Boy!"  [Mirror of Men, what a fun way to brush one’s teeth in the morning!], "Rehearsal" (the woman waving the large fabric over her head), and "Infinity" (created for the eighth wedding anniversary gift of bronze material, note the figure eight as the outside shape).


I have been thinking of new compositions to create in bas-relief because I think the story-telling ability is very similar to painting in that respect.  But I hope you enjoy the compositions that I have created thus far.

[Ask, please, about availability, or commission some art for yourself or another.]


Thank you for your interest and enthusiasm,
Kelly
~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor, painter, writer, teacher
http://BorsheimArts.com

"Infinity" bronze bas-relief sculpture by Kelly Borsheim

Donatello Bernini Sculpture Siena Italy

Donatello Bernini Sculpture Siena Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

On a rare occasion, some hoity toity artist lets me know that I have no taste in the finer artworks throughout history.  Fine… just because someone is famous or is important to art history because of a new way of creating images or influencing future artists does not mean that I have to actually adore every work by that artist.  I can still honor the significance of their contribution and be grateful that the work exists today.

One such artist I feel lukewarm about is Donatello.  Here I include an image of one of his more well-visited sculptures, a bronze.  He stands inside the magnificent Duomo of Siena, Italy, of which I cannot seem to stop sharing images with you.

On the other hand, I am a huge admirer of Bernini, who was born about two centuries after Donatello.  No doubt they are both part of the important continuation of great sculpture in human history.  I hope you enjoy these images of Bernini’s marble sculptures, also inside Siena’s amazing cathedral.  Bernini’s frenzied fabric designs rarely take away from the grace of the gesture in his figures.  Perhaps they show a contrast of struggle in the pursuit of a faith.  Lovely and full of movement, his work is.

If you find yourself in Tuscany before 26 October 2013, I hope you will go see the temporary unveiling of the highly decorative stone floor of the Duomo (Cathedral) in Siena. http://www.operaduomo.siena.it/

More of the Divina Bellezza or “Divine Beauty”exhibition and the Duomo in Siena in the next post.

If you would like more information about Siena and its gorgeous Duomo, check out these links:

http://www.operaduomo.siena.it/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siena_Cathedral
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Happy searching and if there is a topic you would enjoy my writing about, please let me know what it is.  Thank you for reading! 
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Thank you for your interest and support.
Saluti,
Kelly

Portrait of a Banker - Donatello

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

The sculpture that always makes me stop and admire him in Florence’s Bargello Museum is “Niccolò da Uzzano” by Donatello. This portrait is a painted terra-cotta sculpture and he is simply arresting. He is regal in pose and execution. Niccolò was the banker of the Medici family, made famous during the time of the Renaissance for their incredible support of artists.

When I got the opportunity to create a charcoal drawing of a white gesso (plaster) copy of this artwork, I jumped at it. I referred to my drawing in an earlier blog entry before I left for Texas this summer, and am so happy that after returning to Italy, I can say he is finished and available for your viewing pleasure.

The type of drawing I am currently doing here in Florence, Italy, is very detailed and time-consuming. I have been working for many months on ‘Niccolò’, spending an average of twelve hours a week on him. I am using the sight-size method of drawing, which means that I am pacing the floor a lot as I view the work from about 3 meters away before advancing to make a mark on the paper.

This drawing is actually done on a light grey Roma-brand paper. I use Nitram charcoals for my darks and white Rembrandt pastels for anything lighter than the paper itself. The idea is that the white and the black will never need to mix. This makes for a more difficult tonal study since I cannot just smudge my tones around.

“Donatello's Portrait of Niccolò da Uzzano” is just over 64 x 46 cm. He is available for only $2600 (US). And I would be happy to ship him anywhere in the world for you. Simply contact me with a shipping address and I can get you a quote for everything.

Thank you for your interest in my work and thank you for telling others about it. And if you know any bankers who might like this original drawing for their offices . . .

Click here to see other original drawings in charcoal.

Gesso Portrait Cast Study Drawing Florence Italy

Cari Amici,

Here are some images of the man I will be thinking about most of this summer. I miss him already, but had to stop working on him so that the painting workshop with Martinho Correia could begin. My man is the (oh-so-) late banker for the famous Medici family and my mission (which I have chosen to accept) is to create a drawing of the gesso (plaster) copy of the portrait sculpture by Donatello. The original sculpture is a terra cotta with colored glazes in the Bargello, Florence, Italy’s beloved sculpture museum (and I understand a former prison). I have always been drawn to this work, but barely recognized it all in white gesso.

Here you can see my set up with my drawing next to the plaster cast. Shadows are created by hanging stuff between the light source and the art in a manner that gives desired or at least interesting results. I am using the sight-size method, which means, among other things, that I will be getting plenty of exercise. I stand away from my drawing at some specific point, usually around three times the depth of the original. I decide upon a “click-in” spot to help me view my work and the original from the same angle each time. From this vantagepoint, I look and study. I make relationships. Then I advance to make a mark on the paper. Retreating, I realign my stance and check this mark. A lot of pacing, but the results are great training for the eye.



This particular project seems sexier to me than my other charcoal drawings. This time I am using a grey Roma paper with not only black charcoals, but also white pastels. The image above shows the grey paper with only the black added. The image below shows the beginning of the addition of white. I am using a Rembrandt white pastel, since it is the whitest I have found thus far. This technique gives me a better tonal range possible in the drawing. Mmm mmm mmmmmm



The idea of using the grey paper is to incorporate more of the paper into the design. White and black should never meet. There should always be some grey between, no matter how little. Otherwise, I will get mud. Thus far, I am in love and I intend to feed that love until I can get back to him in September.

In the meantime, I am designing some sculptures. Stay tuned . . . same bat channel.

Restoration of Donatello’s David Florence Italy

Here in Firenze (Florence, Italy), the Museo Nazionale del Bargello is conducting a thorough cleaning and restoration of Donatello’s most famous sculpture “David” (of the Bible story with Goliath) and they are doing it right inside the museum for visitors to see! It is happening upstairs immediately next to the place where the “David” is normally exhibited. The “David,” a bronze measuring 158 cm high x 51 cm wide, is the most well-known and admired of works by Donatello and was created sometime between 1427 and 1443.




I hope you enjoy my little images of the restorer at work. Note the microscope. The restorer is also using a scalpel to scrape away encrusted materials on the bronze. To quote the brochure:

“The previous maintenance work [done more than 100 years ago] has been carried out using unsuitable methods and materials which have caused uneven and quite large encrustations, to be formed on the surface. This has been caused because of ‘waxings’ mineralized and mixed with dust, forming layers over the numerous dark glazes which it was customary to apply to sculpture during the 18th and 19th centuries.”

“. . . Furthermore, localized use of the special laser, constantly readjusted as necessary (by consultancy with scientific experts) will be made to clean the gilded parts.”

I saw the restorer scraping at the metal with a scalpel and then daubing a cotton ball dipped in what was labelled as “White Spirit.” [yes, in English] This laborious work is expected to take 18 months, from June 2007 through all of 2008.

My friends and I also visited the Museo dell’Opificio delle Pietre Dure (Museum of the Factory of the Hard Stone) on Via Alfani. One can see around town, especially near the Pitti Palace, images that look like paintings but in fact are a stone mosaic of sorts. In-laid stones of the most amazing colors and patterns and fantastically well done.

The most fascinating pieces to me were the flower petals with gradated colors. They were probably hand-chosen and very carefully cut. They make the subject (often flowers or birds) look surprisingly 3-dimensional. They also showed some landscapes and sea scapes, with people and animals. Our favorites were waves made of what looked like petrified wood with tails and other body parts of sea creatures penetrating the ocean’s surfaces.

I hope you enjoy these images – remember, there is no painting done on these and I never noticed any kind of rock filler. They are quite lovely to behold and I recommend everyone visit this museum when you can. One of my clear favorites was the table with the sea shell patterns. I cannot image the time an artisan would have taken to even choose the stone!