Giovanni Bellini and Andrea Mantegna are among the lesser-known names from the 15th and 16th century rinascimento in Italy. In fact, if you hear the name Bellini a certain peachy punch might come to mind before Venetian painter does. Mantegna is scarcely heard of in modern culture. That was until now, with The National Gallery in London showcasing both Mantegna and Bellini’s works side by side in a new exhibition.
The exhibition considers the parallel lives of the two brothers-in-law and their relationship that inspired creativity in one another as well as a great deal of artistic rivalry.
Mantegna was the son of a carpenter came from a poor family. Francesco Squarcione took him on as an apprentice when he was 11 years old.
Mantegna was one of Squaricone’s favourite students. Squaricone often passed on his particular interest in ancient Rome to his students – indeed this influence can be seen in many of Mantegna’s paintings. Mantegna enjoyed the creative artistic world of his hometown of Padua, where he drew influence from the likes of Donatello.
He then came under the influence of Jacopo Bellini, a famous Venetian painter and father of Giovanni Bellini. It is through this artistic schooling that Mantegna met Jacopo Bellini’s daughter Niccolosa who in 1453 was to become his wife.
After establishing himself in Padua, Mantegna was made the court artist of Mantua by Ludovico III Gonzago. It was during this period that he painted his famous The Triumphs of Caesar.
Mantegna is now considered one of the most innovative Italian Renaissance artists with his work anticipating many of the stylistic elements of the Baroque era.
Mantegna: From rags to riches
ARTE E CULTURA
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Mantegna and Bellini at the National Gallery
Sarah Vowles is the Hamish Swanston Curator of Italian and French prints and drawings, and is responsible for a collection that dates from the Renaissance to the late nineteenth century.
She is co-curator of Mantegna and Bellini at the National Gallery (currently showing until 27 January 2019) and has curated exhibitions of French portrait drawings and Italian Renaissance drawings for the British Museum.
Will: Who were Mategna and Bellini?
Sarah Vowles: Mantegna and Bellini are two renaissance artists. Both around in the 15th century. Both of them in very different ways proved to be enormously important. So for instance, Bellini becomes the centre of the landscape revival and the interest of the very emotive effects of the Madonna and child. Mantegna, on the other hand, presents a real interest in antiquity and in trying to bring that back into the use of his art form.
Will: What is the general argument or point of the exhibition?
SV: It’s taken a long time. I’ve been involved for a little over 2 years, but I know that my colleagues here at the national gallery and also in Berlin have been talking about it for much longer, about 10 years or so, when the idea was first floated. This has been in advanced development for the last 2 years. We’ve been travelling, looking at things, making loan requests… It’s been intense but it’s been fun.
W: Just to get a sense of the scale of the project, where have the paintings come from?
SV: All over the place, largely from Europe, but also from America. So we have things from the Washington National Gallery of Art, the Met [the Metropolitan Museum of Art], the Academia in Venice, the Uffizi in Florence, the Louvre in Paris…
W: Something I’ve always wondered is how difficult is it to transport old masterpieces from country to country?
SV: Well of course you’ve got to be very careful, so everything is sent in crates – so when we were installing the exhibition we had some absolutely enormous crates, and these are generally sent in the cargo holds of aircraft. So you have to travel with them as part of the career, if you’re from that particular area to make sure that everything’s okay.