“Art and Love in Renaissance Italy” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

By: Dorothy Gale

 

Venus Blindfolding Cupid, by Titian, ca. 1565, Borghese Gallery

When you really love a historical period, your ideal is an exhibition that brings it to life — one that not only reinforces what you already know, but goes beyond that to show you something really new. Such a show is “Art and Love in Renaissance Italy.” I put off going to see this exhibition because I was afraid it would contain nothing but sixteenth-century paintings of “beautiful women” and complacent married couples. In the end, I hauled myself into the galleries mainly to look at costume detail. And I’m glad I did, because the exhibition is full of wonderful things — textiles, metalwork, ceramics, prints, books, woodwork, carved ivory, and, yes, even some wonderful painting.

At its most successful, the labels and objects in this exhibition work together to create a vivid window into the everyday life of Renaissance Italy, particularly into the life-transforming rituals surrounding marriage and childbirth. There is a wealth of detail on the different ceremonies connected with betrothal and marriage — and all the material objects created to commemorate them. “It is unbelievable how much is spent on these new weddings.” This sentiment might have been uttered today, but in fact it was written by Leonardo Bruni in 1412. The exhibition is full of expensive items commissioned by the wealthiest families, many with highly-visible coats of arms. But through these objects — through the custom-made tableware for the wedding banquet, and the fabric and furniture bought to decorate the new home — you can still catch glimpses of ordinary life.

All the components of the bride’s trousseau are fascinating, too — little gifts given by the bride’s family and by the groom, like an engraved needle case, a painted comb, or a gilded trinket box. Some are exquisite works of art, like the gold-embroidered cap, and the enameled girdle given to the museum by J.P. Morgan back in 1917.

 

Cradle, Italian, 16th century, Philadelphia Museum of Art

It is extraordinary to see so many objects from the same time and place brought together in one exhibition. In the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Renaissance material is divided between several departments, and connecting the chronological dots is like going on a treasure hunt. But some of the most interesting objects in “Art and Love” are actually on loan from other museums and collections. There is a baby’s cradle from the Philadelphia Museum of Art. There is a blue glass cup from the Toledo Museum of Art with enamel decoration as exquisite as any medieval manuscript illumination. There is a wafering iron from the Victoria & Albert Museum used to make sweets for the wedding banquet. There are so many objects in so many different media in this exhibition that it is easy to see how weddings and births helped to support the art and craft communities.

To me, the most compelling of the paintings are the crowded mythological and historical scenes used to decorate the newlyweds’ bedroom. But almost every painting shows something interesting: embroidered shirts and jewelry, the clutter of a lived-in interior, the loving relationship between husband and wife, parent and child.

As the show progresses from the concrete details of everyday life toward an exploration of more abstract ideas of love and beauty, I found my mind wandering. Perhaps more literary references of the kind that the labels assure us existed would have been helpful. Perhaps my feet were tired — this is a large show, and reading every label will take you a while.

If you have any interest at all in the Italian Renaissance, however, you are sure to find something fascinating in “Art and Love”. Catch it quick, before it closes.

“Art and Love in Renaissance Italy” is on view through February 16^th

 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

1000 Fifth Avenue

Take the 4-5-6 Train to 86th Street, the 6 Train to 77th Street, or the M1, M2, M3, M4 bus to 79th Street

Museum Hours: Tues-Thurs 9:30-5:30, F & Sat 9:30-9, Sun 9:30-5:30. Closed Mondays except Holiday Mondays. See the web site for details.

Exhibitions Web Site: www.metmuseum.org/special/index.asp

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I love the art and the museums , Italy is one of the most important house of the art, excellent pictures and the writter Bruni is the best one.

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wow amazing information, I'm jealous of you because I love this type of exhibitions, because the paintings make my imagination fly. BTW I love the Cradle

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I haven't gone to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but I willing to go, because people say it is one of the best museums of the world, thank you for sharing...

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