 Pietro da Cortona, The Golden Age, 1641-1646, fresco, Sala della Stufa, Palazzo Pitti, Florence. |
Pietro da Cortona is one of the biggest figures of the consolidated Baroque. By 1620´s he started painting in Rome. He was very influenced by classicism at the beginning of his carreer. The style of Domenichino marked him in a special way.
Pietro da Cortona worked for important families as Barberini. Urbano VIII came from this family. Cortona painted one of his most famous frescos to this character, the masterpiece is called The Triumph of Divine Providence and it represents Barberini´s power.
Cortona gets a great optical illusion in his frescos. He gets it by luminous skies and a space that seems to be open. It comes more evident because Cortona uses an original perspective called "sotto in su", that is, from bottom to top. Cortona´s figures talk us about a classicism that is influenced by Raphael and brilliant colours remind us the best Titian.
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Pietro da Cortona, The Triumph of Divine Providence, 1633-1639, fresco, Palazzo Barberini, Rome. |
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Pietro da Cortona, Urbano VIII, c.1627, oil on canvas, 199 x 128 cm. |
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Pietro da Cortona, The Apotheosis of Aeneas, 1651-1654, fresco, Palazzo Doria Pamphili. |
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Pietro da Cortona, The Stoning of St.Stephen, c.1660, oil on canvas, 260´5 x 149 cm, The Hermitage, S.Petersburg. |
Written by:
Beatriz Aragonés Escobar.
Licentiate in Art History.