Federico Barocci: Renaissance Master

In the summer of 2008, oh so many moons ago, I interned at the Saint Louis Art Museum as a curatorial research assistant. I spent three months reading and thinking of nothing but Federico Barroci, an Italian Renaissance artist who was born and died in Urbino, Italy (c. 1526 - 1612). While he is not a widely known artist in modern times, Barocci was one of the most influential artists of the 16th and 17th centuries. His mastery of color and the vast collection of preparatory drawings he left behind, show him to be one of the most creative and methodical artists of his time. Due to this, Dr. Judith Mann of the Saint Louis Art Museum decided it was high time that this relatively unknown master get a little bit of the spotlight. After many years of planning and preparation on behalf of museum staff, external curators, and dozens of interns, the show is finally here. Read more about it at the online at Federico Barocci: Renaissance Master.

After four years of waiting, I was happy to see Judy's show finally come to fruition. I made my way up to the museum Thursday to see the exhibit with great anticipation and I was not disappointed. I began by taking up my audio tour and entered into the introductory gallery. Here I was met by a self-portrait of the man himself. His soft brown eyes glowed out at me, inviting and warm, and if I hadn't of liked him already his portrait would have definitely won me over. The way he captured his own gaze in oils and pigments shows, in many ways, how he saw the world and thus why he portrayed it the way he did in his art. The audio guide introduces the viewer to Barocci and the show, as well as all the contributors and sponsors of the exhibit. Then I was introduced to the first of many Barocci preparatory drawings, over a hundred, which make up the vast majority of the show.

The large number of drawings and cartoons in the show are, in my opinion, what make it so great. While it is always awe inspiring to see a completed work on a grand scale, I personally have always been more interested in the creative process of such grand pieces. I like to see how the characters of each painting were developed and shaped. This is why Barocci is the best subject for such a show, since he has left behind probably more preparatory drawings than any other Renaissance master. Here you can see Barocci's processes, which figures he struggled with and how saints came to their final poses. It's almost like following a timeline of drawings until you come to the culmination; the finished painting, fantastical and towering over you.

Many of Barocci's works are devotional alter pieces and, while looking up at these beautiful compositions, somewhere inside me a younger Maggie in her Catholic school uniform was wondering if she should genuflect. The works and their drawings are astoundingly beautiful. Barocci had this great way of portraying figures' faces, where they seem to glow with an aura all their own. One particularly great set of drawings near La Madonna del Gatto (The Madonna of the Cat), show how the artist developed such a radiant face for the Virgin Mary; first starting with a sketch of an actual model and next to that another sketch where the woman's head has been softened and idealized. His glowing characters are often shown in very innovative poses, which is one of the reasons Barocci was such a groundbreaking artist. Despite this, there is also evidence of his taking ideas from previous masters, such as Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio), also from Urbino. This can be seen when comparing Barocci's Entombment with Raphael's The Deposition (not included in show). And these are just a couple of examples of some of Barocci's works on display in this exhibition.

The thoughtfully planned layout of the exhibit allows visitors to stroll through and take in all the drawings and their paintings, one at a time. The audio guide provides information on each painting and covers anywhere from three to five drawings per piece. The exhibit also has ample text in the form large panels and individual labels. In some areas, magnifying glasses are provided that enable visitors to get a closer look at prints and drawings. There is also an information video in one of the galleries, where curators and museum directors explain more about Barocci, his life, his techniques, and his art. I can grantee that by the time the visitor exits this exhibit they will know so much more about the artist and his process. So much so, they'll be wondering how they had never even heard of Barocci in the first place.

Federico Barocci: Renaissance Master is an excellent exhibition that allows visitors to not only look at exceptional devotional artworks but also allows them to see how those artworks were developed. It displays Barocci's skills as a painter, printer, and draftsman. I highly recommend this exhibit to anyone who is passionate about art and the artistic process.

Remember to Vote Tuesday!

Hi all and apologies for the lack of recent posts. I have spent a lot of time recently working and researching political candidates. Allow me to take a moment to encourage everyone to vote and to be an informed voter. Every election is important and folks should take the time to carefully research and consider each candidate.

I also wanted to share what has been my mantra/power song this election season. This one's for the ladies! Huzzah for 92 years of women voting! Sister Suffragette