La Renaissance de Jan Gossaert
Directed by Maryan Aisworth
The exhibition on Gossaert, mentioned earlier, is accompanied by a big catalogue that can be used as an excellent language manual: though the essays are translated to French, the cards dedicated to each work of art have been indeed left in English. Real admirers shall persevere! The erotic dimension of the Flemish master (1478-1532) and his taste for mythology are obviously dealt with, but the specialists go even further, by dedicating for example a fascinating text (written by Stephanie Schrader) to cultural diplomacy. In order to defend the interests of the Netherlands (and have bishops named without the endorsement of the Holy-Siege), the ambassador to Rome, Philippe de Bourgogne, connived intelligently. He had Gossaert make marble copies of the antiques kept at the Vatican, thus arousing the friendship of Pope Julius II and pushing his own matters further forward than through a risky wrestle. Our current political leaders could draw some inspiration from the models of the Renaissance…
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Review published in the newsletter #204 - from 17 February 2011 to 23 February 2011