Giovanni Bellini: Music, Art and Venice
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That Bellini had a keen interest in music appears to be certain since ten of his surviving works both sacred and secular include references to music. His depiction of instruments was painstakingly detailed as was his attention to detail in playing styles and performance practice. However it was to singing that he first turned his attention in his earliest major altarpiece to depict music-making.
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About the Book
Giovanni Bellini (c.1430-1516), an artist in whose works music, Venice and Christian spirituality converge, was one of the most esteemed painters of his age and his art has been appreciated down the centuries to the present day. His four altarpieces for Venetian churches which include the portrayal of music performance provide the basis for Giovanni Bellini: Music, Art and Venice. From each altarpiece springs a discussion of aspects of Venetian life and culture, spirituality and music. As two of the altarpieces were painted for Franciscan settings, the views of St. Francis and the Franciscans on music and art and the history and activity of the Franciscans in Venice form an integral part of the central section of the book. An overview of the use of music in Venetian art before and during Bellini’s lifetime puts Bellini’s work in this area in context, while a consideration of Venice’s position as an eminent city for music printing and instrument making provides the broader musical background. The harnessing of music to portray the harmonious nature of the Venetian state supported many celebrations of Venetian identity. Outdoor processions by the secular authorities to the churches contributed to that particular blend of Venetian spirituality, with echoes of Byzantium, which are visible in Bellini’s altarpieces. Music, art and Venice combine and coalesce in Bellini’s hands to create four of the most beautiful and compelling works of the Venetian Renaissance.
About the Author
Susan Grange is a musician and art historian specialising in fifteenth-century Venetian art. She teaches privately and in secondary education and has also taught in higher education. She is a regular reviewer of art books and exhibitions for an international online art journal. She lives with her husband in Nottingham.