Venice Receiving Homage from Hercules and Ceres
Dublin Core
Title
Description
In this painting, we see a multitude of figures, some of which are in the nude whereas others are defined by idealized drapery. Immediately, the first aspect noticed is the shape of the canvas: a rectangular center with 4 semicircular lobes extending from the main canvas, almost like a puzzle piece surrounded in a quatrefoil. This shape plays an important part in the function and the interpretation of the piece, which will be discussed later. Following the shape, the next aspects drawing attention are the features of the female figure of Venice, Hercules (left), and Ceres (right), as well their spatial relationship with each other. Drawn to the bright color of her clothing, in addition to the diagonal lines created by the bodies of Hercules and Ceres, the viewer’s eyes are first drawn to Lady Venice--identified by the lion of St. Mark at her feet. Bright colors of pink and gold illuminate her lower half, while her upper body recedes into the shade, giving the piece a sense of depth. This sense of depth is strengthened by the contrast in lighting in the scene: the foreground is illuminated by what appears to be sunlight whereas the background is much darker yet still contains bright hues of blue. In addition to her meticulous drapery, Lady Venice wears a pearl necklace in front of an open blue sky, a characteristic of classical Greco-Roman traditions that Veronese appropriates in his artwork [1].
Beneath her, the muscular Hercules bows his head, almost subserviently; meanwhile, the goddess of fertility, Ceres, looks up to Lady Venice in awe--thus creating a triangular shape, with Venice at its peak. This sense of geometry is repeated once again in the shape of the canvas. Within each semicircular lobe lies a body part of each figure: Hercules has his arm holding a club in the left lobe, Ceres has her arm extended in the right lobe, a child (presumably a child of Ceres) stands with its legs in the bottom lobe, and the head of Lady Venus lies in the upper lobe. Not only does this create another shape, a diamond, where Venice is at the upper peak but it also creates a sense of unity within the image--almost as if a body has been made from the individual parts of the figures. Through this, Veronese makes a statement: with the strength of Hercules (muscular arm), the eloquence of Ceres (arm), the wisdom and leadership of Venice (head), and the fertility associated with Ceres (baby legs), the myth of Venice is very much a reality. This geometric aspect is one that Veronese focused on, as seen in other pieces of his such as The Conversion of Mary Magdalene [2].
This painting was originally created for the ceiling of the Magistrato delle Biade in the Doge’s Palace, the administrative center in charge of the storage and sale of grain. Thus, the subject matter becomes even more relevant, and more importantly, specific. The lobes would allow for interconnectivity with other art pieces in the ceiling, allowing an overall fluid composition. Most likely commissioned by patricians associated with this office, Paolo Veronese brings in classical traditions for his work, likely influenced by the translated works of Greek philosophers Plutarch and Xenophon (available to Veronese by humanist Marcantonio Gandino) [3]. Thus, Veronese strengthens the myth of Venice while also connecting the art piece to the function of the room in which it was meant to be displayed.
[1] Britannica Educational Publishing Staff, 2009, The 100 Most Influential Painters and Sculptors of the Renaissance : 100 Most Influential Painters and Sculptors of the Renaissance. Chicago, IL: Rosen Publishing Group, Accessed September 29, 2020, ProQuest Ebook Central.
[2] Nicholas Penny, 2014, "Composition, Gesture and Meaning in an Early Painting by Veronese." Artibus Et Historiae (70): 211-219,249-251. https://login.proxy.lib.duke.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1646984251?accountid=10598.
[3] John Garton, “Paolo Veronese’s Art of Business: Painting, Investment, and the Studio as Social Nexus,” Renaissance Quarterly 65, no. 3 (Fall 2012): 753–808, doi:10.1086/668301.Creator
Source
- Used to see what formal characteristics are baseline for Veronese artworks
II. Journal article 2: Garton, John. “Paolo Veronese’s Art of Business: Painting, Investment, and the Studio as Social Nexus.” Renaissance Quarterly 65, no. 3 (Fall 2012): 753–808. doi:10.1086/668301.
- Used to see influences on Veronese’s artworks
III. Book: Britannica Educational Publishing Staff. 2009. The 100 Most Influential Painters and Sculptors of the Renaissance : 100 Most Influential Painters and Sculptors of the Renaissance. Chicago, IL: Rosen Publishing Group. Accessed September 29, 2020. ProQuest Ebook Central.
- Used to explore Veronese’s development as an artist, specifically what characteristics he adapted from classical studies
IV. Image citation: GALLERIE DELL'ACCADEMIA DI VENEZIA. Venice Receiving Homage from Hercules and Ceres. 2020. Gallerie Accademia, Venezia. http://www.gallerieaccademia.it/en/venice-receiving-homage-hercules-and-ceres.
V. Museum: “Venice Receiving Homage from Hercules and Ceres.” Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia, 2020. http://www.gallerieaccademia.it/en/venice-receiving-homage-hercules-and-ceres.
VI. Extra: Savage, David. “Veronese.” Cavallini to Veronese - Italian Renaissance Art, 2012. https://www.cavallinitoveronese.co.uk/general/view_artist/81.
Publisher
Image Source: GALLERIE DELL'ACCADEMIA DI VENEZIA. Venice Receiving Homage from Hercules and Ceres. 2020. Gallerie Accademia, Venezia. http://www.gallerieaccademia.it/en/venice-receiving-homage-hercules-and-ceres.