Niccolo Pisano. Great sculptors

Niccolo Pisano(Pisano, Niccolò, around 1220 - between 1278 and 1284) - founder of the school of Italian sculpture, father of the sculptor Giovanni Pisano, Italian sculptor and architect, founder of sculpture Proto-Renaissance* While working in Pisa, he became so close to the city that he received the nickname Pisano, with which he entered the history of Italian art.

Pisano's date of birth is unknown. Born in Apulia, in the archives of the Siena Cathedral he is named as the son of Pietro from Apulia, possibly studied in local Apulian workshops that worked for the emperor's court Frederick II* - center for the dissemination of classical traditions. Around 1245 he moved to Tuscany and worked at the Castello del Imperatore in Prato. It is assumed that the image of lions on the castle portal was made by Niccolo Pisano. The Head of a Girl, which is exhibited in Rome at the Palazzo Venezia, is also considered to be the work of Niccolò Pisano from the Tuscan period. Pisano later moved to Lucca. On the facade of St. Martin's Cathedral he made reliefs "Nativity" and "Adoration of the Magi"(northern tympanum). The sculptor settled in Pisa between 1245 and 1250. His son Giovanni was born here. In documents from this time on, Niccolo appears as Niccolo Pisano.

Near 1255 year he received an order for pulpit for the baptistery(Baptistery of St. John in Pisa). The work was carried out with several assistants, among whom were Arnolfo di Cambio and Lapo di Richevuto. This first work signed by the sculptor is considered one of the masterpieces; in it, Pisano managed to combine traditional subjects and motifs of the classical late Roman style. According to Vasari, Pisano studied Roman sculpture from the time of Augustus, its strong influence is felt in the pulpit of the Pisa Baptistery. The hexagonal structure of white, rose-red and dark green marble rests on arches carved in the shape of a Gothic trefoil, supported by tall columns. In the corners of the arches are located figure four the main virtues (of which the most famous is the allegory of Strength in the image of naked Hercules), John the Baptist and the Archangel Michael. Of the six outer columns, three rest on the backs of lions bending over captured prey, which in the symbolism of Romanesque art signifies the triumph of Christianity. The base of the central column is decorated with grotesque images human figures- a heretic, a sinner and an unbaptized person, as well as a vulture, a dog and a lion, holding a ram's and a bull's head and an owl between its front paws. Probably the sculptor was inspired by the triumphal arches that he saw in Rome during his trips to Ostia. Just like in the Pisa pulpit, sculptures Arc de Triomphe Constantine is crowned with column capitals, and the balustrade is decorated with reliefs. The reliefs depict scenes from the life of Christ: the Annunciation and Nativity, the Adoration of the Magi, the Bringing to the Temple, the Crucifixion, Last Judgment. The reliefs of the pulpit, with the exception of the Crucifixion and the Last Judgment, reflect his familiarity with the images on ancient Roman sarcophagi from Camposanto. Pisano also used the technology of ancient masters in his work. At the same time, the sculptor rethought classic images in a Christian vein, filling it with new content. The composition of the Crucifixion is based on Byzantine examples, known from ivory items; the Last Judgment is interpreted in the spirit of French Gothic. Initially, the reliefs from Carrara marble were painted to give greater expressiveness.

Baptistery pulpit in Pisa. Niccolo Pisano .1260g.

Allegory of Power. Relief of the pulpit of the Baptistery in Pisa. Niccolo Pisano . 1260g.

Adoration of the Magi. Relief of the pulpit of the Baptistery in Pisa. Niccolo Pisano. Marble. 1260g.

Between 1260 and 1264 Over the years, he completed the construction of the dome of the Baptistery in Pisa, which was begun by the architect Diotisalvi. Pisano increased the height of the baptistery and crowned it with a system of two domes: on top of the hemispherical dome he placed a small one in the shape of a truncated cone. The facade of the baptistery was decorated with sculptures by Niccolo's son Giovanni in 1277-1284. In 1264, Niccolò was commissioned to create a reliquary for the relics of St. Dominic in the Basilica of San Domenico in Bologna. Pisano certainly developed the design for the ark, but Niccolò's contribution to the materialization of the design was probably minimal.

From 1265 to 1269 Niccolò Pisano created a similar one, but bigger size octagonal pulpit for the Siena Cathedral with the help of his son Giovanni Pisano and a student of Arnoldo Donato and di Cambio. The reliefs of this pulpit contain a larger number of figures, whose movements seem more excited and expressive. The strong influence of French Gothic art is noticeable here; the artist probably visited France. In those same years, together with Fra Guglielmo Niccolo Pisano, he created the tomb of St. Dominica for the church of the same name in Bologna (1264-1267).

Pulpit of the Cathedral in Siena. 1265-68

Jesus. Relief of the pulpit of the Cathedral in Siena. .1265-68

Madonna and Child. Relief of the pulpit of the Cathedral in Siena. Pisano Niccolo. Pisano Giovanni .1265-68

The master's last work was a fountain to decorate the cathedral square in Perugia (1278) , in the creation of which his son Niccolo, Giovanni, also participated. According to Vasari, Niccolo Pisano built the Church of Santa Trinita in Florence (1258-1280) - a monument that is an example of Cistercian Gothic on Italian soil.

Fonte Maggiore in Perugia. Pisano Niccolo. Pisano Giovanni. 1278

1. * Proto-Renaissance(from the Greek protos - “first” and French Renaissance - “Rebirth”) - a stage in history Italian culture preceding the Renaissance, falling on the Ducento (1200s) and Trecento (1300s). It is considered transitional from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. The term was first introduced by the Swiss historian J. Burckhardt. IN Italian culture XIII-XIV centuries Against the backdrop of the still strong Byzantine and Gothic traditions, features of a new art began to appear - the future art of the Renaissance. That is why this period of its history was called the Proto-Renaissance. There was no similar transition period in any of the European countries. In Italy itself, proto-Renaissance art existed only in Tuscany and Rome. The art of the Proto-Renaissance is characterized by the emergence of tendencies towards a sensual, visual reflection of reality, secularism (in contrast to the art of the Middle Ages), and the emergence of interest in the ancient heritage ( characteristic of art Renaissance).

2. * Frederick II Staufen(Friedrich von Staufen; December 26, 1194, Jesi, province of Ancona, Papal States, now Italy - December 26, 1250, Fiorentino Castle near Lucera, province of Apulia, Kingdom of Sicily, now Italy) - king of Germany (Roman king) from December 5, 1212, Holy Roman Emperor from November 22, 1220, King of Sicily (under the name Federigo I). From the Hohenstaufen dynasty, son of Henry VI and Constance of Sicily, grandson of Frederick I Barbarossa and King Roger II. Head of the 6th crusade 1228-1229.

Image of Frederick II from his book De arte venandi cum avibus (On the Art of Hunting with Birds), late 13th century, Vatican Apostolic Library

The first images of the Magi appear very early, in the 3rd century, in the painting of the catacombs, in the reliefs of early Christian sarcophagi, where the theme of the Incarnation of the Savior was often revealed through the plot of “The Adoration of the Magi.” This subject became widespread in the fine arts after the Edict of Milan. The theme of the Magi was very popular in the Western part of the empire, partly because in the wise men who came to the Lord from the unknown eastern pagan lands, the recently converted pagans saw a certain prototype of themselves, their ancient culture, who has now turned to the Light.

The composition “Adoration of the Magi” arose under the influence of traditional ancient art depictions of the worship of the conquered barbarians to the emperor. On the reliefs of the sarcophagi, the Mother of God with the Child in her arms is presented in profile. Behind Her throne-like chair is often depicted the righteous Joseph the Betrothed. The Magi are depicted as marching and walking. The first of them usually points with his hand to the star standing above the head of the Infant Christ.

The Gospel reports that the wise men came from the East, so the most common view among Christian interpreters was that the Magi came from Persia, although there were opinions that they came from Arabia, Mesopotamia or even Ethiopia. The ancient artist believed that beyond the borders of the empire, somewhere beyond the Euphrates, there lived semi-barbarian peoples, the Persians, who did not dress like a Roman citizen. And the Magi are dressed in accordance with these ideas: they always wear trousers (and not the classic long tunics), short shirts and cloaks, and their heads are covered with peculiar forward-curved caps.

Sarcophagus of “Two Testaments” or “dogmatic”. 325-350 Vatican Museums, Rome. Fragment

Gospel cover. 2nd half of the 6th century. Treasury of the Duomo, Milan. Fragment

In the Mediterranean, all the inhabitants of the distant eastern lands were imagined this way: the three youths in the fiery furnace, who lived as captives in Babylon, are always depicted in exactly the same clothes.

The presentation of gifts itself is depicted in accordance with the text: the first magician gives gold, but not in coins, as we might expect, and not in bullion. The gift is a golden crown, on which sometimes even details resembling leaves are visible. Such golden wreaths could be awarded to triumphants and generals; The weight of the wreath was calculated in talents. If the first gift is gold, then it is easy to guess that the second is incense, the third is myrrh, which are depicted on small trays, in caskets or jugs.

Sometimes the sculptor depicts the Infant God receiving a crown from a sorcerer in His hands.

As a rule, images of camels are very expressive. Some artists manage to make them surprisingly charming and touching, so much so that you can imagine them as characters in a good cartoon for the little ones.

It is obvious that the first Christian artists very freely and widely used the heritage of ancient art in the creative process. Sometimes they even borrowed pagan images And individual characters, which were rethought, received a new interpretation. Compositional schemes, individual details, and decorative motifs developed over centuries were used. For example, next to Gospel story a decorative mask or figurines of winged geniuses and cupids could be placed.

Sometimes the composition was built not according to the procession pattern, but symmetrically around the central axis. For example, this option can be seen on an ampoule from Monza: frontal image The Virgin and Child are flanked by groups of wise men and shepherds.

The mosaicists who worked in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore also chose a symmetrical solution. The Magi in bright, luxuriously decorated clothes are depicted on either side of the throne on which the Child sits.

The mysterious, unknown world of the East, rich in gold, gems, incense and spices, has always excited the imagination of the inhabitants of the western part of the Roman Empire. And when depicting the costumes of oriental sages, so much color, decor, such coloristic combinations and fantastic ornamental motifs are sometimes used that one can only envy such unbridled imagination of the artists.

Quite early, already in the monuments of the 6th century, the Magi begin to be depicted not as beardless youths, but as men of three ages: an old man, a middle-aged man and a young man. The age gradation emphasized the idea that, in the person of the Eastern sages, the entire human race, from young to old, worships the Incarnate God.

Most often, three wise men are depicted, according to the number of gifts brought. However, for some time the exact number was not indicated in Tradition. Gradually, the opinion was established that there were three of them, although some works speak of 2, 4, 6, 8 Magi. And in the Syrian Church there was a legend about twelve wise men who came to Judea, accompanied by servants. In some works one can notice echoes of various versions about the number of Magi. Yes, on Byzantine fresco from the Cappadocian cave temple depicts six wise men.

In the same work there is another interesting detail: not shown above Star of Bethlehem, and an angel pointing to the Infant God. Throwing his head back strongly, one of the Magi looks at the angel just as in other monuments the Magi looks at a star. It can be assumed that such an artistic decision arose under the influence of the opinion of St. John Chrysostom, who believed that the star was not an astronomical phenomenon, but “an invisible force that took the form of a star.” We see a similar solution in one of the most beautiful works Byzantine art- mosaic of the Church of the Assumption in Daphne.

In the Middle Ages, the opinion arose that the Magi were kings. This view is based on the psalmist's prediction: “The kings of Tarshish and the isles will bring him tribute; the kings of Arabia and Sheba will bring gifts. And all kings will worship him; all nations will serve him” (Ps. 71: 10-11), as well as on the prophecy of Isaiah (Is.: 60: 6). IN Western European art The Magi were often depicted as kings.

There was an interpretation according to which the Magi were the descendants of Shem, Japheth and Ham, as if representatives of all nations and prefigured the Universal Church. In the West, one of the Magi was first depicted as dark-skinned, and later as black.

In the 18th century, when metropolitan Russian artists were entirely focused on european art, the image of a dark-skinned sorcerer also appears in Russia.

In Byzantine easel painting(icon painting) the scene “Adoration of the Magi” is included in the composition “The Nativity of Christ” as one of the depicted episodes. Chronologically, the worship of the Magi took place somewhat later than the worship of the shepherds, when holy family has already been located in one of the houses in Bethlehem. But in Christian art It is allowed to combine events at different times in one composition. To clearly express the theological meaning of what is happening, some formal details may not be emphasized or even ignored.

Icon. VII – IX centuries Monastery of St. Catherine, Sinai

In addition to the scene of the worship of the Virgin and Child, the Magi are depicted in the scenes: “Journey beyond the Star”, “The Magi before Herod”, “Return to Their Countries”.

Icon. End of the 11th – beginning of the 12th century. Constantinople. Monastery of St. Catherine, Sinai

During the Renaissance, complex multi-figure compositions were created, actors which are often the artist’s contemporaries. The painting by Sandro Botticelli in the retinue of the Magi depicts the Medici family, their court, and the artist himself. This desire to portray oneself in a biblical story is initially rooted not in some kind of pride of narcissism or political interests, but in a sincere desire to participate in what is happening, to become involved in a miracle. The customers of the paintings wanted their prayer and worship to be offered and accepted by God in such a visible way. Although it happened that the artist was so ruthlessly accurate that, perhaps, he conveyed something that the customer did not plan to make explicit.

Painters often intuitively, and sometimes quite consciously, place biblical scenes in the “scenery” of their era. Italians depict the nativity scene as they are accustomed to seeing it in their homeland - a canopy covered with straw or tiles, or an ancient ruin. Northern masters place the caravan of the Magi on the snowy street of a quiet burgher town, as Pieter Bruegel the Elder does.

IN St. Isaac's Cathedral in 2017 in the chapel of St. Catherine exhibited the mosaic icon “Adoration of the Magi.”

The icon was made for a chapel under construction near the village of Peniki (Peniki - Finnish Penikkala, translated - Shchenkovo, in the old days the owner of the estate kept a kennel here). Peniki is located in Lomonosovsky district Leningrad region. The chapel will stand on the Tsarskoye Meadow on Bronnaya Hill, which offers a beautiful view of the expanses of the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland and the island of Kotlin. At this place during Crimean War In 1854-1855, the Russian command, headed by the heir to the throne ALEXANDER NIKOLAEVICH, was located, observing the maneuvers of the Anglo-French fleet in the bay. The chapel will be consecrated in the name of the holy noble prince ALEXANDER NEVSKY - the saint named after Emperor ALEXANDER II and the heavenly patron of warriors. It is planned to build a crypt in the chapel in which this icon will be placed.

The mosaic “Adoration of the Magi” took 8 years to complete. The masters used 300 shades of smalt (let me clarify that nearby, in the iconostasis, there are icons made in the 19th and early 20th centuries in the workshop of the Academy of Arts using 12,000 shades of smalt). The mosaic was made in the Cantarel studio under the direction of Igor Yuryevich LAVRENENKO (b. 1962). A. GOLOMAZOV, S. KABANOV, I. ​​LAVRENENKO, V. SHERSHNEV, E. BAURINA, O. LAVRENENKO, I. ARNO, D. ARNO, A. KONTSEVICH took part in the recruitment. The icon was created on the initiative of the Dean of St. Petersburg State University, Doctor of Philology, Professor S.I. BOGDANOV.

The original painting for the mosaic was written by Alexander GOLOMAZOV - it is a copy of Burne-Jones's drawing.

Watercolor by Burne-Jones.

Edward Coley BURNE-JONES (1833-1898) was an English painter and illustrator close in spirit to the Pre-Raphaelites, one of the most prominent representatives of the Arts and Crafts movement. Widely known for its stained glass windows. His paintings are almost flat, there is no pronounced play of chiaroscuro. He focuses on line; the color of his works is often golden-orange. The detail and excessive realism of the Pre-Raphaelites are uncharacteristic of Burne-Jones. His characters are static, their faces are detached, and their poses are more reminiscent of graceful poses of statues. There is almost no dynamics in the paintings, only contemplation.

Tapestry "Adoration of the Magi". 1890 UK, Surrey, Merton Abbey.
Original author: Burne-Jones Edward Coley (1833-1898). Craftsman: Morris William and Company (1834-1896).
Wool, trellis weaving. 255 x 379 cm.
State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg. Not represented in permanent exhibition. The item arrived in 1949, transferred from State Museum new Western art.

Fragments of a trellis.

Tapestry from the collection State Hermitage- the seventh of ten versions that made famous the workshop of William MORRIS at Merton Abbey. All tapestries were woven one after another over a period of 17 years from 1890 to 1907 from the same cardboard created in 1888. The replicas differ slightly in detail and color.

According to William Morris, medieval tapestry was a "bright dream" for him, and he considered tapestry weaving "the noblest of all applied arts, since there is nothing mechanical in it,” and therefore he wanted to recreate in his works the principles of the medieval weavers of Arras and the craftsmen from the banks of the Loire. Although the most famous creation of the workshop at Merton Abbey was destined to become the series of tapestries “The History of the Holy Grail,” it was “The Adoration of the Magi” that Morris spoke of in a letter dated April 5, 1893, as his most significant achievement at that time. The tapestry became the most popular product of the workshop, since the plot attracted both church ministers and secular customers.

The cardboard for the trellis was created as follows: Burne-Jones provided Morris with a watercolor sketch, which was then photographed and enlarged to the size of the finished trellis. The photo-cardboard was worked out by Burne-Jones in detail regarding the figures and the overall compositional design, and Morris and his student John Henry DEARL developed the details of clothes and background, border and color scheme.

"Adoration of the Magi." Sketch.
Photo paper, watercolor. 240 x 375.9 cm.
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK.

Burne-Jones's workshop. Burne-Jones and Morris.

Tapestry made for Exeter College, Oxford. Exhibition "Pre-Raphaelites: Victorian Avant-Garde" at the Museum of Fine Arts. Pushkin (2013).

In St. Isaac's Cathedral there is another image of this subject - the high relief “Adoration of the Magi” by Ivan VITALI in the tympanum of the southern pediment. The sculpture was made in 1845, cast in bronze at the Karl BERD factory and installed in 1846. Height of the figures: Virgin Mary - 4.96 m, St. Joseph - 3.02 m, Child Christ - 2.42 m.

The Adoration of the Magi is a theological and iconographic story about wise men (in the Slavic translation the word “magi” is used) who came from the East to worship the Child Jesus and bring him gifts. The gifts were gold (a royal gift, showing that Jesus was a Man born to be a King), frankincense (a gift to the priest, since Jesus came to become the new Teacher and true High Priest) and myrrh (it was used in ancient Israel to embalm the body of the deceased, this gift refers to the coming atoning sacrifice of Christ). The number of wise men, their origins and names are not mentioned in the Bible. In theological texts early Middle Ages names and descriptions of appearance appeared: Caspar (a beardless youth), Melchior (a bearded old man) and Belshazzar (a dark-skinned man).

Based on materials:
Syrov A. Forgotten sights of the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. Guide. M.: Tsenrtpoligraf, 2011.

Three ancient sages-foretellers (magi ancient Russian name stargazers) noticed in the sky new star. They interpreted it as a sign of the birth of an extraordinary baby. Following the guiding star, they found the newly born Jesus Christ and his mother Mary in the city of Bethlehem. Bowing before the miraculous baby, the Magi offered gifts of gold, incense and myrrh (fragrant resin). Many artists have addressed the theme of “The Adoration of the Magi.” In theological works there is no consensus on who the Magi were, what they looked like, where they came from: from Arabia, Ancient Babylon or mysterious India? All this allowed artists to give their own interpretation of the plot.

At the end of the 15th century, when Leonardo began his creative path, center cultural life Florence became the so-called “Plato Academy”. It united scientists, writers and philosophers of that time. The patron of the academy was the unofficial ruler of the city Lorenzo Medici, nicknamed the Magnificent. Translations and interpretations of the works of ancient authors, which were carried out by Florentine academicians, influenced their attitude towards fine arts. Painting seemed to them nothing more than an illustration philosophical ideas And poetic works. This was reflected in the work of the artist closest to the academy, Sandro Botticelli. Following the instructions of his mentors, he created several works that were reconstructions of paintings ancient artists or served as an interpretation of the poems of the poet Angelo Poliziano.

The painting “The Adoration of the Magi” is indicative of Botticelli’s work. At first glance, it does not differ from the works of other artists on the same subject. Perhaps there is only more solemnity and festivity here, characteristic of Botticelli’s style. Diffused light allows him to subtly model volumes, calms the brightness of clothes and only occasionally flashes with bright highlights on metal objects and gold embroidery. The faces and figures of the characters are surprisingly delicately written.

But if you look closely at the picture, the question naturally arises: why did the artist so clearly try to draw attention to individual figures? Why did he depict it in the foreground? young man, leaning on a sword, out of place in the "Adoration" scene? If we consider the structure of the composition, it becomes clear that it is built in the form of a triangle and its apex is the group of Mary and the baby. But in the shallow space of the picture, enclosed by a rock and the remains of walls, the viewer’s gaze is transferred from small central figures to a group of magnificently dressed wise men. Thus, the semantic center of the composition is shifted, and the main plot is relegated to the background.

It is known that the painting was made to order. On the right side, Botticelli tried to present characters who clearly did not fit into the composition. He captured their profiles superimposed on each other, like images on Egyptian reliefs. At the same time, only a small part of the face was visible to the viewer, and there was not enough space for the figures themselves. The question is legitimate: why did such a skilled master as Botticelli need to overload the already shallow space of the work, thereby violating its integrity? Isn't it easier to eliminate unnecessary figures altogether? Apparently, Botticelli received precise instructions from the customer about who and how should be depicted in the painting and what it should tell the audience. And there were a lot of spectators, almost the whole of Florence, since the work was intended for the church of Santa Maria Novella, one of the most revered in the city.

Knowledge of the history of Florence at the end of the 15th century will help to understand the reasons for such a structure of the composition and more accurately date the Adoration of the Magi. Art researchers attribute the creation of the work to 1475–1478. And it can be assumed that only one significant event that occurred at the end of this period could be reflected in the picture. In April 1478, a group of conspirators led by the Pazzi family attacked the Medici brothers to seize power in the city. They managed to kill one of them, Giuliano, but the ruler of the city, Lorenzo the Magnificent, escaped thanks to the help of the poet Angelo Poliziano. The conspiracy was suppressed with extraordinary cruelty, and subsequently the opponents of the Medici were subjected to constant persecution.

Apparently, after this, the noble Florentine Gaspare di Zanobi del Lama ordered Botticelli to paint a painting on the theme “The Adoration of the Magi.” But it was not only the pious desire to decorate the Church of Santa Maria Novella that guided the customer, but the intention to express commitment to the policies of Lorenzo Medici.

Art historian research and iconographic data creative heritage A. Verrocchio, D. Ghirlandaio and Botticelli’s students suggest that the old man in black and gold clothes depicted at the feet of Mary and the baby is the founder of the Medici dynasty, Cosimo the Elder. Two kneeling wise men in red and white robes are his sons Pietro and Giovanni. On the left side of the composition, the figure of a young man with an arrogant expression on his face attracts attention - this is Lorenzo the Magnificent, grandson of Cosimo. He leans on a sword, a symbol of reprisal against the conspirators. His savior Angelo Poliziano hugs him from behind, as if covering Lorenzo with his body. On the right side, among the brightly dressed characters, the figure of a young man in black stands out. This is Lorenzo's brother Giuliano, pictured with eyes closed. In the language of symbols of the 15th century, this meant that the person was no longer alive. The remaining characters in the picture are portraits of figures of the Platonic Academy, friends and associates of the Medici. Unfortunately, we do not have enough material to accurately name everyone by name. But among them three stand out, they look directly at the viewer. In the foreground on the right is a young man in a yellow raincoat. Most researchers believe that this is a self-portrait of Botticelli. Behind him is an old man, who can be assumed to be the customer of the painting. On the left is apparently his son or a close relative.

Thus, we can conclude that the plot of “Adoration” served as a reason for Botticelli to glorify the Medici family, under whose patronage the sciences and arts flourished in Florence. In addition, the painting clearly hinted at recent events - the suppression of the Pazzi conspiracy - and served as proof that its customers, the Lama family, were allies of the Medici.

The young Leonardo could have done the same thing as the author of the work considered. It was enough to glorify the ruler of the city in a commissioned work in order to become one of his entourage, as happened with Botticelli. But such an attitude towards creativity was unacceptable for Leonardo, who considered art to be a form artistic knowledge peace. He defined this position in the introduction to his Treatise, placing painting above sculpture, music and poetry. The artist’s notes have reached us, where he argues with Botticelli. One of them is devoted to the problem of constructing space in a picture. In the second, Leonardo angrily attacks Sandro, who believed that the landscape has only decorative meaning in composition.

And what luck! The order of the monks of San Donato gives him the opportunity not in words, but in deeds to prove the correctness of his own approach to painting. Let's try to trace how Leonardo solved the problems. Birth artistic image complex creative process. It is associated with the ability to imagine and see holistically. Based on an understanding of the content, the artist mentally imagines the composition, its proportional divisions, space, location of characters, color scheme, and tonal relationships. And only later, when the general idea is found and recorded in a compositional sketch, does careful elaboration begin individual parts, searches for the most expressive faces, poses, gestures, clarification of linear perspective.

Leonardo Da Vinci. Prospective development for the film “Worship”
Magi." Pen, bistre, silver point, white. 1481.

So, the central group is enclosed in a triangle, the vertex of which is the intersection point of the diagonals of the square. Leonardo reduced the spatial solution of the first plan to a pyramidal shape. And here the artist faced the following problem: in relation to the kneeling figures of the Magi at the edge of the picture, Mary and the baby are located deeper in space. According to the laws of perspective contraction, the Madonna and Child should be fewer figures Magi. But this would lead to the loss of the significance of the semantic center of the composition, as happened in Botticelli’s “Adoration”. It is impossible to reduce the distance between the characters; otherwise the kneeling figures would become cramped in the allotted space.

Leonardo resorted to unexpected decision. To preserve the monumentality of the central group of Mary and the Child, the artist painted them larger than the Magi. Thus, he achieved the most complete perception of the foreground group and at the same time a clear reading of each individual figure. Solving this problem, Leonardo applied the results of his research into binocularity of human vision, that is, the ability to perceive images with two eyes simultaneously. These techniques, new at that time, were used so tactfully that the scene seems completely natural and proportional violations in it are not so noticeable.

Two figures depicted along the edges of the picture organically complete the composition of the foreground.

The background of the work is a landscape background with ruins and fighting horsemen. Unlike the first, it creates, in combination with a high horizon, the illusion of deep space. But the vanishing point of the perspective lines turns out to be not on the central axis of the picture, but somewhat shifted to the right, switching the viewer’s attention to the group of fighting horsemen. This is also emphasized by the deliberate shift from the center line to the right side of the tree trunk, the direction of the ladder from the upper left corner towards the riders.

If you look closely at the picture, it is not difficult to notice that it is precisely divided horizontally into three equal parts: a background shot, a group of kneeling wise men and a central part with a half-length image of Mary, the infant Christ and a group of characters behind them. The same principle can be traced vertically. If you mentally draw lines from the column crowning the ruins and the top of the nearby tree to the bottom edge of the picture, you will get a similar three-part division. This technique enabled Leonardo to harmoniously connect all parts of the composition.

Each fragment makes up one ninth of the picture and carries a semantic load. Why did the artist need so much complex construction? It would seem that the plot of “The Adoration of the Magi” is fully revealed, and Leonardo focuses on a group of fighting horsemen who have no relation to the gospel story.

The study of the preparatory drawings allows us to assert that it was through the background that the artist wanted to reveal the inner, deep content of the work. Let's try to follow Leonardo's thought. On the left, among the majestic ruins of a certain ancient civilization he depicted another "worship" scene. But how different it is from the central one! Instead of calm, concentrated contemplation, the supporting characters, in a fit of ecstasy, literally throw themselves under the hooves of a horse on which sits a naked rider with a saggy belly and an animal muzzle instead of a face. Truly a terrible embodiment of world evil!

Closer to the center there is another group of figures. Some point to the rider and ask, as if in surprise, who is it? Others ask with warning gestures not to approach the monster. So the world is divided. Some people worship Evil, others worship Good, the personification of which is religious painting There was Mary with the baby, but others doubt it.

Where is the way out, what does the artist predict for humanity? The answer is provided by an image of a group of fighting horsemen. It is not for nothing that Leonardo da Vinci emphasizes the meaning of this scene through the composition itself. A beautiful young man on a rearing horse defeats his enemy - a terrible horseman in the form of a dragon, depicted in the preparatory drawing. Good triumphs over Evil here main idea works.

What is noteworthy is the importance Leonardo attached to the gesture. In his Treatise on Painting he says: “A good painter must paint two main things: a person and a representation of his soul. The first is easy, the second is difficult, since it must be depicted by gestures and movements of the body members.” It is this technique, worked out in preparatory drawings, he was able to express the whole range of experiences of the characters in the work.

The Adoration of the Magi was not finished. The principles of Florentine art of the 15th century, on which Leonardo da Vinci was brought up, came into conflict with a new, more in-depth interpretation of the content. Steel needed compositional structures, not overloaded with numerous characters. Allegorical figures turned out to be too literary, and exact adherence to nature when depicting a person seemed insufficient. Leonard's approach to content required something different artistic expression ideas of the work and the most expressive form. Only two years will pass, and Leonardo will cope with this task, creating the masterpiece “Madonna of the Rocks”.

“The Adoration of the Magi” by Leonardo da Vinci can serve as a conventional boundary separating the art of Early and High Renaissance. This picture served high example for many artists. Already in 1487, Domenico Ghirlandaio used the pyramidal method of constructing a composition. Raphael, working on the Vatican frescoes, sketched the gestures of the characters from the Adoration of the Magi.

The customers of the painting, the monks of the monastery of San Donato, after waiting several years and making sure that the work would not be completed, turned to Botticelli’s student Filippino Lipni, who wrote the new “Adoration.” He also enclosed the central group in a pyramid, but did not dare to use other Leonardian principles. The picture turned out to be less significant because it lost the new content that Leonardo tried to put into the plot.