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Sculptor Niccolo Pisano: biography, creativity and interesting facts

The article will focus on the life and work of the Italian sculptor and architect Niccolo Pisano. He was recognized as the founder of the Italian school of architecture, which influenced the artistic development of all of Italy.

Origin

Niccolo Pisano is rightly considered the founder of the school of Italian sculpture and is the father of the famous talented sculptor Giovanni Pisano. He is also recognized as the founder of the Proto-Renaissance culture. The exact date of birth of the master is unknown. Researchers of his work say that the most likely date can be considered 1219 year.

The sculptor was born in the city of Apulia, which is in the south of Italy. If you turn to the Siena archives, you can find that he is called the son of Pietro. "Pisano" - this is not a real name, but only a nickname, which the architect received, a long time working in Pisa.

Study

Niccolo Pisano, whose work demonstrates a clearly high level of skill, studied with ordinary masters in his native city. There is also the assumption that he was trained in workshops that worked with the brachial shoulder of Emperor Frederick II and were the focus of the classical tradition. It should be said that in Pisa he arrived already a fairly well-formed sculptor. As time showed, he made the right decision, abandoning the Byzantine tradition for the return to the plastics of the ancient world. It is believed that around 1245 Niccolo Pisano left for Tuscany, where he worked in Castello del Emperor in Prato.
After a while the sculptor changes his place of residence again: he studies Lucca, where he continues to study sculpture. A little later he moved to Pisa (between 1245 and 1250 years). It was in this city that Niccolò Pisano met his future wife and became a father. About his beloved, absolutely nothing is known. Son Pisano was very fond of and taught his skills from an early age. From the moment of moving to Pisa, he begins to appear in all documents under the name of Niccolo Pisano.

Creation

Researchers can not say exactly which works belonged to the hand of the sculptor Pisano. It is believed that it was he who dealt with the decoration of the castle in Castello del Emperor. It is most likely that the author of the lions depicted on the portal of the castle is also he. His work in the Tuscan period is attributed to the "Girl's Head", which is shown in Rome (Palazzo Venezia). In Lucca, he is engaged in decorating the facade of St. Martin's Cathedral.

The first masterpiece

Niccolo Pisano, whose sculptures already met throughout Italy, in 1255 receives a specific order in Pisa, according to which he was to create a baptistery department. The sculptor worked on this project with his friends Lapo di Richevuto and Arnolfo di Cambio. This was the first work Pisano signed. She is considered his first masterpiece, as the master managed to combine classical and late Roman style.

It is believed that before this Pisano was actively studying the sculpture of the times of Augustus, so much of it was reflected in the Department of Baptistry. It was a 6-coal structure made of white, pink and dark green marble, which rests on arches. The latter were made in the Gothic style in the form of a shamrock. The arches were supported by tall columns. At the corners of each arch placed a figure of one of the four main virtues (the most popular figure is the image of the Force in the form of Hercules). It is believed that the creation of such a baptistery master inspired the triumphal arch of Rome, which he admired when he went to Ostia.

Let's remember that the Arch of Constantine is also decorated with columns and reliefs. The latter depicts different scenes from the life of Jesus Christ: "The Last Judgment", "The Adoration of the Magi", "Bringing to the Temple," "Crucifixion," etc. Also in the work on the Baptistery one can not help noticing the obvious classical influences that Pisano learned at Courtyard of Emperor Frederick II. It is believed that the best creations of Niccolo - this relief "Annunciation", "Adoration of the Shepherds" and "Christmas Christ." In his work, the sculptor successfully combined the techniques of ancient masters and the modern sacral meaning of Christian customs. At the same time, the image of saints also resembles the works of ancient masters: they are majestic, sublime and reserved.

Completion of work with his son

Around 1264, Pisano finished his work with a dome of the Baptistery. Initially, he was engaged in the architect Diotisalvi, but then the work was given to Niccolo. The sculptor decided to make the baptistery higher and decorate it with two domes. Around 1278, his son Giovanni came to the aid of Niccolo, who helped finish the work on the baptistery, decorating the facade with sculptures. A little later, Niccolo began working on the design of the ark for the relics of St. Dominic. The development of Pisano was approved, but further work was refused. A little later he nevertheless put his hand to the creation of the tomb for St. Dominica in Bologna together with Fra Guglielmo.

Chair for Siena Cathedral

Around 1265 he began to work on the pulpit for the Siena Cathedral. All he spent on it about three years. The chair was very similar to its first masterpiece - the Baptistery. However, here he changed the scope and made the construction larger in size. Also it should be noted decoration, because it was much more luxurious than in the first work. On the project, he worked with his faithful friends - the son of Giovanni, Arnolfo di Cambio and Lapo di Richevuto. If we analyze volumetric curly bas-reliefs, then we can say that the influence of French Gothic is very noticeable in them.
The last work of Niccolo and Giovanni Pisano is a fountain that was designed to decorate the main square in Perugia. Written evidence claims that Niccolo built the Church of Santa Trinita in Florence, as a reminder of the Cistercian Gothic, which continued its development in Italy.

Summing up, we can say that Niccolo became the forefather of the Italian school of sculpture, which lasted until the XIV century, and its influence spread to all of Italy. Much in the works of Pisano refers to the past: remained outdated symbols and images, the space was filled completely, not giving place to the flight of fantasy. But the work of Niccolo Pisano (his paintings) prepared the society for great changes in the sphere of sculpture and architecture. They have become a springboard for a high jump. 1260-1270 years were very rich for the master, as he received orders from all over Italy.

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