Vasari bought this house in 1541, and rebuilt it, finishing in 1547; he also painted the interiors from 1542-ca. 1548. It is characteristic of his self-confidence that he lavished as much effort on his own house as on those of his patrons. This may also reflect the influence of the elaborately decorated houses of Andrea Mantegna and Giulio Romano, which he had seen in Mantua in 1541. The Sala del Trionfo della Virtù (the main hall of the house), painted in 1548, includes monochrome (grisaille) frescoes illustrating well-known anecdotes about artists of antiquity recorded by Pliny. The rest of the iconography is focused on the role and the influence of the stars (astrology) on human life, allegorical figures, and, on the ceiling, The Triumph of Virtue, who struggles with Fortune and Envy. (Source: Grove Art Online; http://www.oxfordart online.com/)
Work_Description_Sou rce
Vasari bought this house in 1541, and rebuilt it, finishing in 1547; he also painted the interiors from 1542-ca. 1548. It is characteristic of his self-confidence that he lavished as much effort on his own house as on those of his patrons. This may also reflect the influence of the elaborately decorated houses of Andrea Mantegna and Giulio Romano, which he had seen in Mantua in 1541. The Sala del Trionfo della Virtù (the main hall of the house), painted in 1548, includes monochrome (grisaille) frescoes illustrating well-known anecdotes about artists of antiquity recorded by Pliny. The rest of the iconography is focused on the role and the influence of the stars (astrology) on human life, allegorical figures, and, on the ceiling, The Triumph of Virtue, who struggles with Fortune and Envy. (Source: Grove Art Online; http://www.oxfordart online.com/)
Description
Image Description:
Upper register, "ancient" landscapes interspersed with allegorical figures connected to artistic practice; Exertion, Imitation, Justice, Honor, Happiness, Knowledge (as Minerva), Charity, Liberality, Immortality, Fertility of Nature and Prudence.
Image_Description
Upper register, "ancient" landscapes interspersed with allegorical figures connected to artistic practice; Exertion, Imitation, Justice, Honor, Happiness, Knowledge (as Minerva), Charity, Liberality, Immortality, Fertility of Nature and Prudence.
