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Vincenzo
Catena

Italia • 1470−1531

The Italian artist. It is surprising that it is first mentioned in connection with the collaboration with GIORGIONE, although his early works are based on the compositions of Giovanni BELLINI. Catena was the master of biblical scenes and portraits. After the death of Giorgione became evident his influence on the work of the Catena, especially in the creation of landscape backgrounds. Catena was a wealthy man, had an independent income and rotated in the humanistic circles of Venice.

The creative life of Vincenzo Catena, is in many respects unlike the traditional inheritance of the artist. During the life of the Catena has received very wide acclaim, his work has been highly appreciated by his contemporaries, but in later periods, and especially in the XX century the attitude of the critics towards him changed. The artistic legacy of the Catenas are extensive; plot against, it breaks into two large groups, characteristic of most Renaissance artists, is a portrait and religious theme painting. The talent of the Catena are brilliant in the genre of portraiture, whereas the multi-figure narrative painting, he rarely was able to rise above mere imitation of the great Venetian masters. Despite the numerous extant works of the artist and the frequent mention of his name in the literary sources, about the identity of the Catena, and to this day little is known. Date of birth of the Catena, is unknown. Apparently, he was born around 1480 or a little earlier. Old authors reported that Catena was a wealthy man and was engaged in painting not for the sake of earnings. Know the will of the master, in which he leaves money to help poor artists, and a shelter for the poor girls. It is difficult to say with complete certainty, who have studied Catena. In Renaissance Italy artists were usually trained in the studios of eminent artists. Training began in childhood and lasted about ten years. Catena, apparently, entered the art world in a different way. Judging by the fact that his first work appeared rather late, the artist not held in a systematic course of study, and was a talented Amateur. There is no doubt that he studied, by borrowing from the leading masters of his time their technical and artistic achievements. The creativity of the Catena, bears clear traces of the influence of the art of CIMA da Conegliano, Giovanni Bellini, Giorgione, Raphael. Venetian painting has a special place in the history of the Italian Renaissance. Renaissance nye ideals remained there the longest, the most part of the XVI century and the first third of the century was truly the Golden time for art and humanistic culture. The Venetians were a great colorist. Color range of their paintings includes many colors and shades, exquisitely combined into a holistic harmony. Catena was a Venetian, and his coloristic flair allow him to create a perfect color composition.

Large painting of the "Madonna and child with saints and the upcoming" from the Museo Correr in Venice is typical for Catena. In the center of the composition depicts the Madonna on a throne, she holds a naked baby. On the left side of the kneeling Doge of Venice, Leonardo Loredano. On both sides of the throne are two saints are represented. Over the low parapet of the open area extends a vast landscape with low hills on the horizon. Color scheme with predominant warm Golden-red tones is the main advantage of the picture. Detail of the face is an especially good portrait of the Doge Loredano — infused single strong feeling. Psychological characteristic of a person, penetration into the inner world of the model — the strength of creativity of the Catena. One of his best works is a portrait of Raymond Fugger* (Berlin), performed already in the later years. With half-length portrait looking at us slightly covered the eyes of a middle-aged man. His stout figure firmly occupies a large part of the canvas. Apart hands give the figure stability and monumentality, in outline it is close to the triangle. Proudly thrown back his head with a luxuriant beard confidently resting on his shoulders. R. Fugger belonged to the house of the famous bankers, the Fuggers, whose financial operations were spread at that time throughout Europe. Catena gives the image of a confident, well knowing the own worth person, and expresses this in subtle detail, from the haughty drooping eyelids, from under which look smart and attentive eyes, in a restrained gesture. The ability to show the inner essence of the model in gesture, in posture silhouette, the sharp shadows, highlighting the line of his nose, puts the Catena in series with the outstanding portrait painters of the Italian Renaissance.

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