Pietro di Cristoforo Vannucci, or, as he is familiar to us, Pietro Perugino (≈ 1448-1523) - an artist of the early Renaissance. Born in a small town in the province of Umbria, he lived and worked in Rome, Florence and Perugia. His most outstanding student was the brilliant Rafael Santi.
Brief information about the artist
Pietro Perugino came from a wealthy family in Citta della Pieva. He supposedly received his first drawing lessons in the workshop of Fiorezo di Lorenzo. But in his youth, he moved to Florence, where he received a full-fledged art education in the workshop of Andrea Verocchio.
First work
These include the “Adoration of the Magi” (1470-1476). The traditional Christmas story unfolds against the backdrop of a landscape in which one can feel the influence of early Leonardo, with whom the painter studied in the same workshop.
There, on a distant horizon, silver light is scattered behind a tall tree. Three magi: Caspar, Cupronickel and Balthazar, who were brought to a manger by a sparkling star, are preparing gifts, and old Balthazar has already knelt before Mary and her divine baby. Joseph modestly stands behind her. The work owes high emotional stress to the deep shadows and rich colors that the young master used. Maria's dark blue cloak, revealing her scarlet dress, allegorically speaks of the divine purity of the Virgin. It is believed that in one of the leftmost figures, in which only the face is painted, the artist gave his portrait.
"The transfer of keys Peter ”(1481-1482)
At the invitation of Pope Sixtus IV, Pietro Perugino arrives in Rome to paint the house church, which will later be called the Sistine Chapel in honor of the Pope . There he creates one of his most perfect and best works - “Handing Over the Keys to the Apostle Peter”.
The fresco consists of two strips. In the foreground are the main figures. And on the second - an area with architectural structures, which enhances the impression of power and monumentality. The central temple, which reproduces the famous building in Jerusalem, makes a particularly magnificent impression. The landscape with hills and thin trees gives a sense of infinity and airiness of perspective. The foreground figures, repeating rhythmically, create a diverse musical composition.
The apostle Peter knelt before our Lord, who is surrounded by disciples. Peter humbly receives two keys, which today are the symbol of the Church. In this fresco, absolutely everything - coloring, shadows, drawing, composition.
Martyrdom
The deeply religious person Pietro Perugino paints mostly religious paintings. The painting "St. Sebastian ”is made in oil on an oak board around 1495. It has been in the Louvre since 1896.
The saint was condemned by the Roman military due to the fact that he did not refuse to believe in Christ, the Savior of mankind. In the background is a hilly landscape with delicate thin trees that hide in a haze. The marble perspective of the floor fits perfectly at the point where the landscape begins. The figure of the saint is placed between the arched supports, one of which is broken. This means that the pagan world is coming to an end, despite all efforts to preserve it. Nothing can shake Sebastian’s faith. He stands in the center of the picture, creating a perfectly symmetrical composition. The saint is tied to a column of red porphyry. His naked body, covered only with a loincloth, has perfect forms. His head is thrown back, and he languidly looks up at the sky, seeking help and courage to endure suffering.
Perugino Pietro: Madonna
The painting "Madonna in Glory with the Saints" (1500-1501) is painted on canvas with oil and is stored in the National Art Gallery in Bologna. According to Vasari, this work is a new approach by Pietro Perugino to the topic.
Compositionally, it is divided into two parts, between which there is no connection. The Madonna and Child is located high in the heavenly spheres in the central part of the composition. The golden arch pours out divine light grace. Symmetrically, on both sides of it are angels who folded their hands in prayer. The throne of her feet is a cloud, which is also supported by an angel figure. Downstairs, against the backdrop of a lovely hilly landscape, are standing left to right Archangel Michael in armor,
Catherine of Alexandria, Apollonia with pliers and
John the Evangelist.Madonna di Loreto (1507)
Madonna and child stand on a pedestal surrounded by St. Jerome in the clothes of the cardinal and St. Francis of Assisi.
Two angels soaring from above bear the crown of the Virgin Mary. Pietro Perugino does not seek to create an original composition, but wants to perfectly perform work with the highest possible quality. Every detail is thought out in it, in particular, great importance is attached to the direction of light. He refracts in draperies, playing with rainbow colors.
For almost five centuries, the faces of saints, captured by the artist , have been looking from the paintings. Madonna Pietro Perugino gives us her gentle and wise look. His works are masterpieces that sink into the soul for a long time. The artist died during the plague epidemic that came to Perugia.