u/aldusmanutius — reddlx

Doni Tondo, Michelangelo, c. 1503-07, oil and tempera on panel

Any other fans of the Doni Tondo here?

This is easily among my favorite works of Renaissance painting—and is at the top of my list among works from all periods.

Apart from being an extraordinary work of art it's also got some really unusual imagery. Art historians have struggled to explain everything from the poses to the nudes in the background to the identity of the old man (likely Joseph, but not everyone agrees).

Curiously, the bare arms of the Virgin—totally unprecedented, as far as we know!—are rarely noted by viewers. I went down a bit of a research rabbit hole and spoke with a number of art historians recently in an effort to explain those bare arms.

u/aldusmanutius — 8 days ago

▲ 1 r/florence+1 crossposts

Mary's Bare Arms in the Doni Tondo: UPDATE!

Hi all,

A few weeks ago I posted here for some thoughts on the Virgin Mary's bare arms in Michelangelo's Doni Tondo.

I also reached out to a number of art historians for their insights.

So far as I can tell, this is indeed unprecedented—at least in Western art that survives.

If you're curious to learn more and hear what I found in researching this and talking with other art historians I'm sharing the video that resulted from this work.

I'm curious to hear others thoughts as well, if you've seen this painting or other works with similarly unusual depictions of Mary!

youtu.be

u/aldusmanutius — 4 days ago

▲ 15 r/AskHistorians

How Unprecedented Were Mary's Bare Arms in Michelangelo's Doni Tondo?

Hi all: I'm hoping a fellow art historian or historian can help me out here.

Several sources that discuss Michelangelo's Doni Tondo note how unusual it is to see the bare arms and shoulder of the Virgin Mary. In a 1990 article in Women's Art Journal Yael Even calls this "an unprecedented taboo."

While I certainly can't think of a comparable example (the closest being Michelangelo's own Manchester Madonna, unfinished, from a few years prior) this doesn't mean there isn't one out there.

For anyone with knowledge of Marian imagery of the Middle Ages and Early Modern period, how "unprecedented" does this actually seem to you?

reddit.com

u/aldusmanutius — 25 days ago

▲ 362 r/ArtHistory

Comps for Mary's Bare Arms in Michelangelo's Doni Tondo

Is anyone here familiar with Medieval or Renaissance images of Mary that feature her bare arms (and shoulder!), as is the case in Michelangelo's Doni Tondo, pictured here?

There are certainly images of Mary nursing the infant Jesus.

But I'm having trouble thinking of ANY paintings that show Mary's bare arms in a similar fashion (and I've sought input from other art historians, as well).

I'm hoping that the knowledge of the masses here may be able to help. If you know of examples please share them!

u/aldusmanutius — 27 days ago

▲ 107 r/Medievalart+1 crossposts

St Guinefort, the Dog Who Became a Saint in Medieval France

Are people here familiar with Saint Guinefort, the greyhound saint?

I recently finished a video on the legend of this medieval saint, and it features a number of works by a contemporary artist (Caitlin Fitzgerald) who draws from medieval sources. You can find her work here: https://caitlinfitzgeraldart.com/

youtu.be

u/aldusmanutius — 1 month ago