Understanding Provenance & Patronage
Ever since Georgio Vasaris Lives of the Artists(1550, revised and enlarged 1568), the study of Renaissance art has been inextricably tied to the concept of patronage. The slow economic rebirth of Italy in the fifty years following the devastation of the 1348 plague resulted in a population shift from countryside to commune. In the new civic economy that resulted from the influx of the populace from country to city, wealthy merchants, craftsmens guilds, and the burgeoning mendicant orders, as part of their administration of a growing urban clientele, commissioned and paid for civic buildings, churches, palaces, frescoes, statues, paintings, and hosts of luxury goods, all of them embodying the new humanistic ideals of individual greatness that had resulted in this new prosperity. The governance structures that supported and protected this economic growtharistocrats, guilds, and monasticsused artistic patronage to reinforce social structures fundamental to civic sustainability: loyalty to family, church, and city/state.
Kings, popes, princes, cardinals, poets, and humanists, as well as cathedrals, convents, and monasteriesall sorts of patrons shaped Renaissance artistic culture by engaging artists to fulfill their commissions. A continual supply of patrons ensured a continual supply of artists and artistic workshops, and craft flourished. When Jacob Burckhardt wrote his formative social history of the Renaissance in 1860, he emphasized the role of the enlightened patron as the originator of Renaissance art. Patrons, through their ingenuity and growing apprehension of the virtues of Antiquity, and driven by the nobility of civic purpose inspired by ancient Rome, provided artists with hope and opportunity. In Vasaris view, artists actually gained much more through patronage than patrons didpatronage was a social mechanism and economic engine that elevated the anonymous practices of mechanical crafts to the realm of the liberal arts. Through patronage, the Renaissance rise of the individual elevated the artist to a new level of social and cultural importance.
In the Baroque period, the traditional role of the patron is still critical, especially in the religious revivals which occur throughout Europe at the time. However, we also see the increasing power of individuals and wealthy merchants.
In contemporary art, patronage still plays a significant role but is much less likely to come from a king or church official. Consider who commissions art, pays for artist residencies, and supports arts programs. As artists, its important to understand how and why patronage today is different, and what implications it has for self-expression, the sustainability of arts programs, and the ability of artists to sell work on speculation. Patronage has expanded to include a much wider range of private individuals, nonprofits and government organizations, and corporations. Although it played a significant role in the creation of historic works of art, patronage is not limited to the old masters. Todays artists also need support while living and working. You too can be a patron of the arts by supporting arts organizations, purchasing works of art, paying your taxes, or attending arts events.
This fracturing (and a changing of what is considered ethical collection practices within museums) is also changing how we view the record of patronage and ownership. This record is called the provenance of an artwork. Every time a work of art is sold or put into a museum collection, art historians research its provenance. Oftentimes, the story of who owned an object throughout its history is a fascinating tale in its own right, and many art historians base their careers on uncovering the stories these objects have to tell us about the world around them through the centuries.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT:
- READ:
- Patronage and its role in the renaissance art:
- Provenance Research at the North Carolina Museum of Art:
- Download the template and complete a provenance record for an object that you know personally.
- This could be a family heirloom, a treasured childhood object, a work of art that you made and sold, a piece of sports memorabilia, etc. The only rule for the selection of your object should be that you can document at least one other owner thats not you.
- Museums, auction houses, and private collectors complete these types of records for many different objects, not just 2-D works, so whatever you choose will work.
- You may have to take some creative license with some of your answers in order to fully complete the form depending on what you choose. What Im looking for here is that you understand these concepts and I want you to have fun with this assignment, so if you dont know the answer, its okay to make something up. That said, try to choose something that you have a decent amount of information about or at least a solid emotional connection to.
- I could even see this becoming a creative art project for a contemporary artistdocumenting random or seemingly unimportant objects in the back of your car. When you become famous artists make sure to mention me in your TED Talk. 🙂
- DON’T LEAVE IT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO DOWNLOAD THE TEMPLATE! While I’ve tried to make the layout as simple as possible, I anticipate that there will may be some technical difficulties for some of you with filling out the form depending on your computer system & tech level. Let me know if you need help early in the week.
Requirements: Follow the information
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