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Who is Gherardo Starnina?

Source: http://collectie.boijmans.nl/nl/collection/2557-(ok)

Het paneel maakte oorspronkelijk deel uit van een altaarstuk, een polyptiek ofwel veelluik. De engelen bespelen instrumenten, links een klein orgel en rechts een harp. De omhoog gerichte blik van de linkerengel is een aanduiding van de grotere compositie, waar zij ooit deel van waren.

Volgens Vasari was Gherardo di Jacopo Starnina één van de beroemdste en beste schilders van Florence. Starnina was van 1395 tot 1406 werkzaam in Valencia. In de Spaanse havenstad had hij kennis gemaakt met de Internationale Stijl, die in 1393 door de Duitse schilder Marçal de Sas aldaar was geïntroduceerd. Na zijn terugkeer in Florence gaf Starnina met zijn kalligrafische lijnvoering en delicate expressiviteit een nieuwe impuls aan de Florentijnse schilderkunst. Hij bevrijdde haar van de levenloze formules die van Giotto's grootse stijl waren overgebleven. Zowel Lorenzo Monaco als Lorenzo Ghiberti werden gevormd door Starnina's stijl.

Titel: Twee op de grond zittende, musicerende engelen Schilder: Gherardo Starnina, Florence 1354/1360 - Florence 1409/1413 Jaartal: 1400 - 1410 Locatie: Dit object is te zien in zaal 03 Objectsoort: schilderij Inventarisnummer: 2557 (OK) Afmetingen: 47,7 x 71,8 cm Materiaal en techniek: tempera op paneel Creditline: Verworven met de verzameling van / Acquired with the collection of: D.G. van Beuningen 1958 Collectie: Oude Kunst Tentoonstellingen: De Collectie Verrijkt (2011)

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gherardo_StarninaGherardo Starnina

This is what Wikipedia has to say about Gherardo Starnina:

Gherardo Starnina (c. 1360–1413)[1] was an Italian painter from Florence in the Quattrocento era. According to the biographer Giorgio Vasari, Starnina initially trained with Antonio Veneziano, then with Agnolo Gaddi. He is claimed to have participated in the painting of the frescos in the Castellani Chapel in Basilica di Santa Croce, Florence. He is also said to have moved to Spain in 1380 to work under Juan I of Castile, and is attributed some painting in the San Blas chapel of the Cathedral of Toledo. Several paintings formerly attributed to the Master of the Bambino Vispo are now attributed to Gherardo Starnina, and the two artists may have been the same person.

This information is a little bit vague still, and there is not much to find about him on the internet, so I went to the Boijmans van Beuningen museum and searched for information in their library. These are my findings:

Source text and image: Starnina en de Internationale Gotiek in Florence (Academisch proefschrift) p.9 - p.13, Author: Jeanne van waadenoijen 1980 Amsterdam

Internationale stijl en de florentijnse schilderkunst omstreeks 1400 De terugkeer van de Florentijnse schilder Gherardo Starnina in Florence tussen 1401 en 1404 van betekenis zou zijn geweest voor Lorenzo Monaco. Van Starnina staat vast dat hij vele jaren in Spanje heeft gewerkt en wel voornamelijk in Valencia.

Dat er van Starnina vrijwel geen werk bekend was, kon men met deze gegevens in verband met zijn stijl aanvankelijk weinig aanvangen. Op grond van hetgeen men van hem wist, had men bovendien een persoonlijkheid gecreëerd die niet direct een inspiratiebron voor de Internationale Stijl in Florence geweest kon zijn. Dat Starnina evenwel voor de Internationale Gotiek in Florence niet onbelangrijk moet zijn geweest, werd bevestigd door de onverwachte vondst van een aantal frescofragmenten in de S. Stefano te Empoli op de plaats waar Starnina in 1409 een serie fresco’s had geschilderd.

Hierdoor rees opnieuw de vraag, die Schmarsow zich al een halve eeuw eerder had gesteld, maar waar toen geen bevredigend antwoord op was te geven: wie is Gherardo Starnina? Tevens zal een poging worden ondernomen duidelijk te maken waar Starnina’s stijll vandaan komt, wat zijn betekenis is geweest voor de schilderkunst in Florence aan het begin van de 15de eeuw en wat zijn rol is geweest bij de verspreiding van de Internationale Stijl in de kringen van de Florentijnse kunstenaars.

Vasari’s levensbeschrijving van Starnina. Gherardo Starnina werd in 1354 geboren. Na een leertijd bij Antonio Veneziano schilderde hij in de Castellani-kapel in de Sta. Croce te Florence fresco’s met voorstellingen uit het leven van de heiligen Antonius Abt en Nicolaas. [..] Voor de koning van Spanje schilderde hij vele zaken. [..] hij ging terug naar Florence. [..] Kort daarop schilderde hij de fresco’s in de St. -Hieronymuskapel in de Carmine. De Spaanse mode volgens welke sommige figuren gekleed waren, demonstreerde duidelijk dat Starnina in Spanje was geweest. Met deze fresco’s vestigde hij zijn naam.

A few works of Srarnina:

Source: Aan de oorsprong van de schilderkunst p.162 - p.164. Author: Rik Vos, Henk Os. SDU uitgeverij, ’s-gravenhage 1989

In the Dutch Institute in Florence, a young Dutch art historian, Jeanne van Waadenoijen, was doing research on the Master of Bambino Vispo. She had already discovered that there was something wrong about the identification of the altarpiece with angelic musicians. It was not the St. Lawrence Altarpiece of 1423 from the cathedral in Florence, but of a completely different altarpiece for another chapel of St. Lawrence, which is in the Certosa del Galluzzo, a Carthusian monastery in the neighborhood of Florence. Records show that this altarpiece was painted no less than 17 years earlier and by a painter who must be considered not as a pupil, but in certain respects as the master of Lorenzo Monaco, Gherardo Starnina. Vasari cites him as one of the most important Florentine artists from that period, who had worked in Spain and could therefore draw on artistic experiences which were completely new to Florence. Jeanne van Waadenoijen’s work changed the outlook on a crucial period of Florentine art history at a single stroke.The drapery, decorative richness and the sensitive facial expressions introduced by Starnina were given new expression by Lorenco Monaco through refinement of line and a bright color scheme which was unusual in Florence around 1400. A discovery of this sort with such far-reaching consequences for such an important area seldom occurs contemporary art history.

Source: The Burlington Magazine Volume CXVI 1974 p.82 - p.91, A proposal for Starnina: exit the Maestro del Bambino Vispo?

In 1904 Oswald Sirén attributed a number of early fifteenth century pictures. He considered the Maestro del Bambino Vispo to be one of the numerous followers of Lorenzo Monaco, but then a more original one. He tried twice to identify this anonymous master, with Pietro di Domenica da Montepulciano and Parri Spinelli. The name Maestro del Bambino Vispo had become widely accepted and many art historians added to his ouvre (his work). With this expansion of the ouvre it became increasingly obvious that it could not possibly have originated entirely under the influence of Lorenzo Monaco. It distinguished itself from Lorenzo Monaco’s works by an even stronger preference for long elegant folds, a lively expression and realistic personages. These elements, which may be considered unusual in Florentine painting of the first quarter, suggested that the artist was well acquainted with the International Gothic style as it manifested itself outside Florence. It wasn’t even clear if the Maestro was a Florentine, maybe he was Italian.

One work in particular gave rise to such doubts: ‘Last Judgement’, of Spanish provenance in Munich. This style was especially noticeable in the slightly bizarre facial types of the apostles, in their abundantly flowing draperies, and in the elegant appearance of the blessed, dressed in the height of fashion. This observation led the hypothesis that the artist’s origin should be looked for in Spain, possibly Valencia. Pudelko also observed that the Maestro del Bambino Vispo must have had considerable influence on Florentine painting of the first quarter of the century, even an influence on Lorenzo Monaco.

Yet, it cannot be denied that his art is strongly rooted in the Florentine Trecento tradition as far as iconography, composition and colour scheme are concerned. Where did the Maestro come from and how are the non-Florentine features in his work to be explained?

Source Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_the_Bambino_Vispo#/media/File:%27The_Last_Judgment%27,_by_the_Master_of_the_Bambino_Vispo,_c._1422,_Alte_Pinakothek.jpg

The hypothesis that the anonymous Maestro del Bambino Vispo was none other than Gherardo Starnina, a Florentine painter of great repute but practically without an oeuvre. As the biographical information on Starnina points to a considerably earlier period than that assumed for the Maestro del Bambino Vispo’s activity. It says Starnina must have died in or shortly before 1413. Other facts fit in remarkably well, like Starnina is known to have worked in Valencia, possibly even in France.

It was noted, however, that there existed resemblances between the works of the Maestro del Bambino Vispo and the fresco fragments of Starnina. Also the strong resemblance between the fresco fragments of Starnina and the Last Judgement does not only justify the latter’s attributioin to Starnina, but it also gives an indication as to its dating. The Carmine made in 1404, Empoli in 1409 and the Last Judgement was painted approximately between 1404 and 1409.

Source Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/24364447@N05/16008417945/in/photostream/

Stylistic resemblances to Starnina’s frescoes can also be found in a predella panel of the Maestro del Bambino Vispo with the Beheading of a female Saint in London. The saint has a typical hairstyle which cannot be found in Florentine paining outside his works except in the frescoes in the Carmine.

Source: Starnina e il gotico internazionale a Firenze Author: Jeanne van Waadenoijen e Istituto Universitario Olandese di storia dell’Arte. 1983 Other works of Starnina are:

A work of Lorenzo Monaco, Madonna el Bambino e Santi:

Source: Magazine InterAEGON 12-2005

Engelachtige figuren Starnina beeldde niet de gebruikelijke dikbuikige popperige engeltjes af, maar twee beeldschone, charmante en elegante engelen die met fijnbesnaarde handen hun instrumenten bespelen. Het orgel en de harp worden door deze letterlijk engelachtige wezens met intense aandacht en musiceervreugde bespeeld op het doek.

Volgens Vasari (de legendarische kunstenaar- biograaf) was Starnina een van de beste en beroemdste kunstenaars van Florence, al is weinig meer bekend van dat zijn werkzame leven tussen 1387 en 1413 viel. Starnina was van 1395 tot 1404 in de Spaanse havenstad Valencia werkzaam, maar keerde terug naar Florence. Daar gaf hij de Florentijnse schilderkunst nieuw elan met de kennis van de internationale gotiek die hij in Spanje had opgedaan. Het paneel van Starnina in Boijmans van Beuningen maakte ooit deel uit van een altaarstuk, een veelluik uit het Kartuizer klooster in de buurt van Florence. De madonna en haar kind staan afgebeeld in het onderste deel van het midden paneel.

Source: Aan de oorsprong van de schilderkunst p.162 - p.164 Author: Rik Vos, Henk Os. SDU uitgeverij, ’s-gravenhage 1989

These two angelic musicians originally formed part of a larger picture. The angel on the left gazes upward towards somebody now absent, to whom he is obviously offering praise with his organ music. This must be Mary and the Christ-child who were represented there, because at that time angelic musicians had often appeared at the feet of Mary and her Son, since the end of the 14th century. This painting was attributed to an anonymous painter, the so-called Master of Bambino Vispo. It would seem that this painter without a name was one of the most important pupils of the famous Lorenzo Monaco, the artist who introduced the dynamic movement of line of the so-called International Gothic into Florentine painting. The altarpiece to which the fragment with the angels belonged, has been identified as the paining which pose adorned the altar of the chapel of St. Lawrence in the Cathedral in Florence. It appears from records that the chapel was consecrated in 1422 by Cardinal Orsini, and that the altarpiece was completed in 1423.

Source: Student zum ,,Meastro del bambino vispo’’ und Starnina, Author: Cornelia Syre, Rudolf Habelt Verlag GMBH Bonn 1979

This book gave an impression about the original altar piece the ‘Two seated angles making music’ were a part of:

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