Tom Jeffreys is surprised by a brilliant exhibition of Renaissance painting.
Given that in truth I'm something of a philistine, this is the kind of thing I hate. I blame a childhood spent being dragged round endless, vast, European museums and cathedrals, all stuffed full of gilt and rosy-faced depictions of Our Saviour. But, much to my surprise and delight, Jan Gossaert's Renaissance at the National Gallery is actually rather brilliant.
Most of the credit for this I think has to go to the National Gallery, and specifically the exhibition's curator Dr Susan Foister. Where my previous experience of Renaissance art has led to a simplistic view of an era that at times appears monolithic, this tightly focused show neatly brings out a variety of interesting strands. More importantly, the exhibition also demonstrates why Gossaert is good, and why he is worthy of this kind of treatment. The problem with massive museums like the Louvre is that they flatten value. How – as a novice – are you supposed to tell what is good and what is bad when it all looks the same and is crammed together so indiscriminately?
Jan Gossaert's Renaissance on the other hand does a brilliant job of showing quite why it's Gossaert who matters, as opposed to the other unknown artists on show. Yes, there are some other exquisite works – engravings by Durer and Schongauer and Jacopo de' Barbari's majestic Sparrowhawk in particular – but this show is about Gossaert, and rightly so. Some of his work really is rather wonderful – the grisaille diptych of Saint Jerome Penitent (c1510), a series of four round pen, brush and ink works on dark grey paper with white body colour, and Saint Luke Painting the Virgin (1520-22) are probably the stand-outs for me.
Initially I'm dubious of all the spiel emphasising how “erotic” or “psychological” the works are, but it's true. This is best encapsulated by two paintings of the same subject matter, one by an unknown 'follower of Gossaert' and one by the man himself. Just as the last exhibition in the Sainsbury Wing (Venice – Canaletto and his Rivals) excelled at intelligent comparisons between works, the same trick is shrewdly used here. Exhibited side by side, these two depictions of Mary Magdalene show quite how radical and exciting Gossaert's work must have been, and indeed still is. While the anonymously painted Mary is small, drab, passive and bland, Gossaert's addresses the viewer head-on. She's combative, challenging, knowing and, frankly, a bit of a hussy by the looks of things. The viewing experience is not simply one-way here – Gossaert imbues his subjects with a force and a presence of their own.
To this end it's not the hyped nudes but the portraits in Room 4 that will probably most appeal to a young or modern audience. Here, the intensity of Gossaert's characterisation comes to the fore – particular in works like An Elderly Couple (1515-20) [pictured above] and Portrait of a Man (1530). In Room 5 there's a heart-heartbreakingly sensitive depiction of Joseph in The Holy Family (1525-30). Through contrasts in tone and the careful composition of the work, one instantly empathises with the old, worn, earthy figure of Joseph – an outsider in his own family.
These works engage because they're not simply depictions of possessions (ornaments, rings, fur, velvet, gloves, pearls etc); they're also depictions of people, and their characters speak louder down the years than virtuoso brushwork or mere patron-placation. Not that Gossaert, of course, was above either of those things – many of his works do feature little elements of self-conscious technical self-congratulation. Bronze lettering, inscriptions in stone, and trompe l'oeil scrolls all argue for the superiority of painting over these other mediums, particularly in the hands of someone like Gossaert. And it's in this excellent, concise exhibition that he's allowed to state his case, and state it brilliantly.
Jan Gossaert's Renaissance is at the National Gallery until 30th May 2011.
Click here to see all London exhibitions.
Click here for things to do in London.
Return to Spoonfed's London Art homepage.
Image credit: Jan Gossaert, An Elderly Couple, about 1520 © National Gallery
Add an event
Frieze Art Fair to launch new section for young galleries in 2012
Frieze have today announced details for the 2012 edition, their tenth art fair in London. Taking place...