Gentile Bellini's Portrait of Sultan Mehmed II
Gentile Bellini's Portrait of Sultan Mehmed II

Author: Elizabeth Rodini

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2020-08-20

Total Pages: 233

ISBN-13: 1838604820

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In 1479, the Venetian painter Gentile Bellini arrived at the Ottoman court in Istanbul, where he produced his celebrated portrait of Sultan Mehmed II. An important moment of cultural diplomacy, this was the first of many intriguing episodes in the picture's history. Elizabeth Rodini traces Gentile's portrait from Mehmed's court to the Venetian lagoon, from the railway stations of war-torn Europe to the walls of London's National Gallery, exploring its life as a painting and its afterlife as a famous, often puzzling image. Rediscovered by the archaeologist Austen Henry Layard at the height of Orientalist outlooks in Britain, the picture was also the subject of a lawsuit over what defines a “portrait”; it was claimed by Italians seeking to hold onto national patrimony around 1900; and it starred in a solo exhibition in Istanbul in 1999. Rodini's focused inquiry also ranges broadly, considering the nature of historical evidence, the shifting status of authenticity and verisimilitude, and the contemporary political resonance of Old Master paintings. Told as an object biography and imagined as an exploration of art historical methodologies, this book situates Gentile's portrait in evolving dialogues between East and West, uncovering the many and varied ways that objects construct meaning.

The Alana Collection: Italian paintings from the 13th to 15th century
The Alana Collection: Italian paintings from the 13th to 15th century

Author: Miklós Boskovits

Publisher: Edizioni Polistampa

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 278

ISBN-13:

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This book represents the culmination of years of hard work and intense passion. It celebrates the love of beauty as it is manifested in the art collection introduced in the volume. The works catalogued encompass around one fifth of Alanas entire Italian Old Master collection. It is the product of work and research, of numerous visits to different countries and cities in order to see the original works of art, visit art fairs, and seek the advice of a variety of specialists. The collection covers the period that goes from Italian Gothic to Italian High Renaissance art. Alanas aim has always been to build a collection that considers not only the great masters, but also those who followed in their footsteps and added their personal contributions alongside the achievements of the major figures. Alanas ambition has been to chart the history and evolution of the different Italian schools, the ways in which they inspired one another, and ultimately created so many distinctively beautiful works of art. In order to do this, this collection has been conceived as a living one, which continues to improve, evolve and welcome new works. A private and artistic history of each master is given, as well as rich visual reproductions, basic information, and a thorough technical explanation of both the most important masterpieces (those in color) and the ones that are relevant to the style or period (those in black and white). The volume concludes with a table noting the names and locations of the works mentioned in the book, as well as an extensive bibliography.