Social ‘Under-painting’ in 15th-century landscape depictions

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the background landscape depictions of two late fifteenth-century altarpieces and discusses what these commissions reveal about the contrasting societal and cultural influences affecting the respective patrons. It suggests that their aspirations and self-perceptions are evidenced within differing approaches to landscape depiction at this time. The paintings demonstrate contrasting concerns and cultural identities north and south of the Alps and may relate to divergent symbolic associations utilised within their particular elitist environments.

Keywords:

• Fifteenth-century altarpieces
• landscape representation within paintings
• environmental influences
• cultural identities
• Florence
• Bruges
• the Arno Valley
• court culture
• idealised aristocratic landscape
• symbolic landscapes
• status
• power

Acknowledgements

This paper owes thanks to Professor Judith George, for her time in reading through a draft copy and making numerous suggestions and advice for which I am extremely grateful. Also thanks to Olivia Nesci and Giorgio Mangani and to Professor Gillian Rose for permitting access to relevant papers. Grateful thanks to the anonymous referee who pointed me in the direction of a number of interesting works of which I was unaware. Any mistakes are entirely my own.

Notes

1 A ‘pala’ is an Italian term for a one-panel painting.

2 Memling’s understanding from within his cultural environment may have resulted in this rendition of a ‘manor’ house.