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Video: Why the masterpiece of the Frenchman Jean Fouquet, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, was considered blasphemous: "Melen diptych"
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
French painter and manuscript illustrator Jean Fouquet was a leading 15th century painter in France and the first painter in Northern Europe to follow the Italian Renaissance. Famous and in the service of King Charles VII. The iconic work of the artist is the Melensky Diptych, which is a scandalous masterpiece. Opinions about him vary. What is the provocativeness of Fouquet's main creation and why was it considered blasphemous?
About the artist
Fouquet was born in Tours and was the illegitimate son of a priest. Educated in Paris as an illustrator of manuscripts. On the road to fame, Fouquet created a portrait of Pope Eugene IV with his two nephews. He made a splash! And the main reason lies not only in the magnificent performance of the work, but also in the fact that it was created on canvas (and not on the wood that was popular at that time).
Another important result of the trip to Rome was that Fouquet introduced the concepts and methods of Italian Renaissance art into French painting. His subsequent work in the fields of painting, paneling, manuscripts and portraiture earned him a reputation as the most important French artist of the 1400s. In Italy, Fouquet was inspired by Fra Angelico's frescoes. The works of the famous Florentine have had a profound influence on him. The new science of perspective in Italian art also influenced his work. Upon his return from Italy, Fouquet created an individual style of painting, combining elements of monumental Italian and detailed Flemish painting.
In 1447, Fouquet completed a magnificent portrait of King Charles VII. This work became one of the most famous French paintings of the Renaissance. Subsequently, Jean Fouquet was invited to work as an artist for King Charles VII. Experiencing a serious illness, Charles VII in advance instructed Fouquet to create a colored death mask for a public funeral. This is evidence not only of the highest skill of Fouquet, but also of the king's boundless trust. Under Charles's successor, Louis XI, Fouquet was appointed peintre du roy (official court painter). In this venerated position, Fouquet ran a large workshop that produced paintings and manuscripts for the court.
Melensky diptych
Around 1450, Fouquet created his most famous work, the Melensky Diptych. Jean Fouquet's religious diptych from the Cathedral Church of Notre Dame in Melun is one of the masterpieces of French painting and art of the 15th century. The client was Etienne Chevalier, treasurer of King Charles VII, for whom Jean Fouquet had already created a magnificent illuminated manuscript of the Book of Hours.
The masterpiece, now considered one of the greatest Renaissance paintings in 15th century France, is in two parts. On the left panel, the customer Etienne Chevalier is depicted in a kneeling position. To his left is Saint Stephen. The latter, dressed in the mantle of a deacon, holds a book on which is a jagged stone - a symbol of his martyrdom. Blood drips from a fatal wound on top of the head. In his hand he has the main identifying attributes - the Gospel and the stone with which he was later killed. Both heroes are looking at the right panel with the Virgin Mary.
The right wing shows the Madonna seated on a throne in an abstract space. The background is in the style of the Italian Renaissance and is very similar to the church interior. It displays pilasters alternating with inlaid marble panels. The fresco with the inscription "Estienne Chevalier" (a reference to the client of the work) is clearly visible. Another mention of the donor is contained in Jesus. The baby sits on the lap of the Madonna. His finger points in the direction of the Chevalier, as if suggesting that his prayer for divine mercy will be heard. Madonna is depicted with a surprisingly thin waist, fashionable haircut and gorgeous attire. Her throne is adorned with imposing pearls, precious stones and exquisite gold tassels. The background is filled with cherubs painted in bright red and blue. Agnes's face and skin are painted in a pale gray, reminiscent of grisaille. This is probably the author's allusion to the fact of her death in 1450.
Scandalous sensation
This author's vision not only made a splash in the society of that time, but also turned out to be scandalous. The main reason is that society recognized the heroine. This is Agnes Sorel - an exceptionally beautiful and influential mistress of the king (she is depicted with geometrically rounded topless breasts). The customer and treasurer of the Chevalier, along with Agnes Sorel, ruled the shaky kingdom of Charles VII. The diptych contains an inscription on the back of the Antwerp panel dating from the 18th century. She reports that the diptych was donated by Etienne Agnes following an oath he took after her death.
Naked breasts remain a mystery. It is quite clear that there is not even a hint on the canvas that the Madonna was going to feed Jesus. The large size, daring look and perfectly spherical shape is a deliberate demonstration of sensual beauty, which is completely inappropriate for the Queen of Heaven. Considering the location of the diptych - in the church - the image looks just blasphemous. However, according to the court chroniclers Chastellen and Enea Silvio Piccolomini (later Pope Pius II), the painting played in favor of the king. Moreover, at that time, few believers would have considered it blasphemous to call the deceased royal mistress the Virgin Mary. There were different opinions about the work. For example, the painting was not approved by the Dutch art historian and medieval chronicler Johan Huizing, who called the painting terrifying.
The left panel with the portrait of Etienne Chevalier and the image of St. Stephen was added to the collection of the Berlin Picture Gallery in 1896. And the right panel, depicting the Madonna, has belonged to the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Antwerp since the beginning of the 19th century. In addition, there is an enamel medallion with a self-portrait of Jean Fouquet, which once adorned the frame of the diptych, and is now kept in the Louvre. In January 2018, a sensational reunion of the two parts of the diptych took place in Berlin (albeit for a short time). The event helped restore the lost unity of the great work of art.
Forgotten after death, but rediscovered in the 19th century, Fouquet is still considered an outstanding artist in European art. He is considered by art historians to be the greatest French painter of the 15th century, combining the methods of the Italian painters of the early Renaissance with the technique of the Dutch Renaissance painters.
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