Junior Cycle History EU/WORLD : Renaissance: DOCUMENT 1

In the second editio

Question

DOCUMENT 1

In the second edition of "Lives of the Most Eminent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects" Vasari included remarks about Sofonisba Anguissola.

(i) According to the author, where was Sofonisba Anguissola born?

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(ii) Who talked of the "merits and abilities" of Anguissola to King Philip of Spain?

.......................................................................................................(1)

(iii) What evidence suggests that Anguissola was well treated by the Spanish king?

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(iv) Mention two reasons why Vasari decided to place Anguissola’s drawings in his book.

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(v) Apart from Philip of Spain, name two other important patrons of the arts during the Renaissance.

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DOCUMENT 1

Excerpts from Vasari’s description of Sofonisba Anguissola.

In the second edition of Lives of the Most Eminent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, Vasari included remarks about Sofonisba Anguissola.

Sofonisba of Cremona, the daughter of Amilcar Anguissola, has laboured at the difficulties of design with greater grace and better grace than any other woman of our time, and she has not only succeeded in drawing, colouring, and copying from nature, and in making excellent copies of works by other hands, but has also executed by herself alone some very choice and beautiful works of painting.

Wherefore she well deserved that King Philip of Spain, having heard of her merits and abilities from the Lord Duke of Alba, should have caused her to be escorted in great honour to Spain, where he keeps her with a rich allowance and about the presence of the Queen, the admiration of all that Court, which reveres the excellence of Sofonisba as a miracle...

...another drawing by the hand of Sofonisba, containing a little girl laughing at a boy who is weeping because one of the cray-fish out of a basket full of them, which she has placed in front of him, is biting his finger; and there is nothing more graceful to be seen than that drawing, or more true to nature.

Wherefore, in memory of the talent of Sofonisba, who lives in Spain, so that Italy has no abundance of her works, I have placed it in my book of drawings.

Giorgio Vasari, The Lives of the Most Eminent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, trans. Gaston du C. de Vere (London: Philip Lee Warner, 1912-14), I. 127-8.

DOCUMENT 1 In the second edition of "Lives of the Most Eminent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects" Vasari included remarks about Sofonisba Anguissola - Junior Cycle History - Question a - 2019

Worked Solution & Example Answer:DOCUMENT 1 In the second edition of "Lives of the Most Eminent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects" Vasari included remarks about Sofonisba Anguissola - Junior Cycle History - Question a - 2019

According to the author, where was Sofonisba Anguissola born?

Who talked of the "merits and abilities" of Anguissola to King Philip of Spain?

What evidence suggests that Anguissola was well treated by the Spanish king?

Mention two reasons why Vasari decided to place Anguissola’s drawings in his book.

Apart from Philip of Spain, name two other important patrons of the arts during the Renaissance.

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