Giulio Clovio | |
|---|---|
Juraj Julije Klović | |
 | |
| Born | Juraj Julije Klović 1498 (1498) |
| Died | 5 January 1578 (aged 79–80) |
| Other names |
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| Known for | Illuminator, miniaturist, and painter |
| Notable work | Farnese Hours |
| Movement | High Renaissance |
Juraj Julije Klović (Italian:Giorgio Giulio Clovio; 1498 – 5 January 1578) was aCroatian-Italianilluminator, miniaturist, and painter born in theKingdom of Croatia, who was mostly active inRenaissance Italy.[1] He is considered the greatest illuminator of theItalian High Renaissance, and arguably the last very notable artist in the long tradition of theilluminated manuscript, before some modern revivals.
Giulio Clovio was born inGrižane, a village inKingdom of Croatia (today'sCroatia).[2]He came from aCroatian family,[3][4] and he is known asClovio Croata.[5]
It is not known where he had his early training, but he may have studied art with monks atRijeka of Novi Bazar when he was young.[6]
He moved toItaly at age 18 and entered the household of CardinalMarino Grimani where he was trained as a painter. Between 1516 and ca 1523 Clovio may have lived with Marino in the residence of the latter's uncle CardinalDomenico Grimani inRome.[7] Clovio studied underGiulio Romano during this early period.[8]
He also studied underGirolamo dai Libri.
While a protégé of Cardinal Domenico Grimani, Clovio engraved medals and seals for him, as well as the Grimani Commentary Ms., an important early illuminated book (nowSir John Soane's Museum, London).
By 1524 Clovio was atBuda, at the Hungarian court ofKing Louis II, for whom he painted the "Judgment of Paris" and "Lucretia". After Louis' death in theBattle of Mohács, Clovio travelled to Rome where he continued his career.[9]
After 1527 he visited several monasteries of theCanons Regular of St. Augustine. In 1534 Clovio returned to the household of Cardinal Marino Grimani.[9] A year later Clovio may have followed Marino when the latter was appointed as a papal legate toPerugia, where Clovio is thought to have worked on illustrations for theSoane Manuscript written by Marino Grimani around that time. Clovio likely returned to Rome by the end of 1538 when he is known to have met with the writerFrancisco de Hollanda.[7]
Clovio later became a member of the household ofAlessandro Farnese with whom he would be associated until his death. It was during his time with Farnese that Clovio created one of his masterpieces, theFarnese Hours. Other well-known works from this period include the illustrations for the Towneley Lectionary.[10]
From 1551 to 1553 Clovio is known to have worked inFlorence. During this time he painted a miniature ofEleanor of Toledo (England, Welbeck Abbey, Private Collection).[11]
Clovio was a friend of the much youngerEl Greco, the celebratedGreek artist fromHeraklion onCrete, who later worked inSpain, during El Greco's early years in Rome. Greco painted two portraits of Clovio; one shows the four painters whom he considered his masters; in this, Clovio is side by side withMichelangelo,Titian, andRaphael. Clovio was also known asMichelangelo of theminiature. Books with his miniatures became famous primarily due to his skilled illustrations. He was persuasive in transferring the style of Italian highRenaissance painting into the miniature format.[citation needed]
Pieter Bruegel the Elder was a personal friend of Giulio Clovio, and stayed with Clovio in Rome during his Italian trip of 1553.[12] Breugel executed a small medallion depicting ships in a storm on a Clovio miniature of theLast Judgment (New York Public Library),[13] but the six Bruegels mentioned in Clovio's will have all disappeared.[citation needed]
Clovio illuminated the Commentary of Marino Grimani onSt Paul'sEpistle to the Romans. This work is now in theSir John Soane Museum in London. The commentary consists of 130 vellums. Two large miniatures are included, as well as richly decorated borders. The miniatures depict the conversion of St Paul.[14][15]
His most famous work is theFarnese Hours, completed in 1546 forCardinal Alessandro Farnese, which was nine years in the making (nowMorgan Library, New York). He is pointing to this work in the El Greco portrait (above). This contains twenty-eight miniatures depictingAdoration of the Magi andSolomon Adored by theQueen of Sheba, from Old and New Testament scenes, but with a famous double-page picture representing theCorpus Christi procession in Rome. It has splendid silver-gilt covers, although they are not byBenvenuto Cellini, as Vasari claimed.
TheTowneleyLectionary is now in theNew York Public Library and probably belonged to Cardinal Alessandro Farnese. Used during services, the book contained six majestic, full-page miniatures opposite miniature depictions of the Evangelists. The illustrations introduced the relevant readings from the Scripture. They include the Nativity, theResurrection and theLast Judgment.[16]
This work is now in theJohn Rylands Library in Manchester.[17] The Colonna Missal was made for Cardinal Pompeo Colonna. There had been some debate about the identity of the artist. Some had attributed the missal to Raphael (about 1517). It has also been suggested that the work may belong to Vinzenzio Raimondi.[18] It is now generally attributed to Clovio.[19][20]
TheBritish Library has his twelve full-page miniatures of the victories of theEmperor Charles V,[21] and theStuart de Rothesay Book of Hours, which was originally commissioned by Cardinal Marino Grimani and includes 4 miniatures by Giulio Clovio.[22]
TheVatican library has a manuscript life of Federigo III di Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino, superbly illustrated by Clovio.[21] Other illustrations by him are kept in libraries inVienna,New York City,Munich, andParis, and in many private collections. A large exhibition of his works was held in 2012 inKlovićevi Dvori ("Palace of Klović"), the art gallery dedicated to him inZagreb.[23]
According to a description written for publication by Antonfrancesco Cirni, he also designed many of the costumes for the famously elaborate wedding festivities of OrtensiaBorromeo in March 1565, which were held in theVatican and included a tournament in the Belvedere courtyard. Such duties were often expected of a Renaissance court painter. The costumes are carefully recorded in a series of anonymousetchings, some probably based on Clovio's design drawings.[citation needed]
Giulio Clovio died in Rome on 5 January 1578. His tomb is in theBasilica of San Pietro in Vincoli, the church containingMichelangelo's celebratedMoses.
Croatia celebrated the 1998 500th anniversary of his birth. TheCroatian National Bank issued a special 200kuna silver coin in commemoration. A monument to Clovio was also raised in Drivenik. TheCroatian government recently made news by purchasing Clovio'sThe Last Judgement, a painting Clovio gave as a gift toPope Clement VII. Bernardin Modrić released his filmThe Gospel According to Klović in 2006. The Vatican celebrated this anniversary with postal stamps.
Today, Giulio Clovio is celebrated inItaly andCroatia. He was born in the Kingdom of Croatia and stated hisCroatian identity.[3][4] But, for most of his life he worked in Italy, and is therefore often referred to as anItalian painter.[24][25]
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