The Art of Love in Renaissance Italy:
An Exploration of Sensual Pleasure in Architectural Space Xiaoyi Chen FAH335 #1 Exhibition Catalogue
Printed Book: Hypnerotomachia Poliphili
Date: 1499
Author: Francesco Colonna
Location: Venice With elegant woodcutting and hybrid language, Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (translated in English as The Strife of Love in a Dream) depicts the story of young Poliphio’s tumultuous journey toward pursuing his love Polia in his dream. The story begins with Poliphio falling asleep in his dream. Within this second dream, he awakens in a landscape of extraordinary architecture, …show more content…
Jupiter, in the shape of the cloud, is depicted in a dominant, powerful, and aggressive way. As Jupiter’s gesture implies his downward motion towards Io, his ‘body’ or form takes up the entire upper canvas, leaving only a slice of blue suggesting the sky, as seen from the perspective of Io, who has obviously abandoned herself to the physical pleasure provided by Jupiter. This composition of Jupiter’s overwhelming dominance contrasts with his gentle as well as mighty grasping and kissing of Io, which suggests that he himself is as tempted as Io by the ultimate pleasure of sex. Io, seduced by Jupiter, reveals her delight through her bodily gestures. Her limbs are outstretched, with her left foot pointing toward the ground and supporting her balance; her right foot is tilted as though was charged with physical delight. She stretches her neck to accept the kiss of Jupiter, with her cheek in pinky blush and lips slightly open. Her joyous pose together with her eyes looking blandly into the air suggest the intensity of this pleasurable experience. According to Jones, “Correggio saw the ancient myths, without any spiritual or philosophical veiling, as sexual stories. His classical paintings use painterly refinement to give jaw-dropping reality to the licentious tales of the ancients in what he plainly intends as fun.” Such physical and sensual delight is delivered to the viewers through both Correggio’s depiction of human body and his mastery in his use of color. The artist fully exhibited his ability to render soft and golden-glazed skin tones, with pinky-white colors that undermine the excitement within the vein and the blood. The beautiful face and the gold and airy hair of Io indicate an idealized beauty that is projected on the gods. This almost vulnerable beauty strongly contrasts with the dark, smoky form of Jupiter, who dominates
An Exploration of Sensual Pleasure in Architectural Space Xiaoyi Chen FAH335 #1 Exhibition Catalogue
Printed Book: Hypnerotomachia Poliphili
Date: 1499
Author: Francesco Colonna
Location: Venice With elegant woodcutting and hybrid language, Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (translated in English as The Strife of Love in a Dream) depicts the story of young Poliphio’s tumultuous journey toward pursuing his love Polia in his dream. The story begins with Poliphio falling asleep in his dream. Within this second dream, he awakens in a landscape of extraordinary architecture, …show more content…
Jupiter, in the shape of the cloud, is depicted in a dominant, powerful, and aggressive way. As Jupiter’s gesture implies his downward motion towards Io, his ‘body’ or form takes up the entire upper canvas, leaving only a slice of blue suggesting the sky, as seen from the perspective of Io, who has obviously abandoned herself to the physical pleasure provided by Jupiter. This composition of Jupiter’s overwhelming dominance contrasts with his gentle as well as mighty grasping and kissing of Io, which suggests that he himself is as tempted as Io by the ultimate pleasure of sex. Io, seduced by Jupiter, reveals her delight through her bodily gestures. Her limbs are outstretched, with her left foot pointing toward the ground and supporting her balance; her right foot is tilted as though was charged with physical delight. She stretches her neck to accept the kiss of Jupiter, with her cheek in pinky blush and lips slightly open. Her joyous pose together with her eyes looking blandly into the air suggest the intensity of this pleasurable experience. According to Jones, “Correggio saw the ancient myths, without any spiritual or philosophical veiling, as sexual stories. His classical paintings use painterly refinement to give jaw-dropping reality to the licentious tales of the ancients in what he plainly intends as fun.” Such physical and sensual delight is delivered to the viewers through both Correggio’s depiction of human body and his mastery in his use of color. The artist fully exhibited his ability to render soft and golden-glazed skin tones, with pinky-white colors that undermine the excitement within the vein and the blood. The beautiful face and the gold and airy hair of Io indicate an idealized beauty that is projected on the gods. This almost vulnerable beauty strongly contrasts with the dark, smoky form of Jupiter, who dominates