Paolo Veronese's Venus With A Mirror

During the Renaissance, there was a rise in theoretical discussions regarding the nature of the arts. These discussions set the base for critical art theory that would come to form throughout the Renaissance and onwards. From this arose the question of paragone – a debate between artists and theorists as to which form of art was superior. This could refer to any sort of competition; whether the Florentine or Venetian school of painting was more preferable, or if the visual arts or written word could better describe nature and the world around them. The nature of the cultural landscape of Italy during the Renaissance is what truly allowed for these debates to flourish. The role of the artist was quickly changing, turning the artist into an …show more content…
This technique was created to combat the assertion that the ability to show the figure from multiple viewpoints was part of sculpture alone, and was achieved by depicting reflections in paintings. It is around this time period that the motif of the mirror begins to appear in various works of art. An example of this can be seen in Paolo Veronese’s painting Venus with a Mirror. Paolo Veronese was one of the leading painters of Venetian painting in the cinquecento, following in the tradition of Titian, and is known for being one of the best colourists of the Renaissance. The painting shows a nude Venus with her back to the viewer and face in profile, admiring herself in a mirror held up by her companion, …show more content…
At the time of commission, there were already two previously completed pieces in the Santa Maria Maggiore that illustrated the same subject. In choosing to directly reference existing paintings of the assumption and keep the artistic conventions of a two register composition, Bernini very consciously placed himself in competition with painters. The Assumption allowed for Bernini to enter the domain of the painter, but he did so as a sculptor, and even surpassed the precedent that had been set for paintings dealing with this subject matter. It was so well received that it was placed inside on the choir of the Santa Maria Maggiore rather than on the sacristy as it was originally meant to be. Bernini became renowned for his unique relief technique, and was also subsequently granted the commission of the central relief for the tomb of Clement VIII. Bernini’s desire to further the art of sculpture beyond the traditional limits placed upon it by his contemporaries is what led to his renown.
The paragone between sculpture and painting was a debate with no end. Each group was constantly looking for ways to prove themselves to be the superior art form. As such, the traditional boundaries of each medium were consistently being pushed. Many of the important