Think back, if you will, to the works of art you created at age twelve or thirteen. For many, perhaps most of us, our output at that stage of adolescence amounted to directionless doodles, chaotic comics, and a few unsteady-at-best school projects.
It misses so much context that even the Kimball (and its Wikipedia page) adds. This was Michelangelo’s take on The Temptation of Saint Anthony. Yes, he made changes, and yes he was talented. But compare the two.
There is so much in that composition that you wonder how a 14 year-old could’ve come up with that… And then you learn that a common thing at the time was to do your “take” on a famous painting/drawing, and it became a “aha“ moment.
Not to belittle his work at all, it’s still damn impressive, but he was indeed building on the work of others at the time, just like others did with him.
It misses so much context that even the Kimball (and its Wikipedia page) adds. This was Michelangelo’s take on The Temptation of Saint Anthony. Yes, he made changes, and yes he was talented. But compare the two.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Temptation_of_St_Anthony_(Schongauer)
You know your shit, don’t you. Well spotted.
There is so much in that composition that you wonder how a 14 year-old could’ve come up with that… And then you learn that a common thing at the time was to do your “take” on a famous painting/drawing, and it became a “aha“ moment.
Not to belittle his work at all, it’s still damn impressive, but he was indeed building on the work of others at the time, just like others did with him.
Interesting. Thanks for sharing!