DAY 135

A PICTURE’S WORTH 1000 200 WORDS

The Tempest

GIORGIONE, C. 1508

This oil painting is one of the few surviving works by an Italian Renaissance painter known as Giorgione (also known as Giorgio da Castelfranco). Most likely commissioned by a Venetian nobleman, the piece is considered by some to be one of the first landscape paintings in Western art. Also, it is often described as “poetic” and is widely praised for its success at evoking a mood—a novel achievement that influenced other Renaissance painters.

In general, Giorgione’s work is shrouded in mystery, but this piece in particular is a prime example of how art historians can’t always put together all pieces of the puzzle. A man stares in the vicinity of—but not directly at—a breastfeeding woman and her child. An ominous storm (or tempest, hence the title of the painting) looms overhead, creating a fantastic tension within an otherwise peaceful setting. The muted colors and the triangular, visually comfortable composition contribute to the feel of “the calm before the storm.”

So what does all of this mean? Some have speculated on various symbols throughout the piece, and some have attempted to relate it to mythology or Bibical stories. But when all is said and done, art historians are still unsure of Giorgione’s exact intentions with this painting. —DDG