A few days ago, a friend visiting Venice sent me a photo of The Dream of Saint Ursula (Il Sogno della Santa), one of the nine paintings from Vittore Carpaccio's Cycle of Saint Ursula that are exhibited together in the Gallerie dell'Accademia. There is no definitive version of the legend, but the basic story is that Ursula, a devout young Christian woman is martyred after refusing to marry a pagan prince. This painting is the sixth in the cycle ... about Ursula's dream of being visited by an angel foretelling her martyrdom:
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The Dream of Saint Ursula 1496-1498, oil on canvas, 107 x 105 inches Vittore Carpaccio (ca. 1465 - ca. 1525) Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice |
The photo brought back memories of seeing the painting in person many years ago and being captivated by the unusual composition and the way multiple "boxes" (such as the shape of Ursula's bed ... photo below) form an interlocking abstract structure. Carpaccio is rarely if ever mentioned as an influence on my work, but I've always admired his inventiveness, his mastery of color, and the complexity of his compositions. While far from unknown, I think he's a very under-rated artist.
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A few of the many "boxes" in the structure |
See more of my work at my website: Andrew Stevovich
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