Lodovico Cardi, better known as Cigoli (1559-1613), is one of Italy’s remarkable yet often overlooked figures from the late Renaissance. Born in the Tuscan town of San Miniato on 21st September 1559, he excelled not only as a painter but also as an architect.
Cigoli began his artistic education in Florence under the guidance of the prominent Mannerist painter Alessandro Allori. This period laid the groundwork for his mastery of human anatomy and dramatic composition, key elements in his later work. However, Cigoli would soon depart from the more artificial tendencies of Mannerism, aligning himself with a naturalistic and expressionist style that was gaining ground in Florence and Rome.
Major Works and Artistic Style
Cigoli’s paintings are known for their emotional intensity, soft use of light, and vivid realism. One of his most renowned works, Ecce Homo (1607), housed in the Pitti Palace in Florence, shows these qualities beautifully. The painting depicts a sombre Christ crowned with thorns.
What sets Ecce Homo apart is Cigoli’s masterful treatment of light and texture. The contrast between Christ’s pale, luminous skin and the rough treatment of his captors heightens the intensity of the scene. Cigoli’s skill in capturing the depth of human emotion and the physical realism of the subject was ahead of its time. It moved away from the artificiality of Mannerist style towards the naturalism that would later define Baroque art.
The Uffizi website describes the work thus: “the precious nature of the painted matter, the damasks, the satins and the velvets, together with the elegant Venetian-inspired colours, all blend with the intense naturalism of the faces, drawn from life. The illusion of perspective, created by the marble parapet in the foreground, adds a highly theatrical aspect to the scene, the result of a continued exchange between painters and scenographers in 17th-century Florence.”
First realistic moon in art
In addition to religious scenes, Cigoli was known for his portraits and frescoes. They can still be seen in some of Italy’s most famous churches, such as the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. His fresco remains one of his most celebrated works. It is notable for its innovative depiction of the Virgin Mary standing upon a pock-marked lunar orb.
Cigoli was a close friend of Galileo Galilei, who reportedly considered him the greatest painter of his time. The two corresponded frequently, with Galileo honing his drawing skills while Cigoli took an interest in astronomy. Their friendship led to a remarkable artistic milestone. Cigoli’s depiction of the moon, based on Galileo’s telescopic observations, became the first known example of Galileo’s discovery represented in art.
In Cigoli’s fresco, the moon appears as Galileo had sketched it in his groundbreaking work Sidereus Nuncius, where he published his observations of the moon’s rough, mountainous surface. Before this, artists had traditionally depicted the moon as a smooth, perfect sphere in images of the Virgin Mary. Cigoli’s work broke with this convention, incorporating scientific accuracy into his art.
Architect and Engineer
Cigoli was not only a master painter but also a skilled architect and engineer. His architectural work includes contributions to the design of churches and public buildings. His approach to architecture followed the Renaissance tradition of proportion and geometry, while incorporating the drama and grandeur that would later characterise the Baroque.
Cigoli worked with the architect Bernardo Buontalenti in Florence. The inner courtyard of the Palazzo Nonfinito in the city is believed to be a Cigoli design.
Legacy and Influence
Cigoli’s impact on Italian art in particular is significant, though his fame was often eclipsed by contemporaries like Caravaggio. Yet, his influence is apparent in the works of later Baroque painters who sought to capture the same emotional depth and dynamic realism.
In his lifetime, he was a friend and colleague of Galileo Galilei, and the two exchanged ideas on perspective and the nature of space, reflecting the cross-disciplinary spirit of the Renaissance.
In recognition of his contributions, Cigoli was appointed architect to the Grand Duke of Tuscany and received numerous commissions from the Catholic Church. His integration of art and science made him a key figure in the transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque, a bridge between two great eras of Italian culture.
Recommended Book
An annotated book of Lodovico Cardi (Cigoli) drawings and artworks.
A visual introduction to the artist’s works.
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