Giovanni Morelli facts for kids
Giovanni Morelli (born February 25, 1816 – died February 28, 1891) was an Italian art expert and a political figure. He became famous for creating a special way to study art. This method helped him figure out which artist painted a piece. He looked closely at tiny, often overlooked details, like how an artist drew an ear. These small clues were like an artist's unique signature. Morelli was born in Verona and passed away in Milan.
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Morelli's Early Life and Education
Giovanni Morelli studied medicine in Switzerland and Germany. He even taught anatomy, which is the study of the body's structure, at the University of Munich. While there, he also learned about different ideas in science and philosophy. He became friends with Bettina von Arnim, a well-known writer. When he returned to Italy, he helped share these new ideas from northern Europe.
How Morelli Studied Art
The Morellian Method: Art Detective Work
Morelli's special way of studying art is called the "Morellian method." It's like being a detective! Instead of looking at the main parts of a painting, like the overall scene or who the people are, Morelli focused on tiny details. These small clues are often missed by others.
Think of it this way: a copycat artist might be good at copying the main parts of a famous painting. But they might not pay attention to how the original artist quickly drew a small ear or a fold in clothing. These tiny, almost unconscious habits of an artist are like fingerprints. Once you learn to spot them, they can tell you who the real artist is.
Morelli's method came from his medical background. Doctors look at many small symptoms to figure out what illness someone has. Similarly, Morelli looked at many small details to identify an artist. He first used this method to study works by Botticelli. Then, he used it to figure out which paintings were done by Botticelli's student, Filippino Lippi.
He published his full method in 1880. He used a secret name, "Ivan Lermolieff," which was an anagram of his own name. Some art historians even joked about "Lermolieffmania" because his ideas spread so quickly!
Morelli's Influence on Art History
Morelli's way of looking at art greatly influenced other experts. A famous art historian named Bernard Berenson met Morelli in 1890 and further developed his ideas. Other early scholars also used Morelli's methods.
His work became known in English-speaking countries in 1893. The Morellian technique was even used to study ancient Greek pottery and sculptures. It helped experts confidently identify the artists of many old artworks.
Interestingly, Morelli's method of finding hidden meanings in small details also influenced other fields. For example, Sigmund Freud, a famous psychologist, mentioned Morelli's work. Freud, like Morelli, also had a medical background.
Morelli as an Art Collector
Giovanni Morelli started collecting art in the mid-1850s. He chose pieces based on his own tastes and what he was studying. His first purchases included a portrait by Ambrogio de Predis. He also bought paintings by Bergognone.
His collection grew a lot in the 1860s and early 1870s. His cousin, Giovanni Melli, even helped him buy some paintings. Morelli bought artworks from different parts of Italy, like Florence and Siena. He also acquired "real gems" such as "The Young Smoker by Molenaer. He also bought Botticelli’s The Stories of Virginia and Pisanello’s Portrait of Leonello d’Este.
Morelli finished building his collection around 1874. The artworks decorated his home in Milan until he passed away in 1891. Morelli generously gave his entire collection to the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo. This museum received 117 paintings and 3 sculptures in 1892. It became a very important collection from one of the greatest art historians of his time.
Morelli's Political Life
Morelli strongly believed in the Unification of Italy. This was the movement to bring all the separate states of Italy together into one country. He took part in the uprisings in Milan in 1848. Because of his dedication to his country, he was made a senator in 1860.
Sources
- Born-on-This-Day
- Dietrich Seybold, The Giovanni Morelli Monograph, Basel 2016
See also
In Spanish: Giovanni Morelli para niños
