Paolo Farinati
The Jewish Forces Vanquishing the Supporters of Haman1586Farinati produced this drawing as part of a preparatory design for a frescoed frieze in the Casa Sebastiani (now the Biblioteca Civica), Verona. The frieze represents the climax in the Old Testament story of Ahasuerus, the powerful king of Persia, and his queen Esther. Their wicked chief minister Haman had plotted to exterminate all the Jews of the kingdom, and managed to persuade the King to allow him to do so. Unbeknown to Haman, the queen was Jewish and she overheard his plot. Esther exposed Haman’s treachery, thereby saving her people. Haman was to be executed, but some of his supporters rose up in defiance. Farinati has represented the Jewish forces’ reaction to this, as they exacted a terrible revenge on the insurgents.
Glossary [2] Show
Fresco
A wall painting applied to fresh, wet plaster so that the coloured pigment is absorbed into the surface of the wall.
Frieze
Derived from an element in classical architecture, it is used broadly to refer to any decorative horizontal band running along a wall or piece of furniture.
- Accession no. RSA 153
- Medium Pen, brown ink and wash, heightened with white, on blue paper
- Size 23.70 x 43.50 cm
- Credit David Laing Bequest to the Royal Scottish Academy on loan 1966
Paolo Farinati (Italian (Veronese), 1524 - 1606)
Farinati was born in Verona and became the city’s leading painter in the later part of the sixteenth century after his compatriot Paolo Veronese moved to Venice in the early 1550s. Farinati was not only a successful painter, but also a prolific and accomplished draughtsman. According to Vasari, Farinati was a pupil of Nicolò Giolfino, who encouraged him to concentrate on line as opposed to colour. He absorbed the influences of the fashionable Mannerist style of his youth, and the powerful figure style of Michelangelo. His work reflected this throughout his career. Farinati admired Veronese’s strong use of chiaroscuro and coarse brushwork, and incorporated these into his own paintings.
Glossary [3] Show
Chiaroscuro
Derived from the Italian for "light-dark", describes the effect of light and dark in a work of art, especially when they are in strong contrast. It is a term particularly associated with painting of the 17th century.
Draughtsmanship
The ability to draw skilfully, often refers to technical drawing.
Mannerism
A style of art that spread from Italy to much of Europe in the 16th century, between the High Renaissance and Baroque periods. There is disagreement among historians as to its nature but it often seen as decadent, rejecting the classical ideals of the Renaissance and characterized by elongated figures.