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Francisco de Holanda
Francisco de Holanda (originally Francisco d'Olanda), (born: Lisbon, c. 1517; died: Lisbon, 1585) was a Portuguese humanist and painter. Considered to be one of the most important figures of the Portuguese Renaissance, he was also an ensaísta, architect, and historian.
Francisco de Holanda began his career as an illuminator, following in the footsteps of his father, António d'Holanda, royal illuminator. He studied in Italy between 1538 and 1547, during which he frequented the circle of Vitoria Colonna, one of the notables of the Italian Renaissance who privided him with access to some of the great artists of his period, such as [[Parmigianino}}, Giambologna, and, most imporantly, Micaelangelo who introduced him to classicism.
Returning to Portugal, he obtained various commissions from the Cardinal-bishop of Évora, and of the Portuguese kings, John III (1521-1557) and Sebastian (1568-1578).
The esthetic values of the Renaissance were strongly expressed by the artist, who stated that the principle objective was to stimulate personal originality, and to follow the link to nature (the pure mirror of the Creator) and the link to the ancients -- immortal masters of greatness, symmetry, perfection and decorum.
Possessing a versitile intellect, Francisco de Holanda distinguished himself through his series of drawings, "The Antiquities of Italy" (1540-1547), through his contribution by his studies to the revival of the archaeological heritage of Tome, and of Italian art in the first half of the 16th century.
Francisco was the creator of the facade of the Church of Our Lady of Grace (Igreja de Nossa senhora da Graça) in Évora. His passion for classicism is expressed in his treatise, On Ancient Painting, which presented the essence of the work of Michaelangelo and of the artistic movement in Rome in the second half of the 16th century.
He also wrote the first analysis of urbanization in the Iberian Penninsular, On the fabrication of the deth of the city of Lisbon (Da fábrica que falece a cidade de Lisboa), and other books of drawings such asDe Aetatiubs Mundi Imagines, and Antigualhas.
He was the author, among other titles, of:
- Da Pintura Antiga (Lisbon, 1548)
- Da fábrica que falece a cidade de Lisboa (Lisbon, 1571)
- Lembrança Ao muyto Serenissimo e Christianissimo Rey Dom Sebastiam: De quãto Serve A Sciencia do Desegno e Etendimento da Arte da Pintura, na Republica Christam Asi na Paz Como na Guerra (Lisbon, 1571).
[edit] Notes
[edit] Bibliography
- Holanda, Francisco de. Da Ciência do Desenho [1571] (Lisbon: Livres Horizonte, 1985).
