The Glorification of Andrea Doria c. 1750 - 1768

Editor: Here we have Domenico Corvi’s “The Glorification of Andrea Doria,” painted in oils sometime between 1750 and 1768. It feels incredibly… theatrical. I’m thinking grand opera set design. So much drama in the heavens and on earth! What strikes you when you look at this painting? Curator: Oh, it absolutely vibrates with operatic flair! For me, it’s the choreography of it all. Imagine, Domenico Corvi composing this scene like a stage director. The upward thrust of the figures, that radiant light blasting down…it’s almost Baroque hyperdrive. And, you know, those folks at the bottom? I see them reaching, straining... what do you make of that? Editor: It does seem to echo classic history painting. Maybe reaching toward some past ideal? A classical idea? Curator: Yes, a grand past ideal! Think about Doria himself, a 16th-century admiral and statesman of Genoa. Corvi, in the 18th century, paints him not just as a man, but as an embodiment of civic virtue being lifted into the heavens! I wonder if we're seeing nostalgia playing out through Corvi's brush, almost saying that Genoa and Italy should aim for similar heights of excellence. How very… extra! Editor: It almost makes you think about the political mood at the time. I never thought of art as "extra" but you have made me see this with new eyes. Curator: "Extra" is as "extra" does. That painting wants you to see it from across a crowded ballroom. Next time, close your eyes for a few seconds and then look to see what stands out in the composition. Thank you for this opportunity to talk art!