This latest exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts looks at the rise of the Venetian art Renaissance, focusing on the opening decade of the 16th century – but does it cover the subject well?
The Guardian: **** Jonathan Jones said: “At times in this exhibition, for all the curators’ attempts to put him back into the limelight, Giorgione seems a lost cause.”
The Financial Times: Rachel Spence thought that: “the Royal Academy shows that, with honest curation, it is possible to build an exhibition around the memory of an artist whose paintings are often as enigmatic as his biography. ”
The Upcoming: *** Anna Souter was disappointed saying: “it provides a disappointingly sedate overview of this exciting era of innovation.”
Evening Standard: **** Ben Luke called it an: “absorbing show.”
City AM:**** Olivia McEwan commented: “this compelling exhibition adds to the mystery surrounding Giorgione rather than providing clarity; it shines a light on a fascinating period but the artist himself remains an enigma.”
The Telegraph: *** Mark Hudson wrote: “it’s amazing this exhibition gives so much space to minor figures such as Cariani and Girolamo Romanino.”
Art Newspaper: “In a show that encourages us to contemplate surface qualities of paint, to find the tops of the picture planes obscured by strong black shadows is deeply frustrating.”
Love London Love Culture: “fascinating to see how this decade was influential in the development of the Golden Age of Venetian painting, but it feels as though it is lacking some of the detail that the paintings on display possess to make it truly successful.”
Londonist: *** Tabish Khan thought that: “Though this exhibition cements the importance of Giorgione in art history, the majority of his works still fail to properly excite us.”
Culture Whisper: ****”There is a mesmerising show hidden somewhere in The Age of Giorgione, struggling to get out.”
Time Out:**** Matt Breen said: “But this measured, small-scale show puts him where he should be: centre stage.”
In the Age of Giorgione is on display at the Royal Academy of Arts until the 5th June.