Hello my DU friends! Our wonderful Friday Afternoon Challenge today: The Venerable Genre of the ‘Nud

[CTyankee]

50. It's a variation (!) of the "sacra conversazione" theme of the Madonna, Child and Saints that

could be so lovely in other earlier artists' hands (Lippi's little angel "helping" the Christ child onto Mary's lap is quite tender and beautiful for instance). Mary McCarthy wrote some scathing stuff about this Fiorentino presentation, esp. the mascara on the Christ child and the clawlike hands of Mary and others). It is in the Uffizi...when I was in Florence in 2010 on an art intensive with Trinity College staff I think I somewhat miffed a lecturer by pointing out those peculiar characteristics with my obvious disdain...I was otherwise humble of course since I didn't want to get into any trouble with la professoressa...

I am struggling through a rather dry, old book on the Mannerists by Shearman, who is a fine critic. Hopefully, I will finish it and become enlightened...