(This oil painting by Titian, a close friend of Pietro Aretino, shows his portrait in the year 1512.)
Pietro Aretino wrote many different poems, satires, and plays during his lifetime. I was going to link to an example of Aretino’s work, but the only one I found online turned out to be very sexual in nature, borderline pornographic, and I decided it was not appropriate for this blog. Anyone who is that interested to read his work can search for it individually. The reason we remember him today comes from his choice of topics. Aretino did not mind causing a stir, he wrote very controversial things, as well as very satirical things about people in high positions of power. Notably he wrote about Pope Leo X in rather unflattering terms (Zophy 83). He also had Charles V and Francis I of France paying him to slander the other (Burckhardt 116). So although the public declared him to be a scourge, Aretino recognized his power in his infamy (Zophy 83).
The
reason Pietro creates such an interesting topic rests in the emergence of
Italian literature. Many scholars of the time wrote to connect with old Roman
and Greek traditions, even if they used the vernacular. Pietro broke away from
the pack and wrote original material from current ideas and people he
interacted with daily. He even openly admits his different style, “I am a free
man. I do not need to copy Petrarca or Boccaccio. My own genius is enough. Let
others worry themselves about style, and so cease to be themselves. Without a
master, without a model, without a guide, I go to work and earn my living, my
well-being and my fame,” (Pietro). Granted his writing style
certainly made his name known throughout Italy, and without it, well things
would certainly be duller. Although personally I will admit I did not need to
read that poem by him, yet it definitely makes me understand more what Zophy
meant by saying Aretino wrote pornography.
Sources:
Burckhardt, James and Peter Murray. The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy. London: Penguin
Books, 1990.
Brainy Quote. “Pietro Aretino Quotes.” Brainy Quote. Accessed
September 11, 2013. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/p/pietro_aretino.html.
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ReplyDeleteI really admire That Pietro acknowledges Petrarch and Boccaccio's influencing work. But he still strives to make a name for himself in other ways even if that meant creating a writing style that was not appropriate for our class blog. I am curious about Pietro's work though, I may have to check in on that.
ReplyDeleteI like the fact that Pietro chose to break away from the status quo by introducing a different type of work. He didn't really seem to care that what he did write was at times very offensive or sensual. He wasn't afraid of anyone's opinion, which is a quality I think any artist should possess. I also love that Pietro was able to make his satirical style stand out in his time, when a more serious tone had been the norm.
ReplyDeleteWhen we think of the Renaissance and the past in general we always think that it was time of social constraint and conformity. So it interesting to me that Pietro did break away from that status quo and even wrote about taboo topics knowing that the material would be controversial. I also agree with Kaley, influential art needs to raise eye brows whether it be controversial or not.
ReplyDeleteCan't comment, too busy searching for his poetry. . . .
ReplyDeleteThis is a good contrast between the tension of the time with Savonarola, as we discussed on Friday. Art was varied, whether you were a lay person, an artists, a cardinal or a pope. But imagine being a northerner traveling to Florence or Rome. It did seem different, and was. The Renaissance culture supported this kind of celebration, but was critiqued by others.