03 — ARTWORK
Argus (detail)
- MEDIUM
- Fresco
- TYPE
- Mythological
PALETTE
HOVER OR TAP A SWATCH FOR NAME, SHARE AND HEX. SAMPLED FROM THE IMAGE — INDICATIVE, NOT A PIGMENT ANALYSIS.
THIS REPRODUCTION DOWNLOAD THE FULL FILE ↓
- FILE
- 1050 × 888 px · JPEG
COMMENTARY
UNDERLINED TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE GLOSSARY.
The Sforzas decided to safeguard the treasure in the keeptall, strong tower in medieval castles, used as an observation post and last refuge for those living in the castle, an, unlike the donjon, not designed for permanent habitation. of the Rocchetta, the most impregnable part of the Castello"castle", palace. Sforzesco. The treasure room, which today houses the Trivulziana Library, still conserves part of a decoration commissioned by Ludovico il Moro. The most ambitious of Bramante's wall paintings, the so-called Argus (c. 1490-93), is here. The elegantly posed, semi-nude hero stands at the foot of a tunnel-like flight of steps upon a kind of balcony of striking illusionismThe painting techniques that create the realistic impression of solid, three-dimensional objects (such as picture frames, architectural features, plasterwork etc.), consisting of a pair of superimposed pedestals supported upon corbels, framing a recessed tondoA circular painting or relief sculpture. The tondo derives from classical medallions and was used in the Renaissance as a compositional device for creating an ideal visual harmony. It was particularly popular in Florence and was often used for depictions of the Madonna and Child. of fictive bronzeAn alloy of copper (usually about 90 per cent) and tin, often also containing small amounts of other metals such as lead or zinc. Since antiquity it has been the metal most commonly used in cast sculpture because of its strength, durability, and the fact that it is easily workable - both hot and cold - by a variety of processes. It is easier to cast than copper because it has a lower melting-point, and its great tensile strength makes possible the protrusion of unsupported parts - an advantage over marble sculpture. The colour of bronze is affected by the proportion of tin or other metals present, varying from silverish to a rich, coppery red, and its surface beauty can be enhanced when it acquires a patina.. Argus, a mythical 100-eyed giant, was chosen as the symbolic custodian of the treasure.
It is assumed that Bramante's pupil, Bramantino assisted Bramante in the realization of this frescoWall painting technique in which pigments are applied to wet (fresh) plaster (intonaco). The pigments bind with the drying plaster to form a very durable image. Only a small area can be painted in a day, and these areas, drying to a slightly different tint, can in time be seen. Small amounts of retouching and detail work could be carried out on the dry plaster, a technique known as a secco fresco..
CITE THIS RECORD — BIBTEX
@online{wga-rf2ada11e4bf076,
author = {Krén, Emil and Marx, Daniel},
title = {Argus (detail) by BRAMANTE, Donato},
organization = {{Web Gallery of Art}},
date = {2026-09-09},
url = {https://beta.wga.hu/artists/bramante-donato-r053356686597ec/argus-detail-rf2ada11e4bf076},
urldate = {2026-09-09},
langid = {english}
}ACCESSED 2026-09-09. REPLACE THE AUTHOR FIELD WITH THE COMMENTARY AUTHOR WHERE ONE IS NAMED.
