Attorno al Discorso di Bartolomeo Maranta in difesa di Tiziano. Il contesto, l’opera e i precedenti

Abstract

Although it has enjoyed some rare interest over the last century, Bartolomeo Maranta’s Discorso in difesa di Tiziano has often only been mentioned, in some cases subject to misinterpretation, and in other cases little attention paid to it because it has been eclipsed by the celebrity of the painter which it was dedicated. This essay has the ambition to shed more light on the biography of the Venosian physician, especially in his relationship with the Neapolitan context of the 16th century academies of which he was the main promoter. It has been possible to propose renewed dating regarding the manuscript (BNN, II.C.5) and to the canvas that was the subject of the argument, Titian’s Pala Pinelli. Maranta’s scientific profession is almost eclipsed in the light of this new reading of the Discorso, which sheds light on his skills in juggling literary criticism as much as artistic criticism, adhering perfectly to the coeval debates on the “arti sorelle”, proving in this regard to be a protagonist in the Neapolitan context. From this monographic study emerges yet more proof of a Neapolitan 16th century not free of cultural connection to other hegemonic centres of theoretical-artistic debate: the precedents of the Discorso can be found in Dolce, Aretino, Pino and Varchi; at the same time, the discussion could not ignore the important evidence already discussed – especially in reference to the Venosian’s adherence to Telesian naturalism – which I have had the opportunity to examine more depth here.