Giovanni Bellori was an important figure in the seventeenth century Roman artworld. His Idea of Beauty, first given as a lecture to the Academia di San Luca, in Rome, 1664, provides modern art historians with a detailed concept of what was valued (by some) in painting and sculpture in Seicento Italy. Along with Giorgio Vasari's Lives of the Artists, Bellori's Idea is the one of the most useful primary sources concerning Italian Renaissance art. Giorgio Vasari (Arezzo, Tuscany July 3, 1511 - Florence, June 27, 1574) was an Italian painter and architect, mainly known for his famous biographies of Italian artists. ...

The Idea

Bellori advocated idealism over realism or naturalism. This famously led to Bellori's reverence of the painting of Annibale Carracci and denunciation of Caravaggio, now one of history's most admired painters. His writing of the 'Idea' is draws influence from Giovanni Battista Agucchi, Giorgio Vasari, Leon Battista Alberti, Aristotle and others. In philosophy, idealism is used to refer to any methaphysical theory positing the primacy of mind, spirit, or language over matter. ... Realism is commonly defined as a concern for fact or reality and rejection of the impractical and visionary. ... Naturalism refers to a number of different topics: Philosophical naturalism: the view that nothing exists but the world — that there are no supernatural entities. ... The Flight into Egypt (1603) Oil on canvas, 122 x 230 cm Galleria Doria-Pamphili, Rome Annibale Carracci (November 3, 1560, in Bologna - July 15, 1609, in Rome) was an Italian painter, etcher and engraver. ... Caravaggio re-directs here; for alternate uses see Caravaggio (disambiguation) Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610), often short Caravaggio after his hometown, was an Italian Renaissance painter, whose large religious works portrayed saints and other biblical figures as ordinary people. ... Giorgio Vasari (Arezzo, Tuscany July 3, 1511 - Florence, June 27, 1574) was an Italian painter and architect, mainly known for his famous biographies of Italian artists. ... Leone Battista Alberti (February 1404 - 25th April 1472), Italian painter, poet, linguist, philosopher, cryptographer, musician, architect, and general Renaissance polymath . ... Introduction The three greatest ancient Greek philosophers were Aristotle, Plato (a teacher of Aristotle) and Socrates (c. ...

Vasari's definition of "disegno" (which was at that time seen as the most important element to a painting or sculpture's artistic value) is tied up in the concept of 'prudence', and forms the basis of subsequent value judgements in art by the likes of Bellori. An artist's work could essentially be seen as a series of choices, and the wisdom of these choices was owed to the character, or 'prudence' of the artist. Bellori and Agucchi, after Aristotle, equated the practice of idealism with prudent choice, and naturalism with poor prudence. Introduction The three greatest ancient Greek philosophers were Aristotle, Plato (a teacher of Aristotle) and Socrates (c. ... In philosophy, idealism is used to refer to any methaphysical theory positing the primacy of mind, spirit, or language over matter. ... Naturalism refers to a number of different topics: Philosophical naturalism: the view that nothing exists but the world — that there are no supernatural entities. ...