The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists (423 page)
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S
Saatchi , Charles
(1943– ).
Iraqi-born British businessman and art collector. In 1970 he was co-founder with his brother Maurice of Saatchi & Saatchi, which became the world's largest advertising agency. He has devoted much of his enormous wealth to buying contemporary art on a huge (almost industrial) scale, and in 1985 the Saatchi Collection was opened to the public in a new gallery (converted from a warehouse) in St John's Wood, north London. While his patronage has been welcomed by many (not least the artists who have benefited from it), others have been critical of the way in which his bulk buying has given him such power in the art market. He helped to create the boom in
Neo-Expressionism
and
Neo-Geo
.
Iraqi-born British businessman and art collector. In 1970 he was co-founder with his brother Maurice of Saatchi & Saatchi, which became the world's largest advertising agency. He has devoted much of his enormous wealth to buying contemporary art on a huge (almost industrial) scale, and in 1985 the Saatchi Collection was opened to the public in a new gallery (converted from a warehouse) in St John's Wood, north London. While his patronage has been welcomed by many (not least the artists who have benefited from it), others have been critical of the way in which his bulk buying has given him such power in the art market. He helped to create the boom in
Neo-Expressionism
and
Neo-Geo
.
Sacchi , Andrea
(1599–1661).
Italian painter, one of the leading artists of his day in Rome. He was a pupil of
Albani
, but he was inspired chiefly by
Raphael
, and with the sculptors
Algardi
and
Duquesnoy
he became the chief exponent of the style sometimes called ‘High
Baroque
Classicism’. In defence of the
classical
principles of order and moderation, Sacchi engaged in a controversy in the Academy of St Luke with Pietro da
Cortona
on the question of whether history paintings should have few figures (as Sacchi maintained) or many (Cortona). Sacchi's ideas were more immediately influential, but his ponderous ceiling fresco of
Divine Wisdom
(1629–33) in the Palazzo Barberini in Rome is completely outshone by Cortona 's exhilarating ceiling of the Gran Salone in the same building. Sacchi, indeed, was at his best on a much smaller scale—in altarpieces such as the grave, introspective
Vision of St Romuald
(Vatican,
c.
1631) and in portraits. His most important pupil was
Maratta
. Sacchi also worked as an architect, designing the Chapel of St Catherine of Siena (1637–9) in the Sacristy of Sta Maria sopra Minerva, a work of refined classical purity. He was a fine draughtsman.
Italian painter, one of the leading artists of his day in Rome. He was a pupil of
Albani
, but he was inspired chiefly by
Raphael
, and with the sculptors
Algardi
and
Duquesnoy
he became the chief exponent of the style sometimes called ‘High
Baroque
Classicism’. In defence of the
classical
principles of order and moderation, Sacchi engaged in a controversy in the Academy of St Luke with Pietro da
Cortona
on the question of whether history paintings should have few figures (as Sacchi maintained) or many (Cortona). Sacchi's ideas were more immediately influential, but his ponderous ceiling fresco of
Divine Wisdom
(1629–33) in the Palazzo Barberini in Rome is completely outshone by Cortona 's exhilarating ceiling of the Gran Salone in the same building. Sacchi, indeed, was at his best on a much smaller scale—in altarpieces such as the grave, introspective
Vision of St Romuald
(Vatican,
c.
1631) and in portraits. His most important pupil was
Maratta
. Sacchi also worked as an architect, designing the Chapel of St Catherine of Siena (1637–9) in the Sacristy of Sta Maria sopra Minerva, a work of refined classical purity. He was a fine draughtsman.
sacra conversazione
(Italian: ‘holy conversation’). A representation of the Virgin and Child with Saints in which all the sacred personages are disposed in a single scene rather than in the separate compartments of a
polyptych
. The type originated in Italy in the first half of the 15th cent.: Filippo
Lippi's
Barbadori Altarpiece (Louvre, Paris, begun 1437) is perhaps the first dated example.
polyptych
. The type originated in Italy in the first half of the 15th cent.: Filippo
Lippi's
Barbadori Altarpiece (Louvre, Paris, begun 1437) is perhaps the first dated example.
Saenredam , Pieter Jansz
.
.
(1597–1665).
Dutch painter of architectural subjects, particularly church interiors, active in Haarlem. Saenredam, the son of an engraver, was a hunchback and a recluse, but he was acquainted with the great architect Jacob van
Campen
, who may have played a part in determining his choice of subject. He was the first painter to concentrate on accurate depictions of real buildings rather than the fanciful inventions of the
Mannerist
tradition. His pictures were based on painstaking drawings and are scrupulously accurate and highly finished, but they never seem pedantic or niggling and are remarkable for their delicacy of colour and airy grace. The Cathedral of St Bavo (where he is buried) and the Grote Kerk in Haarlem were favourite subjects, but he also travelled to other Dutch towns to make drawings, and Utrecht is represented in several of his paintings. He also made a few views of Rome based on drawings in a sketchbook by Maerten van
Heemskerck
that he owned. His work had great influence on Dutch painting.
Dutch painter of architectural subjects, particularly church interiors, active in Haarlem. Saenredam, the son of an engraver, was a hunchback and a recluse, but he was acquainted with the great architect Jacob van
Campen
, who may have played a part in determining his choice of subject. He was the first painter to concentrate on accurate depictions of real buildings rather than the fanciful inventions of the
Mannerist
tradition. His pictures were based on painstaking drawings and are scrupulously accurate and highly finished, but they never seem pedantic or niggling and are remarkable for their delicacy of colour and airy grace. The Cathedral of St Bavo (where he is buried) and the Grote Kerk in Haarlem were favourite subjects, but he also travelled to other Dutch towns to make drawings, and Utrecht is represented in several of his paintings. He also made a few views of Rome based on drawings in a sketchbook by Maerten van
Heemskerck
that he owned. His work had great influence on Dutch painting.
Saftleven , Cornelis
(1607–81) and
Herman III
(1607–81) and
Herman III
(1609–85).
Dutch painters, brothers, the best-known members of a family of artists. Cornelis, who was influenced by
Brouwer
and
Teniers
, painted
genre
scenes of peasants and satirical pictures of animals dressed and acting like theologians and jurists. He also did landscapes with sheep and cattle grazing. There are examples in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. Herman travelled in Germany and is best known for his highly finished panoramic views of the Moselle and Rhine rivers, done in a distinctive misty blue tonality (
View on the Rhine
, Dulwich College Picture Gallery, 1656).
Dutch painters, brothers, the best-known members of a family of artists. Cornelis, who was influenced by
Brouwer
and
Teniers
, painted
genre
scenes of peasants and satirical pictures of animals dressed and acting like theologians and jurists. He also did landscapes with sheep and cattle grazing. There are examples in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. Herman travelled in Germany and is best known for his highly finished panoramic views of the Moselle and Rhine rivers, done in a distinctive misty blue tonality (
View on the Rhine
, Dulwich College Picture Gallery, 1656).
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