This article examines Cindy Sherman’s Untitled #216 (1989), Catherine Opie’s Self-Portrait/ Nursing (2004), and Vanessa Beecroft’s White Madonna or VBSS.002 (2006) in relation to the medieval and Renaissance artworks these photos quote and re-instantiate: Jean Fouquet’s Virgin of Melun (1452–1455); Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s Madonna del Latte (1325–1335) and Leonardo da Vinci’s Litta Madonna (1490s); and Tino di Camaino’s Charity (1321) and Jan van Eyck’s Lucca Madonna (1436), respectively. This juxtaposition — framed by reference to Alexander Nagel’s and Christopher Wood’s concept of “anachronism” and to Aby Warburg’s notion of the Pathosformel — helps us ask new questions and gain new insights about the “old masters” under discussion.
Other articles in this issue:
Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte Issues
Volume 87 (2024)
Volume 86 (2023)
Volume 85 (2022)
Volume 84 (2021)
Volume 83 (2020)
Volume 82 (2019)
Volume 81 (2018)
Volume 80 (2017)
Volume 79 (2016)
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