There was a flurry of excitement in the Florentine art world last week about an almost-forgotten 17th-century artist, Jona Ostiglio, who defied the customs and ordinances of his day to become a court painter for the Medici and a member of the prestigious Academy of Fine Arts.
For Jona was Jewish and Jews were much constrained. They had to live in the ghetto (200 families crammed into an area the size of a football pitch). They subsisted mainly on activities like selling clothes or picking rags, since they were officially banned from joining the professional Guilds, the gateways to more prestigious occupations.
But, with his commissions from the Medici and other patrician families, and his membership of the Academy, Jona Ostiglio defied that stereotype. Over the centuries, however, his name — and his paintings — were largely forgotten until Piergabriele Mancuso, an expert in Jewish history, rediscovered him recently. In a lecture at the Uffizi Gallery last week Dr Mancuso said: “Assumptions that Jews at the time were isolated and forced to sell clothes need to be revised. It’s astonishing Ostiglio was getting commissions from Florence’s leading dynasty. It seems official intolerance was at odds with daily life.†He added: “Was he an exception to the rules or was it more commonplace at the time than we know — that’s this question that remains open,â€
Uffizi director Eike Schmidt noted that the Medici had given sanctuary to Galileo Galilei when he was accused of heresy and that they were also patrons of the female artist Artemisia Gentileschi. “Now we learn that a Jewish artist was allowed to practise painting, a profession that was normally not permitted to be exercised by Jews in 17th-century Italy,†he said. “It bears witness to the Medici’s open-mindedness.â€
Ostiglio was not the only Jewish artist working in Italy at the time, but anti-Semitic restrictions meant that Jews were relegated to more artisanal tasks such as illuminating manuscripts. They could work but could not sign their names. Ostiglio, on the other hand, was a professional painter and recognized as such by his contemporaries. But after his death he soon slipped into the mists of history. The uncovering of his story hints at the important part that the Jewish community had to play in the artistic life of Italy.
Come and enhance your own artistic life on a Watermill painting week. We would love to welcome you here and talk more about art over an evening aperitivo or two.
Yes, it is time to book your place on a Watermill 2023 creative course, especially as we have an Early Bird offer which means that if you book now there is a £75 (English pounds) discount on each of next year’s courses.
The courses are already filling fast: more than 200 people have already reserved a place, out of our maximum capacity of some 250 or so places. Book now, as they say, to avoid disappointment!
Below you will find dates and links for all our 2023 painting courses. Just click on the link of the ones you like to find out more detail. You will see that some of our creative weeks are already fully booked, but if you fancy that particular week or that particular tutor, don’t despair: there are often cancellations. Please get in touch via the Watermill Contact Form (by clicking here) and we will put you on a waiting list.
Harry Westera
15 – 22 April 2023 – still plenty of places
Watercolours
To learn more about Harry and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Ali Hargreaves
22 – 29 April 2023 – fully booked, waiting list open
Watercolours
To learn more about Ali and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Randy Hale
13 – 20 May 2023 – fully booked, waiting list open
Watercolours
To learn more about Randy and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Pamme Turner
20 – 27 May 2023 – one or two places available
Watercolour and gouache en plein air
To learn more about Pamme and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
James Willis
3 – 10 June 2023 – one or two places available
Watercolours
To learn more about James and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Herman Pekel
10 – 17 June 2023 – three or four places available
Watercolours
To learn more about Herman and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Maggie Renner Hellmann
24 June – 1 July 2023 – two or three places available
Oil and watercolour (acrylic, pastel)
To learn more about Maggie and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Fiona Graham-Mackay
1 – 8 July 2023 – still plenty of places
Painting en plein air (oil, acrylic, watercolour, pastel)
To learn more about Fiona and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Belinda Biggs
8 – 15 July 2023 – still plenty of places
Watercolours
To learn more about Belinda and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Cynthia Armstrong
19 – 26 August 2023 – still plenty of places
Watercolours, Travel painting in watercolours and gouache
To learn more about Cynthia and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Mary Padgett
26 August – 2 September 2023 – still plenty of places
Pastels (and other portable media) en plein air
To learn more about Mary and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Mike Willdridge
9 – 16 September 2023 – one or two places available
Watercolours and drawing (also gouache and acrylics)
To learn more about Mike and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Brienne M Brown
16 – 23 September 2023 – one or two places available
Watercolours
To learn more about Brienne and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Charles Sluga
23 – 30 September 2023 – three or four places available
Watercolours (acrylics and oils)
To learn more about Charles and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Tim Wilmot
30 September – 7 October 2023 – fully booked, waiting list open
Watercolours
To learn more about Tim and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Grahame Booth
7 – 14 October 2023 – still plenty of places
Watercolours
To learn more about Grahame and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
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