The Visitation

Jacopo da Pontormo
(1494-1556) Visitation, 1528-1529

The Visitation depicts the momentous occasion when Mary, pregnant with Jesus, visits her cousin Elizabeth, pregnant with John the Baptist.

Pontormo’s painting includes two women who stand behind their respective mistresses (this refers to the custom among patrician Florentine families to obtain a servant of her own age who remained with her throughout her life). However, there is nothing written on the exact meaning of the 2 women and this has led to much speculation among viewers.

The painting is thought to have been intended for the Franciscans who encouraged parishioners to imagine the holy figures depicted as people they would know, creating a more personal response to religious imagery.

Charlotte artist, Jean Lee Cauthen created what she refers to as “a conversation” with Pontormo. She emphasizes several aspects of the Renaissance painting. As the two women move toward each other in a meaningful embrace, she animates the scene with broken, vibrant colors. Pontormo’s intense, saturated hues inspired her own vibrant color choices. Her technique also emphasizes the almost floating quality of the figures and seeks to suggest a lightness in these otherwise sculptural figures. The decision to paint nearly life-size encourages the viewer to be part of the moment.

Jean Lee Cauthen taught college-level Art and Art History for many years. Her paintings often refer to the History of Art for which she remains passionate.