Guido Reni's Compendio: Disegno, Colore, and the Ideal Union of Art

Abstract:This article offers a belated reading of Guido Reni's Union of Disegno and Colore. I argue that Reni's painting, though allegorical by nature, is a visual summary of his biography and artistic consciousness. Although the concept of compendio (compendium) is key to early modern Bolognese art historiography, it has yet to be analyzed closely, let alone applied to the many messages conveyed through Reni's Union. By interpreting the Union through biography, iconography, sex, and gender, I propose that we take seriously the concept of a visual compendium, one that gives form to Reni's ideal union of art.