This study explores the visual aspect of the well-known competitive comparison between sculpture and painting, also known as Paragone, present throughout the Renaissance period.
Differing from the large majority of studies on this subject, which are usually centred on theoretical analysis, this research by Sefy Hendler focuses on formal aspects such as perspective, recto-verso, the depiction of sculpture in painting, the comparitive treatment of subject matter across the genres. The study covers a wide range of different works, from small drawings and decorations to large paintings and sculptures.
Through this research, the author defines the concrete boundaries of the Paragone and demonstrates a corpus of pictures and sculptures whose evolution and existence are a result of this antagonism.
The second part of the work examines the decline of the Paragone in the XVII Century, and formulates the theory that the comparison between the two genres later developed to become more constructive than competitive.