Tondos and Canadian Art

A circular painting may often be referred to as a "tondo" in an art historical context. The word comes from the Italian word "rotondo" meaning "round" and was a popular way of painting during the Italian Renaissance. Even though the word referring to these paintings originated in the Renaissance, its linguistic and art historical roads can be traced back to Ancient Rome. Round tempera panels depicting families and marriages were a way to memorialise Imperial history and depart from sculptural or mosaic traditions. 

Why might an artist use the tondo format today? In these three examples, Colville, Barsy and Tarsia all want to convey a sense of interconnectedness with their environment. The circle shape implies a sense of reciprocity and cohesion with one's surroundings and mirrors the shape of our world. Alex Colville's "Woman and Terrier" shows visual links to the world as we know it today with a plane taking off and modern clothing, though Colville looks back to the Renaissance by using the tondo format and a dog as a symbol for fidelity, often found in portraits at the feet or lap of a patron's bride. Colville's wife, Rhoda Wright, was used as a model for this work and many of his other paintings. Above all, these pieces remind us to remain present in our ever changing world.