BrentonSprezzatura
November 3rd 2008 02:11
Sprezzatura is a word meaning, roughly, effortless grace. It is essentially the act of making the difficult look easy. The term comes from ‘The Book of the Courtier’ by Baldassare Castiglione, where it is stated that ‘It is an art which does not seem to be an art. One must avoid affectation and practice in all things a certain sprezzatura, disdain or carelessness, so as to conceal art, and make whatever is done or said appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it ... obvious effort is the antithesis of grace.’
One of the most common given examples is of Da Vincis Mona Lisa, designed to look simple, but made with fathomless complexity. Another more modern example might be Hip Hop dancing, where profoundly difficult moves are made to look effortless.
The term also fits with writing, trying to make carefully crafter words look effortless, especially where work is designed to emulate diary format, or similar casual style.
Finally Sprezzatura is a term that essentially describes ‘coolness’ itself – the façade of effortlessness. Yes two people might have the same mad hair, but the cool one is the one that looks simply effortless.
One of the most common given examples is of Da Vincis Mona Lisa, designed to look simple, but made with fathomless complexity. Another more modern example might be Hip Hop dancing, where profoundly difficult moves are made to look effortless.
The term also fits with writing, trying to make carefully crafter words look effortless, especially where work is designed to emulate diary format, or similar casual style.
Finally Sprezzatura is a term that essentially describes ‘coolness’ itself – the façade of effortlessness. Yes two people might have the same mad hair, but the cool one is the one that looks simply effortless.
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