Hoard to figure what the author of the article had in mind

would be my suggestion

Imco, "nervoso" qui è usato nel senso meno comune ma abbastanza frequente (specie tra tali opposti come i contadini e i venditori d'aria fritta tipo critici d'arte, di cinema, et al): "forte" "resistente" "con tanta stamina". Ecco...

foreground flashy colors contrasting with the warmer, calming pastel pink hues in the background

In the sense of "on edge" but also in the sense of "might jump off the canvas". My feeling is a desire to write, "almost jumpy", but then I would probably have wanted to put "quasi nervosi". Looking at his paintings some of the colours of the clothes have a light, but almost electric, neon quality to them. However, your author didn't use the word "electrico", nor "eccitato" for excited.

Buongiorno, Carly

I think you ought to consider the other adjectives in the sentence: freschi, leggeri / calde, rosate, riflessive. So, 'nervoso' must bear a similar, positive weight. One of the definitions is, 'avente una piacevole sensazione tattile in cui la morbidezza è arricchita da brio e vivacità', which is in fact referred to wine, but could work nicely here.

I might as well put my two cents in! I basically agree with all the above, but would prefer crisp because it is often an adjective we associate with veggies or plants - esp. lettuce - or even fabrics.

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Note added at 10 hrs (2009-05-30 07:45:42 GMT)
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I really don't think it has to do with being nervous, jumpy, or tense, but rather with the idea of the "nerves" - the veins" - of leaves that lend body to the texture. By looking at the painting, we see that the green fabrics - especially in the figure in the foreground - fall in to deep creases and are not particularly draping or flowing.

yet another option. TIme to reach for the thesaurus?

hi

it's this the meaning due to these colors ability to induce a slight sense of annoyance in the observer
but actually (of course ;) this pictorial choice was not due to the will to bother the visitors but to give the impression that the figures have a sort of 'glowing in the dark' effect, also contributing to give the paint a tridimensional appearance.


see

The figures, with their sharply modeled forms and bright, harsh colors
http://www.artexpertswebsite.com/pages/artists/pontormo.php

Some of the
backgrounds were flat tints of red or black against which the
figure was placed. In the larger pieces the composition was
rather rambling and disjointed, and the color harsh.
http://www.archive.org/stream/ofhistor00vandtextbookrich/ofh...


more in general
http://www.google.it/search?hl=it&safe=off&rlz=1T4RNWN_enIT2...

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Note added at 1 day19 hrs (2009-05-31 16:48:14 GMT)
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maybe better 'brilliant/vivid and twithcy'



ah I'd like to add that my impressioni is that 'nervous' is not at all used in positive way (otherwise I guess it should have been something like 'nevrili')
It simply means that at the first glance (and with the wrong ligktning) you could be slightly disappointed by the painting but after a short while you get the artist idea of using this trick to increase the sense of tridimensionality of the group.