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Art of the Early Art of the Early Renaissance Renaissance

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OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES

• focus on the visual arts of the Early focus on the visual arts of the Early Renaissance period.Renaissance period.

• What the Renaissance was?What the Renaissance was?• How it started?How it started?• Where it started?Where it started?• How Early Renaissance art was createdHow Early Renaissance art was created• The Workshop systemThe Workshop system• Innovations of Early Renaissance artInnovations of Early Renaissance art• Early Renaissance artists and sculptureEarly Renaissance artists and sculpture

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RenaissanceRenaissance

• A period from the early 1300A period from the early 1300’’s to s to roughly 1600 when there was a roughly 1600 when there was a renewed interest in history renewed interest in history literature and art.literature and art.

• Renaissance = Renaissance = ““RebirthRebirth””• EuropeEurope’’s economic recoverys economic recovery• Renewed study of ancient Renewed study of ancient

Greece and RomeGreece and Rome

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HumanismHumanism

oThe birth of humanism The birth of humanism oHumanism was an ideal that Humanism was an ideal that

focused on the world of mankind as focused on the world of mankind as much as a concern for the much as a concern for the hereafter.hereafter.

oRejected medieval view of Rejected medieval view of humanity and focused on the humanity and focused on the goodness of mankindgoodness of mankind

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Humanism (cont.)Humanism (cont.)

•Began in Florence, ItalyBegan in Florence, Italy•Ideal settingIdeal setting•Wealthy patronsWealthy patrons•14001400

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Early RenaissanceEarly Renaissance

•Period from 1300 to 1500Period from 1300 to 1500•Artist as a craftsmenArtist as a craftsmen•Art created by commissionArt created by commission•Art through imitationArt through imitation

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Workshop systemWorkshop system

•Collaboration of masters Collaboration of masters and apprenticesand apprentices

•Family-basedFamily-based•Run like a businessRun like a business

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WorkshopWorkshop

•Art was commissionedArt was commissioned•Apprentice started in early Apprentice started in early

teensteens•Studied under master for Studied under master for

several yearsseveral years

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Products of the workshop Products of the workshop systemsystem

• MichaelangeloMichaelangelo• Master – Domenico GhirlandaioMaster – Domenico Ghirlandaio

• Leonardo da VinciLeonardo da Vinci• Master- Andrea del VerocchioMaster- Andrea del Verocchio

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slideslide

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Filippo BruneleschiFilippo Bruneleschi(1377-1446)(1377-1446)

• Florentine architect and engineerFlorentine architect and engineer• First to carry out a series of optical First to carry out a series of optical

experiments that led to a experiments that led to a mathematical theory of perspective.mathematical theory of perspective.

• His method of perspective had a His method of perspective had a dramatic impact on the depiction of dramatic impact on the depiction of 3-dimensional space in the arts3-dimensional space in the arts

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One point linear One point linear perspectiveperspective

Pierro della Francesca Pierro della Francesca ““View of an View of an Ideal CityIdeal City””

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MasaccioMasaccio(1401-1428)(1401-1428)

• One of first artists to apply the new One of first artists to apply the new method of linear perspective in his method of linear perspective in his fresco of the Holy Trinityfresco of the Holy Trinity

• Used a barrel vaulted ceiling to Used a barrel vaulted ceiling to imitate with precision the true imitate with precision the true appearance of architectural spaceappearance of architectural space

• Figures depict accurate human Figures depict accurate human anatomyanatomy

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The Holy TrinityThe Holy Trinity

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Pierro della FrancescaPierro della Francesca(1416-1492)(1416-1492)

• Expressed an obsession with Expressed an obsession with perspectiveperspective

• His works are characterized by His works are characterized by carefully analyzed architectural carefully analyzed architectural spaces and sensitivity to geometric spaces and sensitivity to geometric purity of shapes.purity of shapes.

• Wrote several books on perspective Wrote several books on perspective and geometryand geometry

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Carefully analyzed Carefully analyzed perspective and perspective and

geometrygeometry• The Discovery and Proving of the The Discovery and Proving of the

True CrossTrue Cross

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DonatelloDonatello(1386-1466)(1386-1466)

• New sense of naturalism in sculptureNew sense of naturalism in sculpture• Use of classical contrapposto stance Use of classical contrapposto stance

(relaxed not rigid) (relaxed not rigid) • Statue of David considered first full Statue of David considered first full

scale nude since ancient timesscale nude since ancient times

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Andrea MantegnaAndrea Mantegna(1430-1506)(1430-1506)

• Created unusual vantage points Created unusual vantage points • Looking at figures from belowLooking at figures from below• Lamentation of the Dead ChristLamentation of the Dead Christ the the

viewer is looking from the feet of the viewer is looking from the feet of the subject.subject.

• Deep foreshorteningDeep foreshortening• Effectively placed the viewer at the Effectively placed the viewer at the

scene, adding to the sense of empathyscene, adding to the sense of empathy

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Lamentation of the Dead Lamentation of the Dead ChristChrist

• Use of unusual vantage pointsUse of unusual vantage points

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Sandra BoticelliSandra Boticelli(1445-1510)(1445-1510)

• First artist to paint a full-length First artist to paint a full-length female nudefemale nude

• In In Birth of VenusBirth of Venus the figure the figure occupies the center of the work occupies the center of the work which was traditionally reserved which was traditionally reserved for the Virgin. This work is for the Virgin. This work is possibly the most pagan image possibly the most pagan image of the entire Renaissance.of the entire Renaissance.

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