renaissance art
TRANSCRIPT
Art and Power• Powerful groups commissioned works of art
– Represented merchants’ dominant influence in community• i.e. Florentine gov’t hires Michelangelo
• Despots and Oligarchs began sponsoring works of art– A way to glorify themselves or their families, show wealth
• Subject matter remained religious– Intended to spread a particular doctrine, act as a profession of
faith, or recall sinners to a moral way of life
Art and Power (cont)• As the 15th Century moved on, subject matter
becomes more secular– Pagan gods/goddesses in paintings increased– People were conscious of physical uniqueness and
wanted it immortalized– Paintings displayed wealth
• The individual portrait emerged as a distinct genre– The rich had themselves painted in a scene of
romantic chivalry or courtly society
Art and Power (cont)• Narrative artists – depicted the body in more
scientific/natural manner– Female sensual and voluptuous– Male strong and heroic
The State of the Artist• During the Renaissance, the social status of the
artist improved– Reputation depended on the support of powerful
patrons• Usually worked for commission from a prince or family
• They did not produce works for the public– Could mean loss of status
• Artists received a practical education from a master artist
The State of the Artist (cont)• Most artists began to sign their works whereas
medieval artists rarely did
• Some even painted themselves into the painting
• Renaissance artists and humanists came to think that a work of art was the deliberate creation of a new divine personality– Artist shared powers of God
The State of the Artist (cont)
• The Renaissance maintained the gap between the learned minority and the uneducated majority
• The culture of the Renaissance for the mercantile elite did not affect the middle class
1. Realism & 1. Realism & ExpressionExpression
Expulsion Expulsion fromfromthe Gardenthe Garden
MasaccioMasaccio
14271427
First nudes First nudes sincesinceclassical classical timestimes..
2. Perspective2. Perspective
Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!
Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!
First use First use of linear of linear
perspective!perspective!
Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!
The The TrinityTrinity
MasaccioMasaccio
14271427
What you What you are, I once are, I once was; what I was; what I am, you will am, you will
become.become.
See the difference???
3. Classicism3. Classicism
Greco-Roman influence.
Secularism.
Humanism.
Individualism free standing figures.
Symmetry/BalanceThe The “Classical Pose”“Classical Pose”
Medici “Venus” (1c)Medici “Venus” (1c)
4. Emphasis on 4. Emphasis on IndividualismIndividualism Batista Sforza & Federico de Montefeltre: Batista Sforza & Federico de Montefeltre:
The Duke & Dutchess of UrbinoThe Duke & Dutchess of Urbino
Piero della Francesca, 1465-1466.Piero della Francesca, 1465-1466.
5. Geometrical 5. Geometrical Arrangement of Arrangement of
FiguresFigures The Dreyfus The Dreyfus Madonna Madonna with the with the PomegranatePomegranate
Leonardo da Leonardo da VinciVinci
14691469
The figure as The figure as architecture!architecture!
6. Light & 6. Light & Shadowing/Softening Shadowing/Softening
EdgesEdges
ChiaroscuroContrast b/w light and dark
SfumatoLayers ofcolor promote depth
7. Artists as 7. Artists as Personalities/CelebritiesPersonalities/Celebrities
Lives of the Lives of the Most Most Excellent Excellent Painters, Painters, Sculptors, andSculptors, andArchitectsArchitects
Giorgio VasariGiorgio Vasari
15501550
Renaissance Renaissance FlorenceFlorence
The Wool FactoryThe Wool Factoryby Mirabello Cavalori, 1570by Mirabello Cavalori, 1570 1252 – first gold 1252 – first gold
florinsflorins minted minted
Florentine lion:Florentine lion:symbol of St. symbol of St.
MarkMark
Lorenzo Lorenzo the Magnificentthe Magnificent
1478 - 15211478 - 1521
Cosimo de Cosimo de MediciMedici
1517 - 15741517 - 1574
Florence Under the Florence Under the MediciMedici
Medici ChapelMedici Chapel
The Medici PalaceThe Medici Palace
Filippo Brunelleschi
• Commissioned to build the cathedral dome.– Used unique
architectural concepts.
• He studied the ancient Pantheon in Rome.
• Used ribs for support.
Dome Dome ComparisonsComparisons
Il Duomo St. Peter’s St. Paul’s US Capital (Florence) (Rome) (London) (Washington)
Ghiberti – Ghiberti – Gates of ParadiseGates of ParadiseBaptistry Door, Florence – 1425 - Baptistry Door, Florence – 1425 -
14521452
David by Donatello
14301430
First free-form bronze since Roman times!
The Liberation The Liberation of Sculptureof Sculpture
Vitruvian Vitruvian Man Man
Leonardo daLeonardo daVinciVinci
14921492
TheTheL’uomoL’uomo
universauniversalele
The Renaissance “Man”The Renaissance “Man”
• Broad knowledge about many things in different fields.
• Deep knowledge/skill in one area.
• Able to link information from different areas/disciplines and create new knowledge.
• The Greek ideal of the “well-rounded man” was at the heart of Renaissance education.
1.1. Self-Portrait Self-Portrait -- da -- da Vinci, 1512Vinci, 1512
1452 - 15191452 - 1519
Artist
Sculptor
Architect
Scientist
Engineer
Inventor
Leonardo, Leonardo, the Artistthe Artist
The Virgin The Virgin of the Rocks of the Rocks
Leonardo daLeonardo daVinciVinci
1483-14861483-1486
Mona LisaMona Lisa – da Vinci, – da Vinci, 1503-41503-4
Mona LisaMona Lisa OROR da da Vinci??Vinci??
The Last Supper The Last Supper - da - da Vinci, 1498Vinci, 1498& Geometry& Geometry
horizontal
vert
ical
PerspectivPerspective!e!
The Last Supper The Last Supper - da - da Vinci, 1498Vinci, 1498
Detail of Detail of JesusJesus
The Last The Last SupperSupper
Leonardo Leonardo da Vincida Vinci
14981498
DeterioratiDeteriorationon
A Da Vinci “Code”:A Da Vinci “Code”:St. John St. John oror Mary Magdalene? Mary Magdalene?
Leonardo, the SculptorLeonardo, the Sculptor
An An Equestrian Equestrian StatueStatue
1516-15181516-1518
Leonardo, the Architect:Leonardo, the Architect:Pages from his Pages from his NotebookNotebook
Plan of the city of Imola, 1502.Plan of the city of Imola, 1502.
Leonardo, the Scientist Leonardo, the Scientist (Biology):(Biology):Pages from his Pages from his NotebookNotebook
An example of An example of the humanist the humanist desire to desire to unlock the unlock the secrets of secrets of nature.nature.
Leonardo, the Scientist Leonardo, the Scientist (Anatomy): (Anatomy):
Pages from his Pages from his NotebookNotebook
Leonardo, the Leonardo, the Inventor:Inventor:
Pages from his Pages from his NotebookNotebook
Man Can Fly?Man Can Fly?
A study of siege A study of siege defenses.defenses.
Studies of water-lifting Studies of water-lifting devices.devices.
Leonardo, the Engineer: Leonardo, the Engineer: Pages from his Pages from his
NotebookNotebook
Comparing DomesComparing Domes
2.2. Michelangelo Michelangelo BuonorratiBuonorrati
1475 – 15641475 – 1564
He He represented represented the body in the body in three three dimensions dimensions of sculpture.of sculpture.
DavidDavid
MichelangelMichelangelooBuonarottiBuonarotti
15041504
MarbleMarble
15c15c
16c16c
WhatWhat
aa
differencedifference
aa
centurycentury
makes!makes!
The Sistine The Sistine ChapelChapel
MichelangelMichelangelo Buonarrotio Buonarroti
1508 - 15121508 - 1512
The Sistine Chapel’s The Sistine Chapel’s CeilingCeiling
Michelangelo BuonarrotiMichelangelo Buonarroti1508 - 15121508 - 1512
The Sistine Chapel The Sistine Chapel DetailsDetails
The The Creation Creation
of the of the HeavensHeavens
The Sistine Chapel The Sistine Chapel DetailsDetails
Creation of ManCreation of Man
The Sistine Chapel The Sistine Chapel DetailsDetails
The Fall The Fall from from GraceGrace
The Sistine Chapel The Sistine Chapel DetailsDetails
The Last JudgmentThe Last Judgment
3.3. Raffaello Sanzio (1483- Raffaello Sanzio (1483-1520)1520)
Self-PortraitSelf-Portrait, 1506, 1506 Portrait of the Artist Portrait of the Artist with a Friendwith a Friend, 1518, 1518
PerspectivPerspective!e!
PerspectivPerspective!e!
BetrothBetrothal al
of the of the Virgin Virgin
RaphaelRaphael
15041504
The School of Athens The School of Athens – – Raphael, Raphael, 1510 -111510 -11• One point perspective.
• All of the important Greek philosophers and thinkers are included all of the great personalities of the Seven Liberal Arts!
• A great variety of poses.
• Located in the papal apartments library.
• Raphael worked on this commission simultaneously as Michelangelo was doing the Sistine Chapel.
• No Christian themes here.
The School of Athens The School of Athens – – Raphael, 1510 -11Raphael, 1510 -11
Raphael
Da Vinci
Michelangelo
AristotleAristotle::looks to thislooks to thisearth [theearth [thehere andhere and
now].now].
PlatoPlato::looks to thelooks to theheavens [or heavens [or
the IDEALthe IDEALrealm].realm].
The School of Athens The School of Athens – – Raphael, detailsRaphael, details
AverroesHypatia
Pythagoras
ZoroasterZoroaster
Ptolemy
Euclid
Raphael!!!Raphael!!!
The Liberation of St. The Liberation of St. PeterPeter by Raphael, 1514 by Raphael, 1514
A Portrait of SavonarolaA Portrait of Savonarola By Fra Bartolomeo, By Fra Bartolomeo,
1498.1498.
Dominican friar who Dominican friar who decried money and decried money and power.power.
Anti-humanistAnti-humanist he saw he saw humanism as too humanism as too secular, hedonistic, and secular, hedonistic, and corrupting.corrupting.
The The “Bonfire of the “Bonfire of the Vanities,”Vanities,” 1497. 1497.
/ Burned books, artwork, Burned books, artwork, jewelry, and other jewelry, and other luxury goods in public.luxury goods in public.
/ Even Botticelli put Even Botticelli put some of his paintings some of his paintings on the fire!!on the fire!!
Pope Leo X with Cardinal Pope Leo X with Cardinal Giulio deMedici and Luigi De Giulio deMedici and Luigi De Rossi Rossi by Raphael, 1518-1519 by Raphael, 1518-1519 A Medici Pope.A Medici Pope.
He went through He went through the Vatican the Vatican treasury in a treasury in a year!year!
His extravagances His extravagances offended even offended even some cardinals some cardinals [[as well as Martin as well as Martin LutherLuther!].!].
Started selling Started selling indulgencesindulgences..
Birth of VenusBirth of Venus – – Botticelli, 1485Botticelli, 1485
An attempt to depict perfect beauty.An attempt to depict perfect beauty.
and now for something completely different…..
Sandro Botticelli The Story of Nastagio degli Onesti, 1483
Sandro Botticelli The Story of Nastagio degli Onesti (without people)
by Jose Manuel Ballester
Renaissance Art in Northern Europe• Should not be considered an appendage to Italian
art.• But, Italian influence was strong.
– Painting in OIL, developed in Flanders, was widely adopted in Italy.
• The differences between the two cultures:– Italy change was inspired by humanism with its
emphasis on the revival of the values of classical antiquity.
– No. Europe change was driven by religious reform, the return to Christian values, and the revolt against the authority of the Church.
• More princes & kings were patrons of artists.
Characteristics of Northern Renaissance Art
• The continuation of late medieval attention to details.
• Tendency toward realism & naturalism [less emphasis on the “classical ideal”].
• Interest in landscapes.• More emphasis on middle-class and peasant life.• Details of domestic interiors.• Great skill in portraiture.
Hubert Van Eyck -Adoration of the Lamb, Ghent Altarpiece, 1432
Jan Van Eyck – Portrait of a Man in a Turban, 1433
Rogier van der Weyden (1399-1464)
The The DepositioDepositio
nn
1435 1435
van der Weyden’s Deposition (details)
Pieter Paul Rubens – Prometheus Bound, 1618
Hieronymus
Bosch
The Garden of
Earthy Delights
1500
Bosch’s “Garden” without people or animals
by Jose Manuel Ballester
Bruegel’s, Tower of Babel, 1563
Bruegel’s Winter Landscape, 1621
Bruegel’s Winter Landscape (without people) by Jose Manuel Ballester
Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)
• The greatest of German artists.
• A scholar as well as an artist.
• His patron was the Emperor Maximilian I.
• Also a scientist– Wrote books on geometry,
fortifications, and human proportions.
• Self-conscious individualism of the Renaissance is seen in his portraits.
Self-Portrait at 26, 1498.
Dürer – Self-Portrait in Fur-Collared Robe, 1500
Durer – The Triumphal Arch, 1515-1517
The Triumphal Arch, details
The Triumphal Arch, details
Dürer
FourHorsemen
of theApocalypse
woodcut, 1498
Hans Holbein, the Younger (1497-1543)
• One of the great German artists who did most of his work in England.
• While in Basel, he befriended Erasmus.– Erasmus Writing, 1523
• Henry VIII was his patron from 1536.
• Great portraitist noted for:– Objectivity & detachment.
– Doesn’t conceal the weaknesses of his subjects.
Artist to the Tudors
Henry VIII (left), 1540 Henry VIII (left), 1540 and the future Edward and the future Edward VI (above), 1543.VI (above), 1543.
The English Were More Interested in Architecture than Painting
Hardwick Hall, designed by Robert Smythson in the Hardwick Hall, designed by Robert Smythson in the 1590s, for the Duchess of Shrewsbury [more 1590s, for the Duchess of Shrewsbury [more
medieval in style].medieval in style].
Burghley House for William Cecil
The largest & grandest house The largest & grandest house of the early Elizabethan era.of the early Elizabethan era.
Mentmore Tower, Buckinhamshire
This was built in 1855 but is modeled after the Renaissance style of architecture you’ve just seen
Domenikos Theotokopoulos (El Greco)
• The most important Spanish artist of this period was Greek.
• 1541 – 1614.• He deliberately distorts & elongates his figures, and
seats them in a lurid, unearthly atmosphere.• He uses an agitated, flickering light.• He ignores the rules of perspective, and heightens
the effect by areas of brilliant color.• His works were a fitting expression of the Spanish
Counter-Reformation.
El Greco – The Disrobing of Christ, 1577-1579