Renaissance Art

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Renaissance Art

Renaissance Art

What was the Renaissance?

• Began around 1350 in Italy

• French word that means "rebirth."

• A revival of classical forms originally developed by ancient Greeks and Romans; concerned with secular life—interest in humanism and assertion of the importance of the individual (Humanists).

The top four Breakthroughs in art skills during the Renaissance:

• Oil on Canvas

• Perspective

• Chiaroscuro

• Pyramid Configuration

New Techniques

1. Realism & Expression

2. Perspective

3. Classicism

4. Emphasis on Individualism

5. Geometrical Arrangement of Figures

6. Light & Shadowing/Softening Edges

1. Realism & Expression

i) Showing scenes as they actually appear ii) Expression is different depending on the individual and the scene

Left: 'Christ Pantocrator', Byzantine Mosaic (6th century) Right: 'Christ Blessing' by Antonello da Messina (1465)

2. Perspective

i) A graphic system that creates the illusion of depth and volume on two-dimensional surfaces

Example: 'The Trinity' by Masaccio (1427)

3. Classicism

i) Greek and Roman influence where perfect proportion is the ideal ii) Secularism: Without religious influence Humanism: Emphasizes reason and human fulfillment

Example: Venus de' Medici/The Classical Pose

4. Emphasis on Individualism

i) Highlighting specific characteristics to show how one subject is unique from another

Painting: 'The Duke & Duchess of Urbino' by Piero della Francesca (1465-1466)

5. Geometrical Arrangement of Figures

i) The arrangement of figures to form geometric shapes

Painting: 'The Dreyfus Madonna with the Pomegranate' by Leonardo da Vinci (1469)

6. Light & Shadowing/Softening Edges

i) Chiaroscuro: The use of extreme contrast between light and dark to create a dramatic effect ii) Sfumato: The blurring or softening of sharp outlines by gradually blending one tone into another

Painting: 'Ginevra de' Benci' by Leonardo da Vinci (1474-1478)

Early Renaissance Artists

1. Masaccio (1401-1428)

2. Donatello (1386-1466)

3. Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510)

4. Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519)

5. Raphael Sanzio (1483-1520)

6. Michelangelo (1475-1564)

Masaccio (1401-1428)

• His frescoes are the earliest monuments of Humanism

• One of the first to use perspective

• All of his works are religious in nature—altarpieces or church frescoes

Painting: Trinity (1425-1428)

Donatello (1386-1466)

• Recaptured the central discovery of Classical sculpture

• Contrapossto

• Inspired by ancient visual examples

Paintings: Mary Magdalene, c.1453- 1455, Wood

• Emphasizes her physical and mental anguish and also her strength and determination

• Recognized for the astonishing realism

David, circa 1435-1440, Bronze

• David is shown standing and resting his foot resting on the severed head of Goliath.

• Victorious attitude

Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510)

• Decorative linear style

• Influence of Byzantine Art

• Biblical Subject Matter

Paintings: The Birth of Venus c. 1485

• Symbol of the coming spring

• Her depiction as a nude is noteworthy in itself, given because during Renaissance period rarely were nudes ever painted mostly themes of Christianity

Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519)

• A scientist, inventor, and an artist

• Considered one of the greatest painters of the Italian Renaissance

Paintings: Mona Lisa, 1506

The Last Supper, 1498, Fresco

• Disciples are all displaying very human, identifiable emotions

• Every single element of the painting directs one's attention straight to the midpoint of the composition, Christ's head.

Raphael Sanzio (1483-1520)

• Expressed all qualities of High Renaissance art and the use of light and shadow

Paintings: The School of Athens, 1511

• Subject matter is classical

• Painting depicts philosophers from the ancient world, such as Plato, Aristotle and Socrates assembled in the center

• Figures have idealized bodies, graceful gestures and a beautiful spacious environment

Michelangelo (1475-1564)

• Architect, sculptor, painter, poet and engineer

• Carved his sculptures from one block

• Pieta means pity

• Pyramid configuration

Examples: David, marble, 1501-1504

• "Triumphant David" in that he shows him after he has already killed Goliath and his foot rests upon the giant's severed head.

• Contrapposto pose

Renaissance Portraits with a Modern Twist

Alan Macdonald (b. 1962)

• His portraits are in the Renaissance style however, emphasize a sense of consumerism (the void in our lives we are trying to fill on a superficial level)