Art History

What is the name of the sculpture and its sculptor?

David by Bernini

What is the painting’s name and who painted it?

Magdalen and the Smoking Flame by Georges de La Tour

What is the painting’s name and who painted it?

The Night Watch by Rembrandt van Rijn 

What is the painting’s name and who painted it?

Las Meninas - The maids of honour by Diego Velazquez

What is the artwork’s name and who designed it?

Piazza and Colonnade of St. Peter's by Gianlorenzo Bernini

What is this painting’s name, who is the painter, and what art elements does it have?

Name: The Tribute Money (c. 1427)

Painter: Masaccio

Contains linear and atmospheric perspective, figures are solid, and use of a single, constant source of light casting accurate shadows

What is this painting’s name, who is the painter, and what art elements does it have?

Name: The battle of San Romano (1455)

Painter: Uccello

Contains linear perspective and foreshortening

What is this painting’s name, who is the painter, and what art elements does it have?

Name: Baptism of Christ (1445)

Painter: Piero Della Francesa

Contains effects of sunlight on figures on landscape

What is this painting’s name, who is the painter, and what does it mark?

Name: The Birth of Venus (c. 1480)

Painter: Botticelli

Marks the rebirth of classical mythology as a subject for art

What is this painting’s name, who is the painter, and why is it special?

Name: The Story of Jacob and Esau (Panel of the Gates of Paradise)(c. 1435)

Painter: Ghiberti

First artist since classical times to show depth in relief sculpture

What is this sculpture’s name, who is the sculptor, and what art elements does it have?

Name: David (c.1430)

Sculptor: Donatello

Contains contrapposto

First sculpture of a nude since ancient past

What is this painting’s name, who is the painter, and what art elements does it have?

Name: Virgin of the Rocks

Painter: Leonardo Da Vinci

Contains triangular composition and chiaroscuro

What is this painting’s name, who is the painter, and why is it special?

Name: The Last Supper

Painting: Leonardo Da Vinci

Da Vinci considered this as his greatest failure as he painted on dry plaster with an oil and tempera mixture which began to peel almost immediately.

What art elements does this contain?

Sfumato — distant hills nad mountains are partially obscured by a light haze

Pyramid Configuration

What is this sculpture’s name, who is the sculptor, and what art elements does it have?

Name: the Pieta — refers to any artwork depicting Mary mourning over Christ

Sculptor: Michelangelo Buonarroti

Uses pyramidal composition rather than realistic proportions

Only work to be ever signed by Michelangelo

Name: School of Athens

Painter: Raphael Sanzio

Embodies the spirit of the High Renaissance, balances pagan Classicism and Renaissance Christianity, comprised of all the masters of Greek.

What is this painting’s name, who is the painter, and what art elements does it have?

Name: Alba Madonna

Artist: Raphael Sanzio

Uses triangular composition to keep the tondo (round) painting balanced.

Uses many devices (value, contrast, direction of eyes and composition) so eyes are directed to the cross.

Sfumato is used in landscape and clothes.

What is this painting’s name, who is the painter, and what features does it have?

Name: Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride

Painter: Jan Van Eych

Lots of symbolism, burning candle reprsents God’s presence, the little dog symbolized loyatly, fruit and window symbolized innocence.

What is this painting’s name, and who is the painter?

Return of the Hunters by Pieer Bruegel

What is this painting’s name, and who is the painter?

Name: Knight, Death, And The Devil

Painter: Albrecht Durer

Known as the “first great genius of mass communication” because of his prints

What is this painting’s name, and who is the painter?

Pilgrimage to Cythera

What is this painting’s name, who is the painter, and why is it significant?

The Swing by Jean-Honore Fragonard

Controversial as it was commissioned by Baron de St. Julien depicting his mistress and her husband

What is this painting’s name, who is the painter, and why is it significant?

Third of May 1808 by Francisco Goya

Not allegorical, instead an emotional portrayal

Can be referred to as a social protest

What is the painting’s name, who is the painter, and why is it significant?

Raft of the Medusa by Theodore Gericault

Gericault is known as the founder of Romanticism in France.

He was always interseted in humanity’s struggle with nature and jumped into the subject with great enthusiasm.

What is the painting’s name, who is the painter, and why is it significant?

Liberty Leading the People by Eugene Delacroix

Allegorical figure of Liberty leading the revolutionaries in Paris

While glorifying the cause of the revolt, Delacroix still depicts the horror and violence

He placed two dead figures in the foreground and blended allegory with reality

What is the painting’s name, who is the painter, and why is it significant?

The Gleaners by Jean Francois Millet

Absolute realism in colour, form and simplicity

No glorification or unnecessary embellishment.

Meaning of the Word Renaissance

Rebirth

When and Where did the Renaissance Begin?

Florence, Rome, Venice in Italy during the early 1400s then spread in the 1500s to the rest of Europe

What was the Renaissance?

Interest in the world of the here and now
Rediscovery of art and literature of Greece and Rome
Belief in the importance and capability of mankind
Scientific study of the body and natural world
Desire to reproduce forms of nature realistically

Renaissance Inventions: Oil of stretched canvas

Oil on canvas was the medium of choice. A mineral like lapis lazuli was ground fine, mixed with turpentine and oil to be applied as oil paint. This allowed a greater range of rich colours.

Renaissance Inventions: Linear Perspective

Method for creating illusion of depth on a flat surface called "perspective".
Created the optical effect of objects receding in the distance through lines that appear to converge at a single point known as the vanishing point.

Renaissance Inventions; Atmospheric Perspective

Objects in the distance were given a bluish tinge

Renaissance Inventions: Chiaroscuro

Means "light/dark" in Italian, referred to the technique of paint forms which lighter parts seemed to emerged from darker areas, creating the illusion of a rounded, sculptural relief on a flat surface.

Renaissance Inventions: Pyramid Configuration

Rigid profile portraits and grouping of figures on a horizontal grid in the picture's foreground. This symmetrical composition builds to the focal point at the centre.

Renaissance Inventions: Rediscovery of Contrapposto

All weight is placed on one leg, the other leg is bending, creating an "S" curve of the body

Renaissance Inventions: Foreshortening

To reduce or distort parts of a represented object not parallel to the picture plane to convey the illusion of a three-dimensional space. Often done with the rules of one point perspective.

Renaissance Inventions: Sfumato

Subtle and minute gradation of tone and colour used to blur or veil the contours of a form in the painting

What was the High Renaissance?

Culmination of all the renaissance discoveries; accurate anatomy, linear and atmospheric perspective, natural and balanced composition by use of the triangle, and chiaroscuro. The illusion of reality was finally achieved

How Renaissance in the north differed from Italy

1. Northern painters showed little interest in classical art
2. Their paintings showed great concern for accurate and precise details
3. Symbolism was extremely important in their paintings

Oil Painting Techniques

Being slow to dry which allowed artists more time to include details
Layers of transparent glazes added brilliance to colours

What changed in Rome to cause the Baroque?

In the 1600, the transition from the Renaissance to Baroque began in Rome under the encouragement of the Catholic Church to attract worshipers back after the Protestant Revolutions. The movement spread to countries such as France where absolute monarchs used art to glorify themselves

Characteristics of Baroque Art

Very rich, sumptuous, and intricate.
Dramatic lighting to create vivid contrasts of light and dark
Everything seems to be in motion. Painting and sculptures depict dramatic action scenes with strong movement and energy.
Strong emotion
Complicated balance — frequent diagonal composition
Artist's goal is to draw the viewer into the work

Baroque Architecture: Rich & Dynamic

The architect Borromini created a sense of movement in his buildings by contrasting concave and convex surfaces to make the walls appear to ripple. An example is the Church "San Carlo Alle Quattro Fontne" in Rome.
Scrolls are used to create drama
An example of French Baroque architecture is the "Chateau De Versailles" by Le Vau. Considered to be the pinnacle of Baroque opulence, it was created for Louis XIV.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini

One of the most influential and fiery Baroque artists.
He was a sculptor, painter, architect, stage designer, dramatist, and composer.
39 artists carried out his sculptural plans in Vatican
-Berini''s largest and most impressive project was the design of the piazza in front of St. Peter's

Bernini's David expresses Baroque's spirit to perfection. It is expansive, dramatic, and energetic. The space around the sculpture seems to be part of it. Viewers do not stand for long in front of the statue due to his pose.

Why was Caravaggio shocking in that time period?

Caravaggio focused solely on painting and often in his work he shocked his patrons by placing his religion in very common, earthly settings. Figures were frequently shown barefoot with dirty soles - because of this, sometimes churches refused his commissioned work.
His work contained extreme naturalism, intense value contrasts, and a hard-edge painting style. These three elements developed intense drama, influencing many others.

Georges de la Tour's Artwork Characteristics

Often used a candle as the only source of light, creating dramatic nighttime compositions.

Nicolas Poussin's Artwork Characteristics

Subject matter was of great importance in painting - it should be grand, heroic or divine. Swirling activity, strong brushwork.

Jan Vermeer's Artwork Characteristics

Painted slow and painstakingly. He identified how colours from one object/region are reflected in other parts of the room and that not all objects in a scene are in equal focus.

Diego Velazquez's Artwork Characteristics

The main focus is the process of painting. He shows the movement of light and how it is reflected. Spots, patches of colour, and light are used to define forms. Line was hardly used in his work. The closer the viewer zooms into his artwork, the less solid the art forms become

Origins of Rocco

Began in 1700-1800, France. Spread throughout Europe - Germany, Austria (not Italy, England nor America). Began as a revolution against the Baroque. It intended to create a sense of lightheartedness. Centered around conversation, witticism, gatherings, freedom, and frivolity.

Rocco Characteristics

-Delicate ornamentation
-Asymmetry
-"Salon" culture
-Conversation
-Aesthetics and beauty
-Lighthearted
-Relationships, love, romance
-Main characteristics of architecture: coquillage, rocaille, and cartouche
-Common colours were white silver, gold, pastel pinks, blues, greens, and yellow
-S-shaped, curving "line of beauty"

Rocco Influences

-Classical motifs and architecture included in Rocco art
-Light-looking ornamentation to create the illusion of being in nature
-Societal focuses
-Focused on the aesthetics and romanticized scenes
-Meant to make you look around → short attention span
Demanded by Louis XIV for a lighter, graceful and more youthful art style

Salon De La Princesses at the Hotel de Soubise, Germain Boffrand 1738-40

-Most famous salon
-Designed with lots of windows and mirrors to reflect light
-The ceiling instead of being covered by heavily gilded frames, painted sky blue. Appears to be outdoors in a garden under a mesh structure
-Paintings are of classical figures. They convey a lighthearted, moralistic message of keeping passion and feelings in check the idea you must behave yourself in society.

Marie-Louise-Elizabeth Vigee-Lebrun

(1755-1842)
-Ultimate society painter, exceeding other female painters, received patronage from powerful women
-Primary muse was Queen Marie Antoinette of France, created paintings for Empress Maria Theresia of Austria, Tsarina Catherine the Great of Russia, Queen Elizabeth of Prussia, and Prince Regent (George IV) of England.
-First female painter to write an autobiography, Souvenirs de ma vie (1835-1837) of her life after the French Revolution
-Provided advice to address fidgety female subjects

Antoine Watteau

(1684-1721)
-Watteau is most prominent painter of the Rococo period
-His work typically shows scenes of elegant society of comedic actors in park-like settings
-Created shimmering surfaces that sparkled with life and gaiety and captured the essence of the Fete Galante (elegant entertainment)

Pilgrimage to Cythera

By Watteau, one of the most well known Fete Galante paintings today. Cythera is thought to be the island where Aphrodite was born. Watteau placed several couples adventuring to the mythical island.

Jean-Honore Fragonard's Swing

-Private painting
-Narrow colour pallet - only contains blue, grey, green and pink tones. Draws viewers' eye to the woman in the centre
-All light is shining on her, every character is focused on her
-Commissioned by the notorious French libertine Baron de St. Julien as a portrait of his mistress.
-Odd request was prior turned down by other painters such as Doyen

Origins of Neoclassicism

Centred in France during the late 1700s until mid 1800s.
-Influenced by Napoleon Bonaparte who was ruling at the time
-Arose as a reaction against the highly decorative Rococo style
-Renewed interest in Classical antiquity (subject matter and design) due to new archeological discoveries
-France was on the brink of its first revolution, and the Neoclassicists wanted to express seriousness of the times through art

NeoClassical Characteristics

-Symmetry
-Simple lines, forms, and colours
-Linear design: horizontal or vertical composition - no diagonals, no deep sense of space
-Forms precisely drawn and shaded: drawing was considered more important than painting
-Surface had to look perfectly smooth - no evidence of brush strokes should be visible
-Unemotional telling of events
-Art to represent intellect and law

Neoclassic Jacques-Louis David

(1748-1825)
-Began painting in the Rococo style under King Louis XVI though after the king's death, he embraced the neoclassic style
-Most important artists under Napoleon. David painted mammoth canvases glorifying the emperor. Him and Napoleon helped define the Neoclassic style
-Used Greek and Roman subject matter to show parallels with contemporary French politics
-His were among the first history paintings
-The Oath of the Horatii is a perfect example of the Neoclassical style

Neoclassical Architecture

Replaced overworked surfaces of Rococo palaces and churches with Classic simplicity and balance. The noble simplicity of such architecture appealed to America's growing middle class including the U.S Capital and Monticello designed by Thomas Jefferson.

Romanticism Origins

It began in France and Britain in the early 19th century. The movement quickly spread throughout Europe and the U.S. Artists grew tired of the restrictions of form and proportion favoured by Neoclassicism. Emphasizes emotion rather than simply reason and order. Celebrated the individual imagination in the search for individual rights and liberty.
Embraced the struggles for freedom and equality and promotion of justice.

Francisco Goya

(1746-1828)
-Goya was unimpressed by Classic and Renaissance masterpieces and had no time for Neoclassicism restrictions on artists
-His most powerful and emotional work is the monumental Third of May, 1808 which depicts the slaughtering of Spanish rebels by French soldiers.
-Not allegorical but rather an emotional portrayal of the event
-Painted the inhumanity of human beings towards each other and his works could be considered as "social protests"
-The insistence on depicting real emotions even those from our darker side, is a Romantic characteristics

Theodore Gericault

(1791-1824)
-Known as the founder of Romanticism in France
-Always interested in humanity's struggle with nature and jumped into the subject with great enthusiasm
-Raft of the Medusa depicts the survivors of a boat-wreck who were left to fend for themselves after the captain and his crew abandoned ship

Eugene Delacroix

(1798-1863)
-Liberty Leading the People was inspired by the 1830 insurrection in Paris
-The allegorical figure of Liberty holding a French flag is leading the revolutionaries over the street barricades in Paris
-While glorifying the event, also shows the horror and violence of fighting
-Keeping with theatrical feelings, he placed two dead figures in the foreground and blended allegory with reality

Realism Origins

Belief that only what you can see and experience is worthy to be painted. Had a progressive philosophy that glorified the working class and emphasized depiction of common everyday world.

Jean Francois Millet

(1814-1875)
-Painted the common activities of sowing seeds, harvesting, plowing, and gleaning with complete understanding
-His painting of The Gleaners is a powerful treatment of simple workers and their daily tasks