Honors Humanities Unit 2- High Renaissance

Why did the Medici Family Decline?

1. Mismanagement of banking power, reducing power and influence

2. Poor leadership after Lorenzo’s death—> they turned to more authoritarian rule rather than representative

Papal Court

located in the Vatican in Rome, strong arts center during the high renaissance b/c a lot of work was being commissioned for Catholic Churches

Why was there so much Papal Support of Art

1. To reflect the power of the pope, using art as advertisement/propaganda of who was important

2. To enhance the church's claim that the pope was the center of the church

3. To promote a visible form of devotion

4. To glorify the pope and his family

5. To teach/teachings

Pope Sixtus IV(1471-1484)

Commissioned many artists for projects in Rome, got certain artists like Botticelli and Michelangelo to work on projects in Rome, acted as a bridge figure between beginning and high Renaissance

Pope Julius II(1503)

nephew of Pope Sixtus IV, comparable to Lorenzo, thanks to his uncle, he appreciated the arts more- brought 2 key artists to Rome such as Raphael and Michelangelo

Raphael(1483-1520)

Did a lot of work for the Catholic Church, born in Urbino(a town slightly outside of Florence, later becoming a humanist learning center), exposed to humanist perspective at a young age; orphaned at 11 yrs old; went to Florence for 3 yrs, painted a number of well known pieces, then went to Rome in 1508; trademark- Madonna; Works Include: Madonna of the Meadow, School of Athens

Michelangelo

1505- Pope Julius II called Michelangelo to work on a monumental tomb, more of a sculptor than a painter, commissioned for the Sistine Chapel Ceiling, he refused and fled, but the Papal Edict made him come back; Works include: Creation of Adam, The Last Judgment, Medici Chapel

Vasari

Art historian, after looking at the sistine chapel’s ceiling, every other painter should lay down their brush and renounce their art for no one would equal Michelangelo’s genius sistine chapel frescos

Giorgione(1477-1510)

Time: Early part of the High Renaissance; Often celebrated Venetian painter; Religious; Works include: Madonna Enthroned with St. Liberalis and Francis of Assisi, Cathedral of Castel Franco

Tizian(Titian Vocelli)(1488-1576)

-Heavily influenced other painters, Charles V looked at Titian w/ celebrity status, gave him celebrity ranking; Work shows a variety of abilities, very diverse; Works include: finishing Le Concert Champetre, Assumption of the Virgin, Venus of Urbino

Mannerism

Emerged in the early 16th century, utilized in Florence, viewed as a backward step by some(sign of decay); Style: exaggerated, surprising, artificial; Artists: Jacopo and Parmigianino

Jacopo Pontormo

Worked under Da Vinci, used mannerism; Works include: Decomposition

Parmigianino

Mannerism Artist; Works include: Madonna of the Long Neck

Sistine Choir

Pope Sixtus’s permanent choir for his private chapel; Utilized only male voices, members chosen with competition(sang acapella), ranged 16-24 people

Jasquin Des Prez

#1 composer during the high renaissance, came to Rome for 8yrs; Bridge figure for the middle ages and Renaissance; Created Madrigals(short poems), masses, and secular motets; Used 4 distinct voices overlapping: Tu Pauperum Refugium(most famous)

Giovanni Palestrina(1541-1574)

Most identified with the Vatican; Choir master at St. Peter’s Vacilica and singer in more than 100 masses, and directed all music for the Vatican