Renaissance Visual and Contextual

Last Supper Visual

linear perspective
vanishing point is behind Jesus’s head
parallel lines used to mimic distance
the people are in groups of three
possibly symbolic of the Holy Trinity (father, son, and holy spirit)
focus is on figures, gestures, and emotions of the 12 apostles
Christ has just said “One of you has betrayed me”
Peter has a knife to cut off the ear of the soldier who comes to get Christ
Judas is on the same side of the table as Jesus
unusual because it’s the first painting that shows Judas next to Jesus
Judas is reaching for a bowl and has 30 pieces of silver
Jesus has no halo but there is a window and vanishing point behind him
center of image, shows that he is divine
Thomas is pointing hand up (doubting Thomas)
Philip is pointing to himself, asking “Is it me?”
Eucharist - wine and bread
figures take up space and create drama
Christ has arms out in triangle shape, showing his divinity

Last Supper Contextual

commissioned for a refectory, a place where monks have meals
Da Vinci was experimenting with new type of fresco
painting on dry plaster instead of wet
the painting started to flake because it was dry
lines and geometry are part of humanist revival
Judas is reaching for a bowl and has 30 pieces of silver
paid by Romans to tell who is Jesus
hand is about to touch the bowl
Jesus says that whoever touches the bowl is the traitor

Sistine Chapel ceiling and altar wall frescoes (The Delphic Sibyl) Visual

fictive architecture is trompe l'oeil
ignudi are nude youths that are sitting on the painted architecture, very muscular
sibyls and prophets, aka future seers, are also sitting on fictive architecture
has weight and volume
arms are powerful
imposing body
also shown with grace and harmony of proportion
visually alert because she can see the future

Sistine Chapel ceiling and altar wall frescoes (The Flood) Visual

the flood shows people seeking shelter from rain and climbing up to escape the rising water
people are working on Noah’s arc
salvation
people not on arc are dead, only survivors are Noah and family

Sistine Chapel ceiling and altar wall frescoes (Last Judgment) Visual

ceiling is divided in sections, Last Judgment has no division, borders, architecture
just one giant painting
Last Judgment has figura serpentinata aka twisted figures
prelude to mannerism
over 300 figures
people on left are rising to heaven, people on right are descending to hell
Michelangelo’s self portrait is on the skin of Bartholomew
his critic is portrayed as Minos, Judge of Underworld
he put donkey ears to indicate his foolishness

Sistine Chapel ceiling and altar wall frescoes (Wall Frescoes) Contextual

Pope Juilius II is patron, he commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling
ceiling was painted BEFORE Protestant Reformation
style difference in ceiling and wall
ceiling has humanistic interpretation
human body should be cherished since God made it
narrative of Bible/Genesis stories
Genesis is the Old Testament

Sistine Chapel ceiling and altar wall frescoes (Last Judgment) Contextual

Pope Julius II is patron, he commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling
ceiling was painted BEFORE Protestant Reformation
style difference in ceiling and wall
ceiling has humanistic interpretation
human body should be cherished since God made it
narrative of Bible/Genesis stories
Genesis is the Old Testament
Michelangelo was influenced by Greek sculptures, specifically Laocoon + Sons (Hellenistic Greek)
thus very muscular
30 years later, new Pope Paul III commissions the Last Judgment
painted after Protestant Reformation
originally, Last Judgment was all nude, but people were upset at the nudity
later loincloths were added
after his death in 1564, someone else was hired to paint on drapery
Last Judgment hints at mannerism

School of Athens Visual

classical Roman gymnasium
Roman arches, barrel vaults
linear perspective, vanishing point is the behind the people
the people are Plato and Aristotle
3D feel
left side is sculpture, trompe l'oeil, of Apollo
god of healing, medicine, archery, music, poetry
Athena is on right
goddess of wisdom, arts, justice, etc

School of Athens Contextual

the fresco was commissioned by Pope Julius II (again!)
Raphael was working in Stanza Della Segnatura
contemporary along with Michelangelo
Stanza Della Segnatura was personal library/reception room of the Pope
Raphael painted four scenes
one had philosophy
one had poetry
one had theology
one had justice
painted four branches of human knowledge from classical antiquity
room was trying to show relationship between Christian thought and classical learning
classical, illusionistic, idealized Roman art
Plato believes that the changing world we see is the shadow of a higher and truer reality that is unchanging/eternal
otherworldly reality is the real reality?
Aristotle believed that the only reality was the one we see/experience
wrote a book called Ethics, emphasized the human world
contemporaries shown as great thinkers as well as himself

Entombment of Christ Visual

ambiguous space
no lines of perspective
asymmetrical, unbalanced, elongated twisted figures
no weight (guy on ground is on tippy toes but is holding Christ)
colors are acidic and figures look unreal and dreamlike
highly stylized, does not follow classical pyramidal composition
unusual light source????
mannerism is NOT based on nature
reaction against the perfection of the Renaissance

Entombment of Christ Contextual

New Testament mannerism style
supposedly about Entombment of Christ but lacks the typical elements like cross, tomb, etc

Venus of Urbino Visual

looking straight at viewer which is unusual for the time period
detailed and highlighted hair
flowers next to her
dog at her feet symbolizes loyalty
maids in background
one is looking in chest
other has a dress over shoulder
they are helping her get ready
she is wealthy enough to have servants
chiaroscuro used to create volume and depth
one of the first oil paintings
paint is applied in thin layers of glaze

Venus of Urbino Contextual

Titian is from Venice, associated with Venetian aspect of the Renaissance
sets standard for reclining nudes
Renaissance paintings from Venice are known for their colors and sensuality
due to layers of paint over layers
intense color is created
name of Venus of Urbino is given later
more appropriate to refer to her as a goddess rather than just a nude
might have been for private viewing