Renaissance Art

Renaissance

rebirth of knowledge and learning as civilization emerges from Dark/Middle Ages
advances are made in arts and sciences
classical antiquity merges with Christian devotion
1300-1600
occurs all over Europe, but most incredible work emerges from Italy

Black Death

over half of population of Europe died over plague

Early Renaissance (1300s)

altarpiece, Arena Chapel
people would pay to have art produced (Medici Family, Julius II, guild, government)

altarpiece

wood back (poplar)
prime wood with gesso
under-drawing
gold leaf is attached
grisaille (gray values)
completed painting is done with tempera

guild

independent association of bankers, merchants, artisan

Middle Renaissance (1400s)

Florence is city to be in
Medici family come into power in 1454 and are able to provide relative calm until they’re exiled in 1494 (tremendous patrons of art)
Florence Cathedral
Hospital of the Innocents (orphanage)
Donatello creates David statue
oil paint is invented
use of canvas

Late/High Renaissance (1495-1527)

Lives of the Artists by Giorgio Vsari (first survey of Italian art history)
geographic shift from Florence to Rome
Vatican takes center state for most important artists of the day
painters move from tempera to oil paint
use canvas than wood
more private commissions (less religious subject matter)

Leonardo Da Vinci

The Baptism of Christ
The Last Supper
Mona Lisa
geometry, architecture, anatomy, fortifications, implements of war
considers himself a civil engineer
never trained in fresco painting

Pietro Perugino

led “dream team” of painters who painted walls of Sistine Chapel
Delivery of the Keys

Pinturicchio

assisted in painting walls
painted for Alexander VI

Raphael

Small Cowper Madonna
Madonna Della Sedia
Pope Julius II commissions him to paint walls of library
buried in Pantheon

Michelangelo

inspiration was Masaccio
Pieta
David
Sistine Chapel

renaissance

normal, classical, ideal
spaces are clearly defined and measured
scenes are harmonious, integrated, and balanced
figures are graceful, poised, and suggest movement

mannerism

not renaissance art
can include manipulation and distortion of color, line, and shape
figures have elongated proportions, exaggerated poses, and enigmatic gestures
imagery can be obscure, unsettling, and erotic
Madonna of the Long Neck