4: 15th Century Painting and Printmaking

Vocab:

Florence is the cradle of…

$Brunelleschi is vitally important in painting$

linear perspective: a method of depicting 3D depth on a 2D surface

first developed by ancient Rome and Greece but disappears with the collapse of the Roman Empire.
Brunelleschi reinvents this.
revolutionalized art

Masaccio, “Holy Trinity” - 1425 (fresco)

first use of linear perspective since antiquities
completely revolutionized renaissance
depicts the Christian trinity
- god, Jesus, and the holy spirit.
the people below are the donor figures (paid for the painting)
- eyesight is lowered to show respect.
Classical features
- … barreled vault ceiling
two points of perspective - highly sophisticated:
- above god
- behind the skeleton

Fra Angelico, “Annunciation” - 1440

non-religious paintings become popular.

Sandro Botticelli, “Birth of Venus” - 1485 (tempera and oil on canvas)

soft ‘s’ pose, quatropossto
sense of celebration of her arrival/birth
- flowers blowing, attentive nymph
the vanishing point is the horizon point
classical inspiration:
- nude, common, and Grecco roman art
- naturalism in figures and…
the painting depicts the goddess of love and beauty
- commissioned for newlyweds.

Pietro della Francesca, “battiste Sforze and Fredrico de Montefeltro” - 1472

wearing the height of 15th-century nobility fashion
- velvet, silk blend, embroidery
- jewels, pearls, gold
- hair is elaborate and wears a gem headband
the portrait is a memorial piece
- she’s pale because she passed during childbirth.
he wears the clothing of an Italian prince
- the red flat hat was only worn by Italian nobility.
wonderfully continuous between the two panels
atmospheric quality

Andrea mantegna, “Camera Picta” - 1470 (fresco)

only two parts of the architectural elements were physically present, the rest was painted on, which is insane.
…
the ceiling was the first perspective ceiling piece
- even included cherubs peering down

Robert Campin, “Merode Altar Piece” -1425 (oil on panel)

look into the differences between tempera and oil paint
no longer a focus on correct depictions of space
- northern artists didn’t have access to classical works to allow the natural influence in their art.
Tryptic panel piece
- left panel for donors

Northern artistic qualities:

the most important Northern artist is Jan Van Eyck

“Man in a Red Turban” -14… (oil on panel)

first internationally known and first to be a genius artist.
3/4 pose
The black cloak blends into the background
the red turban is complex, texturized, and rich in color which is very uncommon and very impressive
a small painting, but insanely detailed
firsts
- painting where the sitter looks out at the viewer
- enhanced natural
- depicts him as aware and confident as an artist directive.
- a radical shift from a craftsperson to an artist.
- signed his name in the frame - giving importance
- personal artistic motto: “Als Ich Kan” (all I can do)
- aware of branding and marketing himself.

marriage portrait of an Italian Merchant

shows the wedding to his wife in full length, in their bedroom (parlor/waiting room)
secular wedding
- shown in their hand placement
reflection in the mirror shows two witnesses (himself and someone else) adding further to his significance.
symbolism
- dog=loyalty

Print Making

the printing press was created in 1453 by Johannes Gutenberg
- allowed mass production
- which allowed knowledge, education, literacy, etc. records. globally.
woodcut
- emerge out of woodwork/carpenter
- print made using a carved wooden stamp saturated with ink
- negative cut can be printed by hand still but more efficient with presser
engraving
- print made using an engraved copper metal plate saturated with ink
- more detailed
- shading through crosshatch.
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