CIV ONLINE NOTES 2023-2024
Unit 1: Ancient World Rotation 1: Art
Page 1: Mesopotamia and Art Composition
Mesopotamia: the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers
Located in modern-day Iraq and Syria
White temple and Anu Ziggurat (3500-3000 BCE)
Made of clay
Ziggurat is a man-made hill with a temple on top
Tapered sides to allow rainwater to roll off
Registers: different spaces in a drawing
Lapis lazuli, white tiles, and red color used in art were obtained through trade with nearby civilizations
Page 2: Babylon, Assyria, and Art
Stele code of Hammurabi (1792-1750 BCE)
Code of laws written in stone
Depicts the sun god handing the code to Hammurabi
Lamassu from the citadel of Sargon 2 (720-705 BCE)
Carved from single pieces of stone
Depicts a face of a person, body of a bull, and 5 legs
Lion Hunt of Ashurbanipal from the North Palace (645-635 BCE)
Bas relief depicting Ashurbanipal hunting lions
Shows that only royalty were allowed to hunt lions
Page 3: Nature and Control in Art
People in ancient times respected and utilized nature
Over time, civilizations tried to dominate and control nature
"Lion Hunt of Ashurbanipal" depicts killing lions as entertainment
Unit 2: Greece
Page 3: Greece and its Art
Greek Pottery: Black Figure Pottery (550 BCE)
Glazed pottery with black silhouettes carved in
Depicts mythology and stories about the gods
Greek Pottery: Red Figure Pottery (460 BCE)
Scenes of everyday life
People painted on unglazed terracotta
Anavysos Kouros (530 BCE)
Idealized young men as commemorative statues
Page 4: Classical Greek Art
Kouroi: idealized young men as tombstones
Kore: female versions of Kouroi
Acropolis and the Parthenon
Temple to honor Athena
Made with Doric columns
Athena Phidanies: 35 ft tall statue made of ivory and gold
Page 5: Hellenistic Period
Classical sculptures made of bronze
Highly emotional and dramatic sculptures
Seated Boxer Sculpture and Winged Victory of Samothrace
Page 6: Roman Empire
Augustus Imperator: bronze and marble statue
Colosseum: gift to the city from the Jewish war
Columns of Trajan: bas-relief sculptures depicting military campaigns
Summary
Mesopotamian art used clay and trade to create architectural structures
Greek art evolved from stoic to dynamic sculptures
Roman art emphasized the power of the state through statues and architectural structures
Page 7:
Romans used physical violence to emphasize power and scare civilians
Depicted leaders as God-like
Used theocracy as a form of power and fear
Vocab: Roman Empire, Augustus Imperator, Colosseum, Columns of Trajan
Page 8:
Musicology and Formal Elements
Musicology studies the who/what/where/why of music
Formal elements are MOTHFART (Melody, Orchestration, Tempo, Harmony, Form, Amplitude, Rhythm, Texture)
Interpretive analysis and contextual analysis are part of musicology
Summary
Page 9:
Music is made up of musicology and formal elements
Musicology studies the who/what/where/etc. of music
Formal elements (MOTHFART) establish how one feels when listening to music
Vocab: Musicology, Melody, Orchestration, Tempo, Harmony, Form, Amplitude, Rhythm, Interpretive analysis, Contextual analysis
Page 10:
Things that make a successful civilization
Take good Cornell notes
Do your homework
Study with all the work already available
Speak up in class
3 civilizations: Middle East, Greece, Rome
7 things that make up a civilization
Ancient Middle East
Geographically: Next to water, part of the fertile crescent
Languages: Ancient Sumerian
Economic System: Trading different parts of their culture
Religion: Sacrifice to the gods to stop flooding
Social: Self-governing urban areas, walled towns
Political Systems: Theocracy
Summary
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7 things that make up a civilization are closely related and impact each other
Geographic location affects religious/belief system
Parts of a civilization are constantly connected and changing each other
Page 12:
Ancient Greece and Philosophy
Homer and Ancient Greece
Homer was an educator and religious figure
Epics taught people and were used to teach children
Established the pantheon of Greek gods
Greek society valued Arete (struggle for perfection)
Cosmologists studied the universe and physical properties
Thales believed water made up everything
Sophists made complex arguments to confuse people
Vocab: Homer, Iliad, Odyssey, Cosmologist, Thales, Sophists
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Greek Philosophy
Socrates criticized the Sophists and focused on important questions
Dialectics used to make fun of democracy in Plato's book The Republic
Rhetoric contrasts Greek individualism
Important questions: Meaning of life, why do we live?
Vocab: Socrates, Plato, Dialectics
Page 14:
Athens and the structure of Greek society
Ancient Rome and the Peloponnesian War
Plato's Allegory of the Cave
Athens was not always a democracy
Cleisthenes broke up Athens into districts for a representative democracy
Pericles questioned the council of 500 and created the Athenian assembly
Peloponnesian War lasted 18 years, Sparta won but eventually fell to Philip of Macedon
Philip of Macedon conquered the Greek World, son named Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great conquered Persia, Egypt, India and spread Greek culture
Vocab: Cleisthenes, Peloponnesian War, Sparta, Athens, Philip of Macedon, Alexander the Great
Page 15: Rome and its first Emperors
Rome has hellenistic influences
Rome has 2 parts: Roman Republic and Imperial Rome
Around 44 BCE, things begin to fall apart (Julius Caesar gets murdered)
Octavian becomes the successor to Caesar at 18 years old
Mark Antony is against Octavian
In 31 BCE, the battle of Actium takes place and Mark Antony loses
Octavian becomes Augustus, the First Emperor of Rome
Encourages people not to think of him as Augustus, but rather Princeps (which means the first citizen)
Makes a great military where you serve him for 25 years and then retire very comfortably
Pan Roman: Roman Peace (begins at 31 BCE)
Pliny lived a peaceful and easy life during this time
Aurelious’s time was negative and morbid, all about death
200 CE considered to be the terrible two
Next time: Diocletian and Constantine
Page 16: The Birth of Christianity
Diocletian (reign began in 284 CE)
Rome was going through the terrible twos
Diocletian taxed everybody, especially the lower classes, makes strong legal consequences, makes it so people pass jobs hereditarily
Christianity begins to pick up speed in Rome during the era of Diocletian
Stuck in jobs and taxes - promises of a good afterlife attracts lower class to Christianity
Diocletian is the last Emperor to persecute against Christianity
Constantine (306 CE)
300s known as the Christian Century because of the trinity and its growth
He builds a Christian capital Constantinople (today called Istanbul)
Constantine sees Christianity growing, his mother converted, and he has a vision on his way to battle of a cross and letters that say “In this sign, you will conquer” (sees this during the battle of Milvian Bridge)
Edict of Milan (313 CE):
Tolerates the practice of Christianity in Rome
Constantine doesn’t convert to Christianity until he’s on his deathbed
Creates a Church on Vatican Hill, which is thought to be the tomb of Saint Peter
Energy begins to shift from Western Rome to Eastern Rome: this creates a division in the empire
Page 17: Founding of Christianity and its role in the 300’s
Missionaries
Germanic tribes begin to spill into the Western Roman Empire
In 476 CE, Rome falls (historically inaccurate because if the Western Rome falls, Eastern Rome is still alive; the East never goes away); Byzantine Empire will become Eastern Rome
Augustus copies Greek religion, makes Rome pantheistic
Rome was ok with multiple different religions, but would stop being ok with it once Diocletian comes → reason because Christianity is monotheistic, which goes against Roman pantheism
Founding of Christianity at 0 CE
Initial Bible written was in Greek
Jesus is the guy who was a carpenter
Born from Mary and Joseph, but religiously his father was God (gets the title of Christ later)
John the Baptist:
Baptized Jesus in the ritual of purification by the water (puts Jesus underwater in the Jordan River)
John was one of the first who preached Christianity; was also a prophet and prophesied the coming of Jesus as important
Has iconography that is dressing in skins and holding a shell
Iconography: certain objects that appear again and again that have meaning
The Last Supper:
Shows Jesus in his last supper before he was crucified
In the last supper, Judas betrays Jesus and is holding a bag of money
The cross is important because it shows self-sacrifice, wiping out our sins so we could go to heaven; applied to everyone regardless of wealth or race
Missionaries: someone that goes around promoting their religion and trying to get people to join
Paul of Tarsus goes around and spreads the story of Jesus’s crucifixion
4 books written that create the New Testament, 4 different tellings of the life of Jesus (made by each of these people):
Mathew, Luke, John, Mark (John writes his 40 years after the others)
Mathew associated with wings; angel-looking
Mark associated w/ winged lion
Luke associated w/ an ox
John associated w/ an eagle
Similar to what he saw in the ME, same animals
Mathew, Mark, Luke and John known as “The Evangelists”
Constantine calls together a council in Nicaea to sort out all of Christianities problems
They create the Niene Creed which establishes the basics of Christianity
Petrian Document: about Peter (originally named Simon, but changed because Jesus calls him petros, or rock. Peter is the rock, or foundation of the Church) who was given the keys to the gates of heaven
Peter has an iconography of keys, essentially making Peter the first pope
When Peter dies, the keys are passed down to the next Pope (though there’s no actual keys)
The Ghent Altarpiece: Multiple panels (polyptic) that gives us a sense of the developing hierarchy of the Church
On top is God but described as a pope based on the crown that is placed at his feet. Wears a headdress meant for bishops to show that he is the pope, head of bishops, and is humble
Page 19: Late Antique Art
Elements of art = formal elements (6 elements)
Due to the rule of Constantine, Christianity spread quickly
People were drawn to Christianity during the time of Diocletian
Under Constantine we get the Edict of Milan which makes the Empire tolerant of Christianity
Late antique art (sometimes referred to as early Christian art)
In Rome and Syria today
Orant Fresco: a painting on plaster
Paint is made by taking pigment (ground up stones/minerals) and mixing that powder with a medium (ex. Watercolors the medium could be honey; oil painting medium is oil)
Fresco’s made w/ pigment and water/egg whites; apply this mixture to a wall and the pigment will stick to the wall; basically cemented to the wall
Poses: contrapposto, orant, Egyptian
Jesus portrayed as a shepherd and his followers are the sheep
Thought that at some point there were millions of people buried in the catacombs (not just Christians)
Dura-Europos (in modern-day Syria)
Roman Garrison town on the far Eastern edge of the Roman empire
On the banks of the Euphrates River
Highly multicultural; in the place we would consider as Mesopotamian
Had a protective city wall
Synagogue and Christian building on the wall; barely inside the city walls
This means that it’s less important to the city because it’s so far
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Jewish Synagogue and Art Christian Building and Art outside
Polytheistic (Rome) vs monotheistic (Judaism and Christianity)
Jewish Synagogue:
Room for 120 people
Intensely vibrant paintings with over 70 scenes
God depicted as the divine hand based on the second commandment
Samuel Anoints David (245-256 CE):
Figures drawn in similar ways, with the figure on the left larger indicating more power
Figures have raised hands and contrasting colors with the background
Figures wearing white togas, orange, and purple
Christian Building:
2 blocks away from Synagogues, still on outer wall
Art is very dull with barely any color
Christianity was not tolerated at the time, so they attempted to hide their practice
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Tension between monotheistic religions (Christianity and Judaism) and polytheistic West Roman Empire
Art and history reflect the tension
Vocabulary: Orant Fresco, contrapposto, orant, Egyptian, adulcitio, Dura-Europos, Samuel Anoints David
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Byzantine Empire and the Rise of Islam
Background of Byzantine Empire
Reign of Justinian
Key terms: Justinian, Nika Riots, Ravenna, Iconoclasm, Muhammed, Quran, Five Pillars of Islam, Jihad
Roman Empire declines and new people flood in
Justinian's reign and his low-born status
Justinian marries Theodora, who is even more low-born
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Nikka Riots and the rebirth of Constantinople
Justinian Code
Creation of Islam and its initial effects
Justinian's marriage to Theodora
Nikka Riots and the involvement of Justinian and Theodora
Constantinople left in shambles, but Justinian rebuilds everything in grand style
Establishment of Justinian Code
Islam emerges and spreads, reaching Spain
5 Pillars of Islam
Iconoclasm and the debate over using icons to describe God
Theological war between Christian leaders in the West and East
Division of Church and State in the West
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Tension between the East and the West
Power of Rome and Byzantine begins to dwindle as new religions thrive
Vocabulary: The Byzantine Empire, Justinian, Nika Riots, Ravenna, Iconoclasm, Muhammed, Quran, Five Pillars of Islam, Jihad, Arete
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Early Medieval Music
Life of Saint Yared Kassaini (aka Kassia)
Life in medieval times and Gregorian Chants
Saint Yared and his musical notation inspired by the Holy Trinity
Saint Yared's book "The Book of Digua" and the complex 10 pitch system
Kassaini (Kassia), one of the first female composers
Tension between religious and secular worlds in her music
Hymn of Kassia and its performance in a cathedral
Use of musical notation in Europe around 1000 CE
Life in medieval times and the role of God
Monasteries and cathedrals
Counterpoint in melodic lines
Page 26: Early Medieval Music
First renaissance musicians worked together
Polyphony and counterpoint were present
Gregorian Chants
Meditative and sung in Latin
Example: Dies Irae
Pope Gregory
Connected Gregorian chants to the church
Mode = scale
Musical notation was created
Hildegard
One of the first "renaissance men"
Syllabic singing: one note per syllable
Melismatic singing: multiple notes per syllable
The age of Cathedrals
Notre Dame was the Mecca of music
Pérotin the Great
Created organum
Added lines of melody above and below Gregorian Chants
Page 27: Medieval Art in Byzantine Art
Medieval Art on an encaustic wood panel
Characteristics of Medieval Art
Weightless bodies
Similar faces with no emotion
Very little negative space
Virgin and Christ child in Byzantine art
Encaustic on wood
Angels in the background
Icons believed to have extraordinary powers
Angels looking up towards the heavens
Saints depicted as "Warrior Saints"
Vocab: Arabesque, Tessellation
Page 28: Folio from the Qur'an and the Book of Kells
Importance of calligraphy in Islamic art
Folio from the Qur'an
Simple with letters as the art
Highlighted chapter title in gold
Arabesque inside the gold
The Book of Kells
Full page illustrations with immense detail
Produced in a scriptorium
Gospel book containing the 4 Gospel authors
Canon table and carpet page
Insular majuscule and Chi Rho page
The Bayeux Tapestry
Not a tapestry but an embroidery
Depicts over 700 people in 75 scenes
Page 29: Religious Themes in Medieval Art
Religious themes show devotion and importance
The Book of Kells showcases devotion and intricacy
Folios and books are significant in religious practices
Vocab: Arabesque, Tessellation
Page 30: Gothic and Romanesque Architecture
Mosques and the Great Mosque of Cordoba
Strong calligraphy traditions
Serene harmony in art
Great Mosque of Cordoba: blend of styles, golden mihrab
Romanesque Period and Church of Sainte-Foy
Influenced by Roman, Islamic, and Medieval art
Massive stone cathedrals
Bay with 3 stories and rib bolts
Ambulatory and apse
Church of Sainte-Foy: rural cathedral, latin cross plan, massive walls
Vocab: Mihrab, Hypostyle Halls, Ambulatory, Apse
Page 32: Gothic Period Architecture and Chartres Cathedral
Gothic Period Architecture:
Involved creative expression, inclusion of text, avoidance of naturalism, and architectural achievement.
Influenced by Roman and medieval art.
Soaring spires/pinnacles and stained glass.
Renovations to rib-vault and creating flying buttresses.
Chartres Cathedral:
Much taller than previous cathedrals.
Stained glass windows, flying buttresses.
Western portal with intricate tympanums above each door.
Reliquaries:
Relics that travelers would come and worship in the presence of.
Lavish materials used to create reliquaries.
Example: Skull of a young girl stored in the golden head of the relic as an act of her piety.
Elements of a reliquary: stagnant and apathetic face, jeweled headdress to symbolize power.
Page 33: Light and Space in Cordoba and Cathedrals
Cordoba:
Uses light and space to show the infiniteness of God without visuals.
Double arches create an illusion of infinite space.
Light shines from the Mihrab to symbolize God's presence.
Cathedrals:
Use light and space to show the divine.
Space becomes larger and more open as Christianity gains followers.
Spatial greatness emphasizes the followers.
Page 34: Hagia Sophia and Romanesque Period
Hagia Sophia:
Used to be part of Constantinople (now Istanbul).
Unique in the 6th century due to its size.
Architects hired by Justinian to unify a basilica with a traditional space.
Pendentive hides stone piers and makes the dome seem infinite.
Light shines through the windows to signify the divine.
Romanesque Period:
Period after the Gothic Period.
Characterized by heavy, rounded arches and thick walls.
Page 35: Transculturation in Hagia Sophia and Byzantine Period
Hagia Sophia:
Transculturation shown in the building.
Originally a temple, transformed into a mosque.
Minaret towers added during the 4th crusade.
Byzantine Period:
Conclusion of the Byzantine Period and transition into the Romanesque and Gothic periods.
Transculturation throughout Constantinople and the Roman Empire.
Page 36: Medieval Secular Music and Carols
Medieval Secular Music:
Transition from church music to royal courts.
Troubadours, trouvères, minisingers as poet-composers-performers.
Chanson genre in strophic form, mostly monophonic and about love.
Carols:
Sung in the local language.
Celebrate King Henry V and mark big holidays.
Utilize a literal chorus of people to sing the chorus.
Page 37: Ares Nova and Crusader Songs
Ares Nova:
New art in music style.
Polyphonic and built on Ares Antigua.
Philippe de Vitry and Guillaume de Machaut connected to Notre Dame.
Crusader Songs:
Motet as the Ares Nova version of Organum.
Complex polyphony, religious, acapella.
Songs about leaving, departure, and the stress of fighting.
Page 38: Recap of Medieval Music Genres
Genres of Music:
Gregorian Chant (plainsong).
Chanson.
Organum.
Carols.
Crusader songs.
Summary
Gothic Period Architecture and Chartres Cathedral.
Light and space in Cordoba and cathedrals.
Hagia Sophia and Romanesque Period.
Transculturation in Hagia Sophia and Byzantine Period.
Medieval secular music and carols.
Ares Nova and crusader songs.
Recap of medieval music genres.
Page 39: Medieval Music and Religious vs Secular Music
Music evolves by building upon previous music
Pop music as an example of evolving music styles
Themes of medieval world: secular vs religious music
Kyrie de Messe de Notre Dam
Wide range of voices, including young boys for high pitch
Highly melismatic with long stretches of one word
Music has a pulse
Beatrice, Countess of Dia
Woman's voice
Not written in Latin, likely a Chanson
Depressing tone due to unhappy marriage and love for someone else
Page 40: Agan-kar Carol
Agan-kar Carol
Both male and female voices
Tells a story, less melismatic
Page 41: Fall of Rome and Crusades
Recap of Roman Empire
West Rome falls to Germanic tribes
Justinian is emperor of East Rome, bishop of Rome is head of Church in West Rome
Pope successfully converts pagans in West Rome
Important Kings converted by the Pope
Clovis, King of Franks, had a significant impact
Monastic movement and building of monasteries for conversion
Charlemagne, a devout Christian, makes a pilgrimage to Rome and conflicts with the Church and State
Beginning of Medieval Ages and Holy Crusades
Europe starts over after the fall of the Western Roman Empire
Feudalism: King, Lords, Knights, and Peasants
Manorialism: Peasants work the land and give a portion of their produce to the lord
Holy Crusades called by the Emperor in Constantinople and the Pope
Unlucky 1300's: The Plague, Hundred Years War, and The Great Schism
Page 44: Crusades, Plague, Urban II, and Avignon Papacy
Assessment recap of Feudalism, Crusades, Plague, Urban II, and Avignon Papacy
Kings seek protection from threats like Germanic Tribes and Islam
Kings' courts decide the fate of the lower people
Manorialism and Feudalism are interconnected
Charlemagne's crowning in Rome and the significance of the chant
Crusades to the Holy Land
The Plague and its impact on society
Peasants rebel against landlords for better conditions
Urban II calls the first crusade, promising salvation and wealth
Petrarch's letter criticizing the Avignon Papacy and the arrogance of religious figures
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Avignon Papacy:
Several popes residing in Avignon rather than Rome.
Occurs in the town of Avignon.
Western Rome:
Expansion leads to downfall.
Plague:
Negative impact on society.
Crusades:
Ineffective.
Peasant rebellion:
Wealthy and powerful lose power.
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The Renaissance:
Period at the end of the Middle Ages.
Focus on secular concerns rather than religion.
Humanism:
Italian Humanism:
Return to Greek and Roman culture.
Petrarch's influence.
Northern Christian Humanism:
Applied individualism to conform to Christianity.
Erasmus's influence.
Scholasticism:
Proving the existence of God.
Petrarch:
Emphasized real-world impacts and improvement of society.
Erasmus:
Applied Italian Humanism to Christianity.
Wanted people to pray more, help the community, and learn.
Page 47:
Renaissance:
Shift from Medieval Ages.
Secularization and separation from the Church.
Italian Humanism:
Individualism and return to Greek and Roman culture.
Northern Christian Humanism:
Incorporation of humanism into religion.
Scholasticism:
Proving the existence of God.
Petrarch:
Emphasized real-world impacts and improvement of society.
Erasmus:
Applied Italian Humanism to Christianity.
Page 48:
Medieval Recap:
Humans depicted as transcendent and emotionless.
Proto and early Italian Renaissance:
More individualism and distinction between subjects.
Guild system for patrons.
Arena Chapel:
Contains frescos showing new style of art.
Depicts individualism and expression of subjects.
Lamentation and Last Judgment frescos:
Painted by Giotto.
Vibrant colors and use of lapis lazuli.
Narrative storytelling through panels.
Expressive figures with naturalism and depth.
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Northern Renaissance:
Similar ideas to the Church of Sainte-Foy.
Last Judgment fresco divided into heaven and hell.
Use of mandorla and patron offering building for atonement.
Depiction of hell and punishment for sins.
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Renaissance and the Arnolfini
Northern Renaissance art is extremely lifelike due to oil painting.
Geographically in roughly Belgium/Netherlands
Deeply influenced by Greek, Roman, and Christian art
New medium introduced: oil painting
Oil paint: paint made up of pigment and oil, emerged from Asia and began with poppy oil.
In Northern Renaissance, we are going to see linseed/flaxseed oil
Oil painting takes a very long time
Incredibly vivid due to the amount of layers of oil
Arnolfini Portrait (1434 CE)
Made by John van Eyck
Incredibly realistic
A wedding portrait of a man and woman in a bedroom, man nearer to window → he’s protecting his wife
In the mirror, there is a reflection of 2 other people which are the artist and his apprentice
Above the mirror is the artist signature that says “John van Eyck was here”
Distinction between artists
Summary
Italian Renaissance:
Shift in terms of the emotion of each of the subjects
More individualized and show different expressions
Wear distinct clothing as well as have different expressions
More separation from Church and State
Northern Renaissance:
Involved incorporation from Greek, Roman, and Christian society to create its art
Created oil paint which allowed for incredible detail and realism
Vocab:
Proto, guild systems, Arena Chapel, Padua, lapis lazuli, Lamentation Fresco, Giotto, Illusionism, Last Judgment Fresco, Mandorla, Usury, Indulgence, Arnolfini Portrait, John van Eyck
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Italian Renaissance Art
Italian Renaissance consists of 4 major artists: Donatello, Leonardo, Rafael, and Michelangelo
Influenced by Christianity, Romans, and Greeks
Sculpture of David and the Medici Family
David was made by Donatello, commissioned by the Medici family
David is in a contrapposto stance, bringing us back to antiquity
Major artists during Italian Renaissance:
Donatello, Leonardo, Rafael, and Michelangelo
Italian Renaissance:
Going to be situated in the Italian Peninsula
Influenced by Christianity, Romans, and Greeks
Domination of experimentation
Incredibly powerful Patrons
Certain families rise up to power: The Medici’s
David (1440 CE)
Made by Donatello, made of Bronze
Statue is about 5 foot 2
Seems to be in a contrapposto stance
Depiction of young David who would later become a King of Israel
Youth shown in his nakedness
David holds a stone in his hand → symbol of his divine power
Psychological depth of the character; contemplative with his victory over Goliath
Depicting Christian-Judaic figures in classical poses
Medici family provided opportunity for Donatello
Had a family castle but wanted to hide their political power and control over Italy
David was put at the opening of the castle to show the families power
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The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci
Created for the Catholic Church so that monks could look at it
Depicts Christ saying that one of the Disciples will backstab him
Each person has a different reaction → humanism
The Vatican
Located in Rome, center of the Catholic Church
Many images painted by Rafael
School of Athens, fresco painted by Rafael
Shows the connectivity between all of the disciplines of thought and shows their importance
Sistine Chapel
The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci (1494-1498)
Catholic Church commissions many works to be created for them
Covenant of Santa Maria delle Grazie: creating a real dining hall for the monks, this painting was placed there so that monks could eat and look painting
Christ is put in the center with the background a sort of halo above his head
Arranged in 4 groups of 3: each person has a different response to Christ saying that it will be his last supper and someone will backstab him
Background represents paradise/heaven
Leonardo uses a vanishing point
Orthogonals: lines that converge to create depth and dimensionality
Each figure has a different reaction → humanism
Quroscuro: strong contrast between light and dark
Leonardo attempted to use oil paint to make a fresco which didn’t work out too well → only 42% of the painting was originally painted by Leonardo
The Vatican
Cruciform Church: center of the Catholic Church
Rafael born in 1483, and is heavily related to the Italian Renaissance
School of Athens commissioned by Pope Julius II to decorate the Stanza delle Segnatura
School of Athens (made by Rafael, 1509-1511)
Fresco, complex composition, depicts a gathering of the greatest scientist philosophers and authors of the Renaissance
Plato and Aristotle in the very middle
Plato points to the heavens, showing his focus on the incorporeal
Aristotle points down, showing his focus on the material world
Also depicts Pythagoras and Euclid
Middle foreground empty to balance the painting
Shows the interconnectedness of learning
Sistine Chapel
Building in the Vatican
Page 53:
The Last Judgment, located in the Vatican
Last Judgment depicts the Second Coming of Christ
Image was commissioned by Pope Clement II
Fresco, Pope Clement II commissioned it for the Sistine Chapel
Image illustrates the Second Coming of Christ
Dramatic representation of Christ judging humans
Right hand raised as judgment; muscular physique demonstrates humanism
The saved are on his right and the damned are on his left
The ultimate divide between humans
Vocab: Sfumato, Perspective, Chiaroscuro, linear perspective
Summary
The Italian Renaissance trends towards humanism
Uses many techniques to emphasize the reality of each individual in each of the frescos/oil paintings
Combination and incorporation of religion in pieces of art
More secular images being placed in locations of high religious value
Vocab: Donatello, Leonardo, Rafael, Michelangelo, Italian Renaissance, The Medici Family, David, polymath, The Last Supper, Covenant of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Neoplatonism, Orthogonals, Chiaroscuro, The Vatican, School of Athens, Plato and Aristotle, Sistine Chapel, The Last Judgment, Sfumato, Perspective, linear perspective
Page 54:
Renaissance Art Overview
Goes back to the classical world
Based around artists wanting more freedom to compose and create
Musicians composed by proud musicians wanting to please their fellow humans
Josquin Desprez
Famous Renaissance composer who would work for royalty to create compositions that he had complete control over
Was egotistical and narcissistic and similar to pop musicians today
Had many different compositions, such as a recreation of Ave Maria
Renaissance (1450-1600)
Musical transformation, transculturation
Going back to the classical world
Music and lyrics begin to work together
Renewed interest in humanism
Invention and discovery
Renaissance artists:
Wanted more freedom to compose
Wanted recognition and money
Works composed by proud musicians (wanted to please fellow humans)
Josquin Desprez (1455-1521)
Worked for royalty
Royalty were arbiters of what is considered “good” art
Worked in the Sistine Chapel (composed for the Pope)
Radical departure, doing things such as:
Egotistical, only composed when he wanted to, wanted twice the amount of money
Still was compared to Michelangelo even though he was egotistical and narcissistic
Martin Luther said he was a “master of music” and could do whatever he wanted to the music
Cosimo Baroli compared him to Michelangelo, saying he was basically equivalent to a current-day star
He excelled at writing motets
Motets: polyphonic, choral pieces on secular topics
Josquin used psalms and lamentation, which was full of the rage and passion of the lamentation → this emotion
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Josquin's Ave Maria and secular and religious music
Creates paraphrase mass music as well as parody mass music
Composed a version of "Ave Maria" (1485) that involved polyphonic imitation
Imitations and staggering a melody to make it polyphonic
Was an acapella: has no music accompaniment
Josquin's Ave Maria
Starts with staggered polyphonic imitation
Josquin creates
Secular and religious music
Paraphrase mass: composer takes the melody from an earlier piece of music and weaves it into a brand new piece
Parody mass: Imitating a line from the secular world and making it religious
Kirk Franklin a modern day composer that takes black american music and puts it into religious music
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Renaissance artists wanted to have more control over their art and overall craft
Josquin was different in the regard that he was egotistical and took ownership over being able to compose what he wanted when he wanted, secular or religious
Vocab: Renaissance, Josquin Desprez, Martin Luther, Cosimo Baroli, Michelangelo, Motets, psalms, lamentation, polyphonic imitation, acapella, Paraphrase mass, Parody mass
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Recap of Middle Ages and the comparison between ME and Renaissance
Ave Maria by Josquin analysis
Listening activity
Middle Ages music belonged to the Church; individual composers were less known
Renaissance births new instruments and genres
Renaissance gives artists more power, how long will this trend continue?
Wider range of people making music
Music becoming less complex so more people can enjoy it
Ave Maria
Josquin starts with imitative polyphony to emphasize lines so they are easier to hear
Still all men singing
Many lines are melismatic, but others are not → music is complex
Compared to Gregorian Chants, this music is very different and way more complex
Listening activity
Main high voice carries the melody; complex with many voices coming in and out
Voices reflect lyrics: lyrics = sad, so voices are haggard and depressed (minor chords), low in amplitude and tone
After the pause, there's an argument between the 2 voices
Is a secular motet
One of the most famous/popular pieces of the secular music in the Renaissance, Josquin took this piece and gave it sacred lyrics → parody mass
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Music from the Renaissance began many new aspects of art and music, such as new genres, new instruments, and a new mindset around composing music
We see more emotion and complexity in the music from the Renaissance, which is quite a contrast compared to the music from the Medieval Period
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The age of Discovery and Colonialism
Based around new imperialism and the age of discovery
Copernicus and the Commercial Revolution
No real advances in Science during the dark ages, during the renaissance there's a lot of copying
Ottoman Empire
A large Empire that sort of cut off the rest of the world in the trade routes
The age of Discovery → how it relates to Renaissance politics
Colonialism
New imperialism AND the Age of Discovery
Renaissance is why Europe comes to America
Greek Science: -200 BCE; Scientific Dark Ages: 0-1200 CE; Renaissance Science: 1200-1600 CE
Dark Ages lacked science because religion was their science
This timeline is a myth because all the other parts of the world were looking into science
Science mostly centered in other parts of the world
Centers of learning during this time are primarily in the Islamic Empire
Copernicus
Physicist that came up with the helio-centric, sun-centered view of the universe in 1543
But in 1375, someone from the Islamic Empire already figured it out
These ideas traveled on the silk road, crusades, and the expansion of Empires
Pax Magnolia
Mongolian peace brought by the power of Ghengis Khan
Commercial Revolution
Gun powder, paper, movable type, compass
Compass: You need to know where you're going if you're trading
Gun powder: protecting your trade routes
Paper: moveable way to keep records
Movable type: easier way to write
Ottoman Empire
Constantinople now Istanbul
Turks conquer Istanbul
Ottomans tax and stop the silk road
Christopher Colombus cannot travel through the East
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Renaissance politics and the Medicci family
The Medicci family is powerful, completely changed the entire political system of Italy based on their wealth
This Ottoman Empire with all this power hill begin the age of discovery
Renaissance politics
One would expect a democracy or a Republic, which is what happens but only at the beginning in Italy
Wealth pouring into these places
Princely rule: updated version of monarchs aristocracy
One family on top (princes = kings), ex. The Meddici Family
All families really connected to the Church, Medicci's architecture used to emphasize their power, Medici family rich because they became the bankers of the world (Medicci bank)
Problematic because they lent money with an interest, which was considered usury
They found a way around usury
They would make money off the exchange of currency
Medicci's annoyed with the democracy and basically insert themselves as rulers
Venice governed by the Great Council: around 200 wealthy people in charge of Venice
Great Council will shrink from 200 to 10 of the wealthiest people
The Doge: the 1 person elected from the 10 wealthiest people
The Prince book: how to act successfully as a prince
Michovelli, the author, was expelled from Venice because the Medicci family took over. He wrote the book to show the Medicci's that he could support their ideologies
Cortiour: the people in the orbit of the king/prince
Castolini says that they should be "Renaissance men", women should still be educated but also warm, motherly, and beautiful
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The age of the Renaissance scientifically was of a lot of progress, in which there was a lot of information coming in through the silk road, and then being understood and acknowledged, and often miscredited to, Renaissance men
In addition, the political system, which tried to be based around Greek and Roman politics, is corrupted by wealthy families
Vocab: The age of Discovery, Colonialism, Copernicus, Pax Magnolia, Commercial Revolution, Gun powder, paper, movable type, compass, Ottoman Empire, silk road, Renaissance politics, The Meddici Family, the Great Council, Cortiour
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Role of women
Not really allowed to participate unless in specific groups
Motets and mass were high art
Church music in general was considered high art because you needed formal training to write and read it
Renaissance dance
Involved both women and men dancing together and separately
Involved Parvane and Gillard Dancing
Role of women
Excluded from the church unless in a convent
Not allowed to perform in public places unless in a nomadic traveling group (troubadours, etc)
Men would sing in a falsetto, used choir boys, or use a costrato
Costrato: Removing testicles so that boys didn't go through puberty
From 1500-1950's there was still a process of castrating young boys for the Pope
Motets and mass represent high art
Church musicians were formally trained (handwriting all music)
Pop musicians not formally trained (learned by watching, maybe the occasional lesson)
Moveable type helped spread music
Guttenberg brings moveable type to Europe
First book of printed music in Venice in 1501
Books of music reached the masses and encouraged people to learn how to play an instrument (still shown today)
Men and women learned music and played it in their homes
Secular side of playing music
Renaissance Dance Ensemble
Growing number of people wanting to make and play music
Jacques Moderne: Musique de Joye (1550)
Renaissance dance music → renaissance dance ensemble
Parvane Dancing
Couples holding hands, in duple meter, slow and graceful
Galliard Dancing
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Madrigal genre
Involved both men and women singing
One of the first popular music examples
Lute Song Madrigals
Accompanied with a lute
Homophonic
Individual dancing, fast, leaping music, in triple meter
Shawm
Double reed instrument
Conical bore
Product of transculturation
From Middle East through the silk road
Madrigal
Vocal genre of music
Polyphonic song for both men and women
Renaissance includes men and women dancing AND singing together
Taken from a vernacular poem
Poem usually about love
Changes textures many times
Music can be sung by anyone
Madrigals in new form: through-compose (1530)
No known or obvious repeats because it’s based on a poem
Music is based on text: word painting
Music reflects the meaning of the words
Thomas Morely
Writes 24 madrigals in honor of Queen Elizabeth (1601)
The book is called “The Triumphs of Oriana”
Thomas Weelks
Composed “As Vesta was from Latmos Hill Descending”
Very polyphonic and complex
Popular because they were fun to sing
Melodies simple and energetic
Full of wordplay in the lyrics
Madrigals still popular today
Language of musical expression based on Madrigals
Renaissance humanism still shown today
John Farmer (1570-1601)
English composer
English madrigals full of humor, irony and double entendre (double meaning)
Fair Phyllis by John Farmer
Polyphonic and quick
Madrigals written for instruments → a lute song
Lute similar to a modern-day guitar
Lute Song (new genre)
Homophonic: Human voice with lute
John Dowland (1562-1626)
Used tablature (numbers on a little grid to tell the composer what to play)
Beginning to align notes with lyrics
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Flow My Tears by John Dowland
Homophonic with lute and voice
Summary
The Renaissance introduces new types of music that allow more women to join, especially in secular music.
Madrigals and Lute songs specifically allowed for women to take part in the music, either dancing or actually playing.