Art History R2

Masaccio's Tribute Money
- Innovative painting located in the chapel.
- Completed in 1427, among his early frescoes.
- Depicts a narrative with multiple scenes telling a coherent story.
Narrative Content
- The painting represents a significant biblical event involving Saint Peter, Jesus, and a tax collector.
- Elements of a dispute over tribute payments.
- Saint Peter is instructed by Jesus to catch a fish to pay the tax collector, highlighting a miracle and a testament to faith.
Political Significance
- Relevant to Florentine context due to a tax enacted in 1427 to fund city defenses against external threats.
- The painting speaks to the audience as it connects endearingly with their own political struggles.
Artistic Techniques Used
- Notable for the use of linear perspective and atmospheric perspective.
- The architecture within the scene draws the viewer's eye into the landscape.
- Vanishing Points: More than one vanishing point is employed, leading the eyes outward rather than inward.
- Buildings observed have dual stories contributing to an expansive feel.
- Lighting: A single light source creates dramatic shadows, emphasizing the sculptural quality of figures.

Fra Angelico's Background
- Real name: Guido di Pietro.
- Lived from 1395 to 1455, recognized for a serene style.
- Influences include Masaccio and Van Ayk.
Artistic Contributions
- Known for frescoes, specifically in the Dominican monastery of San Marco in Florence (1435-1445).
- Annunciation fresco is one of his prominent works.
- Combines realistic architectural elements and divine themes.
Use of Perspective and Light
- Subtle yet effective use of perspective: arches and lines direct the viewer’s gaze to specific areas.
- Unique lighting technique: highlights figures in a way that imbues them with an angelic quality, despite some inaccuracies in shadowing.

The Last Supper (1447)
- Located in the Monastery of Santa Apollonia, measuring 32 feet across and 15 feet high.
- Central point is the sleeping disciple, John.
- Emphasizes perspective through converging lines leading towards the central figure.
Artistic Development
- Angelico displays both intuitive and traditional perspectives.
- Transition observed in themes and focus from earlier pieces to this artwork.

Artist Background
- Domenico del Ghirlandaio (? 1449-1494), known as the "garland maker".
- Played a significant role in late 15th-century Florentine painting.
Artistic Innovations
- Developed storytelling within art, moving narratives from grand religious themes to familial and intimate situations.
- The painting Old Man and Boy illustrates a relaxed pose, focusing more on relatability.
- Awareness of human realism is showcased, such as in the depiction of the grandfather's condition, rhinophyma, while the child is portrayed with angelic features.

Biography
- Lived from 1445 to 1510, trained in both painting and sculpture.
Artistic Style
- Known for his mythological themes, shifting from previous religious focus.
- Frequently involved contemporary figures in mythological scenes.
- Work with notable patrons like the Medici, marking a change towards secular art styles.
Famous Works
- Primavera and The Birth of Venus, showcasing themes of love, fertility, and mythology.
- Venus depicted at the center of Primavera's composition, surrounded by mythological figures: the Three Graces and Cupid.
Symbolism and Representation
- Elements such as flowers and fruit within his paintings often symbolize fertility.
- Increasing interest in the portrayal of beauty and idealized human forms.

Evolution of Italian Painting
- Contrast between earlier Renaissance works (Masaccio) and later works (Botticelli and Ghirlandaio) in themes, emotional depth, and perspective usage.
- Introduction of secular narratives versus predominantly religious scenes of prior art.
Perspective Techniques
- Movement from explicit perspectives to more suggestive and emotive representations through naturalistic elements (shading, lighting, with lines guiding the gaze in Botticelli's works).