More human and realistic renderings of figures like Christ and the saints.
Focus on tactile aspects like fabric, clothing, and skin.
New focus on facial expression and body position.
More vivid color and gold accents.
Chiaroscuro effects (the play of light and shadow).
Sculpture
Reflected a new sense of order.
Emphasis on symmetry and clarity.
Figures no longer entangle with each other.
Expression/reflection of Naturalism, Emotion, symmetry, 3-dimensionality, and the lives of Christ, the Virgin, and the saints.
Columnar sculptures (verticality).
Monumental sculptures.
Drapery.
Tympanums of Chartres Cathedral, France.
Architecture main characteristics
Verticality.
Pointed arches.
Stained-glass windows.
Flying buttresses.
Ribbed vaults.
Spires.
Gargoyles.
RENAISSANCE ART
From the word "re-naire," meaning "rebirth," "revival," and rediscovery.
Florence, Italy.
Period in European civilization following the Middle Ages.
Characterized by a surge of interest in Classical scholarship, values, and arts.
Chiaroscuro: From the Italian words "chiaro" (light or clear) and "scuro" (dark or obscure).
An artistic method using gradations of light and shadow to create convincing three-dimensional scenes.
Figures and objects appeared as solid forms.
Sfumato: Meaning 'smoky' in Italian, is a painting technique.
Uses brushy glazing of dark tones on a lighter layer, giving a warm smoky atmosphere-effect.
Early Renaissance painting
Simplicity, religious ardor, piety, gestures, and facial expressions.
Emphasis on human qualities of their subjects.
Balance of realism and idealization.
Examples: Lamentation, Madonna Enthroned with the Child and Two Angels.
High Renaissance painting
The introduction of chiaroscuro and sfumato by Leonardo Da Vinci.
The introduction of contrapusto twist of human anatomy by Michaelangelo.
Linear perspective.
Examples: Triumph of Galatea, Sistine Madonna.
Early Renaissance Sculpture
The first half of the 15th century was the heroic age of the early Renaissance.
Sculptors during this period had earlier greater opportunities than architects and painters to meet the challenge of the New Athens.
Portrayal of the classic contrapposto.
St. George and Statue of David are examples.
High Renaissance Sculpture
Focus on the human form.
Detailed anatomy and idealized proportions.
Reflects the Renaissance emphasis on human potential and achievements.
Deeply inspired by Greek and Roman sculptures.
Revival of classical ideals of beauty and harmony.
Examples: David and Pieta (Michelangelo).
Early Renaissance Architecture
Greek and Roman styles influenced Renaissance architecture.
High Renaissance Architecture
Characterized by harmony, clarity, and repose.
Basically characterized by the adaptation of the classical order and design.
Introduction of new styles (over-hanging cornice, the pilaster, the string course, and the ornamental pediment).
The dome was made much steeper and adopted in smaller buildings.
Characterized by simplicity and beauty.
Basilica de San Lorenzo.
Observed objective, mathematical standards of measurement and proportion.
Construction of elite residences (palazzos) and churches.
St. Peter’s Basilica, Palazzo Farnese, Palazzo Medici Ricardi.
MANNERISM ART
From the Italian word "maniera" (“manner,” or “style”).
An artistic style that predominated in Italy from the end of the High Renaissance in the 1520s to the beginnings of the Baroque style around 1590.
The most significant as well as the most problematic among art trends in the wake of the High Renaissance
Painting
The assertion of a purely aesthetic ideal.
Translated form and expression into a style of utmost refinement that emphasized grace, variety and virtuosity at the expense of content, clarity and unity.
Appealed only to a small but sophisticated audience.
Resulted from the quest for originality as a projection of individual personality.
The tendency to explore imaginations freely (liberation).
Distortion of the human figure, flattening of pictorial space, cultivated intellectual sophistication
Sculpture
Characterized by elongated forms, spiral angles, twisting poses, and aloof subject gazes.
Figures showed physical power, passion, tension, and semantic perfection.
Rape of the Sabine Women and Hercules and the Centaur (Giambologna).
Incorporates mixture of architectural forms and textures.
Laurentian Library.
Palazzo del Te, Manuta Romano.
Villa Rotonda.
Madonna with Long Neck, Self-portrait in a Convex Mirror (Parmigianino).
Slaughter of the Innocents (Tintoretto).
BAROQUE ART
Flourished in the 17th to mid-18th century.
Origin of the term: from French (originally designating a pearl of irregular shape), from Portuguese barroco, Spanish barrueco, or Italian barocco
General Characteristics: grandeur, sensuous richness, drama, vitality, movement, tension, emotion, exuberance, tendency to blur distinctions between the various arts, exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted, detail, has often been defined as being bizarre, or uneven.
Painting
Naturalism, Regarded as pariah, Boldness of execution
Sweeping lines and strong contrast
Experiments on distortion and exaggeration (Caravaggio and Rembrandt).
Use of tenebrism and stark contrasts
Characterized by great drama, rich, deep color, and intense light and dark shadows
The Calling of St. Matthew, Death of the Virgin (Caravaggio)
Return of the Prodigal Son (Rembrandt)
Sculpture
Charging space with active energy
Tour de force achievements
Use of melodrama, theatricality, or emotional qualities--sometimes even shocking elements.
A focus on the climactic moment.
Invasion of the viewer's space through dramatic foreshortening in painting or implied spatial connections in sculpture.
Meant to be viewed from all angles and displayed centrally, rather than against the wall
David, The Ecstasy of St. Teresa (Gianlorenzo Bernini)
Architecture
Elaborate sculptural ornamentation, columns and entablatures decorated with garlands of flowers, fruits, shells, and water
Similar to the Renaissance but far more spacious
Impression of movement and activity
ROCOCO ART
18th century.
Characterized by lightness, elegance, and an exuberant use of curving natural forms in ornamentation.
The word Rococo is derived from the French word rocaille which denoted the shell-covered rock work that was used to decorate artificial grottoes.
Used mainly in interior decoration, furniture porcelain and tapestry
Fanciful and frivolous S-curved and scroll-like forms and ornamentally pierced shell
Painting
Easygoing
Lighthearted treatments of mythological and courtship themes
Rich and delicate brushwork
Relatively light tonal key and sensuous coloring
Sensual Rococo: expression on voluptuous form (The Triumph of Venus by Francois Boucher)
Academic Rococo: caters on the picturesque (Pilgrimage to Cythera)
Genre Rococo: presents farm and country (Landscape with Shepherds and Flock of Sheep by JH Fragonard)
Poussinistes (Drawing-superior to color (painting), Appeals to the mind, appeals to the expert few
Rubenistes (color-true to nature, color /painting appeals to everyone
The Swing (JH Fragonard)
Sculpture
Not a different style but a variation of the Baroque style of sculpture
Informality, gaiety, a concern for matters of the heart, and a self- conscious avoidance of seriousness
Makes use of very delicate porcelain instead of marble or other heavy medium
Classical themes, cherubs, love, playfulness, and nature
Pygmalion and Galatea (Maurice Falconet)
Vertumnus and Pomone (Jean Baptiste Lemoyne)
Architecture
The 18th century French art and interior style
With elegant and ornate furniture, small sculpture, ornamental mirrors, and tapestry complementing architecture, reliefs, and wall paintings.
Shell-like curves, focuses on decorative arts
Regarded by critics as frivolous- not having any serious purpose or value.
Catherine Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia
NEO-CLASSICISM
Emerged as a Western cultural movement in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theater, music, and architecture
That drew inspiration from the art and culture of classical antiquity. (Greek and Roman)
Involved emphasis on austere linear design in the depiction of classical events, characters and themes, using historically accurate settings and costumes
Claimed as opposite to Romanticism and was anti- Rococo in painting style
Painting
The thinkers of the Enlightenment period fostered the anti-Rococo trend in painting
1st example of moral painting genre
The Village Bride by JB Greuze
Oath of the Horatii, The Death of Marat, and Portrait of Madame Recamier by Jacques Louis David
Sculpture
Hellenic repose of body, classic impassivity of countenance, and simplicity of composition.
Approximated to those of some Greek or Roman figure, and clothed the forms in ancient costume
Seated Voltaire by Jean Antoine Houdon
Jason with the Golden Fleece by Bertel Thorvaldsen
Architecture
Characterized by grandeur of scale, simplicity of geometric forms, dramatic use of columns, and preference for blank walls
Represented a general reaction to the excesses of the Rococo style
The Pantheon, Paris by Jacques Germaine Soufflot
The Capitol Building, Washington D.C.
ROMANTIC ART (ROMANTICISM)
Strong belief in the senses and emotions, rather than reason and intellect
Inspired by the beauty and power of the natural world
Artists use expressive compositions, vivid colors, and dramatic contrasts of light and dark.
Two Men Contemplating the Moon by Caspar David Friedrich
The Third of May 1808 by Francisco de Goya
Drew inspiration from historical events, mythology, and the natural world, portraying these subjects with a sense of awe and reverence.
Depicted dramatic scenes, often featuring figures in moments of intense emotion or action, reflecting the movement's focus on the sublime and the extraordinary.
Created idealized representations of human figures, emphasizing beauty, strength, and nobility
Featured a looser and more expressive style, with greater emphasis on capturing the movement and emotion of the subject
Painting
Emphasized subjective individualism
Belief on the goodness of humanity
Promotion of justice for all
Sculpture
Prioritized the expression of intense emotions
Celebrated the individual's unique perspective and experiences.
Tiger Hunt by Antoine Louis Barye
Departure of the Volunteers (La Marseillaise) by Francois Rude
Architecture
Gothic Revival: A prominent feature was the revival of Gothic architecture, with elements like pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and stained glass windows becoming popular.
Parliament Bldg. and Big Ben
REALISM
Notable artists are Gustave Courbet, Jean-François Millet, and Honore Daumier.
Akin to the naturalism of Caravaggio
Depicting everyday life and subjects in a naturalistic, objective, and detailed manner, aiming to represent reality faithfully.
Arose as a reaction against the highly stylized art genres of the time, such as Romanticism and Neoclassicism.
The stone breakers by Gustave Courbet
The Gleaners by Jean Francois Millet
IMPRESSIONISM
Mainly characterized by loose, visible brushstrokes, bright and unmixed colors
A focus on everyday subjects and landscapes
An emphasis on capturing light and fleeting moments
Painting en plein air (outdoors).
Portrayal of the effects of experience upon the consciousness of the artist and audience rather than the objective characteristics of things or events
On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt and Women with a Parasol by Claude Monet
Artists- Claude Monet, Edouard Manet and Auguste Renoire
Focus-capturing fleeting moments of light, color, and the sensory experience of modern life
Technique- short, broken brushstrokes, bright unblended colors, and a strong emphasis on the effects of light
Subject Matter-landscapes, cityscapes and everyday life
POST-IMPRESSIONISM
Started by a group of artists in the 1880’s who became dissatisfied with the impressionist style and extended it into various directions
Known to be the later stage of Impressionism
Focused on subjective expression, geometric forms, and the exploration of emotion through color and brushwork.
Post impressionists sought to convey deeper feelings and personal vision
They were not anti-impressionists.
The artists during this period had no common goal so it was difficult to label their movement. The movement was just called post-impressionism.
Prominent artists were Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Cezanne
Cezanne’s goal was to make of impressionism something solid and durable
Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh
Still life with Apples and Mont Sainte Victoire by Paul Cezanne
La Vague by Paul Gauguin
Artists- Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Cezanne
Focus- exploring deeper emotions, symbolism, and personal interpretations of the world, often moving beyond the immediate, visible reality
Technique- Bold colors, thick brushstrokes, a more structured approach to form, and greater emphasis on emotion and symbolism
Subject Matter- landscapes, portraits, scenes of modern life, but also explores more abstract and symbolic imagery