Download Chapter 21 AP Guide

Teaching AP* Art History
Chapter Guide to Gardner’s 12th Edition
Chapter 21
Humanism and the Allure of Antiquity
15th-Century Italian Art
Lecture Strategies and Key Ideas. This chapter examines the flourishing of
a new kind of artistic culture, one based on a fascination with the classical
world that was also informed by both Christian fervor and a new humanism.
These factors, plus the appearance of individual artistic genius, produced art
that is justifiably famous.
An important lesson for students is to understand the development of
perspective illusionism; a device experimented with by the Romans and
refined 1000 years later during the 15th century in Italy, especially by the
artist and architect Brunelleschi. “Depicting Objects in Space” on page 578
is an important read for students.
Teachers might consider dividing this long chapter into three lesson
modules: (1) Painting, (2) Sculpture, and (3) Architecture. Thus teacher
lectures, illustrated with slides, might consist of three sessions, interspersed
with quizzes and a “class activity” such as the one described below.
“AP Exam Tip.” Not to be overlooked in this chapter are the architects and
their Renaissance buildings. Students should be able to identify and discuss
Brunelleschi's dome and the classical order, rationality and balance found in
the Michelozzo and Alberti buildings.
“Heads Up.” This chapter is the first in the text to treat art history as
biography. That is, we know not only the trends and movements in the
artistic tradition but we can also identify, by name, the artists who were
involved. As a result, students are expected to know the artists and their
works by name, as well as the context in which the art was made. Some
teachers, therefore, have their art history students maintain a listing or index
cards with the names and works written and organized and saved. Whatever
methods you have your students use, remember that they are indeed
responsible for learning the names and significant art produced by the artists
in this chapter. (Use the “Key Images” listed below to discern which artists
are the most importance for students to know.)
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Maps: Students should know the basic geography of Renaissance Italy and
teachers should make a map available to them, supplemented by the close-up
maps of Florence (Map 21-1) and Rome (Map 22-1). Your school’s social
studies department would be a good resource for maps. At the least, students
should be able to locate:
Ravenna
Sienna
Po River
Vatican City
Padua
Pisa
Arno River
Mantua
Venice
Florence
Rome
Milan
Tiber River Alps
The Saints. Students should familiarize themselves with the Saints whose
depictions will be seen in this and following chapters. See page 580.
“Class Activity.” To demonstrate the order and balance that Renaissance
architects came to favor, consider having students make a drawing of the
façade of Santa Maria Novella (FIG. 21-34 and 21-35). Pass out grid paper
to facilitate the drawing and to emphasis the classical, ordered nature of the
façade.
Gender and Patronage. This is a good chapter to reinforce the importance
that patrons played in art. A good review of patronage during the early
Renaissance is found in “Cultivating Culture,” page 575. Here also is a good
time for students to be introduced to Giorgio Vasari, whose book
Lives of the Painters, Sculptors and Architects is the source for many of the
legends about Renaissance painters. See also the discussion “The Medici as
Patrons” on page 591.
Narrative in Art. Perhaps no better subject matter for a student essay on
“narrative in art” exists in this chapter beyond that of Massacio’s “Tribute
Money” (FIG. 21-10). Students can explain not only the story being shown
in the fresco but discuss the revolutionary manner in which the artist handled
the monumental wall space with new representational devices.
Human Body in Art. Students might cite Massacio’s “Expulsion of Adam
And Eve" (FIG. 21-11) for a discussion of the new emotive power (Eve’s
agony) found in Renaissance art, the handling of the space around and
behind the figures, and the grounding of the figures, all of which gave the
figures real-life weight. Of course, Botticelli’s “Venus” invites a discussion
of his handling of the nude female form in a Neo-Platonic manner more
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reminiscent of a dream than reality. Massacio’s “Dead Christ” (FIG. 21-48)
is a powerful and stunning representative piece demonstrating the
Renaissance interest in perspective.
2. Key Vocabulary.
Renaissance
Gattamelata
vanishing point
campanile
foreshortening
Medici
tondo
di sotto in su
entablature
patronage
humanism
Linear perspective aerial perspective
engraving
niche
coffered barrel vault
orgival
central-plan
Pazzi
Bottega
terracotta
rustication
trompe l’oeil
pilaster
3. Key Images from Gardner’s Art Through the Ages. [Image numbers
from 12th ed.]
Artist
Brunelleschi
Ghiberti
Donatello
Ghiberti
Ghiberti
Di Banco
Donatello
Fabriano
Massacio
Massacio
Massacio
Brunelleschi
Brunelleschi
Brunelleschi
Michelolozzo
Uccello
Donatello
Verrochio
Pollaiuolo
Gardner
FIG. Number
21-1
21-2
21-3
21-4 (and p.572)
21-5
21-6
21-7
21-9
21-10
21-11
21-12
21-13
21-15
21-16
21-20
21-22
21-23
21-24
21-25
Subject
Key Idea
Competition panel Gothic “loser”
Competition panel “Winner”
Feast of Herod
3-dimensional
East doors baptistery
Issac and Sons
Detail
Four Saints
niche sculpture
Saint Mark
contrapposto
Adoration of Magi International style
Tribute Money
monumentality
Expulsion
Emotive “agony”
Holy Trinity
illusionism
Florence dome
double-dome
Santo Spirito
classical
Pazzi Chapel
central-plan
Medici Palace
rusticated, cornice
Battle San Romano perspective
David
classicism
David
realism
Hercules and Antaeus “action”
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Pollaiuolo
Botticelli
Botticelli
Donatello
Verrochio
Ghirlandaio
Alberti
Far Angelico
Castagno
Lippi
Della Robbia
Perugino
Alberti
Mantegna
Mantegna
Francesca
21-25
21-27
21-28
21-29
21-30
21-31
21-34
21-36
21-37
21-38
21-39
21-40
21-41
21-46
21-48
21-49
Battle 10 Nude
human bodies
Birth of Venus
Neo-Platonic
Portrait of Youth “portraiture”
Gattamelata
Renaissance man
Bartolommeo
Commanding man
Giovanna
Portraiture
Santa Maria Novella Classicism
Annunciation
Piety
Last Supper
perspective
Madonna
piety
Madonna tondo terracotta
Christ Delivery Keys perspective
Sant’Andrea
classic façade
Ceiling
di sotto in su
Dead Christ
realism/perspective
Finding Cross
perspective
Website(s). A good source of online websites that contains images for all
Art History, including pre-historic art, is found at http://www.artdesign.umich.edu/mother/
4. Quizzes, Tests and Study Materials
Be sure to reference the general art resources available for this Gardner book
at http://art/wadsworth.com/ From here there are online quizzes, a complete
study guide, Internet activities, vocabulary flashcards, and more.
Website(s). A good source of online websites that contains images for all
Art History, including pre-historic art, is found at http://www.artdesign.umich.edu/mother/
5. Questions: Each chapter of Gardner’s Art Through the Ages textbook
has a corresponding quiz and test in the “Instructor’s Manual.” The CDROM allows teachers to choose which questions to use and to create and
print quizzes and tests.
Essay Questions.
1. Show the "Davids" of Donatello (FIG. 21-23) and of Verrochio (FIG. 2124).
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Question. Identify the artists of these two sculptures. Describe the aesthetic
property each possesses that suggests the two Davids are unique from one
another.
The dainty figure of Donatello’s young David exhibits the classicism of
High Classic Greek art, while the David of Verrochio has a more extreme
posture more reminiscent of Hellenism.
2. Show the two equestrian statues of Donatello (FIG. 21-29) and Verrochio
(FIG. 21-30)
Question. Identify the art history time period in which these two sculptures
were made. Describe the aesthetic properties each possesses that makes one
unique from the other.
Students should identify these as 15th –century works. The statue by
Donatello shows the strength of its rider through the domination of the
human figure atop the horse. The rider has the “Renaissance Man “qualities
of individualism and courage. The equestrian statue by Verrochio shows
power and authority though its use of violent twists and brute strength.
3. Show: Massacio, "The Holy Trinity With the Virgin" (Fresco, Santa
Maria Novella), FIG. 21-12.
Question. Identify the artist of this fresco. What innovations did the artist
use to enhance the artistic illusions present in this art? (8 minutes.)
Students should identify Massacio and explain the perspective illusionism
used by him to depict space and distance within the painted barrel vault,
especially noting his innovative di sotto in su viewpoint.
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