Download RENAISSANCE ART

RENAISSANCE
ART
Middle Ages vs.
Renaissance Art
 During
the medieval period, the
dominant theme of art was the glory
of God and his authority over
humanity.
 During the Renaissance with the
influence of humanists, human
beings were portrayed as the central
figures in life on earth.
Art of the Middle Ages
“Icon with the virgin Hodegetria”
Thessalonike,Greece 1360-70
 Byzantine depiction of
crucifixion, artist unknown
More art of Middle Ages
(Romanesque)
“Christ and the adoration of the Magi”, Master of Pedret. Spain 1100 CE
Gothic Art
Jean Pucelle, “The betrayal of Christ and Annunciation”, 1325-1328
Characteristics of renaissance Art
 Influenced
by artistic achievements of
classical Greece and Rome, especially
in sculpture and architecture.
 Early Renaissance painters treated
religious themes with a lifelike
approach.
 Later Renaissance painters also
employed a realistic style and
continued to recreate biblical events.
Realism and Perspective
 Painting
in the Renaissance marked a
dramatic change in the way artists
perceived their subjects.
 Emphasized realism, attention to
detail, and desire for perfection.
 The technique artists used to achieve
realism in Renaissance painting is
known as perspective.
Dimension and Perspective



Through perspective,
artists created the
illusion of a threedimensional world on a
two-dimensional
surface.
Through the use of light
and shadow, artists try
to make feelings and
ideas show in the face
and body.
Portrait of Jacopo Strada
Renaissance Painting

Perspective: representing correct spatial
relationships using various scientific
methods and mathematics to correctly
show distance and proportion
In 1435, Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472)
credited with describing linear perspective
 The painter is now painting
for the viewer not for God?

Giotto di Bondone 1267-1337
“the missing link”
 Giotto
introduced perspective to his art which
was still dominated by Christian themes
 His work becomes more elaborate and both
foreground and background are given intense
detail and tell more complex stories
Giotto, “Madonna Enthroned” 1310, Uffizi,
Florence
Giotto, “Meeting at the Golden gate”, 1304-1306
Perspective: “Ceiling of Camera” Andrea Mantegna, Ducal Palace,
Mantua 1471-74
Humanism in the Art World
 “Humanism”
also hit the art world
during the Renaissance.
 New works of art were modeled on
classical Greek and Roman sculpture,
and painting.
 Authors and artists of the
Renaissance took classical works as
philosophical models of reason,
intelligence, and taste.
Art of the Renaissance



Renaissance art is
uplifting because of the
expression of profound
emotion.
The subjects, both
human and divine, show
a new interest in
naturalism.
When looking at
Renaissance art,
landscapes are often
used as background,
and is rarely used as a
main subject of a work
of art.
The Human Figure
Artists began to
look at the human
figure as an object
of beauty.
 Renaissance artists
sought to convey
the illusion of
movement
 Realistic
representation was
important

The Human Figure




Correct symmetry
and proportion were
essential in
Renaissance Art.
People were
measured with
calipers to get the
right proportions.
Leonardo da Vinci
worked with
physicians to dissect
cadavers.
Fire in the Borgo by Raphael
Michelangelo



Sculptor, painter,
architect….he is the best
example of a tortured
artist.
The Pope commissioned
Michelangelo to paint
the Sistine Chapel which
took 4 years to
complete.
Sistine Chapel is a
fresco (painted on
plaster.
Michelangelo Buonarotti “The Sistine Chapel” 1508-1512,
Vatican, Rome
Michelangelo’s design Commissioned by the papacy,
Sistine Chapel – Adam & Eve
Sistine Chapel – Creation of
sun and moon
Michelangelo – David
Michelangelo
Raphael
The “Rock-Star” of
Renaissance
painters. He was a
party-boy who
loved life. Died at a
young age.
 Two of his principal
teachers were
Michelangelo and
Leonardo

Raphael
The Madonna and
child was the
number one
subject matter
during this time
period.
 Post famine art,
people are shown
healthier, larger.

Raphael – School of Athens
Leonardo da Vinci
The ultimate
Renaissance Man
 Scientist, artist,
architect, inventor
 Was known for his
use of light and
dark in his art.
 Two of his greatest
works: Mona Lisa
and The Last
Supper

Leonardo’s Genius

Leonardo was the quintessential “Renaissance
man”, a polymath who excelled at many things
including painting, music, anatomy, sculpture.
The last supper
Renaissance Art
 One
aspect of the Renaissance that
made artwork so popular, was that
new wealthy merchants and princes
of the Italian cities supported artists.
 They served as patrons to artists and
philosophers, supporting them with
approval and money.
 In some cases, patrons invited artists
to live and work in their palaces.
Additional Artists
 El
Greco – Greek who settled in Spain
– Painted religious scenes such as the
Assumption, and portraits of church
officials.
 Rembrandt – Dutch – considered
greatest painter of northern Europe;
effectively used contrast of light and
shadow to depict everyday life.
 Rubens – Flemish – noted for brilliant
colors, known for Adoration of the
Magi
Hieronymous Bosch “The Garden of Earthly
Delights” 1510, Netherlands
Jan Van Eyck
“The Arnolfini
Portrait” 1434
Hans Holbein, the younger “The Ambassadors” 1533
The Art today
 Renaissance
art continues to evoke
admiration today, as it attracts
tourists to western Europe to visit
museums, churches and galleries to
view these beautiful works.
 In 1967 a da Vinci painting was
purchased by Washington’s National
Gallery of Art for a reputed record
price of between $5 and $6 million.