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Non-fiction: The Renaissance – Renaissance Art
The Renaissance
Renaissance Art
During the Middle Ages, most Europeans
thought art should be about themes or characters
in Christianity. Painters and sculptors
incorporated themes from the Bible. The church
wanted viewers to concentrate on Christian
stories and teachings. Artists weren’t concerned
with making their subjects1 appear natural or
lifelike. The figures2 and objects in paintings were
Christ Pantocrator
in the Cefalù Cathedral
stacked up on each other, and there was no
depth. They looked flat and two-dimensional.
The period following the Middle Ages was the Renaissance. Artists in the
Renaissance turned to the classic ideals of Greece and Rome for inspiration.
Their art celebrated human ideas and ability. Renaissance artists stressed the
beauty of the human body. They tried to capture the dignity3 of human beings in
lifelike paintings and sculptures.
In order to create more realistic art, Renaissance artists developed new
painting techniques. For example, they learned about perspective.4 Instead of
stacking figures and objects together on a canvas, figures that were far away
were painted smaller. Those closer up were painted bigger. Even formulas were
made so that artists could paint perspective realistically.
1
subject - the main character or main idea of a painting
figure – a person’s shape
3
dignity – proud or self-respecting manner; a person with dignity has a quality that makes him worthy of
respect
4
perspective - the point of view of an artist; the way an artist puts three-dimensional things on a flat
surface
2
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ReadWorks®,
Inc. All rights reserved.
Non-fiction: The Renaissance – Renaissance Art
Another technique Renaissance artists created was called chiaroscuro.
Chiaroscuro is all about visually expressing light and shadows. This technique
made figures look more realistic and three-dimensional. With shadows, painters
could create a sense of depth. Figures looked less flat or stiff.
Leonardo da Vinci used chiaroscuro in his brilliant
work the Mona Lisa. The painting is one of the most
famous paintings in the world. It influenced Renaissance
artists, especially those who painted portraits. For example,
the famous Renaissance painter Raphael modeled his
portraits after the Mona Lisa.
Michelangelo’s David is another
masterpiece of Renaissance art.
Mona Lisa by Leonardo
da Vinci
Michelangelo carved the statue out of marble, and it stands 17
feet tall. David is a character from the Bible. In the Bible, a young
David defeats a giant named Goliath with a slingshot5. Like other
Renaissance art, Michelangelo’s David celebrates humanity and
the human body.
David by
Michelangelo
5
slingshot – a piece of wood shaped like a Y with an elastic band attached; used to shoot small stones.
2
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ReadWorks®,
Inc. All rights reserved.
Questions: The Renaissance – Renaissance Art
Name: ____________________________
Date: ______________________
1. According to the text, what period followed the Middle Ages?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Industrialization age
the Great Depression
prehistory
the Renaissance
2. The text compares art of the Middle Ages with Renaissance art. How did art
from the Renaissance and the Middle Ages differ?
a. Renaissance art rejected the classic ideas of Greece and Rome. Art of
the Middle Ages reflected them.
b. Renaissance art reflected themes from the Bible and human dignity.
Art of the Middle Ages celebrated human ideas and ability.
c. Art of the Middle Ages reflected Christian themes. Renaissance art
celebrated human ideas and ability.
d. Renaissance art did not stress the beauty of the human body. Art of
the Middle Ages did.
3. Based on the text, what effect does Leonardo’s use of chiaroscuro create in
his painting the Mona Lisa?
a.
b.
c.
d.
It helps create her famous smile.
It helps create a realistic look, with three dimensions and depth.
It helps create a blurry effect.
It makes the picture dark.
4. How did Renaissance artists show that some people were farther away than
others to create perspective?
a. They made people who were farther away smaller.
b. They made people who were farther away darker.
c. They did not paint the faces of people who were farther away.
d. They made people who were farther away bigger.
5. What is a main idea of this text?
a. European art in the Middle Ages incorporated Christian themes.
b. In order to create more realistic art, Renaissance artists developed
new painting techniques.
c. With shadows, painters can create a sense of depth.
d. Renaissance artists created perspective by painting figures of different
sizes.
1
© 2012
ReadWorks®,
Inc. All rights reserved.
Questions: The Renaissance – Renaissance Art
6. According to the text, what did Renaissance artists try to capture?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
7. Examine Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa carefully. Explain why this painting
might have influenced Renaissance artists. Use evidence from the text to support
your answer.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
8. Choose the word that best completes the sentence.
Renaissance artists used new techniques, _________ chiaroscuro.
a.
b.
c.
d.
excluding
including
always
never
9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below.
Renaissance artists developed new painting techniques in order to create more
realistic art.
Who? Renaissance artists
What did Renaissance artists do? ______________________________________
Why? ___________________________________________________________
10. Vocabulary Word: perspective: a way of showing objects on the flat surface
of a picture so that they seem the correct size and distance from one another; the
way things are seen from a particular point of view.
Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: ________________________________
________________________________________________________________
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© 2012
ReadWorks®,
Inc. All rights reserved.