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The Northern Renaissance
By: Abhishek Bose
Periodization
The actual beginning of the northern renaissance artistic
movement is argued by historians but is known to be after
the Italian renaissance and around the late 15th Century
(supposedly 1497)
The northern renaissance ended at around the same time
the Italian ended, so late 17th century- early 18th century.
The area of origination is also disputed by historians but is
thought to be in and around Germany.
The northern renaissance spread quickly throughout all
areas north of the Alps, spread from Germany to France,
England, Low Countries, and Poland.
Low Countries- meaning modern day Belgium, Netherlands,
and French Flanders.
Historical Context
A huge social/cultural event that occurred in around 1450 in
Germany was the invention of the printing press by Johannes
Gutenberg.
This allowed the publishing of literature, scripture, and manuscripts in a
mechanical way for the first time.
Another social/cultural event that took place was the migration of
Albrecht Dürer.
Dürer left Germany for Italy in 1494 and was inspired by a plethora of
Italian artists, architects, and idealists, he took these ideas back home
to Nuremburg and sparked the renaissance.
A political/social event that took place was the protestant
reformation.
The reformation in northern Europe re-emphasized the importance of
God and religion in life.
Also the translation of the Bible into common languages such as
German and French attributed to the movement.
Historical Context (Cont.)
An economic/cultural event that took place in northern
Europe was the innovation of mechanically producible media
such as woodcuts and engravings.
Another economic/cultural trend that took place was the
formation of a merchant class that purchased works of oil on
wood panel.
Goal of Movement
The goal of the Northern Renaissance art movement was to
express the idea Erasmus decreed in his “Education of a
Christian Prince” - Christian Humanism
Because of their immediate surroundings the northern
European countries put an emphasis on illuminated
manuscripts and wooden panel paintings.
Northern artists and painters put great emphasis on the
emotional intensity of religious feelings and created great
works of devotional art.
Was also inspired by nature
Painted as they saw it
Key Characteristics
Since the Northern Renaissance was mostly based off
religious views it showed rarely, if any depictions celebrating
the individual or human body like the Italian Renaissance.
The Northern Renaissance differed from the Renaissance in
Italy because as the ruins of Rome and Greece were visible
to the Italian eye, they saw the structures and buildings that
once were, the Northern countries did not see that in their
area.
Large wall spaces in Italian Churches gave rise to art of
fresco painting but in the north, the prevalence of Gothic
cathedrals with stained glass windows resulted in illuminated
manuscripts and wooden panel painting for altarpieces.
Space was limited and great care was required to depict each
object, which led northern artists and painters to become
masters at rendering detail.
Key Characteristics (Cont.)
Northern painters started using oil based paints for the first
time, a medium that enabled the artist to use a varied range
of colors and create fine details.
Northern artists, in their efforts to imitate nature did so by
empirical observation of visual reality and accurate portrayal
of details while Italian artists more often than not, relied on
laws of perspective and proportion.
Northern
Italian
Works Of Art
Jan Van Eyck (1395-1441), early Dutch painter who was
among the first to use oil paint.
The Arnolfini Portrait, 1434
Works of Art
Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), German painter arguably one of
the most important individuals in terms of sparking the
northern renaissance.
Adam and Eve, 1507
Works of Art
Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553), German painter, was
good friends with Martin Luther and was court painter to
German princes and leaders of Protestant reformation.
Christ blessing the Children,
mid 1540’s
Works of Art
Albrecht Altdorfer (1480-1538) German painter who
specialized in landscape backgrounds and expressive
biblical studies.
Landscape with double
spruce, 1526
Works of Art
Robert Campin or Master of Flémalle (1375-1444) great
master of flemish and new netherlandish painting.
The Mérode
Altarpiece, 1429
Works Cited
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissancereformation/northern-renaissance1/beginners-guidenorthern-renaissance/a/an-introduction-to-the-northernrenaissance-in-the-fifteenth-century
http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/tl/north-ren/
http://www.artcyclopedia.com/history/northernrenaissance.html
https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hi/hi_nrenaissance.htm
“Western Civilization” by Jackson J. Spielvogel