humanism in renaissance art

Kris JacobsonKris Jacobson

CIL 505CIL 505

8/4/118/4/11Adapted from Renaissance ConnectionAdapted from Renaissance Connection

How Humanism Changes Renaissance

Art

Changes in art illustrate changes in the Renaissance view of people and their place in the world.

Middle Ages

Middle Ages last from the 3rd Century through the 13th Century

Learning is centered around the church and religion

Artistic subjects are religious

Art in the Middle Ages

• Most art has religious subjects• Figures always wear clothes• Saints have halos• The size of figures reflects

their importance (hieratic scale)

• Background is often gold, representing heaven

• Figures are represented ideally, not as individuals

• Used tempera (egg-based) paints

Jacopa di CioneMadonna and Child in Glory1360/65Tempera and gold on panel

Begins in the 14th Century People begin to read the literature of Classical

Greece and Rome People begin learning about government,

philosophy and art from these Classical writings People began to study the natural world, astronomy,

math, and engineering Humans and their relationship to the world become

a major focus of art, science, and literature Artists created works outside of the church and

began to sign their own works.

Renaissance

Art in the Renaissance

• Saints are depicted as more human

• Saints are the same size as humans

• Halos fade and eventually disappear

• Natural landscape is used as background

• Perspective is used to create the appearance of 3 dimensions

• Oil paint gives a more natural appearance of light and shadow and textureGiovanni Agostino da LodiAdoration of the ShepherdsAbout 1505Oil on wood panel

Compare the Two Paintings

Do the artists use hieratic scale? How are the halos different in each painting? Do the landscapes look true to life in each

picture? Why or why not? How do the artists represent distance in each

painting? Can you tell if the artists used tempera or oil

paints?

Questions

Details

Duccio di Buoninsegna Maestà,1308-1311Tempera on wood

Guiliano BugiardiniMadonna and Child with St. John, 1510Oil on panel