Ch 13- Early Renaissance

A. Architecture

Renaissance architecture reflects a renewed interest in ancient Roman models for mathematically derive proportions as well as logic of construction

1. Pg. 8 Filippo Brunelleschi Considered to be greatest architect of Early Rennasiance Built “Florence Cathedral”, dome 1420-36 138 feet wide 367 feet high Major landmark of Florence Largest dome built since Pantheon Stone base because stronger material, brick upper Octagonal dome reinforced by eight major ribs, visible in exterior, plus three

minor ribs in-between each Lantern later added to crown the roof

2. Pg. 9 Leon Battista Alberti Architect/author who worked to create beauty in architecture that derived from

harmony among all parts using math to determine proportions Church of “Sant’ Andrea” in Mantua Designed in 1470 Ideal demonstration of the Early Renaissance devotion to the antique For the façade, combined the triangular pediment of a classical temple with the

arches, characteristics of ancient Roman triumphal arches Façade balances horizontal & vertical lines Façade = front of building 4 colossal Corinthian pilasters paired with small pilasters

3. Pg. 10 Michelozzo di Bartolommeo Designed “Palazzo Medici-Riccardi” for Cosimo de’ Medici begun in 1445, completed 1452 probably emblematic of power of the family three story stone building becomes increasingly smoother successively diminishing height of each story neat and clear division, orderliness also seen in windows Medici coat of arms appears on corners of second story

B. Sculpture

Renaissance culture promoted the notion of individual genius by encouraging competitions among artists for prestigious public and religious commissions.

4. Pg. 11 Lorenzo Ghbiteri The Creation of Adam and Eve, relief panel from the Gates of

Paradise Florence, 1425-52 Use of continuous narration, a simultaneous presentation of

events that took place sequentially Portrays 5 scenes from Genesis Top , God creates Heavens and earth Bottom left, Adam created from the earth Central: Even being created from Adam’s rib Left and behind: Adam & Eve are tempted by Satan in guise of

serpent Right: Adam and Eve are expelled from Garden of Eden One of the earliest depictions of the female nude

5. Pg. 12 Donatello David, ca. 1425-30, bronze, Florence 5’2” tall The Early Renaissance interest in antiquity and the accurate

portrayal of the nude are evidenced here Depicts shepherd boy David who slew Giant, Goliath with a stone

from slingshot In sculpture, stone is still in slingshot, although giant’s head is

beneath his feet Portrays hero as adolescent male wearing only hat and boots,

because in Bible, David takes off heavy armor—too heavy for battle

David adopts the contrapposto posture—weight rests on one leg elevating hips and opposite shoulder, putting spine into S curve

Mary Magdalene, ca. 1452-55, wood painted and gilded, Florence height 6’2” Depiction of her after years of living in desert body is gaunt, arms and legs withered , praying intentionally unnerving, repulsive absence of beauty makes her both powerful and memorable Raises the question: Is beauty required for art?

C. Painting6. Pg. 13 Masaccio In his short life, carried the naturalistic impulse in painting furthest Painted “Trinity with the Virgin, St. John the Evangelist, and Donors”, Santa

Maria Novella, Florence ca. 1427-1428 , fresco Fresco painting-method of painting water-based pigments on freshly applied

plaster, usually on wall surfaces. The colors, which are made by grinding dry-powder pigments in pure water, dry and set with the plaster to become a permanent part of the wall.

Portrays Renaissance interest in lifelike portraiture—can be seen in life size depictions of two members of the Lenzi family (who commissioned the work)donors have a real presence in the scene

Used linear perspective-chapel appears to recede into the wall, vanishing point just below bottom of the cross

Lenzis, Mary and John the Evangelist plead with Jesus on behalf of humankind

7. Pg. 13 Piero della Francesca Also deeply interested in portraiture, a reflection of the

Renaissance concern for the individual Created double depiction of Battista Sforza and Federico da

Montefeltro, ca. 1472-3, Florence Shows wife and husband holding their heads motionless, high

above the landscape behind them Noble, elevated, grand; profiled view highly popular—reveals

distinctive features Wife is shown in fashion of the time—plucked, shaved

forehead, elaborate hairstyle jewels Husband- left view chose because missing right eye and bridge

of nose/ he’s a gentleman, scholar, warrior, bibliophile Portrays realism—“warts and all”

8. Pg. 13-15 Fra Angelico Painted “Annunciation”, San Marco, Florence ca.

1438-45, fresco Painting of Mary and Gabriel, crossed arms-sign of

respect and reference to Jesus cross and prefiguration of his cruxfixion

Garden has accurate depiction of real plants , spaced evenly acrossed to maintain individuality

Figures placed in architectural setting without regard to proper relative scale

Architecture rendered typical of Early Renaissance respect for the law of perspective

9. Sandro Botticelli Painted “Birth of Venus”, ca 1484-86, Florence Master of line—both descriptive and decorative Depicts the goddess born from the sea, a subject from antique pagan

mythology Important revival of the nude based on antique prototypes

High Renaissance

Focus shifted from Florence to Rome due to the wealth and power of the popes. Begins around 1485-1490 to end around 1520 (close to the death of Raphael) because his art epitomizes Renaissance style.

10. Leonardo Da Vinci***** Painted “The Last Supper” between 1495-1499 Three of largest windows directly behind Jesus—emphasizes

him Curved pediment, which arches above him serves as halo Jesus perfectly centered in middle—all perspective lines

converge toward a vanishing point directly behind his head 12 apostles arranged 6 on each side, divided into 4 groups of

3 Jesus arms extended diagonally as to form a equilateral

triangle Scene is psychologically powerful, Jesus has announced that

one of his apostles will betray him—everyone responds with dismay

Painted “Mona Lisa” ca. 1503 Probably most famous painting in the world Portrait of Lisa di Antonio Maria Gherardini, 24 year old wife of an Florentine

official She appears relaxed and natural Half-length, three-quarter view, hands showing Forehead indicates nobility of Mona Lisa—shaved hairline and no eyebrows Fame of painting rests on her mysterious smile Developed technique for modeling forms in light and dark called chiaroscuro. In

Italian, chiaro = light/clear, obscure=dark/obscure. Also developed sfumato, in Italian it means “smoky”. The outlines of the object

are hazy as if in smoky atmosphere.

11. Pg. 21 Raphael Considered the epitome of High Renaissance painters, celebrated for his

ability to arrange several figures into compact units Painted “Madonna of the Meadows”, 1505, oil on panel Mary, Jesus, John the Baptist form a pyramid—a favorite Renaissance

compositional device Typical of his style: pale, sweet, and serious She is referred to as “Madonna of Humility”—she sits on ground,

descended to an “earthly level”, rather than on a throne as she usually is portrayed

Even the halos have become thin gold bands Raphael contrasts the curved/rounded shapes of substantial figures

with their triangular/pyramid position She is “fully bodied”, maternal

Painted the “School of Athens”, 1510-11, fresco Commissioned by Julius II to paint frescoes in several

rooms of Vatican Palace The painting embodies Renaissance humanist’s quest for

classical learning and truth Shows scientists, philosophers of antiquity, some of

whom have been given facial features of Raphael’s contemporaries

In the center are ancient Greek philosophers—Plato and Aristotle

The scene includes representations of Diogenes or Socrates sprawling on steps

Pythagoras calculating on slate at lower left Ptolemy holding a globe on right Euclid with slate & compass Raphael is also in the painting, looking at us, second to the right Architecture based on ancient Romans/ linear perspective

12. Michelangelo Believed the figure is imprisoned within the block of marble in the same way the

soul is trapped within the body Believe beauty was found in imagination “David”, 1501-04, marble 13’5” Pose si taken from antiquity, “contrapposto” pose. Virtuosity evidenced in muscles, tendons, and veins which are recorded Sense of “enormous, pent up energy read to explode” Absesnce of nudity recalls heroic nudes fo antiquity Represents the battle between good and evil as well as every person who must face

their foe Interest in nudity and human body, something u didn’t see in Middle ages, which

was forbidden

Painted Creation of Adam, detail of Sistine Chapel ceiling, 1511-12, fresco, Vatican, Rome

Center features the story of creation Four other scenes from Old Testament appear on

corners God, noble and powerful, flies in swiftly, bringing

Eve with him under his arm Comparable to Ghiberti’s The Creation of Adam

and Eve God momentarily gives Adam his soul bringing him

to life, as their fingers are about to touch The figures are very masculine in nature, even

women were based on male body Figures are heroic and powerful, yet graceful and beautiful

13. Pg. 27 Donato Bramante ***** Tempietto, Rome, 1502-after 1511 Small in size but of great importance-demonstrates the reuse of

ancient pagan architecture for Renaissance Christian purposes “little temple” Constructed on site where St. Peter was believed to have been

crucified Building itself is set on a stepped base and surrounded by a peristyle—

continuous row of columns The first story is topped by a balustrade, or carved railing, inside of

which is a drum, or circular wall, on which Bramante set a classical hemisphere dome

Dramatic play of light & dark

14. Pg. 28 Titian Favored paintings with complex iconography—classified

paintings as poetry Painted Bacchanal, ca 1518, oil on canvas Full bodied idea of beauty Derives from classical mythology Bacchus is ancient Roman god of wine Richness of painting is due to use of an underpainting of

red bolus (an earth pigment) Used impasto , a thick paint made by mixing the pigment

with beeswax Also, he is associated with the “golden glow” achieved by

adding a bit of yellow pigment to the final protective glaze applied to the painting*

Mannerism—“Anti-Classical” style

15. Parmigianino “Madonna with the Long Neck”, ca. 1534-40, oil on panel Compared with Raphael’s Madonna of the Meadows They are unreal, other worldly, elongated and ethereal, artificial and affected,

graceful and refined beyond nature’s capabilities Mary is especially large with almost balloon-like inflation through hips and thighs Hands look like there are no bones Unbalanced and spatially ambiguous, with figures crowded on left side, right side

almost empty

16. Agnolo Bronzino Allegory with Venus and Cupid, ca. 1546 Two main figures are Venus and Cupid, shown to uncomfortably erotic On the right, Folly throws roses On top, Father Time uncovers the follies of love (or tries to hide them?) Figure on the right in the background has the body of a snake, represents

Deceit, the masks suggest falseness Figures on left are Hatred and Inconstancy Mannerist paintings are typically complex iconography, with pictorial space

choked with figures.

17. Tintoretto***** The Last supper, ca 1592-94, oil on canvas Contrast with Da Vinci’s High Renaissance depiction The perspective leads the viewer’s eye’s away from

Jesus rather than towards him Many figures compete with Jesus for viewer’s

attention, as jesus is singled out only by his central position & aureole of light

The lighting is unnatural, radiating from Jesus and the hanging lamp, from which the smoke transform into floating angels

The table is not parallel to the picture of thte plane, rather it is placed on a strong diagnol into the depth

Setting is in a tavern, which is unusual for religious event

Criticized for losing sight of spiritual and religious aspect, as it concentrates more on aesthetics, potential of light, drama, movement

18. Benvenuto Cellini Made Saltcellar of Francis I, ca. 1539-43, gold with enamel Functional and elegant Salt represented by the male figure Neptune, because salt

comes from the sea (salt is in a little boat) Pepper is represented by the female figure Earth, because

pepper comes from the earth Sit in an uncomfortable, awkward pose Base has complex allegorical figures of the 4 seasons and 4

parts of the day

19. Vestibule of Laurentian Library, begun 1524, staircase by Michelangelo

Staircase seems to flow downward, fill most of floor space, and because three flights lead to a single doorway at top, a traffic jam is likely.

20. Andrea Palladia******** Villa Rotunda, ca. 1567-70 This home takes the idea of symmetry and

repetition beyond the limits of practicality All 4 sides look the same Passion for antique prototype—the Roman

Pantheon--inspired this

Chapter 14- Renaissance in Northern Europe

Robert Campin, Merode Alterpiece, ca 1426, egg tempera and oil on panel

Illusions of texture and atmosphere ade made possible by painting in oil rather than egg tempera, the medium avored in the Middle Ages

Triptych- three paneled painting, hinged and can be closed to protect painting inside

Iconographic- symbolic implication of an object

Jan and Hubert van Eyck, Ghent Altarpiece, ca. 1425-32, oil on panel

Polyptych- a painting consisting of multiple panels

Jan van Eyck, Giovanni Arnolfini and his Wife Giovanna Cenami, 1434

Hieronymus Bosch, Hay Wain, ca. 1495-1500

People of all types try to grab the hay, which according to the proverb, represents material possessions.

Genre painting- paintings depicting the daily life of ordinary people

Pieter Bruegal the Elder

Harvesters, 1565, oil on panel A genuine interest in landscape as a subject,

rather than as a mere background

Peasant Wedding, ca 1566-67, oil on panel Commotion of a rustic wedding Peasants

Ch 15 Baroque Art

Baroque- style is characterized by drama and theatrically seen in a heightened realism and illusions of motion. Emotionalism is enhanced by striking contrasts of light and shadow.

Tenebrism--a dramatic contrast of dark and light, highlighting out only what the artist wants the viewer to see

Fra Andrea Pozzo

Triumph of St. Ignatius of Loyola, 1691-94, ceiling fresco

The epitome of illusionstic Baroque ceiling fresco on ceiling of San Ignazio, Rome.

Tricks viewers into thinking the architecture of the church extends past the actual ceiling

Bernini, David, marble, 1623, marble, Rome

Comparable to Michelangelo’s David, but it is not static, but rather caught in the split second when the direction of action is about to reverse

Bernini, Ecstacy of St. Teresa, 1645-52, Rome

Depicts St. Teresa being pierced in the heat with a flaming golden arrow by an angel, causing her to swoon in pleasure and agony

Rembrant van Rijn

The Night Watch, 1642, oil on canvas, Amsterdam

Most remarkable aspect of the painting is the lighting , which creates atmosphere, unifies the composition, links the figures, highlights expressive features and subordinates unimportant details

Peter Paul Rubens, The Garden of Love, ca. 1638, oil on canvas

Known for rich, lush style applied to setting and to figures

Voluptuous, fleshy females Painting expresses the pleasures of life

Nicolas Poussin, Rape of the Sabine Women, ca. 1636-37, oil on canvas

Velazquez, Maids of Honor, 1656, oil on canvas

Depicts himself in this group portrait in the process of painting a large canvas

The presence of people in the viewer’s space is indicated by their reflection in the mirror in the back wall

Compare to Van Eyck’s Arnolfini wedding portrait

Sir Christopher Wren, façade, t. Paul’s Catherdral, London, 1675-1710

The facade of St. Paul’s in London is comparable to St. Peter’s in Rome

Although the basic dome, pediment and columns derive from antiquity, the Baroque influence is evident in the paired columns and double facade

Carlo Maderno, façade of St. Peter’s, Rome, 1607-15

Obelisk- a four-sided shaft topped with pyramid

Chapter 16: ROCOCO

Jean-Antonoine Watteau, Pilgrimage to Cythera, 1717, oil on canvas

Rococo style is characterized by lightness both of content and color

Depicts light hearted Aristocratic hedonism

Francois Boucher, Bath of Diana, 1742, oil on canvas

Displays the delicate French grace and charming Rococo sentiment

Female nude not rugged or athletic, but pale and pampered

Fragonard, The Meeting, 1771-73, oil on canvas

Delicate graceful gestures, and curving forms, including the twisting pose of the statue of Venus—Rococo characteristics