Chapter Living History. A statue of King David from a medieval cathedral

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Chapter 3 Sculptors are artists who make statues using stone, metal or wood. In the Middle Ages, sculptors worked in the great Gothic churches that we read about on page 141.

Medieval sculptors were not trying to show people as they really were.

Unlike medieval statues, these were not part of a building. They stood alone and were skilfully carved to show the human body as it really was. Renaissance sculptors admired these statues.

1 Chapter 3 Sculptors are artists who make statues using stone, metal or wood. In the Middle Ages, sculptors worked in the great Gothic churches that we read about on page 141. They carved the statues of saints that formed part of the doors or columns. On the right is an example of the kind of statue they made. Often the carved figure was distorted but that did not matter. Medieval sculptors were not trying to show people as they really were. Copying Greek and Roman statues At the time of the Renaissance people dug up many old Roman and Greek statues that had been buried for centuries. There is an example of one on page 157. Unlike medieval statues, these were not part of a building. They stood alone and were skilfully carved to show the human body as it really was. Renaissance sculptors admired these statues. They wanted to copy them and make realistic lifelike figures. When they carved a statue they tried to show the bones and muscles. To do this, they often cut up dead bodies to see how they were made. Donatello Donatello was one of the first sculptors to do this. He lived in Florence. On the left is his bronze statue of David. People who saw it thought it was the best sculpture since Roman times. A statue of King David from a medieval cathedral Statue of David by Donatello. Compare it with the medieval statue. Give two ways in which it is different. 168 Living History

Chapter 3 Sculpture and Architecture in the Renaissance Case Study of a Sculptor Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) The greatest sculptor of the Renaissance was Michelangelo Buonarroti.

Lorenzo de Medici saw it and was amazed at its beauty. H e invited Michelangelo to join the school for sculptors that he had in his palace. The Pieta by Michelangelo.

It was called the Pieta, w hich means sorrow. It shows Mary holding her son Jes us after his death on the cross. This Pieta is made of white marble.

2 Chapter 3 Sculpture and Architecture in the Renaissance Case Study of a Sculptor Michelangelo Buonarroti ( ) The greatest sculptor of the Renaissance was Michelangelo Buonarroti. H e was born near Florence. When he was thirteen his father apprenticed him to a sculptor. Soon afterwards Michelangelo made a copy of an old Roman statue. Lorenzo de Medici saw it and was amazed at its beauty. H e invited Michelangelo to join the school for sculptors that he had in his palace. The Pieta by Michelangelo. What material is this statue made of? Michelangelo's Pieta After Lorenzo's death Michelangelo went to Rome. There a cardinal paid him to make the statue above. It was called the Pieta, w hich means sorrow. It shows Mary holding her son Jes us after his death on the cross. This Pieta is made of white marble. One day Michelangelo heard people praising the beauty of the Pieta but they did not know who had carved it. That night Michelangelo sneaked into St Peter's in Rome and signed his name on the statue. It is the only statue he ever signed. h this picture you can see how huge Michelangelo's David is Michelangelo's David At that time there was a war between Florence and France. Although France was more powerful, the Florentines won. To celebrate, the citizens of Florence asked Michelangelo to make a statue for them. Florence's victory reminded Michelangelo of the story of the boy David defeating the giant Goliath. H e found a block of white marble and carved this huge statue of D avid. It is 5 metres high. It took fo rty men to carry it to the central square in Florence. Living History 1,69

Section S The Renaissance Although it is so big, this is a very realistic statue. Every muscle and vein is clearly shov.rn. The Florentines thought it was the finest statue ever made.

Michelangelo and Pope Julius II In 1505 Pope Julius II asked Michelangelo to go to Rome and carve statues fo r his tomb. Michelangelo began to work enthusiastically but the pope ran out of money.

For fo ur years he worked on frescos. In them, he told the story of creation from the bible. H e began with God creating Adam and ended with Noah and the flood. H e worked lying on his back.

3 Section S The Renaissance Although it is so big, this is a very realistic statue. Every muscle and vein is clearly shov.rn. The Florentines thought it was the finest statue ever made. Today a copy still stands in their central square. The original is kept in a museum for safety. Michelangelo and Pope Julius II In 1505 Pope Julius II asked Michelangelo to go to Rome and carve statues fo r his tomb. Michelangelo began to work enthusiastically but the pope ran out of money. H e then ordered Michelangelo to paint frescos on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Palace. Michelangelo preferred sculpture to painting but he did not dare refuse the pope. For fo ur years he worked on frescos. In them, he told the story of creation from the bible. H e began with God creating Adam and ended with Noah and the flood. H e worked lying on his back. H e became so involved in his painting that he often fo rgot to sleep or eat. H e dismissed assistant after assistant. Only an old servant and Pope Julius were allowed to watch him work in the end. When he finished, the whole ceiling was covered with over 300 figures. The figures are life-size and done in beautiful colours. It is really one of the greatest masterpieces of all time. Later, when Michelangelo was an old man, he painted a huge fresco called The L ast Judgement on one of the walls of the Sistine Chapel. The whole of the Sistine Chapel showing M ichelangelo's ceiling. The Last Judgement is pai nted on the far wall. 170 Living History

Chapter 3 Sculpture and Architecture in the Renaissance Michelangelo, poet and architect As well as being one of the greatest sculptors who ever lived, Michelangelo was a fine poet.

Pope Julius had begun to build a new St Peter's Basilica in 1506, but fo rty years later it was still not complete. In 1546 Michelangelo was put in charge.

H e never married and said that for him his statues and paintings were his children. Questions 1 What does a sculptor do? What parts of a cathedral did medieval sculptors carve?

4 Chapter 3 Sculpture and Architecture in the Renaissance Michelangelo, poet and architect As well as being one of the greatest sculptors who ever lived, Michelangelo was a fine poet. His poems are some of the best ever written in Italian. H e was also a fine architect. Pope Julius had begun to build a new St Peter's Basilica in 1506, but fo rty years later it was still not complete. In 1546 Michelangelo was put in charge. H e designed a new dome for it and finished the whole building. You can see it in this picture. M ichelangelo died in H e was almost ninety years old. H e never married and said that for him his statues and paintings were his children. Questions 1 What does a sculptor do? What parts of a cathedral did medieval sculptors carve? 2 What encouraged Renaissance sculptors to try new ways of carving statues? 3 Give two differences between medieval and Renaissance sculptures. 4 Name one of Michelangelo's sculptures and describe it. S Why did Michelangelo begin to paint frescos? Where did he pai nt them? Describe what his paintings show. 6 Look at Donatello's statue of David and Michelangelo's statue of David. (i) What are the two statues made of? (ii) Were these statues carved in the medieval or the Renaissance period? List two things that support your answer. Living History 171

Section S The Renaissance Architecture in the Renaissance Rejecting Gothic architecture During the Renaissance, wealthy Italians wanted to make their cities more beautiful.

These Gothic churches had three elements: spires pointed arches flying buttresses Can you see them in this picture? Copying Roman buildings Italians thought this was an old-fashioned way of building.

Roman buildings had: domes round arches columns These three features became characteristic of the Renaissance style of building.

5 Section S The Renaissance Architecture in the Renaissance Rejecting Gothic architecture During the Renaissance, wealthy Italians wanted to make their cities more beautiful. One way to do that was to build a new church. But the Italians did not want to build Gothic churches of the kind that were fashionable in the north of Europe (see page 141). These Gothic churches had three elements: spires pointed arches flying buttresses Can you see them in this picture? Copying Roman buildings Italians thought this was an old-fashioned way of building. They wanted to build churches like the Roman buildings they admired. The most famous of them was the Pantheon in Rome. Roman buildings had: domes round arches columns These three features became characteristic of the Renaissance style of building. Filippo Brunelleschi ( ) Architects are people who design buildings. The first famous architect of the Renaissance was Filippo Brunelleschi. He grew up in Florence and trained to be a goldsmith. Years earlier, the Florentines had decided to build a new cathedral. They wanted it to The Pantheon was a Roman temple which was later converted into a Christian church have a dome like those on ancient Roman buildings but no one was sure how to build one. For many years the church was half-built, with a hole in the centre. 172 Living History

Chapter 3 Sculpture and Architecture in the Renaissance lrunel lesch i's dome on th: : at-~ e~ral in Florence Brunelleschi

When he went home he persuaded the Florentines to let him finish their cathedral. It took si.j.

The style he started becam e the typical architecture of the Renaissance. I uestions 1 What does an architect do?

6 Chapter 3 Sculpture and Architecture in the Renaissance lrunel lesch i's dome on th: : at-~ e~ral in Florence Brunelleschi went to Rome and studied the old Roman buildings, especially the Pantheon. From it he worked out how to build a dome. When he went home he persuaded the Florentines to let him finish their cathedral. It took si.j...'teen years to complete and was a great success. After that Brunelleschi designed many more churches. The style he started becam e the typical architecture of the Renaissance. I uestions 1 What does an architect do? 2 List three featu res of a Renaissance building. Where did the ideas for them come from? 3 Write a short account of Florence Cathedral and the man who bu ilt its dome. Living History 173

Section S The Renaissance Andrea Palladio (1508-1580) Another famous architect was Palladio. H e designed 150 houses fo r wealthy Italians as well as many churches.

There are many Palladian buildings in Ireland. Look out for some in your area. In Ireland there are many houses built in the Palladian style. Emo House County Offaly is one of them.

-=-:: ---- --- --=--,,_=-_- --=-- ~_0-_ -- - 1 'Art and architecture in the Renaissance were influenced by the Greeks and Romans.' Do you agree with this statement?

7 Section S The Renaissance Andrea Palladio ( ) Another famous architect was Palladio. H e designed 150 houses fo r wealthy Italians as well as many churches. The picture below shows one of his churches. This style of architecture is called 'Palladian'. It became fas hionable across Europe, and wealthy men built their houses in this style. There are many Palladian buildings in Ireland. Look out for some in your area. In Ireland there are many houses built in the Palladian style. Emo House County Offaly is one of them. An Italian church designed by Andrea Palladio. What Roman building does it remind you of? -~----- = -- -.::: ~~-r!~view the~c:tlap~er ~-~ ~~-=-=---z::::.-=-:: =--,,_=-_- --=-- ~_0-_ 'Art and architecture in the Renaissance were influenced by the Greeks and Romans.' Do you agree with this statement? Find three pieces of evidence from Chapters 2 and 3 to support your opinion. 2 Describe the main changes in sculpture and architecture that took place during the Renaissance. (Junior Certificate, 1994) 3 Write about a famous sculptor during the Renaissance. You may use the following hints in your answer: training, patrons, techniques, work. 174 Living History

Artists: Michelangelo

Artists: Michelangelo By Biography.com Editors and A+E Networks, adapted by Newsela staff on 08.08.16 Word Count 851 Level 1060L A portrait of Michelangelo by Jacopino del Conte. Wikimedia Commons Synopsis: