The Medieval Period The Middle Ages

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Christopher Porter
5 years ago
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1 Discussion ques+on: Do you feel that the Renaissance really is a rebirth? How does the Renaissance in some ways a con+nuance of the Middle Ages and how is it a rebirth of the Classical ages of the past?

2 The Medieval Period The Middle Ages Roughly the 1,000 years of European history between the collapse of the Roman Empire in the 5 th Century CE and the Renaissance in the 15 th Century The term originates from the Renaissance and certainly is from their point of view. They saw themselves as introducing a new Golden Age of the past out of the lost years or the dark ages of the Medieval world.

Crucifixion, Mosaic in Monastery Church, Daphne, Greece, early 12th century Cimabue s Madonna and Child is influenced by Byzan+ne stylized elongated figures, +lt of

3 Crucifixion, Mosaic in Monastery Church, Daphne, Greece, early 12th century Cimabue s Madonna and Child is influenced by Byzan+ne stylized elongated figures, +lt of their haloed heads, flat gilded backgrounds, and linear drapery technique But there is a subtle degree of naturalism and greater humanity in the work. Cimabue, 1280

4 Cimabue, 1280 GioTo, Masaccio, Madonna Enthroned with Child, 1426, tempura on panel

5 Raphael Madonna of Belvedere (Madonna del Prato) 1506, Oil on wood 113 x 88 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

The pain+ng s careful geometry, the convergence of the perspec+ve lines, the stability of the pyramidal forms, and Jesus calm demeanor at the mathema+cal center of all the commo+on together reinforce

6 The pain+ng s careful geometry, the convergence of the perspec+ve lines, the stability of the pyramidal forms, and Jesus calm demeanor at the mathema+cal center of all the commo+on together reinforce the sense of gravity, balance, and order. The clarity and stability of this pain+ng (coupled with the established Renaissance forms modeled a\er those of Classical sculpture) epitomize High Renaissance style. (Stokstad, pg. 636)

Jan Van Eyck, Double Portrait; Traditionally Known as Giovanni Arnolfini and his Wife, Giovanna Cenami, 1434, Oil on wood panel, 33 x 22 inches, National Gallery, London.

7 Jan Van Eyck, Double Portrait; Traditionally Known as Giovanni Arnolfini and his Wife, Giovanna Cenami, 1434, Oil on wood panel, 33 x 22 inches, National Gallery, London. Most believe this work represents a wedding or betrothel. On man s side of painting the room opens outdoors, in which men had a more active role on woman s side is the domestic interior. Iconography: The couple are surrounded by emblems of wealth, piety, and married life. Other religious icons in the picture (suggest piety of the couple)- 1) the crystal prayer beads on the wall 2) the image of Saint Margaret, protector of women in childbirth carved on chair next to bed 3) single burning candle in chandelier which may be symbol of Christ s presence or may represent that a legal event is taking place. 4) fruits shown on left may allude to fertility in marriage and also the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden 5) small dog, symbol of fidelity and rare breed suggests wealth.

8 Jan van Eyck, Man in a Red Turban, 1433, oil on wood panel, 13 x 10 inches, The National Gallery, London. The frame is signed As I can ( The best that I am capable of doing ). This motto is derived from classical sources and is written in Greek letters on the frame. This reflects its humanistic spirit.

humanism and the idea of the ar+st as an independent crea+ve genius.

9 Albrecht Durer, Self- Portrait 1500, Signed Albrecht Durer of Nuremberg.age 28, Oil on wood panel, 26 x 19 Durer was deeply influenced by Italian Renaissance ideas of humanism and the idea of the ar+st as an independent crea+ve genius. In this self portrait, Durer represents himself as an idealized Christ- like figure in a severely frontal pose, like an icon. Icon 6 th century

10 The scene to the right from the Middle Ages (c CE) depicts a drama+c image of hell as a Monstrous head with dragons sprou+ng from its Mane. Hairy horned demons torment the sinful souls. Above: Detail from Giotto s Last Judgement from the Arena Chapel 1306 CE

11 Details, The Tempta+on of St. Anthony

$One of the most fascina+ng of the Netherlandish painters is Bosch, whose work depicts a world of fantas+c imagina+on more o\en associated with medieval than$

12 Hieronymous Bosch, Garden of Earthly Delights, open, , oil on wood panel Center panel 7 x 6, each wing, 7 x 3, Museo del Prado, Madrid. One of the most fascina+ng of the Netherlandish painters is Bosch, whose work depicts a world of fantas+c imagina+on more o\en associated with medieval than Renaissance art.

13 Hieronymous Bosch, Garden of Earthly Delights, details, right wing

14 So, the early Renaissance had stylistic remnants of the Middle Ages from images like the one on the left from Gislebertus Last Judgement. This was combined with a renewed interest in images of the Classical past like the image below. Doryphoros (The Spearbearer) by Polykleitos B.C.

15 Despite Donatello s total rejec+on of the classical ideal form in this figure, the powerful force of the Magdalen s personality makes this a masterpiece of Renaissance imagery (pg. 633, Stokstad) Donatello, Mary Magdalen, 1450 s (?), Polychromy and gold on wood, height=6 1

16 Polykleitos Doryphorus 430 BCE Donatello s David, Michelangelo s David,

17 Discussion ques+on: Do you feel that the Renaissance really is a rebirth? How does the Renaissance in some ways a con+nuance of the Middle Ages and how is it a rebirth of the Classical ages of the past?

Northern Renaissance Art of the 15 th Century

Northern Renaissance Art of the 15 th Century Objectives: To identify differences and similarities between Northern European art and Italian art of the 15 th century in media and subject matter To explain