Unit 3 Renaissance Art and Architecture Name Date Objective In this lesson, you will identify and classify the main principles of Renaissance art. Links The Trinity http://redirect.platoweb.com/337585 Saint Mark http://redirect.platoweb.com/337586 David http://redirect.platoweb.com/337587 Vitruvian Man http://redirect.platoweb.com/337588 three movements http://redirect.platoweb.com/65057 The Last Supper http://redirect.platoweb.com/337589 Sistine Chapel http://redirect.platoweb.com/337590 The School of Athens http://redirect.platoweb.com/337591 Renaissance Art and Architecture 1 of 12 Copyright 2009 PLATO Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. PLATO, Straight Curve, and Academic Systems are registered trademarks of PLATO Learning, Inc. PLATO Learning is a trademark of PLATO Learning, Inc. PLATO, Inc. is a PLATO Learning, Inc. company.
Introduction Do you recognize this painting? Most likely you do, and you probably know that it s the Mona Lisa. This work of art is not only the most recognized, but also the most reproduced, painting in the history of art. Ever since Leonardo da Vinci created it, Mona Lisa has aroused curiosity, earned admiration, and inspired duplication. The Mona Lisa and Leonardo da Vinci are both perfect representatives of the cultural era known as the Renaissance. The Renaissance spanned the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries. It began in Italy in the late Middle Ages and later spread to the rest of Europe. The word renaissance means rebirth in French, and it describes a period of renewed interest in ancient Greek and Roman art and design. This time marks a shift from the religious fervor of the Middle Ages to the new philosophical and artistic movement called humanism, which is the foundation of modern European society. The growing influence of humanist philosophy and revolutionary thinking led to the idea of pursuing knowledge for its own sake. The resulting advances in science and technology, together with new ideas, brought about a new style of art. Now the artists were no longer anonymous skilled craft workers, but were known, respected, and credited for their creative genius. Renaissance art placed an emphasis on human beings in their natural environment. It is therefore more lifelike than the art of the Middle Ages. The artists painted nudes and even studied anatomy to understand and represent the minutest details in their art. They studied and applied principles of perspective to give their paintings a strong sense of depth and realism. Giotto's Magnificent Bell Tower Florence, Italy Florentine artist Giotto di Bondone, called Giotto, was born more than a century before the Renaissance and was the first to paint in this new style. Renaissance art built upon his style. His paintings show realism, the bodies look solid, and the background shows perspective. Apart from Leonardo da Vinci, some of the other famous Renaissance artists are Dante, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Dante was a famous Italian poet who wrote the epic the Divine Comedy. Donatello was one of the finest sculptors in Italy. Michelangelo was another great sculptor and the painter of the immortal work on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo, Raphael, and Leonardo da Vinci are three of the masters of the Renaissance. Renaissance Art and Architecture 2 of 12
Section 1: Characteristics of Renaissance Art The Renaissance period is traditionally divided into three major phases: Early, High, and Late Renaissance. Early Renaissance The Early Renaissance started in Florence, Italy, during the fourteenth century. The city was beginning to come out of a period of economic stagnation, and wealthy families, such as the Medicis, were building large palaces and churches. They commissioned artists to design and decorate them, and the society was beginning to recognize these artists for their individual work. The Procession of King Casper Benozzo Gozzoli Nudes often appear in Renaissance paintings and sculptures because artists of the time were rediscovering an interest in ancient Greek and Roman art. These nudes represented human worth, divine perfection, and a representation of the immortal soul. In the earlier medieval paintings, saints and other religious figures were stylized and symbolic. But the Early Renaissance painting showed them as realistic humans. This period was also marked by the use of oil glazes and fresco. Fresco was a new technique in which artists painted murals by using watercolors on wet plaster. They also painted in tempera (a paint that uses egg to bind the pigment) and in oil on wood panels and on canvas. Painters used architectural backdrops, such as churches, cathedrals, and basilicas, as the setting for many paintings. Using perspective, the painters were beginning to create threedimensional paintings, which showed depth and therefore looked lifelike. Masaccio (1401 1428) was a prominent painter of the Early Renaissance period. His famous painting The Trinity gives the perfect illusion of depth with strikingly lifelike figures seeming to stand in front of painted columns while others appear to be behind them. Following the new mode of making art reflect life, the sculptors of the Early Renaissance created remarkably real-looking figures. They used a unique method of first creating a fullscale model of a nude figure in clay and then draping clay-soaked linen on it. They then copied this model in marble. Donatello was one of the first sculptors to use this method. Donatello was one of the leading sculptors of this period, who studied human bodies and sculpted from human models. His famous creation, the statue of Saint Mark, is an independently standing statue, placed in a niche. Observe the position of legs, shoulders, and robes draping the body. He also created the statue of the Biblical shepherd David, the slayer of Goliath, as an adolescent, rather than a masculine adult. It is perhaps his most revolutionary achievement. Renaissance Art and Architecture 3 of 12
High Renaissance The High Renaissance was the climax of the artistic developments of the Early Renaissance. It was a period of creative brilliance in the history of art. Florence and Rome were hubs of the High Renaissance and are the sites of the major accomplishments of this period. In general, the subjects of the art were mostly Christian religious figures, but many tomb sculptures and paintings depicted classical that is, ancient Greek and Roman personages. The painters of this era created remarkable works with perfect harmony and total control of the paint media. Wealthy individuals, bankers, or rulers commissioned the sculptures, which were an expensive art form. Although huge sculptures decorated churches and public buildings, private patrons also commissioned small-scale statuettes and busts. Madonna and Child Giovanni Bellini Michelangelo Buonarroti, Raphael Sanzio, and Leonardo da Vinci form the traditional trinity of great masters of that period. Other famous artists of this period include Giorgione, Titian, and Bellini. Leonardo kept journals of his drawings and notes. He studied human anatomy and ideas for technology improvements. In his famous drawing Vitruvian Man, he reflected the humanist view of man as the measure of all things. Michelangelo created masterpieces in paintings, architecture, and sculpture. His sculptures showed a profound understanding of the human figure and expert use of emotionalism. Raphael too was celebrated for the perfection and grace of his paintings and drawings. Raphael's death in 1520 and the sack of Rome in 1527 spelled the end of the High Renaissance period. Renaissance Art and Architecture 4 of 12
Late Renaissance (Mannerism) In the 1520s, foreigners invaded Italy. The art of this time reflects the prevailing conflict, stress, and unrest. The artists consciously altered the ideals of High Renaissance and evolved an exaggerated theatrical style called Mannerism. As opposed to High Renaissance art, which was natural, graceful, balanced, and harmonious, the art of Mannerism was technically masterful but full of clashing colors and disturbing figures with abnormally elongated limbs. Mannerist artists were not interested in the logic of real space and natural colors; they were concerned with effect rather than content. The style of stretched proportions and exaggerated poses can be seen in the late works of Michelangelo, Andrea del Sarto, and Correggio. Artistic individuality was the hallmark of this era. Did You Know? Martin Luther was a German monk and reformer who questioned the authority of the Church. To counter his radical preaching, the Church responded with a restrictive authoritarian movement, which had a zerotolerance policy toward Renaissance innovations. In a way, this too contributed to the rise of Mannerism. Madonna with the Long Neck Parmigianino Activity A: Examining Key Characteristics of the Early, High, and Late Renaissance Directions Visit this website for some more details of these three movements. You can click the names of artists on the webpage to get more information about them. Once you finish, answer the following questions. 1. Describe one or two ways that Giotto s painting The Mourning of Christ differs from the work of his predecessors. His figures seem to occupy a real space, and we seem to be witnessing a real event as if the figures were acting it out on a stage. Giotto shows us convincingly how each figure reflects the grief of the tragic scene. Renaissance Art and Architecture 5 of 12
2. Why is Giovanni Bellini known as the painter of natural light? Bellini s ability to portray outdoor light was so skillful that the viewer can tell not only the season of the year but also almost the hour of the day. 3. Describe Leonardo da Vinci s Mona Lisa. Answers will vary but should include these points: Leonardo da Vinci s most famous work of art is a figure of a woman, dressed in the Florentine fashion of her day has an enigmatic expression, which seems both alluring and aloof uses sfumato technique, a gradual dissolving of the forms themselves with a continuous interaction between light and shade 4. Michelangelo is famous for his brilliant fresco paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine chapel. Section 2: Influences on Renaissance Art The Italian Renaissance introduced new styles, expressions, attitudes, and values to Western art. Invention and scientific discovery influenced the art forms in many ways. In the Greek, Roman, and Middle Ages, egg tempera was used as paint. Made from a pigment mixed with egg yolk or other glutinous substance, this paint took a long time to dry. In the Renaissance, better and brighter colors and oil paints, which could accurately show natural outdoor lighting and shadowing, came into use. In the era just before the Renaissance, artists such as Giotto started using a new technique of painting called fresco in which artists applied watercolors on wet lime plaster on a wall. As the plaster dried, a chemical reaction caused the paint to bind with the plaster. Most of Giotto s work was in fresco, which enabled him to use space to realistically create a scene. Unlike medieval artists who made flat, stylized art, Giotto closely observed the natural world to create a sense of realism. The subjects of his paintings took on true human forms, with emotional expressions on their faces that depicted personality. Lamentation Giotto de Bondone Renaissance Art and Architecture 6 of 12
Anatomical studies influenced the human forms shown in paintings. Renaissance artists emphasized correct proportions so human figures started to look more realistic. Advances in mathematics led to better proportion in painting, architecture, and sculpture. Linear and aerial perspectives allowed for a natural-looking interaction between figures and backgrounds. The table below compares the art of the earlier period and the Renaissance period. Element Earlier Period Renaissance Period Paint Painting technique Background egg tempera paint, which took months to dry painting on dry walls background is often a solid color oil-based paints with brighter colors painting on wet lime plaster (fresco technique) natural landscapes and realistic architecture Theme mostly spiritual scenes illustrated secular themes as well as stories from the Bible Form of subjects Expressions symbolic, static figures facial expressions lack emotions more realistic, natural figures facial expressions convey emotions Perspective flat, lacks depth linear perspective, giving illusion of depth Use of space didn t utilize realistic space in paintings space and form were used in more realistic ways to stage the scene Activity B: Compare and contrast art of the Middle Ages and Renaissance Directions Based on what you have read in this section, answer the following questions. 1. How did inventions and scientific discoveries in the Renaissance influence different art forms? Inventions and scientific discoveries influenced the art forms in following ways: 1. Paints: fresco instead of egg tempera 2. Anatomy: more accurate, naturalistic human figures 3. Mathematics: better proportion in architecture 4. Perspective: Linear perspective was used to convey an illusion of depth Renaissance Art and Architecture 7 of 12
2. Compare the themes and depiction of subjects of the Renaissance period with those of the earlier period. 1. religious theme in earlier period, but secular themes in Renaissance period 2. idealized, static figures in earlier period, but realistic, natural human figures in Renaissance period 3. expressionless majestic faces in earlier period, but faces showed human emotions in Renaissance period Section 3: Famous Renaissance Artists and Their Works As you now know, the High Renaissance period was a period of creative splendor in the history of art. Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael created some of their best art works during this time. Let s learn some more about them. Leonardo da Vinci (1452 1519) Leonardo da Vinci was born in Italy on April 14, 1452. His brilliant and curious mind led him to many discoveries and inventions. He was a scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor, architect, botanist, musician, and writer. No wonder he is widely considered the most diversely talented person ever to have lived. The Last Supper, in which he has shown a dramatic use of light, is one of his best art works. His careful rendering of one-point linear perspective in this painting shows his deep understanding of mathematical concepts. Many people are not aware of this, but Leonardo also designed costumes and backdrop scenery for theater productions during the Italian Renaissance. Activity C: The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci Did you know? Leonardo wrote using a special kind of shorthand that he invented himself. He usually used mirror writing, moving from the right side of the page to the left. He wrote normally only when he intended for others to read his writing. Why do you think Leonardo wrote in reverse? Directions Visit this website to learn more about Leonardo da Vinci s famous painting The Last Supper, and then answer these questions. Renaissance Art and Architecture 8 of 12
1. What does this painting depict? It depicts Jesus having his last meal with his disciples. At that meal, he announces that one of the 12 disciples will betray him. It shows all 12 apostles reacting to the news with various degrees of anger and shock. 2. Is this piece a fresco? How has it withstood the test of time? It s not a true fresco because it was painted on dry rather than on wet plaster. It started flaking less than 60 years after its completion. Michelangelo (1475 1564) Michelangelo was born almost 25 years after Leonardo da Vinci in the Tuscan town of Caprese, Italy. Michelangelo means Archangel Michael. He showed an early interest in drawing and painting, and his father often scolded him for spending too much time on this useless work. In his early years, he apprenticed under Domenico Ghirlandaio. Many art patrons commissioned his work, as he was a brilliant painter, architect, and sculptor. But Michelangelo saw himself as foremost a sculptor. His greatest genius lay in depicting human figures. His David and his frescos on the ceiling of the Sistine chapel are two of his most famous works. Activity D: Michelangelo s Sistine Chapel Frescoes Directions Learn more about Michelangelo s famous works on the Sistine Chapel, and then answer these questions. 1. What do the paintings on the ceiling and wall of the Sistine Chapel depict? The famous Sistine ceiling depicts scenes from Genesis in dramatic and moving detail. Renaissance Art and Architecture 9 of 12
2. Name some of the famous paintings from this chapel. The Last Judgment Birth of Adam Creation of the Sun and Moon Raphael (1483 1520) Raffaello Sanzio, more commonly referred to as Raphael, was the youngest of the three giants of the High Renaissance. He was born in Urbino, a small Central Italian city in the Marche region. His father, Giovanni Santi, was the court painter to the Duke. Raphael is best known for his Madonna paintings, such as the Madonna della Sedia, and a series of famous portraits, including those of Julius II, the Donna Velata, and Baldassare Castiglione. His work is famous for its perfection, grace, clarity of form, and ease of composition. He ran an unusually large workshop and, despite his early death at age 37, left a large body of work. In 1510, he was commissioned to decorate the rooms in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican with frescoes. The School of Athens is one of the most famous paintings from these frescoes. This painting is an excellent example of creating an illusion of a three-dimensional space on a flat surface. The School of Athens actually depicts distinct themes of knowledge. In this painting, you can find nearly every great Greek philosopher, poet, musician, and theologian surrounded by his pupils. You can recognize them standing around the symbols of their field. Activity F: The School of Athens by Raphael Directions Visit this website to learn more about Raphael s famous painting The School of Athens. Be sure to click the various blue dots in the painting to zoom in. When you finish, answer these questions. 1. Which features of this painting suggest that it belongs to the Renaissance period? It s a fresco. It has depth. It uses perspective. The figures are lifelike, in natural poses, and show emotions. Renaissance Art and Architecture 10 of 12
2. The assembly of philosophers in this painting seems to be split in two groups. Which figures do you think are leaders of these two groups? Why do you think they are the leaders? Aristotle and Plato. They are standing in the middle, framed by the central arch. Section 4: Summary The Sistine Chapel is renowned for its sacred beauty and timeless images. It is the best-known chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the pope in Vatican City. It takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who commissioned the architect, Giovanni dei Dolci, to build him a chapel. The paintings on the walls and on the ceiling are widely considered the peak of Renaissance art. Most praise goes to Michelangelo's ceiling and Last Judgment on the wall behind the altar. The present pope still uses the Sistine chapel for official ceremonies. Today, the building is part of the museums of the Vatican. People stand in line for hours to visit the Sistine Chapel in Rome to see the famous sculptures and paintings of the Renaissance. These are key features of Renaissance art: The paints used were either oil-based or bright watercolors. A painting technique often used was fresco, which is watercolor applied to wet lime plaster. Oil paints were used to paint on wood or canvas. The background of paintings often depicted either nature or natural settings. The subjects were often illustrated stories from the Bible. The figures were well-rounded, real-looking humans with expressions on their faces. A lot of emphasis was placed on perspective, which was often linear. The artists successfully created three-dimensional illusion on a flat surface, giving the paintings depth. The artists used space effectively and in a realistic way. Renaissance Art and Architecture 11 of 12
Three famous artists of the Renaissance era are: Leonardo da Vinci o Mona Lisa (painting) o The Last Supper (painting) o Vitruvian Man (drawing) Michelangelo o Birth of Adam (painting) o The Last Judgment (painting) o The Erythraean Sibyl (painting) o David (sculpture) Raphael o The School of Athens (painting) o Various Madonnas (painting) o Various portraits (painting) Renaissance Art and Architecture 12 of 12