The Northern The Northern RenaissanceRenaissance

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OverviewOverview

By 1500, the ideas of the Italian By 1500, the ideas of the Italian Renaissance had begun spreading Renaissance had begun spreading beyond the Alps. beyond the Alps.

They spread into northern Europe, They spread into northern Europe, especially Germanyespecially Germany, , France and the France and the lowlands (Belgium). lowlands (Belgium).

The style of the Northern Renaissance The style of the Northern Renaissance painters was rather different from their painters was rather different from their Italian counterparts.Italian counterparts.

The innovation that had the greatest The innovation that had the greatest impact during this period was oil paint. impact during this period was oil paint. The new medium tremendously The new medium tremendously expanded the use of colour and light expanded the use of colour and light and Northern Renaissance artists used and Northern Renaissance artists used it to its full advantage.it to its full advantage.

Northern artists, especially those from Northern artists, especially those from Belgium and Holland, used ordinary Belgium and Holland, used ordinary everyday objects to render their highly everyday objects to render their highly symbolic religious subject matter. symbolic religious subject matter.

There was great attention to detail and There was great attention to detail and an intense focus on realism. an intense focus on realism.

Where an Italian artist was apt to Where an Italian artist was apt to consider scientific principles behind consider scientific principles behind composition (i.e., proportion, anatomy, composition (i.e., proportion, anatomy, perspective), northern artists were perspective), northern artists were more concerned with what their art more concerned with what their art lookedlooked like. like.

The North held onto Gothic (or "Middle The North held onto Gothic (or "Middle Ages") art and architecture with a Ages") art and architecture with a tighter, longer grip than did Italy. tighter, longer grip than did Italy. Architecture, in particular, remained Architecture, in particular, remained Gothic until well into the 16th century. Gothic until well into the 16th century.

► Microscopic details in Microscopic details in brilliant colours.brilliant colours.

► Not intended as a record of Not intended as a record of their wedding.their wedding.

► Wife is not pregnant, but Wife is not pregnant, but holding up her dress in the holding up her dress in the contemporary fashion.contemporary fashion.

► The couple are shown in a The couple are shown in a well-appointed interior.well-appointed interior.

► The mirror reflects two The mirror reflects two figures in the doorway. figures in the doorway. Painter?Painter?

Van Eyck, “Arnolfini Wedding,” 1434, NG, London.

Jan Van Eyck, Arnolfini Wedding , 1434

Detail

►Moralist paintings.Moralist paintings.► Inventive torments Inventive torments

handed out as handed out as punishment for sinners.punishment for sinners.

►Hybrid monsters (half-Hybrid monsters (half-human, half-animal) human, half-animal) inhabited his weird, inhabited his weird, unsettling landscapes.unsettling landscapes.

►3-part altarpiece3-part altarpiece called called a triptych.a triptych.

Bosch, detail, “The Garden of Earthly Delights,” c.1500, Prado, Madrid.

Bosch, detail, “The Garden of Earthly Delights,” c.1500, Prado, Madrid.

German Renaissance

- In the early 1500s, Germany becomes the leader in art in northern Europe- German artists absorb the influence of the Italian High Renaissance and blend it with northern technique and style

► Showing wealthy, Showing wealthy, educated men with educated men with books and instruments.books and instruments.

► Celestial globe, a Celestial globe, a portable sundial, lute, portable sundial, lute, a case of flutes, a a case of flutes, a hymn book, a book of hymn book, a book of arithmetic, etc.arithmetic, etc.

► In the In the foreground is the distorted image of a skull, a symbol of mortality.

Hans Holbein the Younger, “The Ambassadors,” 1533

Distorted image of a skull. When seen from a point to the right of the picture the distortion is corrected.

Hans Holbein the Younger, The Ambassadors,

1533

►The parallel lines across The parallel lines across the image establish a the image establish a basic middle tone basic middle tone against which the artist against which the artist silhouettes and silhouettes and overlaps the powerful overlaps the powerful forms of the four horses forms of the four horses and riders—from left to and riders—from left to right, Death, Famine, right, Death, Famine, War, and Plague (or War, and Plague (or Pestilence).Pestilence). Albrecht Durër, “Four

Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” c.1497-98

Albrecht Durër, Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, c.1497-98

WoodcutWoodcut

►Oldest technique for making printsOldest technique for making prints►Originated in Germany around 1400’sOriginated in Germany around 1400’s►Design is drawn on a smooth block of Design is drawn on a smooth block of

wood, then the white parts (negative wood, then the white parts (negative space) were cut away, leaving the space) were cut away, leaving the design standing up in relief. This was design standing up in relief. This was then inked and pressed against paper.then inked and pressed against paper.

Mannerism and the Late Mannerism and the Late RenaissanceRenaissance

►All problems of representing reality All problems of representing reality had been solved and art had reached had been solved and art had reached a peak of perfection and harmony.a peak of perfection and harmony.

►What now?What now?►Replace Replace harmonyharmony with dissonance, with dissonance,

reason with reason with emotionemotion, and reality with , and reality with imaginationimagination..

►Rome had been sacked by the Rome had been sacked by the Germans and Spaniards and the Germans and Spaniards and the church had lost its authority during the church had lost its authority during the Reformation.Reformation.

►During the late Renaissance, During the late Renaissance, compositions were oblique, with a void compositions were oblique, with a void in the in the centercenter and figures crowded and figures crowded around-often cut off by-the edge of the around-often cut off by-the edge of the frameframe..

► Crowded, Crowded, dramatic canvasdramatic canvas

► Plunging Plunging diagonaldiagonal perspective, perspective, making the making the picture seem off-picture seem off-balancebalance

► He used light for He used light for emotional effect, emotional effect, from the darkest from the darkest black to the black to the incandescent light incandescent light emanating from emanating from Christ’sChrist’s head head

Tintoretto, The Last Supper, Oil Paint, 1594, San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice.

Tintoretto, The Last Supper, 1594, San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice.

The Spanish RenaissanceThe Spanish Renaissance

►The most remarkable figure of the The most remarkable figure of the Renaissance in Spain was El GrecoRenaissance in Spain was El Greco

►His real name was Domenikos His real name was Domenikos Theotocopoulos, but was nicknamed Theotocopoulos, but was nicknamed the the GreekGreek

►He once said Michelangelo couldn’t He once said Michelangelo couldn’t paint and offered to revamp “The paint and offered to revamp “The Last Judgement”Last Judgement”

►Unnatural light of uncertain Unnatural light of uncertain originorigin

►Harsh colours like strong Harsh colours like strong pink, acid green, and pink, acid green, and brilliant yellow and bluebrilliant yellow and blue

►Figures are distorted and Figures are distorted and elongated-elongated- their scale their scale variable- and the variable- and the compositions full of compositions full of swirlingswirling movementmovement

►He cared little for He cared little for representing the representing the realreal world world

El Greco, Resurrection, Oil on Canvas, 1597-1604, Prado, Madrid.

Interesting Tidd BitInteresting Tidd Bit

►Ridiculously elongated hands and slender Ridiculously elongated hands and slender figures were a hallmark of Mannerismfigures were a hallmark of Mannerism

►The fingers in an El Greco painting are The fingers in an El Greco painting are characteristically long, thin, and characteristically long, thin, and expressive.expressive.

►Spanish ladies of the time so admired Spanish ladies of the time so admired refined hands that they tied their hands refined hands that they tied their hands to the top of the bestead at night to to the top of the bestead at night to make them pale and bloodlessmake them pale and bloodless