• Donatello• David• Medici Commission• First nude free

standing statue since antiquity

• Classical body –Praxiteles

• Contrapposto and S-curve

• Restrained pose --- not moving

• Verrochio’s David• Medici Commission• David is symbol of

Florence• He stands with jaunty

pride• Shows psychology of

young, brash men

• Donatello• Feast of Herod• Bronze relief• Early use of linear

perspective – vanishing point in center

• Figures decrease in size from foreground to background – recessional space

• Donatello• Saint Mark• Placed in niche in Or

San Michele Church – Florence

• Revival of classical contrapposto

• As his body moves, his drapery moves

• Donatello• Penitent Mary

Magdalene• Rare example of wood

sculpture• Deviates from

Renaissance ideals of beauty

• Spiritual and intended for devotion

• Botticelli’s Birth of Venus• Mythological and based on a Neo-Platonist Poem of

ideal beauty• First female nude since antiquity, modest Venus pose• Controversial because of nudity and pagan theme

(Savonarola condemned this type of work)

• Botticelli (Master of line)

• Portrait of a Youth• Almost full-face view

(influenced by northern Europe) which replaced the profile view popular in Florence until the 1470’s

• Reveals psychology of the sitter

• Pure outline with shading and graceful pose (graceful linearity)

• Donatello’s Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata

• First life-size equestrian statue since antiquity

• Gattamelata was a condotierri (military leader of a city-state)

• Orb under horse’s foot – ancient symbol of power over the earth

• Verrochio’s Equestrian Statue of Colleoni

• He was a condotierri (military commander) of Venice

• Taut muscles, rider has fierce erect body

• Demonstrates power

• Nanni di Banco• Four Crowned Saints• Or San Michele,

Florence• Note separation from

architecture• Note how characters

interact with gestures – will influence Leonardo

• Influenced by Roman portrait statues

• Pollaiuolo• Medici commission• Hercules and Antaeus• Mythological Battle• Interested in muscular

male form and movement

• Stress and strain of violent action

                                

• Pollaiuolo• Hercules and Antaeus

(tempera painting)• Muscular male form• Violent action

• Ghiberti• Sacrifice of Isaac

(sample for competition for bronze doors of Florence baptistery)

• Gothic element --- Abraham S-curve pose

• Renaissance elements ---- Isaac first classicizing nude since antiquity

• Altar resembles Roman sarcophagi

• Ghiberti• Eastern doors of

Florence Baptistery• “Gates of Paradise”

• Ghiberti , Isaac and his sons Bronze relief panel • Eastern doors of Florence Baptistery (10 panels altogether make up

the doors)• Medieval/Gothic element – rhythmic line and continuous narrative

style• Classical poses, motifs and architecture• Linear perspective, changing relief (higher relief in foreground,

lower in back), new realism in bodies

• Ghirlandaio• Portrait of Giovanna

Tornabouni• Sensitive, beautiful,

aristocratic young woman• *Tells viewers about

Florentine life such as value of cultivating beauty in life and art

• Also the breeding of courtly manners

• Reveals value of classical literature for humanists (quote from Roman poet in background)

GhirlandaioBirth of Virgin, Tornabuoni Chapel of Santa Maria Novella, FlorencePopular technique --- Secular figure shown in a sacred theme (Tornabuoni woman leading the procession) Medici commissioned similar works (Adoration of Magi)

• Fra Angelico “Annunciation” • Fresco, San Marco monastery, Florence• Not everyone was a humanist, he was a monk• Simple, serene style from humble monk• Devotional image

• Fra Angelico --- Annunciation scene• Simple, serene figures --- not fancy in secular

(worldly) sense• Interest in perspective and pictorial illusionism

• Luca Della Robbia• Madonna and Child (Or

San Michele, Florence)• Terracotta reliefs for

people of modest means• Popular, became family

business “della Robbia ware”

• Tondo (circular)• Bright, colorful, Easter

season (white lilies – Mary’s purity)

• Different from Byzantine style, people were able relate with this kind of art

• Lucca della Robbia• Madonna and Child• Glazed terracotta• Popular, less

expensive• “della Robbia ware”

• Gentile da Fabriano• Adoration of Magi• Altarpiece• International Gothic style

popular from 14th to 15th Century

• Typical sumptuous costumes and lavishly decorated

• Pomp and ceremony• Some radical naturalism

(foreshortened bodies, animal bodies shown from new angles

• Blends some new naturalistic techniques in a traditional, conservative style

• Masaccio The Expulsion The Brancacci Chapel, Florence 1425

• Fresco• Idealized nudes• Eve --- pose based on

classical statue of Venus

Massacio Tribute MoneyFrescoDemonstrates continuous narration, chiaroscuro, linear perspective, atmospheric/aerial perspectiveFigures are balanced and solid

UNSEEN LIGHT SOURCE TO THE RIGHT…WHAT EFFECT DOES THIS

CREATE?

• CHIAROSCURO• NOTE HOW THE

LIGHT-DARK CREATES A SCULPTURESQUE FORM

• Massacio• Holy Trinity• Medium is fresco• Geometric composition ---

uses balance symmetry• Linear Perspective and

recessional space• Donors are the kneeling

figures shown on bottom• Classical Architecture• Influenced by Giotto• Skeleton on bottom is

Adam and death reminder

• Mantegna• Saint James Led to

Martyrdom 1455• Fresco (largely

destroyed in WWII)• Interest in perspective• Antique Roman attire

on the soldiers (shows classical interest)

• Antique architecture (same point)

• Interest in body proportions

• Mantegna• Ceiling of Camera

degli Sposi• Fresco• Oculus• Trompe l’oeil

(deceives the eye) illusionism

• Foreshortened bodies• Putti (little cupids)• Influenced Baroque

ceilings

• Mantegna’s Dead Christ 1501

• Note foreshortening but not accurate

• Feet are small so they won’t cover the body of Christ

• Castagno’s Last Supper 1447• Monastery --- Sant’ Apollonia, Florence• Biblical narrative, shows Judas sitting alone

on outside of table• Interest in perspective but inaccurate

(reality--roof and ceiling can’t be seen at same time)

Fra Savonarola

• Florentine priest during late 15th century• Objected strongly to Florence’s humanist

tendencies (interest in mythology and inclusion of nudity in art)

• After Lorenzo de’ Medici died and the Medici's were driven from Florence, Savonarola became dictator for a short while.

• He held “bonfires of the vanities,” in which Florentines would throw worldly possessions, humanist literature and art into fires.

• Luca Signorelli• Damned Cast into Hell• Fresco, San Brizio Chapel,

Orvieto, Italy• Strong psychic impact

(suffering and torment after living a sinful life)

• Savonarola would approve• Influenced Michelangelo

(Last Judgment) • Lean muscular bodies,

foreshortening, careful study of nudes

• Similar action to Pollaiuolo work

Luca Signorelli, Damned Cast into Hell