Renaissance Art and Architecture

Beginning of Modern Painting

Common Elements of Renaissance throughout Europe

– Greco-Roman tradition (strongest in Italy)– Scientific study of human body and nature– Realistic reproduction of forms of nature– Prestige of artists moves from craftsman to genius– Technological breakthroughs

• Oil on stretched canvas• Perspective• Chiaroscuro—light emerging from dark, illusion 3-D• Pyramid configuration—symmetrical, balanced

composition

Early Renaissance

• Masaccio– Realism– Perspective– Single source of light casting authentic shadows

The Holy Trinity

Massaccio “The Tribute Money”Note contrapposto of figure in orange tunic, natural stance with weight on left leg and right knee bent. Expressive faces, chiaroscuro especially in rear

Early Renaissance

• Donatello– Sculpture– 1st life-size freestanding nude since Roman times– 1st freestanding equestrian statue since Roman

times– Contrapposto, weight on one leg with body usually

turned– Draped realistically, sense of skeletal structure

Donatello (1386-1466)David (1430 bronze) Gattamelata (1450 bronze)

Mary Magdalene

Botticelli

• More curvi-linear style than Masaccio or Donatello

• Reintroduces classical mythology

Botticelli1444-1510

Botticelli

High Renaissance

• Characteristics:– Humanism– Classicism– Balanced composition– Self contained– Ideal beauty, realistic anatomy– Represents technical mastery of the techniques of

the Renaissance

Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci

• Poster child for ADHD• Aerial perspective…..thickness of the air…farther

away, thicker and bluer the air– See Virgin of the Rocks

• Sfumato….smoky in Italian….use of pale blues and soft grays to “veil” the landscape and blur edges for blending….not dependent on perspective….invented by Leonardo

• Chiaroscuro….used most effectively by Leo to give 3-D effect, esp. with faces

MichelangeloThe Pieta

MichelangeloDavid

a

MichelangeloSistine Chapel: Adam

MichelangeloLast Judgement

MichelangeloCapitoline Hill

Raphael

Titian

Bellini GiorgioneSt. Francis The Tempest

Architecture

• Rome• Rules• Reason• ‘Rithmetic

AlbertiSanta Maria Novella

Brunelleschi

Bramante

Palladio

Northern Renaissance

• Based more on nature than Greco-Roman tradition

• Very realistic• Oil paint• Atmospheric perspective

Jan Van Eyck

Hieronymous Bosch

Bruegel

German Renaissance

Hans Holbein Albrecht Durer