Art History Lecture 6 LAST SUPPERS AND MADONNAS

What do you notice about all the figures in Leonardo's Last Supper (how are they similar)?

Everyone is focused on Christ and gesturing to him in one way or another probably asking themselves who betrayed Christ

invenzione

Italian for "invention"

Sfumato

Italian for "smoky" the technique of allowing tones and colors to shade gradually into one another, producing softened outlines or hazy forms.

What traditional representation did Leonardo abandon in the Last Supper painting?

Leonardo has abandoned the traditional representation of Peter on the right of Christ rather Peter is next to John whispering to him---to ask Christ who will betray him this is more naturalistic as it is more narratively correct so Peter isn't leaning in front of Christ to whisper to John

Through all of the apostle's attention to Christ what does it make the viewer do?

Leonardo uses moral exegesis to get the viewer to feel as if they are in the painting feeling what the apostles are feeling makes us ask ourselves if we betrayed Christ

How is Judas singled out in the four gospels?

Luke: it is he who has his table Matthew and Mark: it he who dippeth his bread with me in the dish John: Christ selects Judas by handing him the sop

Where was Leonardo's Last Supper painted?

Painted in Milan Painted in a monastic dining hall or refectory

In textual tradition--mainly biblical the four gospels tell us that after Christ reveals that someone will betray him, what do the apostles do?

The apostles ask themselves if it was they who betrayed Christ

Why is the fact that it was painted in a monastic dining hall significant?

Typologically speaking he is: Comparing monks--seated around their leader the abbot to the apostles sitting around their leader Christ

What do you notice about Judas in Leonardo's Last Supper?

he is almost being pushed to the other side of the table

optical naturalism

painting in colors the way we perceive them to appear in nature; using the optical properties of light to add depth and perspective to a painting

What else is revealed in the four gospels?

the establishment of the Eucharist by Christ

Judas is singles out as the betrayer in both

visual and textual tradition

What are some aspects that are depicted in Castagno's painting of the Last Supper?

1. Apostles are gathered around a semi u shaped table 2. There is one person on the opposite side of the table a.) that is Judas who is also depicted with anti-semitic details such as the prominent nose and dark beard 3. Near the center is Christ but he is not actually in the center 4. To Christ's right is always Peter a.) Peter is Christ's successor to earth b.) Peter is the first pope c.) Peter is Christ's right hand mand 5. To Christ's right is John the Evangelist a.) He is there to recount the story b.)John at the request of Peter asks Christ who is going to betray him

How is Christ singles out in the Last Supper by Leonardo?

1. He is not in a a group 2. There is a lot of space around him 3. He is in the center 4. He is framed by the window 5. The orthogonals and vanishing point recede into infinity a.) Christ as God is associated with the infinite and he is not limited 5. Much calmer than other figures 6. His body is forming a triangle shape a.) Reminds us of the Trinity b.) He is God and the Trinity--divine being 7. Also see the establishment of the Eucharist a.) With one hand he is reaching for wine and with one hand for the bread

Why is it significant that these paintings would have been placed in a person's bedroom?

1. Hoping Mary will look down on you and protect you as you sleep (remember she was the main devotional figure of the time period) 2. Show Mary as a caring mother

In the Gombrich reading what does Gombrich tell us about Leonardo?

1. In Gombrich's reading he says Leonardo likes to notice and understand how people move their limbs and facial expressions and how those express someone's mental state 2. Leonardo is coming up with new ideas for inventions

In the final and actual Last Supper painting by Leonardo, how does he break away from his original composition?

1. In the actual painting there is more psychological representation as you can see their emotions on the apostle's faces 2. the apostles are all on one side of the table 3. Judas is not obviously singles out 4. the apostles are grouped together psychologically and physically 5. Christ is the one singled out

What is significant about James' fingers to the left of Christ?

1. James is very surprised about the Eucharist 2. He is holding his hands back

In this composition of the Last Supper what does Leonardo depict?

1. John is still upset 2. Judas is still on the opposite side of the table 3. Peter is still on Christ's right side 4. In the composition Christ is almost feeding Judas the sop 5. In the composition there is more movement--lumping together, raised from their seats

What do you notice about some of the figures in Castagno's Last Supper?

1. John is visually upset after asking Christ who betrayed him (which Christ answer it is he who I give the sop to) 2. Christ is actually making a sort of blessing (if you look at the position of his fingers) as he hands the sop to Judas

What are the differences with Leonardo's painting of Mary and Child?

1. More naturalistic 2. More emotionality 3. Psychological and physical naturalism 4. Leonardo focuses on the gestures of the figures a.) Virgin's mouth is open, almost smiling, looking attentively at the child, she is holding a flower which the baby is playing with. 5. It is focused on the actions of the mother and baby 6. Depicts Mary as more emotional 7. Mary is younger a.) during the Renaissance in Florence women got married very young 8. The figures are bound together psychologically but also physically which emphasizes naturalism a.) more pyramidal 9. Uses sfumato --smokiness, fogginess, soft focus a.) Softens features of figures b.) Makes the limbs are actually moving c.) Especially with mary it looks like she is in the action of smiling 10. Atmospheric perspective a.) He is interested in how light actually works 11. Optical naturalism a.)Mixes black into the shadows

What are the differences with Verrocchio's painting of Mary and Child?

1. Not as much emotionality 2. Virgin is very regal, gold halo, richly dressed a.) Status as queen of heaven 3. Seems a little more emotionally distant from Christ 4. Not bound together psychologically or physical 5. Uses harsh outlines and edges to depict figures a.) around face and hands--looks like they are wooden and very stiff

How are Verrocchio's and Leonardo's paintings similar?

1. Painted for private homes 2. Both depict Mary and Christ 3. Iconography and function are similar 4. Usually placed in bedroom--which was seen as the most important room in a home 5. both Mary's are seated

What is significant about the position of Thomas' finger to the left of Christ?

1. Reminds us that Thomas will stick the same finger into Christ's wound to see if he is really Christ 2. He is also pointing up remind us that Christ will resurrect

What is significant about Leonardo's Madonna and Child with Cat drawing? What does it tell us about his artistic techniques?

1. This was actually the sketch for Leonardo's Benois Madonna 2. Leonardo always was trying to understand how humans and animals move, act, and how their movements express their psychological or mental state 3. Help With physical and psychological naturalism 4. Super sloppy and messy as Leonardo is trying to figure out how arrange the figures to make them more naturalistic (psychologically and physically) and pictorially effective

High Renaissance

1480-1520 A period beginning in the late 15th century, it produced some of the most well-known religious and secular artwork of the period from such figures as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo. Historians believe that the art in this period better executed Renaissance values such as naturalism, classicism, beauty, narrative, perspective achieved at a higher level and infused more harmoniously