Early Renaissance

Donatello

-(1386-1466) -Sculptor. -Probably exerted greatest influence of any Florentine artist before Michelangelo. -His statues expressed an appreciation of the incredible variety of human nature.

Saint Mark statue by Donatello 1411-1413

-(1411-1413) -is a marble statue that stands approximately seven feet and nine inches high in an exterior niche of the Orsanmichele church, Florence. -commissioned by the linen weavers' guild to complete three pieces for the project. St. Mark was the first of his contributions.

Vasari (Art Critic)

-(1511-1574) -a leading portégé of the Medici, -this architect and painter designed, built, and decorated the Uffizi. -Wrote about History of Art and how certain artists were geniuses above other people. The status artist achieved was richly deserved

Linear Perspective (Brunelleschi)

-1420 by Filippo Brunelleschi (rediscovery, because the ancient Greeks and Romans may have understood linear perspective too, but if so, knowledge of it was lost during the Middle Ages). -Linear perspective is a way of creating a convincing, perfect illusion of space on a flat or two-dimensional surface. Nearly every Renaissance artist wanted linear perspective -a way of creating an accurate illusion of space that could match the new naturalism then being applied to human figure.

David statue by Donatello

-1st life size nude statue since antiquity. -He is a very young boy. -Wears ceremonial helmet and grieves (leg protectors). -Holds a stone and a sword. Foot is on Goliath's head.

Florence Baptistery Doors by Ghiberti

-It took Ghiberti 21 years to complete these doors. -These gilded bronze doors consist of twenty-eight panels, with twenty panels depicting the life of Christ from the New Testament. -The eight lower panels show the four evangelists and the Church Fathers Saint Ambrose, Saint Jerome, Saint Gregory and Saint Augustine. -The panels are surrounded by a framework of foliage in the door case and gilded busts of prophets and sibyls at the intersections of the panels.

Brunelleschi

-Italian architect celebrated for his work during the Florentine Renaissance. -His greatest achievement is the octagonal ribbed dome of the Florence cathedral.

Lorenzo the Magnificent

-Italian statesman and scholar who supported many artists and humanists including Michelangelo and Leonardo and Botticelli (1449-1492), -This was an artistic patron that spent vast sums on family chapels, frescoes, religious panels and, A -leading patron of art and scholarship; powerful member of the Medici family.

Botticelli

-One of the leading painters of the Florentine renaissance, -developed a highly personal style. -The artist shows the ideal for female beauty in the Renaissance in this work slender, pale skin, a high forehead, red-blond hair, and sloping shoulders

Pope Julius II

-The "Warrior-Pope" -most involved in war and politics -personally led armies against enemies -instituted reconstruction on St. Peter's Basilica.

Holy Trinity fresco at Santa Maria Novella by Masaccio

-The Holy Trinity, with the Virgin and Saint John and donors is a fresco by the Early Italian Renaissance -located in the Dominican church of Santa Maria Novella, in Florence. -strong use of perspective

Ghiberti

-The Italian sculptor and goldsmith who was best known for the doors to the baptistery of Florence's cathedral, and another set of doors which was called "The Gates to Paradise". -He also wrote one of the earliest autobiographies by an artist, which is crucial to those studying the art and culture of the time (1378-1455).

Alberti in Mantua

-The ceiling is a 'roman vault' semi-circle, -not flat, -large arches, -roman models -strong, simple, open, huge, -believed in the shape of a circle because that represents God

Dome of Florence Cathedral by Brunelleschi

-The dome of Florence Cathedral by Brunelleschi is an image that has become synonymous with the rich and vibrant lifestyle of Italian Renaissance culture. -Architect and artist Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446) entered and won the Florentine competition announced in 1418 for the design of the Florence Cathedral dome. - The apse was almost finished when Brunelleschi began work on the dome, his work chosen for its revolutionary design.

Christ Delivering the Keys of the Kingdom to St. Peter fresco by Perugino

-The fresco is from the cycle of the life of Christ in the Sistine Chapel, -located in the fifth compartment on the north wall. -1481-82 -Fresco, 335 x 550 cm -Cappella Sistina, Vatican

Andrea Mantegna

-a painter celebrated by Pope Innocent VIII who painted everything from frescoes to farm animals. -His greatest work are his frescoes in the bridal chamber of Gonzaga Palace. -Italian painter who worked towards historical authenticity -used persepective in which the view observes from a low point although his main focus was on a cohesive design -began painting persepective of a ceiling to decorate ceilings of rooms.

Sant Andrea facade by Alberti 1470 Mantua

-built of bricks, -concealed by painted stucco. -The patron, Ludovico Gonzaga, estimated that at least 2 million bricks were needed. -The bricks were baked in onsite kilns, making the church far less expensive and faster to erect than a building made with stone, which had to be quarried, transported, and finished.

Diminution

-diminish, reduction -the act of decreasing or reducing something

The Tribute Money by Masaccio

-early renaissance, -contraposto stance, -linear perspective, -light, -atmospheric perspective, -continuous narration

Hercules and Antaeus by Pollaiuolo

-story of a mythological hero who is able to defeat a giant by lifting him off the ground, -1475 -Antonio del Pollaiuolo -First free standing group since antiquity, earliest known use of mythological motif in renaissance art

Renaissance/ Rinascimento

1300-1350, "rebirth" after the dark ages, the revival of learning and culture

Baptistery Competition in Florence 1401

A competition was held in Florence in 1401 to design the doors for the north side of the baptistery. -Ghiberti won, against Brunelleschi, the commission and it took him 21 years to complete the doors.

Platonic Academy

A discussion group sponsored by Cosimo de Medici and headed by Marsilo Ficino. It discussed the philosophies and ideals of Plato and his followers.

Oil Painting

A painting technique using oil-based pigments that rose to prominence in Northern Europe in the 15th century and is now the standard medium for painting on canvas

The Medici Family

Bankers to the Pope. Controlled Florence. Great Patrons (supporters) of the Arts and Sciences. Paid for many great works of art.

The Dead Christ Mantegna

Foreshortening Portrayed humanistically

Continuous Narration

In painting or sculpture, the convention of the same figure appearing more than once in the same space at different stages in a story. ex. The Tribute Money

Marquis Ludovico Gonzaga

Ludovico II of Gonzaga -June 5, 1412 - June 12, 1478 - was the ruler of the Italian city of Mantua from 1444 to his death in 1478.

Classical Influence

The Romans stressed realism while the Greeks stressed harmony and balance

Masaccio

The renaissance artist who led the way in establishing a new style of employing deep space, modeling , and anatomical correctness. Knew how to use Perspective (Holy Trinity)

Chiaroscuro

The treatment of light and shade in a work of art, especially to give an illusion of depth.

Bonfire of the Vanities

This was the notorious bonfire in Florence in 1497 in which supporters of Savonarola collected and burned thousands of paintings, books, and other temptations to sin.

Pyramid or Triangular Composition

a popular device Renaissance artists used to draw the viewer's attention to a figure or to give an impression of stability

Girolamo Savanarola

after the Medici's were removed from power he established a theocracy in Florence for 4 yrs. He believed French invasions were due to paganism and moral decay of the Italian city states and he instituted many reforms.

Adoration of the Magi by Gentile da Fabriano

depiction of the visit of the Christ child by the three kings from the East

Orthogonal & Vanishing Point

middle point on horizon with the two lines leading to it

Sfumato

technique developed by Leonardo da Vinci--blurred/softened sharp outlines

Humanism

the doctrine emphasizing a person's capacity for self-realization through reason, the cultural movement of the Renaissance

Atmospheric Perspective

the illusion of depth and distance created by using the weather in a landscape and dull, pale colors with hazy details in the background of a painting.

Illusionism

the representation of the three-dimensional world on a two-dimensional surface in a manner that creates the illusion that the person, object, or place represented is three-dimensional