Mona Lisa to Modernism Unit 1
Lorenzo de Medici
(grandson of Cosimo) Great patron of the arts founds platonic academy of philosophy
Oil Painting
A painting technique using oil-based mixed with linseed oil; rich color, depiction of light, fine details
Tempera
A technique of painting using pigment mixed with egg yolk, glue, or casein; also, the medium itself.
Triptych
A three-paneled painting or altarpiece.
Jan van Eyck, Giovanni Arnolfini and His Wife (1434)
Arnolfini commissioned this portrait to commiserate marriage with second wife; portraiture has become a very important genre; artist is negotiating with a new kind of patron; sanctity of marriage Arnolfiini near window and its light, he belongs to world and city; his wife is beside bed, playing a domestic role faces of portraits are solemn and serious, sanctity of moment, separated, figures not embracing one another, seem to be in different worlds, wife is in domestic world and thinks about her future with children and her duties as a wife dog represents fidelity and marriage one candle above burning represents endurance of marriage mirror on the back wall - mirror surrounded by scenes from the life of christ, mirror shows people coming in to witness the moment of their marraige; inscription above the mirror shows Van Eyck's signature broom is there as a symbol of purity
engraving
Art form in which an artist etches a design on a metal plate with acid and then uses the plate to make multiple prints
Brunelleschi, Sacrifice of Isaac (1401-2)
Brunelleschi - donkey is base, grounds the painting, triangular structure, dramatic, stability is donkey and servants not looking at angel-abe drama, wind blows his garments, dagger to throat of his son, son is crying out
Naturalism
Figures and settings are based on close observation of the natural world; modeling is used to create volumetric forms in convincing spaces; facial expression and gesture are used to convey emotion
Giotto, Madonna Enthroned from the Church of Ognissanti, 1310
Florence, Italy, ca 1310, Tempera and gold leaf on wood, 10' 8" x 6' 8". Uffizi Gallery, Florence. Early Renaissance Naturalism; Italo-Byzantine Style with beginning attempt to set figures in space
Ghiberti, Sacrifice of Isaac (1401-2)
Ghiberti - Servants in conversation with one another, right hand side is taken up by Abraham, not yet brought throat to dagger, son is kneeling in full frontal nudity (earliest male nudes), angel is not rushing in, she's speaking with her voice in both there is the intervention of the angel, son looks calmly into father's eyes
Italo-Byzantine Style
Gilded backgrounds; flattened forms in flattened spaces; lack of modeling; striations on garments to indicate folds
Ghiberti, Isaac and His Sons from the Gates of Paradise (1425-52)
Isaac's wife Rebecca gives birth to twins, Jacob and Esau. they fight with one another even in the womb. One day Esau returns from the fields v hungry and asks Jacob for stew. Jacob says he will it to him if Esau forfeits his birthright to the inheritance. Esau agrees. Rebecca favors her son Jacob and helps disguise him to decievethe father into giving him his blessing and inheritance. Isaac thinks he is giving it to Esau. memory in the upper righthand corner, angel visits mother who is pregnant, nativity scene, esau goes to the hunt to get meat for the father, jacob is disguised as esau is given the blessing from isaac is meant for esau
Giotto, Christ's Entry into Jerusalem from the Arena Chapel, 1305
Italy, ca 1305, Freco 6'6 ¾ x 6' ¾ extremely important as a moment in the life of Christ because it is Palm Sunday and it is considered the first day of Passion Week. At the end of the week is the crucifixion and then resurrection. Important part of Catholic religion. People go into the chapel to see these episodes in chronological order. Learn about the story just from looking at the image.
Giotto, Lamentation from the Arena Chapel, 1305
Padua, Italy, ca 1305, Fresco 6' 6 ¾ x 6' ¾ Christ has died and he is taken down from his cross. The Virgin Mary holds Christ in her arms and laments his death. He is surrounded by disciples, by friends, and by angels hovering above. Angels are an early example of foreshortening; angels are lamenting, represented as if they are coming down from a space that appears behind them. Giotto differentiates foreground figures. Placed a dead tree — early example of artist using landscape to help viewer understand the moment; tree represents death. Virgin Mary is embracing her son. Mary Magdalene is at the feet of Christ. Variety of emotions and tragedy. Simple figures but they have volume. Human and emotional.
City-states
Republics ruled by guilds and banking families
Robert Campin, Merode Triptych (1425-8)
Robot Campin, (MASTER OF FLEMALLE), ca. 1425-28 private commission, donors wanted to have this altarpiece in their home The Annunciation, Mary reads book of hours, naturalistically rendered, book, candle, lilies, pot, symbolic of Mary's purity; she doesn;t see angel Gabriel who comes in to talk about Christ as her child
Medici Family
Ruled Florence during the Renaissance, became wealthy from banking, spent a lot of money on art, controlled Florence for about 3 centuries
Martin Schongauer, Saint Anthony Tormented by Demons (1470-75)
Schongauer was very famous for the engravings that he made; a technique that he greatly refined; introduced hatching. Engraving is made by a tool called a Burren. Engraved on the surface of a metal plate. Representation of Saint Anthony when he was living in a desert in Egypt. He resisted the demons. Conceived of Saint Anthony flying through the air. Demons are horrific: monsters and hybrids. Clawed, pulling at his hair, winged, beating him; inflicting pain and suffering. Completely resisting them.
Limbourg Brothers, January, 1413-16
The Duke of Berry commissioned the Limbourg Brothers to create January, a visual representation of his Book of Hours called The Very Rich Hours of the Duke of Berry. His intent in commissioning the work for the very sake of representing his Book of Hours. The scene in January is meant to convey the jovial, communal mood of a banquet at the royal court of the Duke, to display his luscious, extravagant life. The piece was created using ground pigments that were moistened with water, thickened with a type gum, and painted on vellum -- the pages were painted separately before being bound together to comprise The Book of Hours. The artist employs naturalism by trying to accurately portray what is occuring in the scenes, which in this instance is the composure of a scene of royal court life, a party atmosphere. The painting really emphasizes the festivities: people engaged in conversations, people feeding the dog the excesses of food, people dressed in fine costumes adorned in beautiful garments, surrounded by lavish decor; there is food and drink and commotion. It is a lively piece, brightened by it's vibrant and rich colorations, it's attention to details, the centering of the Duke at the table, both important and similar to his peers. I find the addition of the zodiac, in its deep blues, to be most interesting: it heightens the piece to spiritual heights. It reminds the viewer of the human proximity to god.
Foreshortening
The use of perspective to represent in art the apparent visual contraction of an object that extends back in space at an angle to the perpendicular plane of sight.
Masaccio, Tribute Money (ca. 1424-7)
Unified light source, cast shadows, modeling, linear and atmospheric perspectives very sharply outlined and then gets more blurred as it goes on narrative going on, Peter listening to Christ and falling his directions, three dimensional form Peter casting a shadow
Bruenelleschi, Dome of Florence Cathedral (1420-36)
a double shell cupola which included a walkway and steps between the walls stone ribs hold the inner and outer walls together stone chains buried in masonry stiffened the eight faces of the dome a brickwork herringbone pattern ensured that the great vault would be self supporting as the ring work of bricks were arranged to support the one below
Contrapposto
an asymmetrical arrangement of the human figure in which the line of the arms and shoulders contrasts with while balancing those of the hips and legs.
Duccio, Life of Jesus
back of alterpiece is painted, Life of Jesus, 14 panels (26 episodes) on the back of the Maesta altarpiece from Siena Cathedral, Siena, Italy, 1308-131; Tempera and gold leaf on wood, 7' x 13', Museo dell Oprera del Duomo, Siena the back is painted in great detail, 26 episodes from the life of Jesus, we're going to see that he has tried to create interesting narratives, in every single image there are large groups of people
Book of Hours
book or manuscript containing a calendar, prayers, and biblical passages for private devotion
Hubert and Jan van Eyck, Ghent Altarpiece (1432)
created in Ghent, Belgium where it is located in the Saint Bavo Cathedral where it is still located. Oil on wood This is a polyptych - an altarpiece with more than 3 panels The Ghent Altarpiece ahs 12 panels, very large, 11ft high, 15ft wide; top panels are the Prophets and Sibyls, the Annunciation (long continuous room, Virgin Mary receives message from Angel Gabriel that she is going to be the mother of Christ, dove of Holy Ghost above her head, natural light on objects) , the donors are kneeling in prayer to the left and right of the central figures of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist; intense observation of the natural world when the altarpiece is opened, there is a great explosion of color and details, Christ in majesty, God the father, surrounded by Virgin Mary and John the Baptist, angel musicians, Adam and Eve; on the bottom, there is the adoration of mystic land Adam adjacent to the panel of choir of Angels; he is almost completely naked and people wanted to get rid of that because it was seen as inappropriate to have a nude in church; naturalistic view of Adam with every hair drawn, naturalistic image, very human, toenails on feet, hair on leg, etc. Fineness of detail made possible by oil paint; Eve is very sad, every strand of hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, roundness of her face/breasts, very naturalistic as a human A wealthy private donor funded this altarpiece
linear perspective
developed by Brunelleschi in the early 15th Century; a mathematical graph of space that artists use to determine the relative size of objects and figures that become smaller as they recede into distance
Donatello, David, 1440
donatello - statue of david, earliest known freestanding nude since antiquity wears hat, boots, sword, otherwise nude david slayed goliath contrapposto - weight shifted, foot on head of goliath represents youthful figure, gentle and curvaceous, almost feminine, detailed hair contemplative moment rather than triumphant for david, he looks inward cus hes a thoughtful sob parted lips, thinking about the meaning
Duccio, Maesta altarpiece from the Siena Cathedral 1308-1311
front part of the altarpiece feature Virgin and Child Enthroned with Saints, tempera and gold leaf on wood, 7' x 13', Museo dell Opera del Duomo, Siena figures set in a kind of space, somewhat more volume, naturalistic draperies rather than striations (lines), central feature is madonna and child and placed in large group of important people
Cosimo de Medici
gives impetus to the Humanist Revival Brings together artists, poets, philosophers, scholars Founds first public library since antiquity
Claus Sluter, Well of Moses (1395-1406)
in the city of Dijon Duke Philip the Bold of Burgundy endows and builds the Charterhouse of Champmol, a Carthusisan monastery (Chartreuse de Champmol, 1385-1393), which includes sculptural programs He hires the Netherlandish sculptor, Claus Sluter, who works in a naturalistic style Moses with 5 other Old Testament Prophets, the figures are 6 feet high; very naturalistic in terms of size, their drapery, the characterization of features; face; hair; not free standing sculptures, attached to the well itself — ALMOST free standing, above it is the crucifixion of Christ, done in a very naturalistic style, fed symbolically by the blood that would be dripping from Christ's wound, only a fragment remiands on that crucifixion — Christ's head and torso, already died, eyes closed, naturalistic work with ribs out, limestone, visit this fragment in Dijon
Botticelli, Birth of Venus (1484-6)
inspired by poem of humanist Poliziano, a leading Neoplatonist revives antique nude form i this painting she arrives on a beautifully drawn shell zephyrus and chloris come in with wind and flowers, blowing her ashore, agitating the waves pomona, goddess of orchards, comes in with a cloak to cover venus and protect her venus is so sad and thoughtful despite being a goddess of love, a powerful force of nature fine strands of flowing hair inspired by Capitoline Venus of 2nd Century
Fresco
mixes pigment with water and is applied to a dry or wet plaster support
Andrea Pisano, St. John the Baptist Baptizing the Multitudes from the south doors of the Baptistery of Florence (1330-6)
naturalism, reduced number of figures, emphasis on foreground (stability of forms), attempt to make sense of naturalistic space, St. John the Baptist on the right, St. John pouring water over the head of one of the people, naturalistic landscape elements
Piero della Francesca, Baptism of Christ (1448-50), tempera on panel
naturalistic, ankle deep in water every leaf is delineated landscape background with trees, clouds, sky
Fresco Secco (dry fresco)
paint is applied to dry plaster
Duccio, Entry into Jerusalem
panel from the back of the Maesta Altarpiece, from Siena Cathedral, Siena, Italy, tempera and gold leaf on wood whole city involved, dressed in costumes, someone would play Christ and dress as disciples, he was thinking of this actual festival occurrence that happened yearly
Humanism
quest for knowledge, emphasis on education, printing press; revival of classical antiquity: monuments and literature of ancient Greece and Rome; Emphasis on potential of the individual-reward excellence and achievement; fascination with and study of natural world leads to scientific study: botany, geology, geography, optics, medicine, engineering
Mantegna, Foreshortened Christ (ca. 1500)
sad virgin after christ died a personal painting, a lamentation over the dead christ, beautiful cut off figures of the virgin and other holy women, lamenting after christ's death, remarkable foreshortened cadaver, a livid cadaver, tears in christ's feet from the nails sits right before them not a mathematical painting, doesn't fit into ideal - does away with this, christ is foreshortened in this dramatic way to give such a dramatic angle. what is our perspective or view? we are below the feet of christ
aerial (atmospheric) perspective
the haziness that surrounds objects that are farther away from the viewer, causing the distance to be perceived as greater
Buon fresco (wet fresco)
true or wet fresco; pigments are mixed with water and become chemically bound to the freshly laid lime plaster
Masaccio, Expulsion of Adam and Eve, Brancacci Chapel (1424-1427)
unified light source, shade, inspired by examples of Classical sculptures, completely nude even as they try to modestly cover themselves. Expelled from paradise, need to go out into the barren landscape of the world. Muscularity of the figures; light and shade in the modeling.
