Early Renaissance in Italy
Jacopo Pontormo, Cosimo the Elder de Medici, ca. 1518
(Look up image); Cosimo is part of the Medici family, a significant political power with wealth, so they were patrons of the arts. Cosimo was the de facto ruler of Florence
LORENZO GHIBERTI, Isaac and His Sons, east doors, baptistery, Florence Cathedral, Florence, Italy, 1425-1452.
A panel from the "Gates of Paradise"; depicts the sons of Isaac, Jacob and Esau. It's a relief sculpture with figures in the foreground. Pictorial illusionism is shown with recession into space. Atmospheric/aerial perspective was rare in sculpture, but this shows the arches blurrier farther back. Ancient sources are seen with the Roman architecture in the background as well as the classicism in the figures (drapery on the figures are based on Greco-Roman statues).
Vanishing point
A vanishing point is a point in space, usually located on the horizon, where parallel edges of an object appear to converge.
Humanism
An movement of the 15th and 16th centuries that focused on human potential and achievements as well as the quest for knowledge. It emphasized human values as distinct from religion's otherworldly values and was an essential component of Italian art during the Renaissance. Derived from Reason, it is based on Roman ideals. Unlike the Middle Ages where you often didn't know the name of the artist, the Renaissance focuses on the individual achievement due to humanism and thus artists achieved fame and glory.
PRAXITELES, Aphrodite of Knidos. Roman marble copy after an original of ca. 350-340 BCE. Approx. 6' 8" high. Vatican Museums, Rome.
Ancient Greek sculpture was an influence for Birth of Venus. Similarities: One hand is covering herself in a pose of modesty. Nude woman in both Both contrapposto
LORENZO GHIBERTI, east doors ("Gates of Paradise"), baptistery, Florence Cathedral, Florence, Italy, 1425-1452.
Called the "Gates of Paradise" because Michelangelo said it was so beautiful it would do well at the gates of paradise. It's a gilded bronze relief. Only 10 panels instead of the planned 28 and quatrefoil was abandoned in favor of square panels due to time constraints.
SANDRO BOTTICELLI, Birth of Venus, ca. 1482.
Commissioned by the Medici family. Tells the story of the birth of Venus based on a poem by a leading humanist of the day. Left shows Zepheneus(?) the west wind creating a breeze and propelling Venus across the water in a shell. Right shows nymph (Pomona?) going to cover Venus. Nude Venus is very innovative; in earlier times you would only see Adam and Eve nude since they were sinners. A nude ancient goddess in painting was unusual. You would usually draw charges for paganism and infidelity, but this didn't happen because the Medici family commissioned it. During the Renaissance people became more accomodating of nudity in art because of humanism and ancient sources (Aphrodite of Knidos)
PRAXITELES, Hermes and the infant Dionysos. Marble copy after an original of ca. 340 BCE
Compare with Donatello's David. Similarities: nudity, "s"-curve, contrapposto Differences: Donatello chose an adolescent boy since David was young, so the body looks a bit feminine/androgynous since the muscles/skeletal structure is less developed. This differs from the perfect full grown man created by Praxiteles.
FRA ANGELICO, Annunciation, San Marco, Florence, Italy, ca. 1440-1445.
Compare with Martini's and Mammi's Annunciation and Robert Campin (Master of Flemalle) Merode Altarpiece with The Annunciation Center Panel. All same subject matter.
Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, from Rome, Italy, ca. 175 CE.
Despite being a Pagan emperor, his bronze statue was not melted down in the Christian Middle Ages since people mistakingly thought it was Constantine, the first emperor to convert to Christianity. An equestrian statue is a grandiose statement of power since you "mastered the beast." Donatello's is more life-sized while Marcus Aurelius is larger. Donatello's thus shows a more calm stability and force of character in control instead of size.
DONATELLO, Gattamelata (equestrian statue of Erasmo da Narni), Piazza del Santo, Padua, Italy, ca. 1445-1450.
Donatello was inspired by the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius. This was a portrait made after Narni's death. The equestrian portrait is a reference to classical antiquity. Orb below the hoof is an ancient symbol for authority over the Earth, thus replicating ancient times to create a quintessential male individualist of the era of humanism.
SIMONE MARTINI AND LIPPO MEMMI(?), Annunciation, 1333
Gold background=heavenly sphere Compared to Angelico: Concrete location of open air gallery in Italy; classic architecture; rational and understandable space; linear perspective (orthogonal on left); recesses into space creates sense of pictorial illusionism
DONATELLO, David, late 1420s - late 1450s. Bronze, 5' 2 1/4" high.
Head of Goliath is at his feet. Can see the humanist enthusiasm for classical models. It was created for the Medici courtyard. It was the first free standing nude since ancient times since nudity was considered indecent in the Middle Ages being reserved for sinners. Reinvented the classical nude with a biblical figure instead of an athlete/pagan god/hero. Symbol of Florence republic.
Baptistery of San Giovanni, Florence, Italy, dedicated 1059.
In the Romanesque style (made in the Medieval period). In 1401 a competition was sponsored by the Wool Merchants Guild for a second set of doors. This was prestigious because the placement of the doors made them face the cathedral thus being the first seen door. Entrants submit a relief panel depicting the sacrifice of Isaac. Guidelines stated the size, shape (quatrefoil), and subject matter of the panel. There were seven semi-finalists, two of them being Ghiberti and Brunellsechi.
ANDREA MANTEGNA, Dead Christ, ca. 1501.
Linear perspective is shown in the foreshortening of the figure. Orthogonals are on either side of Christ's body and the figure is protruding towards the viewer pushing into space, creating the foreshortening and 3D effect.
ROBERT CAMPIN (Master of Flémalle), Mérode Altarpiece (open), The Annunciation (center panel), ca. 1425-1428
Linear perspective unknown in this piece; it was still more realistic than in Gothic era, but crowded with objects sliding out of frame (not rational) Compared to Angelico: Shows linear perspective with orthogonal on left; rational, life-like space
S-curve
Naturalistic stance with body in letter "S" shape
Proto-Renaissance
Occurring in the 14th century, it includes art that is looking forward to the Renaissance while still remaining rooted in the Middle Ages. Ex: Giotto
FILIPPO BRUNELLESCHI, Sacrifice of Isaac, Florence baptistery 1401-1402.
One of the two only surviving entries from the competition, tells the story of God commanding Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac in a solitary place to test Abraham's faith. Eventually an angel appears and tells him to stop since he showed obedience to God. Out of the bushes a ram appears to take Isaac's place. Chose this story since Florence was being threatened by invaders from Milan and Florence's independence was threatened. Florentine officials asked people to defend the city, so they chose Isaac's story since it is about sacrificing to a higher cause and civic duty, which are both humanist virtues. Brunelleschi's entry showed everything happening simultaneously rather than episodically. It was more exciting and emotional. Brunelleschi ultimately lost. Part of the reason was his was made of several cast pieces, making it more expensive and heavier and less resistant to the elements. After this Brunelleschi turned from sculpture to architecture and became a leading architect.
LORENZO GHIBERTI, Sacrifice of Isaac, competition panel for east doors, Florence Baptistry, 1401-1402
One of the two only surviving entries from the competition, tells the story of God commanding Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac in a solitary place to test Abraham's faith. Eventually an angel appears and tells him to stop since he showed obedience to God. Out of the bushes a ram appears to take Isaac's place. Chose this story since Florence was being threatened by invaders from Milan and Florence's independence was threatened. Florentine officials asked people to defend the city, so they chose Isaac's story since it is about sacrificing to a higher cause and civic duty, which are both humanist virtues. Ghiberti's entry shows events not yet unfolded as the angel has not yet made it to Abraham. It showed more classicism (platform on which Isaac kneels is classic; the piece also had decoration of campus ? leaves often seen in Greco-Roman art; also Isaac's body is turned showing tension that has roots in classicism (see Epigonos' sculpture) and shows an emphasis on the skeletal structure of the figure with a muscular nude body). While showing classicism, it also has new ideas of Renaissance art. Isaac is fully nude which is new to the early Renaissance. The space looks more 3D (pictorial illusionism) and the angel is foreshortened showing projecting into space as the angel is moving towards the viewer. Also more landscape features included. Ghiberti ultimately won partially because since his was just cast in two pieces, reducing the amount of bronze needed, making it less expensive, lighter, and more resistant to the elements. Ghiberti becomes the leading sculptor of the time.
Medici family
Powerful banking family who ruled Florence during the Renaissance. Had significant power. They were patrons of the arts for a self-serving purpose (use art to communicate their message) as well as because they loved learning. Their fortune was established early in the 15th century by Giovanni de Medici and expanded by Cosimo the Elder de Medici.
MASACCIO, Holy Trinity, Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Italy, ca. 1428.
Shows linear perspective. Masaccio was likely supervised by Brunelleschi. There are two levels in the painting. There is the barrel (tunnel) vaulted chapel and Virgin Mary and St. John near Christ in the front. God the father is behind Christ; between them is a dove (the Holy Ghost) thus showing the Holy Trinity. Below the saints are the donors of chapel Lorenzo Lenzi and his wife kneeling. Also painted is a tomb with a skeleton with an inscription above it in Latin reminding spectators "I was once what you are and what I am you will become"/death (common in Western art). Vanishing point at the foot of the cross so look up at trinity and look down at tomb. Illusion of actual structure is so exact you can get the dimensions of the chapel.
EPIGONOS(?), Gallic chieftain killing himself and his wife, ca. 230-220 BCE
Tension in body due to heroic duty; inspo for Ghiberti
ANDREA DEL VERROCCHIO, Bartolommeo Colleoni (equestrian statue), Campo dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo, Venice, Italy, ca. 1483-1488
This is a counterpoint to Donatello's statue. It is also a posthumous portrait, but is more tense (foot pressed on stirrup) and shows strength (horse has bulging muscles). While this also shows complete control, it is more in a rugged individualist sense rather than a calm control. It is also on a high platform overlooking the piazza, showing power and great leadership.
Orthogonals
converging lines, perpendicular to the picture plane, that meet at the vanishing point in the system of linear perspective
quatrefoil
four leafed shape often used in church architecture throughout the Middle Ages
aerial (atmospheric) perspective
objects that are further away look less distinct; this is used to create three-dimensionality. Usually seen in paintings and was rare in sculpture.
linear perspective
parallel lines or lines of projection seem to converge on one, two, or three points located with reference to the eye level of the viewer, known as vanishing points, and associated objects are rendered smaller the farther from the viewer they are intended to seem. It was reinvented in the Renaissance by Brunelleschi and made more precise. First you make a horizon line, then select a vanishing point. You then draw diagonal lines from frame to the vanishing point (orthogonals).
Gardenscape, Second Style wall painting, from the Villa of Livia, Primaporta, Italy, ca. 30-20 BCE. Rome.
shows atmospheric perspective in Roman art as objects are less distinct in the distance. Renaissance is the rebirth of this. Linear perspective develops in the Renaissance.
Horizon line
the distant point at which sky and ground appear to meet
Contrapposto
weight centered on one leg with the rest of the body relaxed; shift of the hip; creates a sense of naturalism