AHAP Unit 6

Arena (Scrovegni) chapel, including Lamentation. Padua, Italy. Unknown architect; Giotto di Bondone (artist). Chapel: c. 1303 CE; Fresco: c. 1305. Brick (architecture) and fresco.

Name: Arena (Scrovegni) chapel Date: Chapel: c. 1303. Fresco: c. 1305 Period/style: International Gothic Artists: Unknown architect, Giotto di Bondone (artist) Patron: Scrovegni family (private patron) Location: Padua, Italy Material/technique: Brick architecture, fresco Function: Act as private chapel for citizen of Padua; fresco shows the lamentation of Christ. Context: This was given the name "Arena" because it is built on an old Roman arena; however, the patron is named Scrovegni, hence the name Scrovegni chapel. On the fresco of the lamentation, Jesus' followers mourn his death, specifically Mary and Mary Magdalene. This piece is typical of the international gothic style because of the developing emotion on the figures' faces. Each face is different from the other, showing that the artist did not use one figure for each individual. Also, it shows a transition to realism because Giotto di Bondone shows the figures in a variety of poses and positions; he also incorporates a blue, instead of gold, background in the piece. Descriptive terms: emotional, Lamentation, grief, mourning

Birth of Venus. Sandro Botticelli. c. 1484-1498. Tempera on canvas.

Name: Birth of Venus Date: c. 1484-1498 Period/style: Italian Renaissance Artist: Sandro Botticelli Patron: Medici family Location: Florence, Italy Material/technique: Tempera on canvas Function: Depict the mythical birth of Venus Context: This was created for the Medici family; since it is not a Christian story, it was acceptable for the female body to be shown nude. After this painting, it became more common for the female to be shown nude, and these paintings came to be called "Venus". Venus is shown after just being created out of the sea foam, and she is being blown to shore by zephyrs. This pagan image is specifically shown because humanism has made it acceptable to study and depict these stories. This piece shows an attempt at realism, as seen with the anatomy and landscape, but the perspective is unrealistic. The artist balances the sea and land, but the land unrealistically continues on in the background. Descriptive terms: pagan, nudity, Venus, ocean, land

David. Donatello. c. 1440-1460. Bronze.

Name: David Date: c. 1440-1460 Period/style: Artist: Donatello Patron: Unknown Location: Florence, Italy Material/technique: Bronze casting Function: Decorative sculpture in the Medici palace Context: This transitional piece was the first nude sculpture-in-the round since Antiquity; this shift back to accepting nudity was a direct effect of the growing influence of humanism in Europe. David specifically was chosen as the subject of this sculpture because he became the mascot of Florence. Like David, Florence was militarily weaker than other city states but more intellectual. Because of these two qualities of Florence, David is shown as more feminine to show his physical weakness, but he stands on the head of Goliath, holding the stone in his hand. Finally, David wears the warrior's helm of Florence, representing his status as the mascot of the city. The patrons of this piece were the Medici family; this piece was meant to sit in their palazzo so that all passerby could view it. As a result, this would help the ideals of humanism spread. Descriptive terms: feminine, mascot, intellectual

Entombment of Christ. Jacopo da Pontormo. 1525-1528 CE. Oil on wood.

Name: Entombment of Christ Date: 1525-1528 Period/style: Italian mannerist painting Artist: Jacopo da Pontormo Patron: Unknown Location: Florence, Italy Material/technique: Oil on wood Function: Show the carrying of Jesus's dead body to his tomb Context: This piece illustrates the common features of mannerism. For one, the bodies are linear but all seem to twist around each other. This gives a sense of dramatic movement and a complexity of the figures. The figures have elongated bodies with smaller, disproportional heads; they all show unique emotions, most specifically grief and yearning over the death of Christ. Mannerism challenged the ideals of the High Renaissance, as seen in the painting's complexity and unbalanced nature. The bodies are grouped together in an unbalanced way, and there is no definite ground line for the figures in the back. This rejects the complete realism and attempt for perfection of other Renaissance pieces. Descriptive terms: grief, complex, unbalanced

Last Supper. Leonardo da Vinci. c. 1494-1498. Oil and tempera.

Name: Last Supper Date: c. 1494-1498 Period/style: Renaissance Artist: Leonardo di Vinci Patron: Sforza of Milan Location: Milan, Italy Material/technique: Oil and tempera painting Function: show the last meal between Jesus and the 12 Apostles Context: This perfectly sums up Renaissance painting solely because of the complete numerical balance in the piece. The Apostles are grouped in four groups of three, two of each on either side of Jesus. There is also an equal ratio triangles and squares. Three and four are common numbers; four rectangular panels on each wall, three windows on the back wall, and one triangular pediment above the center doorway. Jesus is posed in a triangular way; in addition, even the perspective draws you in to a point in the back of the room, in the shape of a triangle. In terms of the Apostles, Judas is shown clutching a bag of coins, and a mysterious hand holding a knife appears behind his back, showing his eventual betrayal of Jesus. Descriptive terms: balanced, triangles, squares, Jesus, apostles

Madonna and Child with Two Angels. Fra Filippo Lippi. c. 1465 CE. Tempera on wood.

Name: Madonna and Child with Two Angels Date: c. 1465 Period/style: Italian Renaissance Artist: Fra Filippo Lippi Patron: Unknown Location: Material/technique: Tempera on wood Function: Show the Virgin Mary in an intimate setting with infant Jesus and two angels Context: The artist, Fra Filippo Lippi, was a monk who had an affair with a nun and had children with her. The nun was the model for Mary, and their three children were the inspiration for Jesus and the two angels. This Madonna scene is different from previous depictions of the pair because Mary is shown here as young and she looks at Jesus with tender emotion. She is no longer completely somber and serious like in Gothic and Romanesque Madonna scenes. Her youth and demure appearance conveys her as more of a human mother rather than the Queen of Heaven, as shown in previous Christian pieces. Like most depictions of Mary, she wears blue to represent her purity; in addition, pearls are seen throughout the piece, which represent the Immaculate Conception and her own purity. Descriptive terms: pure, Madonna, cherubs, tender, emotion

Palazzo Rucellai. Florence, Italy. Leon Battista Alberti (architect). c. 1450 CE. Tempera on wood.

Name: Palazzo Rucellai Date: c. 1450 Period/style: Italian Renaissance Architect: Leon Battista Alberti Patron: Rucellai Material/technique: Tempera on wood Location: Florence, Italy Function: Home and business of a wealthy merchant Context: This building is very typical of the Italian Renaissance because it is much more calm and balanced than architecture of the Gothic era. The facade is flat and does not have any pinnacles; it has a balanced ratio of circles and squares on the outside, as seen in the arches and windows. Unlike Gothic ogee arches, the arches are rounded and less extravagant. Buildings such as this were meant to house the business as well as the personal lives of the family; the first floor was reserved for business affairs, while the upper floors were for the family and servants. Descriptive terms: balanced, flat, ratio, rounded

Pazzi chapel. Basilica di Santa Croce. Florence, Italy. Filippo Brunelleschi (architect). c. 1429-1461 CE. Masonry.

Name: Pazzi Chapel Date: c. 1429-1461 Period/style: Italian Renaissance architecture Architect: Filippo Brunelleschi Patron: Pazzi family Location: Florence, Italy (in Basilica di Santa Croce) Material/technique: masonry architecture Function: act as private chapel in Basilica di Santa Context: This chapel sets the basis for Renaissance architecture because of its repeating patterns and balanced, calm feel. It is a comprised of a balanced ratio of circles and squares, which was carefully calculated by the architect. On the exterior, the facade is a combination of a greek temple and a Roman basilica; this combination shows that European society, because of humanism, grew more accepting of Antiquity. Descriptive terms: balanced, circles, squares, private

School of Athens. Raphael. 1509-1511 CE.

Name: School of Athens Date: 1509-1511 Period/style: Renaissance Artist: Raphael Patron: Pope Julius II Location: Vatican Material/technique: Fresco Function: Show old philosophers and scientists to be placed in the library of Pope Julius II Context: Humanism directly resulted in this piece, as well as the Pope's own desire to show his humanist ideals. Humanism made is acceptable to return to the old philosophies of the Greeks and study their principles. This was commissioned by Pope Julius II because he viewed himself as an emperor rather than a pope; he wanted to bring Rome back to its former glory, such as during the days of the Romans. Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael all appear, in addition to Plato, Aristotle, and Euclid. Descriptive terms: greek, philosophers, modern painters, intellectual

Sistine chapel ceiling and altar wall frescoes. Vatican City, Italy. Michelangelo. Ceiling frescoes: c. 1508-1512; altar frescoes: 1536-1541. Fresco.

Name: Sistine chapel ceiling and altar wall frescoes Date: Ceiling: c. 1508-1512; altar: 1536-1541 Period/style: Renaissance (some Mannerist) Artist: Michelangelo Patron: Pope Julius II Location: Vatican City, Italy Material/technique: Fresco Function: Sistine Chapel is the place where new popes are elected; the paintings in specific depict Old Testament stories Context: Michelangelo was chosen to paint the Sistine Chapel, even though he had no desire to do so (he preferred sculpture over painting). The majority of the males are painted nude, which is a direct result of the more accepting ideals of humanism. The paintings are typical of Renaissance art because of the large variety of expressions on the figures; in addition, they are all involved in complex movement, which makes it feel like the piece is capturing an exact moment in time. Descriptive terms: Papal, chapel, Old Testament, realistic, movement

Venus of Urbino. Titian. C. 1538 CE. Oil on canvas.

Name: Venus of Urbino Date: c. 1538 CE Period/style: Venetian High Renaissance Artist: Titian Patron: Venus of Urbino Location: Venice, Italy Material/technique: Oil on canvas Function: Woman of Urbino Context: Because of the principles of humanism, it was now acceptable to portray the female body nude. This is perhaps a self-portrait of a female courtesan in Venice; as a result, this painting became the canon for female nude portraits. The artist skillfully portrays perspective by placing the woman in the foreground and the servant, seen smaller, in the background. In addition, the portrayal of women has now changed; previously, women would not look at the viewer, showing their demure nature and purity. However, as seen with this piece, the woman looks directly at the viewer, showing the changing views on the female gender as a direct result of the spread humanism. Descriptive terms: Venus, nude, realistic