Art History 102 EARLY RENAISSANCE ART: Northern (Flemish and French) developments

Flanders

"The North". Under rulership of the Duke of Burgundy (Younger brother to the king of France). - Vibrant business activity - Style of art determined by histocracy (more old-fashioned, feudal model) **Centre of tapestry production **Very detail-oriented paintings **Small scale, roots are in books **Most expensive and high quality in all the lands (they must've been so proud) -- Overall aesthetic encouraging viewer's eye to move over, taking in bits and pieces and then you make your interpretation (vs. Italian, which is more spacious, but focused)

trompe l'oeil

"Trick the eye". A manner of representation in which the appearance of natural space and objects is re-created with the express intention of fooling the eye of the viewer, who may be convinced that the subject actually exists as three-dimensional reality EXAMPLE: Correggio ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN

Acanthus

A Mediterranean plant whose leaves are reproduced in architectural ornament used on moldings, friezes and Corinthian capitals

disguised symbolism

A Northern Renaissance technique of giving a spiritual meaning to ordinary objects in the painting, so these detail can carry the spiritual message

Ionic- order

A base, a fluted shaft, and a capital decorated with volutes.

Refectory

A dining room in monastaries

quatrefoil

A four-lobed decorative pattern common in Gothic art and architecture EXAMPLE: Good Samaritan Window

Pietra serena

A gray Tuscan limestone used in Florence EXAMPLE: Filippo Brunelleschi, INTERIOR AND PLAN OF CHURCH OF SAN LORENZO, FLORENCE

Intuitive perspective

A method of giving the impression of recession by visual instinct, not by the use of an overall system or program (Architectural details follow diagonal lines that the eye interprets as parallel lines receding into the distance) EXAMPLE: Limbourg brothers TRES RICHES HEURES

Atmospheric perspective

A method of rendering the effect of spatial distance by subtle variation in colour and clarity of representation EXAMPLE: Melchior Broederlam ANNUNCIATION, VISITATION, PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE, AND FLIGHT INTO EGYPT

Coffer

A recessed decorative panel that is used to reduce the weight of and to decorate ceilings or vaults. The usage is called coffering

lunette

A semicircular wall area, framed by an arch over a door or window. Can either be plain or decorated

sarcophagus

A stone coffin, often rectangular and decorated with relief sculpture EXAMPLE: Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus

grisaille

A style of monochromatic painting in shades of gray EXAMPLE: Scrovegni Arena chapel

triptych

A winged altarpiece where two wings fold over a centre section EXAMPLE: Workshop of the Master of Flemalle MERODE ALTARPIECE (TRIPTYCH OF THE ANNUNCIATION)

polyptych

A winged altarpiece with many panels EXAMPLE: Jan and Hubert van Eyck GHENT ALTARPIECE, ADORATION OF THE MYSTIC LAMB

Contrapposto

An Italian term meaning "set against" used to describe the pose that results from setting parts of the body in opposition to each other around a central axis

Transversals

An arch that connects wall piers on both sides on an interior space, up and over a stone vault EXAMPLE: CHURCH OF SAINT VINCENC, CARDONA

Pilaster

An engaged column-like element that is rectangular in format and used for decoration in architecture

vanitas

An image, especially popular in Europe during the 17th century, in which all the objects symbolize the transience of life. Usually are of still lifes or genre subjects EXAMPLE: Johannes Vermeer WOMAN HOLDING A BALANCE

Cloister

An open space within a monastary, surrounded by an arcaded or colonnaded walkway, often having a fountain and garden. Members of a cloistered order do not leave the monastary or interact with others, so the cloister represents the centre of their enclosed world

Roundel

Any element with a circular format, often placed as a decoration on the exterior of architecture (Etruscan architecture)

Orthagonals

Any line running back into the represented space of a picture perpendicular to the imagined picture plane. In linear perspective, all orthagonals converge at a single vanishing point in the picture and are the basis for a grid that maps out the internal space of the image EXAMPLE: Perugino THE DELIVERY OF THE KEYS TO ST. PETER

Sgraffito

Decoration made by incising or cutting away a surface layer of material to show a different colour underneath PALAZZO MEDICI-RICCARDI

Neo-platonism

Distinguished between the spiritual (the ideal or Idea) and the physical (Matter) and encouraged artists to represent ideal figures

memento mori

From Latin for "remember that you must die". An object, such as a skull or extinguished candle, typically found in a vanitas image, symbolizing the transience of life EXAMPLE: Open sarcophagus holding a skeleton in Masaccio's TRINITY WITH THE VIRGIN, ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST, AND DONORS

Ignudi

Heroic figures of nude young men CREATION OF ADAM Michelangelo

iconography

Identifying and studying the subject matter and conventional motifs or symbols in works of art

All'antica

Imitating the style of the ancients

Martyrium

In Christian architecture, a church, chapel, or shrine built over the grave of a martyr or the site of a great miracle CHURCH OF SAN LORENZO, FLORENCE

Vanishing point

In a perspective system, the point on the horizon line at which orthogonals meet. A complex system can have multiple vanishing points EXAMPLE: Perugino THE DELIVERY OF THE KEYS TO ST. PETER

oculus

In architecture, a circular opening. Oculi are usually found either as windows or at the apex of a dome. When at the top of a dome, an oculus is either open to the sky or covered by a decorative exterior lantern. EXAMPLE: The Church of Hagia Sophia

Rustication

In building, the rough, irregular and unfinished effect deliberately given to the exterior facing of a stone ediface. Often large and used for decorative emphasize around doors or windows, or across the entire lower floors of a building. Michelozzo di Bartolomeo PALAZZO MEDICI-RICCARDI, FLORENCE

Plotinus

In his philosophy there are three principles: the One, the Intellect, and the Soul.

Catasto

Italian system of land registration

Sfumato

Italian term meaning "smoky", soft, and mellow. In painting, has the effect of haze in an image. Mona Lisa

Linear or one-point perspective

Most common type. All parallel lines or surface edges converge on one, two, or three vanishing points located with reference to the eye level of the viewer. EXAMPLE: Raphael THE SCHOOL OF ATHENS

Ghibellines

Old fashioned, authoritarian (top-down feudal societies) in Italy (1450 or so) division of political units

Plato

Our observable perception is corrupted and imperfect. Example: PLATO'S CAVE: People prisoners chained in a cave who cannot move/turn heads and are unaware. Behind them, puppeteers show movie. All they see is shadows, and that is their reality. (Form of metaphysics) Artists can be inspired by the physical world but it is an imperfect representation (Idealization)

Julius II

Pope in early years of 16th century. Had imperial vision of a new, worldwide Church based on humanistic ideas. Brought together Raphael and Michelangelo

Principle of dextrality

Positioning of individuals to show who is the individual of the highest status (dexter's side) EXAMPLE: The Adoration of the Magi by Hugo van der Goes: Right side = higher ranking (men) Left side = inferior (women)

Guelph states

Republics, one of the 2 major political units in Italy (1450 or so), had more lateral-citizen representation than Ghibellines

Medici Family

Ruled Florence during the Renaissance, became wealthy from banking, spent a lot of money on art, controlled Florence for about 3 centuries. Lorenzo = founder of family's fortunes through textile trade By rulers become de facto rulers -> eventually made it official: Florentine Duke

Aristotle

Student of Plato, believed all peoples' concepts and all of their knowledge was ultimately based on perception

Signoria

The Signoria was the government of medieval and renaissance Florence. Seated in Palazzo della Signoria

Transept

The arm of cruciform church, perpendicular to the nave. The point where the nave and transept cross is called the crossing. Beyond the crossing lies the sanctuary, whether apse, choir, or chevet

predella

The base of an altarpiece, often decorated with small scenes that are related in subject to that of the main panel or panels EXAMPLE: Andrea di Cione ENTHRONED CHRIST WITH SAINTS, FROM THE STROZZI ALTARPIECE

Metope

The carved or painted rectangular panel between the triglyphs of a Doric frieze

Nave

The central space of basilica, two or three stories high and usually flanked by aisles

Doric- order

The column shaft of the Doric order can be fluted or smooth-surfaced and has no base. Consists of an undecorated echinus and abacus. H

frieze

The middle element of an entablature, between the architrave and the cornice. Usually decorated with sculpture, painting, or moldings.

Corinthian (order)

The most ornate of the orders, the Corinthian includes a base, a fluted column shaft with a capital elaborately decorated with acanthus leaf carvings. Its entablature consists of an architrave decorated with moldings, a frieze often containing sculptured reliefs, and a cornice with dentils

Latin cross plan

Three shorter arms and one long one

Poesie

Titian's series of large-scale mythological paintings he began producing for Philip II of Spain in 1551. Inspired by the Roman poet Ovid's epic poem 'Metamorphoses', Titian considered the works as visual equivalents of poetry.

diptych

Two panels of equal size (usually decorated with paintings or reliefs) hinged together EXAMPLE: Hans Memling DIPTYCH OF MAARTEN VAN NIEUWENHOVE

Sprezzatura

a certain nonchalance, so as to conceal all art and make whatever one does or says appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it - Aristocratic cool

corpus

a collection of written texts, especially the entire works of a particular author or a body of writing on a particular subject.

Condottieri

a leader or a member of a troop of mercenaries

attributes

an object associated with or symbolic of a character, office, or quality EXAMPLE: The Keys of Saint Peter

Florin

former currency in Great Britain worth 2 shillings

Triglyphs

qRectangular block between the metopes of Doric frieze. Identified by the three carved vertical grooves

Pastoralism

raising livestock

Sacristy

sacristy is a room for keeping vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records.

Quadratura

simulated or illusionistic architecture

Arte de calimala

subtle type of flat, low relief carving that is especially associated with the 15th-century sculptors Donatello and Desiderio da Settignano. The design is partly drawn with finely engraved chisel lines and partly carved in relief. The stiacciato technique depends largely for its effect on the way in which pale materials, such as white marble, respond to light...

Platonism

the philosophy that affirms the existence of abstract objects, which are asserted to "exist" in a "third realm" distinct both from the sensible external world and from the internal world of consciousness, and is the opposite of nominalism