AP Art History Renaissance Unit
Liberty Leading the People. Eugene Delacroix. 1830 C.E. Oil on canvas. *romanticism*
- By Delacroix, a French Romantic painter - *Memorializes the July Revolution of 1830 and its overthrow of France's King Charles X* - Glorifies the fight for "liberty, fraternity, and equality" against 19th century conservatism in post-Napoleonic France: • *Unity amidst diversity*. Symbols: — Woman = Lady Liberty who: -- leads revels to victory over gov't soldiers -- Wears a Phrygian cap worn by freed slaves in antiquity -- Holds the tricolor flag (blues, reds, and whites echo its colors throughout) — child w/guns = young v. old — Man w/top hat = French upper class — Man w/sword at far left = French lower class & acceptance of diversity (African) — Men and women = men v. women • Notre Dame in background -> real setting mixed with allegory and symbols. Work is true to the spirit of the event but does not literally depict what happened >> Purchased by Ling Louis-Philippe "the Citizen King" in 1835 BUT not shown for 25 years for fear it might encourage more revolution
The Swing. Jean-Honore Fragonard. 1767 C.E. Oil on canvas. *rococo*
- By Fragonard who was among the French court's favorite artists (and whose career died after the French Revolution) - Setting is typically Rococo: nature is verdant and wild but not dangerous - Man (perhaps the patron) hides behind bushes, hat in hand, suggesting sexual openness - Woman swings before him, kicking off her shoe, suggesting sexual openness - Statue of cupid urges couple to be discreet - Another man pushes her but is oblivious to the implied affair (patron wanted him to be a bishop but Fragonard made him a layman instead) - Commission originally offered to another painter who refused on the grounds that it was immoral >> an example of fete galante
Y no hai remedio (And There is Nothing to be Done), from Los Desastres de la Guerra (The Disasters of War), plate 15. Francisco de Goya. 1810-1823 C.E. (published 1863). Drypoint etching. *romanticism*
- By Francisco Goya, the court painter to Spain, social critic, and chronicler of his times - One of 82 Disasters of War etching, the first half of which critique the French occupation of Spain by Napoleon - Goya initially supported Napoleon - A war of Spanish resistance ensues after Spain's king is deposed and replaced by Napoleon - Spanish resort to guerrilla tactics, the French retaliate with brutal reprisals targeting even civilians Content: - prisoners blindfolded and tied to stakes - Some already short by firing squad, contorted and grotesque - Prisoner in left foreground = Christ figure, stands and emits light despite impending doom - Rifles appear abruptly from extreme right - Multiple firing squads suggest large number of innocents to be killed in violence - Repetition of anonymous faceless, nameless executioners suggest dehumanization • even war conducted with the best intentions dehumanize us, turn us into machines - Emotional impact heightened by technique = drypoint etching • process like making an etching + needle used to create fine lines and thus subtle shading - 2nd half of etchings chronicle a famine and, finally, Goya's and the rebel's disappointment that when Napoleon is defeated, the old monarchy is restored and hopes for liberal reform are crushed - These are published so long after intaglios out of fear for getting in trouble - Similar to Goya's more famous painting called Third of May >> Goya had been called "the last of the great masters and the first of the moderns" • He was modern through his imaginative mind • Fluid brushwork • Art meant to challenge and critique the way things are (subversiveness)
The Tete a Tete from Marriage a la Mode. William Hogarth. 1743 CE. Oil on canvas. *enlightenment art in England*
- By Hogarth, famous for his works of satire that promoted middle-class virtues (hard-work, thrift, etc.) >> note: his paintings often made into etchings in order to spread message - Scene 2 of 6 in a series called Marriage a la Mode ("in the fashion") critiquing the aristocracy and the practice of marrying for title or for money - Tete a tete = private conversation >> ironic because there is no conversation happening couple is at the breakfast table - Their dysfunctional marriage conveyed by artist's portrayal of the: • Husband, son of the bankrupt Lord Squanderfield - posture suggests that he was hungover from a party the night before - Dog = loyalty (ironic because its sniffing the bonnet) - Broken sword = reference to a drunken fight - Bonnet in a pocket = he is cheating (prostitute from party) - Black mark on neck = acquired STD - syphilis • Wife, daughter of a rich but miserly merchant - posture suggests a priming (also having an affair) •The steward (left) - papers in hand = living beyond their means (bills that he doesn't know how to pay) >> *message: marry for love, be thrifty, keep it in your pants*
La Grand Odalisque. Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres. 1814 C.E. Oil on canvas. *romanticism*
- By Ingres, who, after David, was the most influential painter of the 19th century - Depicts a traditional Greco-Roman nude reclining nude in a Turkish harem - Turkish elements = peacock fan, hashish pipe, turban - Form exaggerated for sexual effect: • Curves • Elongated back • Right arm longer than left • Softened edges (elbow, ankle) - sensuality further heighten by contrast of cool blue of bed with warm reddish tint of skin YET - Psychologically complex: her expression expressed her being high or reluctant to be a concubine • compare with Venus of Urbino • Reflects a growing male interest in artistic depictions of harems because: • Helps inspire the rise of Orientalism, a European movement fascinated with the exotic world of the Middle East but also inclined to stereotype its inhabitants
The Oxbow (View from Mt. Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm). Thomas Cole. 1863 C.E. Oil on canvas. *romanticism*
- By Thomas Cole, who evaluated the status of landscape painting to that of history paintings - Cole the leading member of the Hudson River School • Influenced by European Romantic landscape painters, esp. Friedrich • Depict nature as a sublime manifestation of the divine, detailed & idealized - NOT just an interesting view of the Connecticut River by an expression of Manifest Destiny that held that Americans possess a God-given destiny to expand west - The left half represents the Frontier • Nature is sublime, transcendent • Wild, virginal landscape is untouched by man • Storm-blasted tree suggests the raw power of nature - The right half represents Civilization • Man has mastered nature • Tamed, cultivated land subject to human settlement • Clear sky, sunlight, grazing animals, rich fields >> combined, the two halves speak to the *success of man's westward expansion and reflect the belief in Manifest Destiny* >> note: the self-portrait within the painting. Cole did not actually travel but painted in studio
George Washington. Jean-Antoine Houdon. 1788-1792 C.E. Marble. *neo-classical*
- Commissioned by the Virginia General Assembly to commemorate the USA's newly won independence from GB and GW's role in winning it - Sculpted by Houdon - famous for his sculptural portraits of important statesmen, philisohpes, etc. - who: • was chosen on advice of Thomas Jefferson • Originally planned to based the work on a drawing of GW • Travelled to USA to take actual measurements of GW & make a plaster mask of his face • Planned to dress GW in a toga, but GW insisted on being in contemporary dress (atypical for Neoclassical sculpture) - result: "nothing...could be a more perfect image than this stature of the living Washington" - Stands in contrapposto stance reminiscent of the spear bearer - Not only captures his likeness but also his dual role as a private citizen and public soldier • in military uniform • Holds a gentleman's walking an, stands in front of a plow (general, common farmer | "beating swords into plowshares") • Sword hands by his side • Leans on a fasces, a bundle or rods that: — represented power and the rule of law in Ancient Rome — Total of 13 rods refers to the 13 states of the USA >> *Overall effect: GE is a modern day Cincinnatus who resigned his power and returned to a peaceful, civilian life on the farm*
Salons
-gathering of Enlightenment thinkers and philosophers, particularly in France
History Painting
A genre of painting considered by the art academies of Europe to be the highest genre. They often depicted historical events to convey a moral lesson (ex: the death of General Wolfe)
Polyptych
A multi-paneled art
Genre Painting
A scene from everyday life
Diptych
A two-paneled art
English Palladian Style
An architectural style that applied classical principles to a country manor house design - first used by Palladio - inspired Jefferson to design Monticello
Hudson River School
An art school in the U.S. led by Thomas Cole, the painter of The Oxbow
The Acadamy
An elite group of artists in any country
Grand Tour
An intelectual tour through the great classical cities of Europe, particularly Athens and Rome, that greatly inspired artists to begin the Neoclassical movement.
Palace of Westminster (House of Parliament). London, England. Charles Barry and Augustus W. N. Pugin (architects). 1840-1870 C.E. Limestone masonry and glass. *romanticism*
Designed by Pugin and Barry who won a design competition after the original building burned down in 1834 Seat of England's parliament Style: - plan is classical (Barry) - its symmetry suggests balance/equality between the House of Lords and the House of Commons - decoration is Gothic (Pugin) Based on the severe version of Gothic architecture popular in medieval England called the perpendicular style Visually coordinated with Westminster Abbey, where kings were crowned and buried Suggests Parliament is legitimate because of its ancient heritage (1st met in 1295) Recalls the spirituality, community, and hand craftsmanship of the Middle Ages versus the materialism, individualism, and machine-driven economy of the Industrial Age One of the many 19th century examples of the popularity of revival architecture ---> new buildings based on past designs that typify the nationalistic spirit of the age Big: 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases, 2 miles of hallways Exterior typical of Gothic architecture: triangular pointed roofs, lancets, etc. Interior: lancets, rib vaulting Westminster Hall: Where joint meetings of Parliament are held All that is left of original structure Central Lobby Between HOC and HOL; 4 mosaics over doorways represent different regions of the UK (England = St. George, Scotland = St. Andrew, Wales = St. David, North Ireland = St. Patrick
Linear Style
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Exemplum Virtutis
- "example of virtue" seen in every neo-classical art - presents classic, subject matter in a classical style
trompe l'oeli
- "trick of the eye" - illusionist art
Self-Portrait. Elisabeth Luise Vigee Le Brun. 1790 C.E. Oil on canvas. *rococo*
- Le Brun was the most important female artist if the 18th century; • she specializes in aristocratic portraiture BUT • is hard to categorize b/c her career was long, interests varied • Success reflects the emergence of a women's rights movement based on Enlightenment principles (among 1st women allowed into a French Academy/painter's guild) - one of 40~ idealized self-portraits - Unlike most Rococo portraits, work is informal and spontaneous, like portraits in Netherlands - The background painting is of Marie Antoinette, a former patroness, who she paints from memory as the French Revolution was already underway >> compare w/Madam Bourgeret by Boucher
Triptych
- 3 paneled art often used as altar pieces
A Philosopher Giving a Lecture at the Orrery. Joseph Wright of Derby. 1763-1765 C.E. Oil on canvas. *enlightenment art in England*
- An expression of the Enlightenment idea that empirical observation grounded in science and reason could best advance society - Artist influenced by the Lunar Society of Birmingham, which met to discuss scientific topics of the day - Content: • Orrery = model of the planets & their orbits • Lecturer in red = Isaac Newton(?) • Student taking notes • Listener captivated by lecture • Kids in quiet contemplation - work's influences: • mimics history paintings (considered by the art academies as the highest genre) that taught moral lessons >> but here, the moral is the pursuit of scientific knowledge • Mimics religious art in its use of tenebroso and its "sacred arrangement" of people around Jesus/Mary >> but here, the central figure is the orrery not Jesus, and we are being converted to science, not Christianity >> figures are "enlightened" by science
Characteristics of The Rococo
- Rococo is from the French word rocaille, a reference to the "pebbles" and small shells that ornamented interiors - associated with the reign of King Louis XVth of France(1715-1760) but falls out of favor with the advent of the French Revolution - the style reflects the re-emergence of aristocratic power and privilege in France following the death of the Sun King, Louis XIV. Characteristics: Style 1) light, pastel colors 2) painterly, Rubeniste style (loose brushwork) 3) beautiful people pursuing pleasureful things in beautiful outdoor settings = fetes galantes Mood 1) light-hearted 2) sensual 3) playful 4) self-indulgent 5) frivolous 6) erotic >> all the things nobles aspired to be >> How different from the Baroque?
1815AD - 1848AD
- Romantic Art - reaction to Neo-Classicism - 1848 = year of Revolutions
Rationalism
- use of reason to discover the truth
Oil
- used to shows high amounts of detail
Engraving + Burnin and Intaglio
- way of making a print - iron tool called burin carves impressions on metal material called intaglio - ink pressed into engraving crevices - more durable than painting
Monticello. Virginia, U.S. Thomas Jefferson (architect). 1768-1809 C.E. Brick, glass, stone, and wood. *neo-classical*
- Monticello = "Little mountain" - Designed by Thomas Jefferson to serve as his home - TJ had no formal training but read about Ren and classical design Version 1: - Begun during colonial period - Based on English Palladian style - Palladio = influential late Ren. architect who 1st applied classical principles to country manor house design • E.g., on a hill not next to a river, unlike most plantation • 2 porticos (outside patio) + 2 terraces provide multiple views of estate Version 2: - begin after independence and TJ's stint as a diplomat in Paris - Based on French and Roman architecture - 2x bigger than before - 2 stories appear as one from outside façade (balustrade = railing hides second story) - Octagonal dome (3rd floor) - Portico with doric columns - Brick - Stucco lends the appearance of marble - Symmetrical interior - Central axis = space for entertainment - Wings = private space for study, sleep - Narrow spiral staircases, beds on alcoves -> maximize space in home - Brick, nails, etc. made on site >> TJ embraced (French) Neo-classicism so as to *promote the classical ideals of democracy, education, rationalism, and civic responsibility in the USA* >> *TJ popularized the neo-classical style on the USA (replacing the Dutch baroque style)*
1789AD - 1815AD
- Neoclassical Art - Reaction to Rococo - 1815 is defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo
Portrait of Sor Juana Indes de la Cruz. Migual Cabrera. 1750 C.E. Oil on canvas. *art of the Americas*
- Painting of a scholarly nun of St. Jerome regarded as the 1st feminist of the Americas - Posthumous -> artists based her image on other portraits - Seated at desk w/book by St. Jerome, the namesake of her religious order >> inspired by traditional depictions of St. Jerome himself - Like traditional nun portraits: • she is dressed in a habit • She wears an escuda de monja or "nun's badge" around neck (w/image of annunciation) • She holds a rosary - unlike traditional nun portraits: • she gazes directly at the viewer -> she is confident and assertive • She is surrounded by books on philosophy, biology, etc. reflecting here interests in scholarly pursuits • Quills and ink well testify to her own scholarly writings >> Note: Becoming a nun was one of the few avenues women in the Americas had to pursue a life of scholarship and influence
Pope Julius II
- Patron of many artworks and is one of the "Renaissance Popes" commonly associated with caring about art more than leading the Church - Patron of School of Athens which shows Julius' "vision of a new, worldwide church based on humanistic ideas" - Patron of Sistine Chapel new ceiling done by Michelangelo
Characteristics of Neoclassicism
- Presents classical subject matter (historical or mythological) in a classical style for the purpose of conveying an exemplum virtutis ("example of virtue") - arose in reaction against the frivolity of the Rococo - popular due in part to: * the Grand Tour * the excavation of Pompeii * Reflections on the Imitation of Greek Works by the first modern art historian Johan Joachim Winckelmann Characteristics: - subject matter: heroic, mythological - themes: patriotism, self-sacrifice, honor, courage, duty etc. - style: linear (clean lines, clear outline, distinct forms, no brushstrokes) - stable composition w/horizontals and verticals - severe, simple, masculine
Characteristics of 18th century English Art
- Reacts against the social basis for the Rococo (power and privilege based on mere tradition) arises due to: * the continued growth of a middle-class or bourgeoisie * the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason and merit as a basis for progress >>Thus arose a desire to create a new society is coupled with a desire for a new kind of art promoting morality - Even when the Rococo was at its height, bourgeoisie patrons were instead supporting artists who chose: * to depict the respectable, dignified, hard-working people of the middle class, * to return to painting actual places and the real appearance of nature * to use a more spontaneous, natural (less artificial, less posed) mode of presentation, and * to use a darker, more "sensible" somber color palette.
Characteristic of Renaissance Art
- Realistic - Naturalism - Linear Perspective - Humanism - Individualism - Balanced Composition w/ geometric arrangements - Light and shadowing - Classicism
1715AD - 1789AD
- Rococo in upper class - Enlightenment Art in middle class - 1715 is King Louis XV - 1789 is French Revolution
The Venetian Style
- Venetian artists more interested in secular subject matter, beautiful and evocative natural setting, off-center focal points, warm gold/red/green colors, and pendants to balance off-center focal points
Vitruvius and de Architectura
- Vitruvius was a Roman architect who based his plans on highly geometric ideas - Vitruvius' "de Architectura" heavily influenced Alberti in the making of the Palazzo Rucellai
Orrery
- a model of the universe used by professors and lecturers in the 1700 - 1800s
Figural Pyramid
- a type of arrangement of figures used during the Renaissance that had groups of people arranged in ways that made their outline look triangular
Sfumato
- a type of style seen in Da Vinci paintings where haziness is used - Mona Lisa smile good example
Chiaroscuro
- a type of style used in Da Vinci paintings that is stark contrast between black and white
Humanism
- an interest in and appreciation of man and his environment - worldly and spiritual matters important
Grecia Maniera
- another name for Byzantine art style - symmetrical - frontal - linear (floating figures) - iconic imagery - gold - down-pointed feet - isocephalic
Rusticated Walls
- brick starts looking more and more rough as you go down the wall
Pompeii
- city buried under ash by Mount Vesuvius erupting and was uncovered to influence neo-classicism - where most of out hints at what Roman life was like come from
Donatello Bramante
- father of Renaissance sculpture - may have been homosexual due to his portrayal of David
Characteristics of Romanticism
- flourished between 1800 and 1848 - arose in reaction against the extreme rationalism of the Enlightenment & Neoclassicism Characteristics/themes - feeling > reason - imagination > reality - transcendental landscapes (represent union of soul & nature) - exotic settings - erotic - the sublime (terror + awe) - nationalistic Style - loose, fluid brushwork - strong chiaroscuro - strong colors - expressive poses and gestures
Classicism
- glorifying all things Greek and Roman
Linear Perspective
- illusion of depth on a two-dimensional surface using a vanishing point, horizon line, and disappearing lines
Woodcut
- made like engraving but intaglio is wood - adv: easier to work with - disadvantage: not as durable
Surface Realism
- more common in Northern Renaissance where things portrayed more symbolically rather than 3-D
Fresco
- painting on wet plaster where plaster dries onto wall (becoming part of wall)
Bourgeoisie
- people of the middle class
Neo-Platonism
- philosophy where the contemplation of physical beauty leads to the understanding of divine beauty
Tempera
- pigment + egg yolk
Sibyl
- prophetess
Renaissance
- the "rebirth" of - happened in Italy b/c of large middle class, cross-cultural contact, and political freedom - revival of humanism, rationalism, and idealism
Masaccio
- the artistic heir to Giotto whose works inspired Lippi
Slave Ship (Slavers Throwing Overboard the Dead and Dying, Typhoon Coming On). Joseph Mallord William Turner. 1840 C.E. Oil on canvas. *romanticism*
By J.M. Turner, whose extreme painterly style and interest in dramatic light effects influenced the rise of impressionism Story? (A British slaver named the Zong was off the coast of Jamaica after a successful routine trip to Africa, and suddenly several slaves began to die at an unusual rate. Seeing he had a business problem on his hands, he selected slaves to throw overboard to account for the losses in hopes of getting insurance. 132 African men, women, and children were thrown overboard, their hands and feet fettered, and drowned in the shark-infested waters. This incident caused countless British people to begin campaigning against the slave trade in Britain.) How was it critically received? (At first people ridiculed Turner for his style, title, and subject matter) Of what historic significance is the story? (It marks the beginning of a massive movement against the slave trade in Great Britain) How nature depicted? (Powerful, feverish, apocalyptic) How "true?" (Depicts the massacre of over 100 innocent slaves; sharks were present when slaves thrown over) Source of optimism/redemption? (The incident of the Zong would be remembered and used to fuel backlash against the slave trade; God seems to intervene with beam of light in the center in order to make sure that the slaves' death would mean something) How does form match the message? (Turner uses loose brushstrokes and lots of colors to communicate that because of the Zong incident, slavery would ultimately end.)
Italian vs. Northern Renaissance
Italian Renaissance: - in Italy - patrons = middle class - subject matter: more classical - media: tempera and frescoes - style: emphasis on 3D forms and scientific perspective Northern Renaissance: - in Flanders, England, France, and the HRE - patrons = royalty - subject matter: scenes from everyday life; Christian scenes - media: oil paints, woodcuts and engravings - style: emphasis on minute detail and surface realism
Odalisque
Prostitue from the Middle East
Medici Family
Revolutionary family of Italy during the early Renaissance, very wealthy and commissioned many works like David and Birth of Venus
Orientalism
Western obsession with the exotic Far East
The Oath of the Horatii. Jacques-Louis David. 1784 C.E. Oil on canvas. *neo-classical*
When exhibited? (1785) What ancient story does it tell? (Warfare between Rome and Alba) What oath do the brothers take? (They will fight to the death for their city) What is the source? (Livy and other Roman historical sources) What exemplum virtutis is on display? (Willingness to die for one's country) How is the event tragic for the women, in particular for one of the sisters? (One woman will lose either her husband, who is one of the Curiatii, or her brother) How a commentary on issues in France? (It asserts that sacrifice is needed for change in France) How different from the Rococo/how Neo-classical? (Displays an exemplum virtutis and portrays figures based on Roman sculpture and friezes) * Is it linear or painterly? (Linear) * Is it rational or emotional in its effect? (Rational) Where is the focal point? (Where the hands and the swords meet) How are males contrasted with females? (Males are angular forms; females are curved and soft forms) Who commissioned it? (King Louis XVI) Where first shown? (A salon in France during the Enlightenment) >> note how style of painting contributes to the message
