15th Century Northern Painting As Renaissance example essay topic

The Renaissance was a rebirth of cultural awareness and learning that took place during 1400-1500. Art became a branch of learning during the Renaissance. It was a period of time when art was very important. Artists had finally recaptured the amazing detail and realism that the Greeks and Romans perfected. Artists broke boundaries with new exciting mediums and bright colors. Filippo Brunelleschi permitted artists to decide the proportional size of a figure by inventing the vanishing point perspective.

This made it possible to put everything into perfect proportion. Many elderly people are found in the paintings. Such as Man in a Red Turban on page 270 fig. 15.34 or online at web Renaissance symbolizes the period of European history at the close of the Middle Ages and the development of the Modern world. Early Renaissance, mostly in Italy, links the art period during the fifteenth century, between the Middle Ages and the High Renaissance in Italy. It was commonly known that Renaissance developed in Northern Europe later, in 16th century.

The rebirth is used to mark an era of extensive cultural achievement as a result of renewed interest in the classical art and ideas of Ancient Greece and Rome. The most important idea of rebirth stays with the belief that through learning of intellectual and artistic treasures of the Greco-Roman antiquity could reach the artistic greatness, wisdom and enlightenment. The rediscovery of classical world drastically changed the art of painting. By the year 1500, the Renaissance revived ancient forms and content. The spiritual content of painting changed - subjects from Roman history and mythology were borrowed. Devotional art of Christian orientation became classically humanized.

As in the Holy Trinity on page 248 15.11 or online at web Classical artistic principles, including harmonious parts, sensible expressions, and logical postures were followed. Two regions of Western Europe were mainly active during this artistic period. These were Flanders and Italy. Although the portrait also developed as a specific type in the mid-15th century, Renaissance painters reached the greatest freedom with history, pictures that located figures within a landscape or an architectural setting out of a specific story.

These stories were taken either from classical mythology or Christian tradition. Within such a background, the painter was able to show men, women, and children in a full range of postures and poses, as well as their different emotional reactions and situations. The rebirth of art in Italy was associated with the rediscovery of ancient philosophy, literature, and science and the growth of practical methods of study in these fields. Therefore material subject matter became increasingly important to artists. With the revived interest in antiquity came a new collection of subjects drawn from Greek and Roman history and mythology. Like the Ma esta shown on page 232 14.9 or online at web The types provided by ancient buildings and works of art also encouraged the development of new artistic techniques and the need to re-create the forms and styles of classical art.

Such as the Bran acci Chapel on page 249 fig 15.12 or online at web Crucial to the development of Renaissance art was the emergence of the artist as a creator, sought after and respected for his intellect and imagination. Art became respected as a means for religious and social teaching, and a form of personal, visual expression. Although the progression of Italian Renaissance art was a continuous process, it was usually divided into three major phases: Early, High, and Late Renaissance. The last phase has been the subject of complicated interpretations that recognize many opposing and comparing trends. Some researchers date the beginning of the Italian Renaissance from the appearance of Giotto di Bond one in the early 14th century. Madonna and Child can be seen at web Or figures 14.2 and 14.3 on pages 224 & 225.

Others regard his impressive achievements in naturalistic art as an separate trend. According to the second view, the constant development of Renaissance style began with the generation of artists active in Florence at the beginning of the 15th century. The Italian renaissance suggests the rebirth of painting. It doesn't suggest that all the developments of painting came from this period.

However, the masters learned to blend new and old. The list of artists who played a part in the progress in painting is as varied as the paintings. Many of the new renaissance artists were trained in the Florence of Italy. This period didn't regard artists as artisans as in the past, but were now considered independent characters. Masaccio made notable advances in the styles of paintings such as perspective, space, and surrounding his subjects in light and air.

As shown in St. Giovenale Triptych The next great step was in the mellowness and richness of colors used by Bellini. The complex strokes of color make the surrounding light and air almost inseparable from the figures. Bellini was a great artist and teacher who brought Venetian art onto the scene to the point that it was at the forefront of the Renaissance. The Painter Sandro Botticelli comes along as the next great painter after Masaccio.

When you look at the painting Primavera 1482, you see the new, sharply contoured, slender form and rippling sinuous line that is synonymous with Botticelli. In the painting Botticelli catches the freshness of an early spring morning, with the pale light shining through the tall, straight trees, already laden with their golden fruit. The two paintings that are said to epitomize the renaissance are the Mona Lisa (1503-06) and the Last Supper (1495-97) by the master Leonardo da Vinci who was the elder of the Florentine masters. The observation of nature, firsthand investigations, and experimentation is what set him apart from his peers early on. The art of perspective was used extensively by Florentine artist Paolo U cello and this was shown very well in his painting The Hunt in the Forest, 1460's.

The painting shows how well he used perspective the way everything in it is organized upon a distant and almost unseen stag, a vanishing stag: the vanishing point. The art of perspective is the representation of solid objects and three-dimensional space in accordance with our optical perception of these things. We actually see the world in perspective the way things get smaller as they are farther away. During the Renaissance northern Italy was one of the wealthiest regions in Europe. Genoa and Venice both had populations of around 100,000 by 1400 and were the main centers of trade. Florence, with a population of 55,000 was the center for manufacture and distribution.

The renaissance continued with many great painters improving the different styles and colors in the fantastic world of painting and art. ' [T] he rise of humanism did not signify a decline in the importance of Christian belief' (275 Stokstad). Mythological and secular subject matter was prevalent, but religious imagery still dominated Renaissance art. The Renaissance brought together Classicism and Christianity in painting, sculpture and especially in architecture. Filippo Brunelleschi's Church of San Lorenzo was built using Classical columns and arches, and a flat ceiling, like that of a Roman basilica. Interest in depicting the natural world led to the development of linear and atmospheric perspective.

Principal features of Early Renaissance art include an interest in realistically portraying space, to the extent of illusionism, as in Pietro Perugino's Delivery of the Keys to Saint Peter, or in Masaccio's fresco in Santa Maria Novella, Trinity with the Virgin, Saint John the Evangelist, and Donors. For two thousand years Western Civilisation has produced some of the most magnificent and awe-inspiring works of art. From the mythological heavens of the early Greeks to the christian heavens of Papal sixteenth century Italy, art reveals the spiritual, political and ideological growth of mankind. Our exhibition takes the beholder on a trip though time. You will see the representation of the human body in Western Art has been greatly varied for the purpose and suitability to the reflection of time.

The body changes from the idealized of Ancient Greek and Rome to the stylized of Byzantine. From the lack of form and perspective to the naturalism of High Renaissance. From the contorted shapes of the Mannerisms to the realism of the Flemish parlour. From the walls of the catacomb to the ceilings of a magnificent cathedral. Painters, sculptors and architects have visually portrayed, through the human form, the ideals of the people and nations, the influence of the church and the power of politics. The beholder then as now has true ly been treated to 'Heaven on Earth'.

Continuing the development from the Romanesque period, architectural engineers introduced the flying buttress to increase the space and light within the interiors. Architectural details and structural uses are the same as the Romanesque period, yet the combination and reformatting of these gave the different structural effect. This quintessential Gothic feature development coincided with a large growth period that covered the twelfth and thirteenth century. The architecture reflected a geometric relationship that could be multiplied and divided throughout out the plan. Gothic architecture became on the first international styles that later developed into stylistic and regional difference. Gothic architecture permeated into the secular level as well.

Castles became fortified with keeps, great halls, baileys, and personal chapels. These arrangements and defensive nature of these compounds reflected the social upheaval of the times. Sculpture and stained glass were the main forms of architectural decoration within the church. As Abbot Super, the father of the Gothic style stated that, 'light and color as a means of illumination the soul and uniting it with God. ' (Pg. 235) The stained glass displayed to the view the amount of wealth of the congregation and, taught lessons of the bible. The development and emphasis on large open space transformed the function of the walls into display cases of stain glass.

Lancets, rose windows and, the clerestory all evolved with the refinement of stain glass techniques. Sculpture reflected religious instruction for the crusaders and pilgrims that also aimed at the emotions of these travelers. High relief sculptures were integrated within the architecture. This can mainly be seen it the portals and, the columns. Figures are described as emotionally restrained, graceful, elongated with delicate features. Independent sculptures increased during this period for either personal uses or to donate to chapels.

Characteristic features of these statues are the S-shaped curve of the figures. Books and paintings contained many of the same stylistic qualities. Manuscripts grew in demand with the popular Book of Hours. In these illustrations figures are shown in the S-shaped curve and are usually elongated with the modeling of garments to show volume. Paintings consisted of altarpieces and fresco's. Altarpieces were usually large scale on wood with a 'softened Italo-Byzantine figure style.

' (Pg. 247) Iconography images still remained the most popular subjects. Vanishing points became more important with the spatial awareness. Light and shadow are seen in the figures clothing, which are usually in a symmetrical composition and hierarchical scale. The fifteenth century marked a new age as humanist thought began to spread throughout Europe. The re-birth or Renaissance of culture lead to significant developments in art. Such as linear perspective, single vanishing point, atmospheric perspective, accurate portrays of the human body, and individualism of figures in the composition.

Paintings began to have contemporary settings, with every day objects, which were seen as symbolic religious symbols. Patrons of pieces were often portrayed in the same setting and, often at the same scale as saints. Humanist thought with the continued strong religious beliefs made the Deposition on of the most popular depictions for art. This was because artist could perfect new techniques of perspective, studies of the human body and, depict emotion in the figures. Italian painters accomplished the integration of humans and architecture within rational spaces by carefully studying perspective. Framework surrounding the figures gave an accurate portrayal of logical space and scale.

Later works demonstrated the combination of linear, atmospheric perspectives with figures set in architectural and landscaped settings. This is successfully done by three-dimensional forms and space stressed in the painting. Subjects of paintings began to diverse into mythological subjects due to the study of classical texts. Complex symbolism grew from paintings to illuminations of manuscripts and tapestries. Major applications to these mediums became the attention to detail, the use of a horizon line, a mixture of humans and animals. Printmaking also developed the late fourteenth century with engraving and woodcuts.

These prints allowed more common people own art due to substantial cost difference of a painting. Textiles, including tapestries not only became portable signs of wealth, but they contained the heat within a room and made the interior living quarters more bearable. Sculpture also further developed with the increasing accuracy of the human body portrayed. Idealized figures with the 'classic tradition of heroic nudity' are commonly depicted. Artist began to look into the classical world form inspiration. Early Renaissance architecture is characterized by the heavy influence of mathematics to derive plans and constructions.

Reference to the classical world is seen with the use of orders, symmetry and restraint. Interiors began to depict the mathematical units used by the clear indications of space. The scale of the buildings began to be on a more human scale with flat ceilings opposed to the Gothic style. While the early Italian Renaissance broke all tradition with Gothic style during the 15th century, it was a different story on the other side of the Alps. Due to a host of social and political reasons including the Reformation (see History 1400-1600), the North never really abandoned the Gothic style... it held on to it, taking bits and pieces as it moved toward a more dramatic stylistic change later on during the next century. Many art historians even refuse to refer to 15th century Northern painting as 'Renaissance,' by calling the period 'Late Gothic' instead.

However, while the jury is still out on this one, I will simply refer to all Northern painting during the 15th century as 'Northern Renaissance,' implying that the growth of style was not as clear cut or as speedy as it was in the South. There are a few quick and easy ways to recognize Northern Renaissance works of art (although they are not by any means complete, and the rules are not always followed) and to tell it apart from that of the South. In general, Northern Renaissance painting has the following characteristics: Highly Realistic - There is almost no abstraction or distortion of either human forms or objects in Northern Renaissance art. Extremely Detailed - Every detail, no matter how small, is painstakingly painted. Symbolism - Objects are often used as symbols that carry hidden meanings. Un idealized Figures - Human figures are totally un idealized.

They often look thin and pale. There is almost no Classical influence here at all. Printmaking - The use of woodcut becomes a common way to produce images. The painting above, The Me rode Altarpiece (c. 1425), by Robert Camp in, shows many of theses characteristics.

It is typical of the style of painting we see coming out of the Netherlands during this time, which is commonly referred to as 'Flemish painting. '.