The Meaning of the Word
Almost all of us will be familiar with the word 'Renaissance', and we are familiar with some of the artists of the era, but what exactly happened to art during this period? The term 'Renaissance' is a french term meaning 'rebirth'. The original term was the Italian 'rinascita', and indeed it was in Italy where the major artistic developments that make up what is now considered the Renaissance occurred. Artists along with most members of society during the late fifteenth and sixteenth centuries were conscious of a change in their surroundings. A new philosophy called 'Humanism' had developed in Italy, which espoused that the world was created exclusively for humans, not for the pleasure of God, it's creator. This philosophy also taught that the human body was the outward expression of God's perfection, and that intelligence was limitless, and as such both should be glorified. Art was used to do just this, and artists used the classical style of Greece and Rome to portray this ideology in sculpture, architecture and painting.
The Spread of Humanism and the Arts
Around 1450, Gutenberg developed the printing press, and the humanist ideas that had previously been transmitted orally or through a painstakingly slow copying process spread from Italy throughout Europe. With this information spread the artistic styles of the Renaissance as well, but the major developments of this era were still to occur within Italy, and in particular within Florence. Florence was an economic stronghold, its leaders, the Medici were wealthy wool merchants and bankers, who embraced the new philosophy and supported artists and their visions. Hence, patronage for the arts shifted away from the church to be balanced by private individuals. Artists, because of the increased demand for their services, became wealthier and of greater social stature and influence. It is largely because of the patronage of wealthy families that we know so much about the artists of this era. It is also because of patronage and the virtual explosion in demand for the arts that artists in this era became so educated. It was not uncommon for an artist of this time to be the most respected member of a Prince's or Doge's court, and for an artist to possess superior knowledge of not only art, but of science, mathematics, philosophy and very often warfare, as well.
Leo and Mike
Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarotti
Two of the most influential and famous artists of all time perfected their art during the Renaissance. Leonardo was born in Italy in 1452, Michelangelo in 1475. Between the two, they contributed more to arts and science than any artist previous to them, or arguably, since.
The Renaissance man - Leonardo da Vinci
Da Vinci was a master of not only painting, but mathematics, engineering, music, physics, botany, anatomy, geology, geography, aerodynamics, sculpture and architecture. He left over 10,000 pages of drawings, with accompanying notes demonstrating his left-hand reversed writing techniques. What does the above illustration suggest?
DaVinci was a master of painting, a form of art which he considered superior to all others. To paint is all, he said, to sculpt is simply to copy nature. In the above study (and over 20 more that he produced prior to completing the final painting) Leonardo demonstrates his use of one-point perspective, a technique that had been developed only a few decades previous by another artist. What purpose does DaVinci's use of perspective serve?
Leonardo painted one of his masterpieces on an interior wall using an experimental mixture of oil and tempera paint. 'The Last Supper' consequently started to deteriorate almost as soon as Leonardo was finished painting it. Despite it's poor condition, it has been considered one of the most successful paintings of al time. What do you feel is important about this piece? What techniques did the artist use?
At the age of just 14, Michelangelo produced the early masterpiece shown above. Michelangelo had left home at the age of 7 and immediately began to study the art of sculpture. In his teens he was accepted to study fresco under a master painter named Ghirlandaio, and was later virtually adopted by the Medici family as a favorite son and court artist. What strengths do you see in this early work? How would you respond to it if it was presented to you as a grade 9 drawing assignment?
Michelangelo quickly became a favorite sculptor to the Popes of the age, and was commissioned to produce many pieces for the church. The Pieta above is a prime example of the church's patronage. What do you think pieta means? Where would this sculpture have been placed? Even though the proportions have been distorted by Michelangelo for the sake of the overall dramatic effect of the piece, the piece still appears totally natural and realistic. What accounts for this?
Michelangelo's David (1504) and Moses (1515), Florence, Italy.
Previous to Leonardo, both doctors and artists alike knew very little about the anatomy of the human body. The illustration on the left is from a 14th century physician's handbook. How does Leonardo's drawing on the right compare to the earlier medical illustration? How would he have gained such a detailed knowledge of the human form? How would this have helped him in his art, as well as his other endeavours?
DaVinci's Adoration of the Magi - study for the final painting, c. 1485
DaVinci's Last Supper, c. 1495, Italy.
DaVinci's Mona Lisa, c. 1505, Italy.
One of the most famous and intriguing paintings of all time is the tiny Mona Lisa, a portrait DaVinci supposedly painted of the wife of one of his friends. In this painting (only 53 x 77 cm), Leonardo perfected two painting techniques called Sfumato and Chiaroscuro. Can you guess as to what these two terms refer to?
Michelangelo
Michelangelo, Madonna of the Stairs, 1489
Michelangelo, The Pieta, c.1500, Rome.
Michelangelo produced many sculptures during his lifetime, two of the most famous are depicted above. The block of marble that the David was eventually carved from was already famous before Michelangelo began to carve it. 'The Giant' as it was dubbed, was one of the largest intact blocks of marble to be quarried near Florence, standing a towering 4.5 metres high in its rough form. Michelangelo attacked the marble in the same manner as Native American sculptors, by first envisioning the figure inside the stone from all views. How does the David appear to you? How would you describe him to a friend who had never seen the sculpture?
Shortly after it's completion, Michelangelo was called away to Rome under the patronage of Pope Julius II where he was commissioned to construct a massive tomb involving 40 sculptures for the warrior Pope. The figure of Moses was only one of 3 sculptures completed for this purpose. Do you know why Michelangelo stopped carving for Pope Julius II?
Michelangelo, Detail from the Sistine Ceiling, The Creation of Man, c. 1510.
Pope Julius II decided that Michelangelo was taking too long to create his tomb, and instead commissioned him to paint the ceiling of his personal chapel, called the Sistine. This chapel was 40 metres in length, and Michelangelo worked diligently to finish this huge undertaking for four years. In 1512 he finally completed his masterpiece, the largest painting that any human had ever undertaken, much to the approval of his patron. Tweny four years later, while Michelangelo was working on the completion of St. Peter's in Rome, he was called back to the Sistine Chapel by Pope Clement VII to paint the entire end wall with a last judgement scene. Michelangelo continued to paint and sculpt into his late eighties. When he died, one of the most respected men in Europe, he was said to have been sorrowful for only having begun to learn the 'alphabet' of his art.
