World History II

Arts of the Renaissance

Preface: Art of the Middle Ages

Most of the art that was created in the Middle Ages was funded by the Church, and made for public spaces

Sculpture was the primary form of ‘fine art”

Stained glass artistry came with the large and high cathedral windows of Gothic Architecture

Most of the visual art, as with writing, was created by monks

Conscripted labor performed the heaviest and most dangerous tasks in building the monuments of the age

Skilled stone masons were highly valued

Needlework was largely the province of women, often nuns

Sant' Apollinare Nuovo:interior, detail of N. wall of nave showing mosaic of the Three Magi, ca. first quarter of 6th century Ravenna, Italy

Cimabue“The Santa Trinita Madonna”

c1260/80 Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

Simone Martini, ‘Christ discovered in the Temple’, 1342. Liverpool, The Walker Art Gallery.

Chartres Cathedral:exterior, view from SE. showing towers of West front (begun mid-12th century; N.spire added 1507-1514)

Renaissance is a period during the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries of revival in classical learning characterized by a sharp increase in secular values and increased interest in learning the classics. The forms and values of antiquity are held in highest esteem.

The spirit of the Renaissance is reflected in Humanism, an intellectual movement initiated by secular men of letters during the fifteenth century. Humanism focused on developing the full potential of man. This included not only the traditional virtues of love and honor but also virtues such as judgment, prudence and eloquence. The effect of Humanism was to inspire men to abandon the traditional values of the Medieval Period and bring about new thought and creations.

Humanism

Human nature is the primary study (as opposed to the Medieval value of religion)

Emphasized the Dignity of Man and his potential to master nature over the medieval value of penitence and forgiveness.

Looked to the rebirth of the human spirit and wisdom over time.

Pico della Mirandola and Oration on the Dignity of ManAt last the best of artisans ordained that the creature to whom He had been able to give nothing proper to himself should have joint possession of whatever had been peculiar to each of the different kinds of being. He therefore took man as a creature of indeterminate nature and, assigning him a place in the middle of the world, addressed him thus: “We have made you neither of Heaven nor of earth, neither mortal nor immortal, so that with freedom of choice and with honor, as though the maker and molder of yourself, you may fashion yourself in whatever shape you shall prefer. You shall have the power to degenerate into the lower forms of life, which are brutish. You shalt have the power out of your soul’s judgment, to be reborn into the high forms, which are divine.

O Supreme generosity of God the Father, O highest and most marvelous felicity of man! To him it is granted to have whatever he chooses, to be whatever he wills. Beast as soon as they are born bring with them from their mother’s womb all they will ever possess. Spiritual beings, either from the beginning or soon thereafter, become what they are to be for ever and ever. On man when he came into life the Father conferred the seeds of all kinds and the germs of every way of life. Whatever seeds each man cultivates will grow to maturity and bear in him their own fruit. If they be vegetative, he will be like a plant. If sensitive, he will become brutish. If rational, he will grow into a heavenly being. If intellectual, he will be an angel and the son of God.

Characteristics of Renaissance Art

Art as Philosophy: Symbols, structure, posture, color as a means to determine a realistic portrayal of people and places.

Individualism: Portrays the person as they are in an effort to describe their maximum or true potential

Classical: Classical forms and realistic technique.

Realism: Realistic portrayal of artistic styles. Mastered perspective and anatomy as a means to achieve realism.

Renaissance Artists

Writers

Dante Allegheri

Divine Comedy: Traces a journey from Hell into the light of Heaven. Dante is led on this journey by Virgil, a Roman poet who embodies all knowledge.

Dante’s Inferno

Petrarch

Known for his sonnets of love, particularly to his love, Laura. His work is considered to be the "perfected" Italian sonnet.He was absorbed with the classics and introduced them to his contemporaries, championing the use of modern languages along with knowledge of the ancient ones “Father of Humanism”

The Ascent of Mount Ventoux To-day I made the ascent of the highest mountain in this region, which is not improperly called Ventosum. My only motive was the wish to see what so great an elevation had to offer. I have had the expedition in mind for many years; for, as you know, I have lived in this region from infancy, having been cast here by that fate which determines the affairs of men. Consequently the mountain, which is visible from a great distance, was ever before my eyes, and I conceived the plan of some time doing what I have at last accomplished to-day. The idea took hold upon me with especial force when, in re-reading Livy's History of Rome, yesterday, I happened upon the place where Philip of Macedon, the same who waged war against the Romans, ascended Mount Haemus in Thessaly, from whose summit he was able, it is said, to see two seas, the Adriatic and the Euxine. Whether this be true or false I have not been able to determine, for the mountain is too far away, and writers disagree. Pomponius Mela, the cosmographer - not to mention others who have spoken of this occurrence - admits its truth without hesitation; Titus Livius, on the other hand, considers it false. I, assuredly, should not have left the question long in doubt, had that mountain been as easy to explore as this one.

ErasmusHe reflects the humanist desire to draw on all wisdom to create new works. “Praise of Folly’ is one of his best-known works. In this work he is critical of the form (but not the values) of the Church of the time.

“Those who are the the closest to these [the theologians] in happiness are generally called “the religious” or “monks”, both of which are deceiving names since for the most part they stay as far away from religion as possible and frequent every sort of place. I cannot, however, see how any life could be more gloomy than the life of these monks if I [Folly] did not assist them in many ways.”

Machiavelli

The Prince: Political satire. Develops the issue of political ethics through exploring such questions as “do the ends justify the means” and “is it safer to be feared or to be loved”?

“The Prince”That Which Concerns a Prince on the Subject of the Art of WarThe Prince ought to have no other aim or thought, nor select anything else for his study, than war and its rules and discipline; for this is the sole art that belongs to him who rules, and it is of such force that it not only upholds those who are born princes, but it often enables men to rise from a private station to that rank. And, on the contrary, it is seen that when princes have thought more of ease than of arms they have lost their states. And the first cause of your losing it is to neglect this art; and what enables you to acquire a state is to be master of the art. Francesco Sforza, though being martial, from a private person became Duke of Milan; and the sons, through avoiding the hardships and troubles of arms, from dukes became private persons. For among other evils which being unarmed brings you, it causes you to be despised, and this is one of those ignominies against which a prince ought to guard himself, as is shown later on.

Chaucer

Made use of the English vernacular in his book The Canterbury Tales. Tells the stories of people traveling to Thomas a Becket's grave in Canterbury. It is important because the book allows us to see the spectrum of classes in England during the fifteenth century.

Renaissance Artists

Painters/ Sculptors

Italian Renaissance

Frequently artists were patronized by the religious leaders of the time; Italian Renaissance art is often characterized by religious themes.Frescoes: paintings done on fresh, wet plaster with water-based pigments. (Example: Sistine Chapel)Centered in Florence

Michelangelo“Portrait of Michelangelo”

Michelangelo“Creation of Man”

DaVinciThe Last Supper

DaVinciMona Lisa

Botticelli“Birth of Venus”

Raphael“School of Athens”

Northern Renaissance

Oil paint. Jan van Eyck was one of the first to use them.

Masters of painting detail.

Some of the works are deeply religious, but often patrons were merchants or town officials, so secular paintings of portraits and everyday life also developed.

Jan van Eyck“Portrait of a Man”

Jan van Eyck“Arnolfini Portrait”

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Hans Holbein, the Younger

“The Virgin and Child with the family of Burgomaster Meyer”

Pieter BreugelThe Harvesters