Art Such as This Painting by Leonardo Da Vinci Reflects Which Aspect of Renaissance Culture?

The Italian Renaissance

Learning Objectives

The fine art of the Italian Renaissance was influential throughout Europe for centuries.

Key Takeaways

Key Points

• The Florence school of painting became the dominant style during the Renaissance. Renaissance artworks depicted more secular subject matter than previous artistic movements.
• Michelangelo, da Vinci, and Rafael are among the all-time known painters of the Loftier Renaissance.
• The High Renaissance was followed past the Mannerist motion, known for elongated figures.

Primal Terms

• fresco: A type of wall painting in which color pigments are mixed with water and practical to moisture plaster. Equally the plaster and pigments dry, they fuse together and the painting becomes a part of the wall itself.
• Mannerism: A way of fine art developed at the end of the High Renaissance, characterized by the deliberate distortion and exaggeration of perspective, especially the elongation of figures.

The Renaissance began during the 14th century and remained the dominate style in Italian republic, and in much of Europe, until the 16th century. The term "renaissance" was developed during the 19th century in lodge to describe this period of time and its accompanying artistic manner. All the same, people who were living during the Renaissance did see themselves equally different from their Medieval predecessors. Through a variety of texts that survive, we know that people living during the Renaissance saw themselves as unlike largely considering they were deliberately trying to imitate the Ancients in art and architecture.

Florence and the Renaissance

When you hear the term "Renaissance" and picture a mode of art, yous are probably picturing the Renaissance mode that was developed in Florence, which became the dominate way of art during the Renaissance. During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Italia was divided into a number of different metropolis states. Each city state had its own government, civilisation, economic system, and artistic style. There were many different styles of art and architecture that were adult in Italy during the Renaissance. Siena, which was a political marry of France, for instance, retained a Gothic element to its fine art for much of the Renaissance.

Certain atmospheric condition aided the evolution of the Renaissance style in Florence during this time catamenia. In the 15th century, Florence became a major mercantile center. The production of cloth drove their economy and a merchant class emerged. Humanism, which had developed during the 14th century, remained an important intellectual motility that impacted art production also.

Early on Renaissance

During the Early Renaissance, artists began to reject the Byzantine fashion of religious painting and strove to create realism in their delineation of the human form and space. This aim toward realism began with Cimabue and Giotto, and reached its meridian in the art of the "Perfect" artists, such as Andrea Mantegna and Paolo Uccello, who created works that employed ane point perspective and played with perspective for their educated, art knowledgeable viewer.

During the Early Renaissance we also see important developments in field of study thing, in add-on to manner. While organized religion was an of import element in the daily life of people living during the Renaissance, and remained a driving factor behind artistic product, we too see a new artery open up to panting—mythological subject matter. Many scholars betoken to Botticelli'southward Birth of Venus as the very first panel painting of a mythological scene. While the tradition itself likely arose from cassone painting, which typically featured scenes from mythology and romantic texts, the evolution of mythological panel painting would open up a earth for creative patronage, production, and themes.

Birth of Venus: Botticelli'southward Birth of Venus was among the near important works of the early Renaissance.

Loftier Renaissance

The catamenia known as the High Renaissance represents the culmination of the goals of the Early Renaissance, namely the realistic representation of figures in space rendered with credible motion and in an appropriately decorous style. The most well known artists from this phase are Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian, and Michelangelo. Their paintings and frescoes are among the most widely known works of art in the globe. Da Vinci's Concluding Supper, Raphael's The School of Athens and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel Ceiling paintings are the masterpieces of this period and embody the elements of the High Renaissance.

Spousal relationship of the Virgin, past Raphael: The painting depicts a marriage anniversary between Mary and Joseph.

Mannerism

High Renaissance painting evolved into Mannerism in Florence. Mannerist artists, who consciously rebelled against the principles of High Renaissance, tended to represent elongated figures in illogical spaces. Modern scholarship has recognized the capacity of Mannerist fine art to convey strong, often religious, emotion where the High Renaissance failed to do so. Some of the main artists of this period are Pontormo, Bronzino, Rosso Fiorentino, Parmigianino and Raphael's pupil, Giulio Romano.

Art and Patronage

The Medici family unit used their vast fortune to control the Florentine political system and sponsor a series of creative accomplishments.

Learning Objectives

Discuss the relationship between art, patronage, and politics during the Renaissance

Key Takeaways

Key Points

• Although the Renaissance was underway before the Medici family came to ability in Florence, their patronage and political support of the arts helped catalyze the Renaissance into a fully fledged cultural movement.
• The Medici wealth and influence initially derived from the cloth trade guided past the society of the Arte della Lana; through fiscal superiority, the Medici dominated their city's government.
• Medici patronage was responsible for the bulk of Florentine art during their reign, as artists generally only made their works when they received commissions in advance.
• Although none of the Medici themselves were scientists, the family is well known to have been the patrons of the famous Galileo Galilei, who tutored multiple generations of Medici children.

Key Terms

• Lorenzo de' Medici: An Italian statesman and de facto ruler of the Florentine Republic, who was one of the most powerful and enthusiastic patrons of the Renaissance.
• patronage: The back up, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or private bestows on another, specially in the arts.

Overview

It has long been a matter of contend why the Renaissance began in Florence, and not elsewhere in Italy. Scholars have noted several features unique to Florentine cultural life that may have caused such a cultural movement. Many have emphasized the role played past the Medici, a banking family and later ducal ruling house, in patronizing and stimulating the arts. Lorenzo de' Medici (1449–1492) was the catalyst for an enormous amount of arts patronage, encouraging his countrymen to committee works from the leading artists of Florence, including Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, and Michelangelo Buonarroti. Works by Neri di Bicci, Botticelli, da Vinci, and Filippino Lippi had been deputed additionally by the convent di San Donato agli Scopeti of the Augustinians order in Florence.

The Medici House Patronage

The House of Medici was an Italian banking family, political dynasty, and subsequently royal house that get-go began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici in the Republic of Florence during the showtime half of the 15th century. Their wealth and influence initially derived from the textile trade guided past the guild of the Arte della Lana. Like other signore families, they dominated their metropolis's government, they were able to bring Florence under their family'south power, and they created an environs where fine art and Humanism could flourish. They, along with other families of Italy, such as the Visconti and Sforza of Milan, the Este of Ferrara, and the Gonzaga of Mantua, fostered and inspired the birth of the Italian Renaissance.

The biggest accomplishments of the Medici were in the sponsorship of art and compages, mainly early and High Renaissance art and architecture. The Medici were responsible for the majority of Florentine art during their reign. Their money was significant because during this period, artists generally just fabricated their works when they received commissions in accelerate. Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici, the first patron of the arts in the family, aided Masaccio and commissioned Brunelleschi for the reconstruction of the Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence, in 1419. Cosimo the Elder'due south notable artistic associates were Donatello and Fra Angelico. The nigh pregnant addition to the list over the years was Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564), who produced work for a number of Medici, get-go with Lorenzo the Magnificent, who was said to be extremely fond of the young Michelangelo, inviting him to study the family collection of antique sculpture. Lorenzo also served as patron of Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) for seven years. Indeed, Lorenzo was an artist in his own correct, and an author of poetry and song; his back up of the arts and letters is seen as a high point in Medici patronage.

The Medici House: Medici family members placed allegorically in the entourage of a king from the Three Wise Men in the Tuscan countryside in a Benozzo Gozzoli fresco, c. 1459.

In compages, the Medici are responsible for some notable features of Florence, including the Uffizi Gallery, the Boboli Gardens, the Belvedere, the Medici Chapel, and the Palazzo Medici. Afterwards, in Rome, the Medici Popes continued in the family tradition past patronizing artists in Rome. Pope Leo X would importantly committee works from Raphael. Pope Clement 7 commissioned Michelangelo to paint the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel simply before the pontiff's death in 1534. Eleanor of Toledo, princess of Spain and wife of Cosimo I the Swell, purchased the Pitti Palace from Buonaccorso Pitti in 1550. Cosimo in turn patronized Vasari, who erected the Uffizi Gallery in 1560 and founded the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno ("Academy of the Arts of Drawing") in 1563. Marie de' Medici, widow of Henry Iv of French republic and mother of Louis 13, is the subject of a commissioned cycle of paintings known as the Marie de' Medici cycle, painted for the Luxembourg Palace by court painter Peter Paul Rubens in 1622–1623.

Although none of the Medici themselves were scientists, the family unit is well known to have been the patrons of the famous Galileo Galilei, who tutored multiple generations of Medici children and was an important figurehead for his patron's quest for power. Galileo's patronage was somewhen abased by Ferdinando Ii when the Inquisition accused Galileo of heresy. Nevertheless, the Medici family unit did afford the scientist a safe haven for many years. Galileo named the four largest moons of Jupiter afterwards four Medici children he tutored, although the names Galileo used are not the names currently used.

Leonardo da Vinci

While Leonardo da Vinci is admired equally a scientist, an bookish, and an inventor, he is most famous for his achievements as the painter of several Renaissance masterpieces.

Learning Objectives

Describe the works of Leonardo da Vinci that demonstrate his near innovative techniques every bit an artist

Key Takeaways

Primal Points

• Among the qualities that make da Vinci'south work unique are the innovative techniques that he used in laying on the paint, his detailed cognition of anatomy, his innovative use of the man grade in figurative limerick, and his apply of sfumato.
• Amongst the almost famous works created by da Vinci is the small portrait titled the Mona Lisa, known for the elusive smiling on the woman's face, brought about by the fact that da Vinci subtly shadowed the corners of the mouth and optics and so that the exact nature of the smile cannot be adamant.
• Despite his famous paintings, da Vinci was not a prolific painter; he was a prolific draftsman, keeping journals full of small sketches and detailed drawings recording all manner of things that interested him.

Central Terms

• sfumato: In painting, the application of subtle layers of translucent paint so that there is no visible transition between colors, tones, and often objects.

While Leonardo da Vinci is profoundly admired every bit a scientist, an bookish, and an inventor, he is most famous for his achievements as the painter of several Renaissance masterpieces. His paintings were groundbreaking for a variety of reasons and his works take been imitated by students and discussed at great length by connoisseurs and critics.

Among the qualities that make da Vinci's work unique are the innovative techniques that he used in laying on the paint, his detailed noesis of anatomy, his use of the human form in figurative composition, and his utilize of sfumato. All of these qualities are present in his most celebrated works, the Mona Lisa, The Terminal Supper, and the Virgin of the Rocks.

The Virgin of the Rocks, Leonardo da Vinci, 1483–1486: This painting shows the Madonna and Child Jesus with the infant John the Baptist and an affections, in a rocky setting.

The Concluding Supper

Da Vinci's most historic painting of the 1490s is The Last Supper, which was painted for the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria della Grazie in Milan. The painting depicts the terminal meal shared by Jesus and the 12 Apostles where he announces that i of the them will betray him. When finished, the painting was acclaimed as a masterpiece of pattern. This piece of work demonstrates something that da Vinci did very well: taking a very traditional bailiwick matter, such as the Concluding Supper, and completely re-inventing it.

Prior to this moment in art history, every representation of the Last Supper followed the same visual tradition: Jesus and the Apostles seated at a table. Judas is placed on the reverse side of the table of anybody else and is effortlessly identified by the viewer. When da Vinci painted The Last Supper he placed Judas on the same side of the table as Christ and the Apostles, who are shown reacting to Jesus equally he announces that one of them will betray him. They are depicted as alarmed, upset, and trying to determine who will commit the human action. The viewer also has to decide which effigy is Judas, who will betray Christ. Past depicting the scene in this manner, da Vinci has infused psychology into the work.

Unfortunately, this masterpiece of the Renaissance began to deteriorate immediately afterward da Vinci finished painting, due largely to the painting technique that he had called. Instead of using the technique of fresco, da Vinci had used tempera over a basis that was mainly gesso in an attempt to bring the subtle furnishings of oil paint to fresco. His new technique was non successful, and resulted in a surface that was bailiwick to mold and flaking.

The Last Supper: Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper, although much deteriorated, demonstrates the painter's mastery of the homo form in figurative composition.

Mona Lisa

Among the works created past da Vinci in the 16th century is the small portrait known as the Mona Lisa, or La Gioconda, "the laughing ane." In the present era information technology is arguably the most famous painting in the globe. Its fame rests, in detail, on the elusive grin on the woman's face—its mysterious quality brought most perhaps by the fact that the artist has subtly shadowed the corners of the rima oris and optics so that the verbal nature of the smile cannot be determined.

The shadowy quality for which the work is renowned came to exist chosen sfumato, the application of subtle layers of translucent paint then that there is no visible transition betwixt colors, tones, and often objects. Other characteristics institute in this work are the unadorned dress, in which the eyes and hands have no contest from other details; the dramatic landscape background, in which the earth seems to be in a state of flux; the subdued coloring; and the extremely smooth nature of the painterly technique, employing oils, but practical much like tempera and blended on the surface and then that the brushstrokes are duplicate. And again, da Vinci is innovating upon a type of painting here. Portraits were very common in the Renaissance. However, portraits of women were ever in contour, which was seen as proper and minor. Hither, da Vinci present a portrait of a woman who not only faces the viewer simply follows them with her eyes.

Mona Lisa: In the Mona Lisa, da Vinci incorporates his sfumato technique to create a shadowy quality.

Virgin and Child with St. Anne

In the painting Virgin and Child with St. Anne, da Vinci'south composition again picks up the theme of figures in a mural. What makes this painting unusual is that there are two obliquely ready figures superimposed. Mary is seated on the knee of her female parent, St. Anne. She leans forward to restrain the Christ Child equally he plays roughly with a lamb, the sign of his own impending sacrifice. This painting influenced many contemporaries, including Michelangelo, Raphael, and Andrea del Sarto. The trends in its limerick were adopted in particular by the Venetian painters Tintoretto and Veronese.

Virgin and Kid with Saint Anne: Virgin and Child with St. Anne (c. 1510) past Leonardo da Vinci, Louvre Museum.

Michelangelo

Michelangelo was a 16th century Florentine creative person renowned for his masterpieces in sculpture, painting, and architectural design.

Learning Objectives

Discuss Michelangelo'southward achievements in sculpture, painting, and compages

Key Takeaways

Primal Points

• Michelangelo created his jumbo marble statue, the David, out of a unmarried cake of marble, which established his prominence equally a sculptor of extraordinary technical skill and strength of symbolic imagination.
• In painting, Michelangelo is renowned for the ceiling and The Last Judgement of the Sistine Chapel, where he depicted a complex scheme representing Cosmos, the Downfall of Human, the Salvation of Man, and the Genealogy of Christ.
• Michelangelo'southward chief contribution to Saint Peter's Basilica was the use of a Greek Cross grade and an external masonry of massive proportions, with every corner filled in past a stairwell or small vestry. The outcome is a continuous wall-surface that appears fractured or folded at dissimilar angles.

Key Terms

• contrapposto: The continuing position of a human figure where most of the weight is placed on one foot, and the other leg is relaxed.  The upshot of contrapposto in art makes figures look very naturalistic.
• Sistine Chapel: The all-time-known chapel in the Apostolic Palace.

Michelangelo was a 16th century Florentine creative person renowned for his masterpieces in sculpture, painting, and architectural blueprint. His almost well known works are the David, the Last Judgment, and the Basilica of Saint Peter's in the Vatican.

Sculpture: David

In 1504, Michelangelo was commissioned to create a colossal marble statue portraying David as a symbol of Florentine liberty. The subsequent masterpiece, David, established the creative person's prominence as a sculptor of extraordinary technical skill and force of symbolic imagination. David was created out of a unmarried marble block, and stands larger than life, every bit it was originally intended to adorn the Florence Cathedral. The work differs from previous representations in that the Biblical hero is non depicted with the head of the slain Goliath, as he is in Donatello'southward and Verrocchio's statues; both had represented the hero continuing victorious over the head of Goliath. No earlier Florentine creative person had omitted the giant birthday. Instead of appearing victorious over a foe, David'southward confront looks tense and ready for combat. The tendons in his neck stand out tautly, his brow is furrowed, and his eyes seem to focus intently on something in the distance. Veins bulge out of his lowered right hand, but his body is in a relaxed contrapposto pose, and he carries his sling casually thrown over his left shoulder. In the Renaissance, contrapposto poses were thought of as a distinctive feature of antique sculpture.

The David past Michelangelo, 1504: Michelangelo's David stands in contrapposto pose.

The sculpture was intended to be placed on the exterior of the Duomo, and has become 1 of the about recognized works of Renaissance sculpture.

Painting: The Last Judgement

In painting, Michelangelo is renowned for his work in the Sistine Chapel. He was originally commissioned to paint tromp-l'oeil coffers after the original ceiling adult a crack. Michelangelo lobbied for a unlike and more than complex scheme, representing Creation, the Downfall of Homo, the Promise of Conservancy through the prophets, and the Genealogy of Christ. The work is office of a larger scheme of decoration within the chapel that represents much of the doctrine of the Catholic Church.

The limerick eventually contained over 300 figures, and had at its center 9 episodes from the Book of Genesis, divided into 3 groups: God's Creation of the Earth, God's Creation of Humankind, and their fall from God's grace, and lastly, the state of Humanity as represented past Noah and his family. Twelve men and women who prophesied the coming of the Jesus are painted on the pendentives supporting the ceiling. Among the most famous paintings on the ceiling are The Cosmos of Adam, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the Great Flood, the Prophet Isaiah and the Cumaean Sibyl. The ancestors of Christ  are painted around the windows.

The fresco of The Concluding Judgment on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel was commissioned by Pope Clement VII, and Michelangelo labored on the project from 1536–1541. The piece of work is located on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel, which is not a traditional placement for the field of study. Typically, last sentence scenes were placed on the get out wall of churches equally a way to remind the viewer of eternal punishments as they left worship. The Final Judgment is a depiction of the second coming of Christ and the apocalypse; where the souls of humanity ascension and are assigned to their various fates, as judged by Christ, surrounded past the Saints. In contrast to the before figures Michelangelo painted on the ceiling, the figures in The Last Judgement are heavily muscled and are in much more artificial poses, demonstrating how this work is in the Mannerist way.

In this work Michelangelo has rejected the orderly depiction of the last judgement every bit established by Medieval tradition in favor of a swirling scene of anarchy equally each soul is judged. When the painting was revealed it was heavily criticized for its inclusion of classical imagery as well equally for the amount of nude figures in somewhat suggestive poses. The ill reception that the work received may be tied to the Counter Reformation and the Council of Trent, which lead to a preference for more than conservative religious art devoid of classical references. Although a number of figures were made more modest with the addition of curtain, the changes were not fabricated until after the death of Michelangelo, demonstrating the respect and admiration that was afforded to him during his lifetime.

The Final Judgement: The fresco of The Terminal Judgment on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel was commissioned by Pope Clement VII. Michelangelo worked on the project from 1534–1541.

Architecture: St. Peter'due south Basilica

Finally, although other architects were involved, Michelangelo is given credit for designing St. Peter'due south Basilica. Michelangelo'southward chief contribution was the use of a symmetrical plan of a Greek Cross course and an external masonry of massive proportions, with every corner filled in by a stairwell or small vestry. The issue is of a continuous wall surface that is folded or fractured at unlike angles, lacking the right angles that usually define change of direction at the corners of a building. This exterior is surrounded past a giant order of Corinthian pilasters all set at slightly different angles to each other, in keeping with the e'er-changing angles of the wall's surface. Above them the huge cornice ripples in a continuous band, giving the appearance of keeping the whole building in a state of compression.

St. Peter's Basillica: Michelangelo designed the dome of St. Peter's Basilica on or before 1564, although it was unfinished when he died.

Mannerism

Mannerist artists began to reject the harmony and ideal proportions of the Renaissance in favor of irrational settings, bogus colors, unclear subject field matters, and elongated forms.

Learning Objectives

Depict the Mannerist style, how information technology differs from the Renaissance, and reasons why it emerged.

Cardinal Takeaways

Fundamental Points

• Mannerism came afterward the High Renaissance and earlier the Baroque.
• The artists who came a generation after Raphael and Michelangelo had a dilemma. They could not surpass the smashing works that had already been created by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo. This is when we start to run into Mannerism emerge.
• Jacopo da Pontormo (1494–1557) represents the shift from the Renaissance to the Mannerist style.

Key Terms

• Mannerism: Fashion of fine art in Europe from c. 1520–1600. Mannerism came after the High Renaissance and before the Baroque. Not every artist painting during this flow is considered a Mannerist artist.

Mannerism is the proper name given to a style of art in Europe from c. 1520–1600. Mannerism came after the High Renaissance and before the Baroque. Not every artist painting during this period is considered a Mannerist creative person, withal, and there is much fence among scholars over whether Mannerism should be considered a dissever movement from the Loftier Renaissance, or a stylistic phase of the High Renaissance. Mannerism will be treated as a split up fine art movement here equally there are many differences betwixt the High Renaissance and the Mannerist styles.

Style

What makes a work of art Mannerist? Kickoff we must empathize the ideals and goals of the Renaissance. During the Renaissance artists were engaging with classical antiquity in a new manner. In improver, they developed theories on perspective, and in all ways strived to create works of art that were perfect, harmonious, and showed ideal depictions of the natural world. Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo are considered the artists who reached the greatest achievements in fine art during the Renaissance.

The Renaissance stressed harmony and dazzler and no one could create more beautiful works than the dandy three artists listed in a higher place. The artists who came a generation after had a dilemma; they could non surpass the great works that had already been created by da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo. This is when nosotros showtime to encounter Mannerism emerge. Younger artists trying to do something new and different began to reject harmony and ideal proportions in favor of irrational settings, artificial colors, unclear subject matters, and elongated forms.

Jacopo da Pontormo

Jacopo da Pontormo (1494–1557) represents the shift from the Renaissance to the Mannerist style. Accept for example his Deposition from the Cross, an altarpiece that was painted for a chapel in the Church building of Santa Felicita, Florence. The figures of Mary and Jesus appear to be a direct reference to Michelangelo's Pieta. Although the work is called a "Deposition," there is no cantankerous. Scholars also refer to this piece of work as the "Entombment" only there is no tomb. This lack of clarity on subject matter is a hallmark of Mannerist painting. In addition, the setting is irrational, almost equally if it is not in this world, and the colors are far from naturalistic. This piece of work could not accept been produced by a Renaissance artist. The Mannerist movement stresses unlike goals and this piece of work of art by Pontormo demonstrates this new, and different style.

Pontormo, Deposition from the Cross, 1525-1528, Church of Santa Felicita, Florence: This work of art past Pontormo demonstrates the hallmarks of the Mannerist style: unclear subject matter, irrational setting, and bogus colors.

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Source: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-worldhistory/chapter/art-in-the-renaissance/

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