Renaissance art



Renaissance Art (c.1400-1600)



The term Renaissance refers to rebirth of Greek and Roam culture. At this moment, artists has gained prestige and become celebrities. The movement of Renaissance art was originated in Italy in the 15th century and Florence was a cultural leader in the Renaissance period.

Characteristics of the Renaissance art are classicism, emphasis on human figure,  realism and expression, perspective also light and shade.

Classicism

Artists, architects and sculpture studied the art of Ancient Greece and Rome and incorporated elements of these civilizations. Mythological themes, idealized beauty and classical architectural elements. Examples of classicism art are "The Birth of Venus" by Botticelli and "The School of Athens" by Raphael.

 Emphasis on human figure

 The human figure became very important. Artists rediscovered the beauty of nature and the human body, expressing the optimism of this new age. As in classical art, the beauty is achieved by proportion and symmetry for instance "The canon of proportions" by Leonardo da Vinci and "Sistine Chapel" by Michelangelo.

Realism and expression

Realism in art was to paint and sculpt subjects realistically. It involves a number of techniques that make the subjects and background look they would in real life. This also giving the subjects more emotional qualities and expression. Examples of realism in Renaissance art are "David" by Bernini and "Madonna and Child" by Raphael.

Perspective

 Perspective is drawing or painting a picture such that it look like there are three dimensions. It gives the illusion that some objects in the painting are further away than others. It can be seen in a few art such as "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci, "The School of Athens" by Raphael and "Lamentation of Christ" by Mantegna.

 Light and shade

Renaissance painter used light and shade to add perspective and make it more realistic. It help the viewers picture the shape of objects and to imagine when objects feel like. It also help to depict emotions as it will represent cheerfulness of the bright day and darkness of the sad day. Examples of the painting that used light and shade are "The School of Athens" by Raphael and "St.John the Baptist" by Leonardo da Vinci (Chiaroscure technique).


Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci


Potrait of Mona Lisa also known as La Gioconda. This painting is painted as oil on wood. This figure of a woman, dressed in the Florentine fashion of her day and seated in a visionary, mountainous landscape is a remarkable instance of Leonardo's sfumato technique of soft, heavily shaded modeling.

Leonardo's approach was innovative and would start a trend in potrait painting which would influence European painting into 1800s. The way Leonardo has rendered the body of the woman is nothing less than extraordinary and it truly reveals the jump forward in the level of naturalism that Italian painters made between 1400 and 1500. The technique sfumato show how the light bounces off her skin in certain place while leaving other parts in darker shadows.


Pieta by Michelangelo

The Pieta was a popular subject among Northen European artist. It means "Pity" or "Compassion" and represent Mary sorrowfully contemplating the dead body of her son which she holds on her lap. This sculpture was commissioned by a French Cardinal living in Rome.

Look closely and see how Michelangelo made marble seem like flesh and look at those complicated folds of drapery. It is important here to remember how sculpture is made. It was a messy, rather loud process.








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