NORTHERN RENAISSANCE ART

Martin Luther was a German theologian who challenged papal authority due to widespread dissatisfaction with the Church, especially objecting to the sale of indulgences.

GERMANIC ART

Matthias Grünewald

Isenheim Altarpiece (closed)

ca. 1510-15oil on panelcenter panel, 9 ft. 9 1/2 in. x 10 ft. 9 in.

Matthias GrünewaldIsenheim Altarpiece (Crucifixion)ca. 1510-15oil on panelcenter panel, 9 ft. 9 1/2 in. x 10 ft. 9 in.

Three characteristics of the Grünewald ‘s style;Deals specifically and grotesquely with the themes of dire illness and miraculous healing.

Used color to intensify the effect of horror and hope by means of soft harmonies and subtle tones against shocking dissonance of color.

Iconography carefully selected to have meaning to viewers: Christ’s body becomes amputated as parts of the altar are slid away.

Matthias Grünewald

Isenheim Altarpiece (Crucifixion)

ca. 1510-15oil on panelcenter panel, 9 ft. 9 1/2 in. x 10 ft. 9 in.

The subject is depicted on the center panel is a crucified Christ.

Matthias Grünewald

Isenheim Altarpiece (closed)

ca. 1510-15oil on panelcenter panel, 9 ft. 9 1/2 in. x 10 ft. 9 in.

On the exterior wings;Crucifixion, Saint Sebastian on the left, Saint Anthony on the right, and Lamentation in the predella.

They were associated with diseases such as the plague and with miraculous cures; Anthony was the order’s patron saint and his legend encompassed his role as both vengeful dispenser of justice (by inflicting disease) and benevolent healer.

Matthias Grünewald

Isenheim Altarpiece (Resurrection)

ca. 1510-15oil on panelwing, 8 ft. 2 1/2 in. x 3 ft. 1/2 in.

Matthias GrünewaldIsenheim Altarpiece (fully open)ca. 1510-15oil on panelcenter panel, 9 ft. 9 1/2 in. x 10 ft. 9 in.

On the interior wings;Annunciation, Angelic Concert, Madonna and Child, and Resurrection.

Matthias Grünewald

Isenheim Altarpiece (Meeting of Saints Anthony and Paul)

ca. 1510-15oil on panelwing, 8 ft. 2 1/2 in. x 3 ft. 1/2 in.

The images served as warnings, encouraging increased devotion from monks and hospital patients. They also functioned therapeutically by offering some hope to the afflicted.

Matthias Grünewald

Isenheim Altarpiece (Temptation of Saint Anthony)

ca. 1510-15oil on panelwing, 8 ft. 2 1/2 in. x 3 ft. 1/2 in.

Protestant Germanic Art

Pieter Saenredam

Interior of the Choir of Saint Bavo’s Church at Haarlem

1660oil on panel27 11/16 in. x 21 9/16 in.

Lucas Cranach the Elder

Allegory of Law and Grace

ca. 1530woodcut10 5/8 x 12 3/4 in.

Low-key images were viewed as useful devotional aids. Prints provided a prime vehicle for educating the masses because artists could print them easily, permitting wide circulation and the sale of numerous copies. They were the least expensive of art forms, making them more accessible to a wider audience than traditionally commissioned art.

Cranach used Moses holding the Tablets of the Law to describe Catholic Doctrine

To describe Protestant doctrine, Cranach used God’s grace, in the form of blood streaming from a crucified Christ.

Albrecht Dürer

Self-Portrait

1498oil on board20 1/2 in. x 16 1/8 in.

Albrecht DürerFour Horsemen of the Apocalypseca. 1498woodcut15 1/4 x 11 in.

First, he produced the work without commission. Saint Peter (as representative of the pope in Rome) is relegated to a secondary role by being placed behind John the Evangelist, who focused on Christ’s reason in his Gospel. Peter and John both read from the Bible, the single authoritative source of religious truth, according to Luther.

Dürer emphasizes the Bible’s centrality by depicting it open to the legible passage “In the beginning was the Word…” At the bottom of the painting, Dürer includes quotations from each of the four apostles’ books, warning against the coming of perilous times and the preaching of false prophets who will distort God’s word.

Albrecht Dürer

Saint Michael

1498woodcut15 x 11 1/8 in.

Albrecht Dürer

Last Supper

1523woodcut8 3/8 x 11 13/16 in.

Durer’s representaton of the Last Suupper reflected Luther’s position on the sacrament of Transubstantiation in that the bread and wine appear prominently in the print’s corner, and the empty plate in the foreground refers to the commemorative, rather than literal, nature of Christ’s sacrifice in the Mass. Transfiguration would traditionally have been represented by a slaughtered lamb on the plate. Luther insisted that Communion was commemorative, not a reenactment.

Albrecht Dürer

Four Apostles

1526oil on paneleach panel 7 ft. 1 in. x 2 ft. 6 in.

Albrecht Dürer

Philipp Melanchthon

1526engraving6 7/8 x 5 1/16 in.

Albrecht Dürer

The Fall of Man

1504engraving9 7/8 x 7 5/8 in.

Two elements of Durer's Adam and Eve that reflect his study of Italian models:

The figures stand in poses reminiscent of classical statues.

He made geometric sketches beforehand to perfect the ideal proportions, but balanced this idealization with naturalism in both the figures and the vegetation.

The poses of Adam and Eve are similar to the figures of contrapposto kouroi and korai.List one element that demonstrates his Northern commitment to Naturalism:

The gnarled bark of the trees and the feathery leaves.

SymbolismWith his right hand, Adam grasps a mountain ash, signifying the Tree of Life; this is contrasted with the Tree of Knowledge, represented by the fig tree at the center of the composition. The diabolical and seductive serpent depositing the forbidden fruit in Eve's hand is opposed by the parrot, which symbolizes both wisdom and discernment, and the virgin birth of Christ

The cat and mouse in the foreground--predator and innocent prey--summarize the relationship between the two human protagonists. Perched on a distant cliff at the upper right is an ibex, or goat, a traditional symbol for the unbelieving, and an apt metaphor for the first humans to break a divine commandment. The elk, bull, rabbit, and cat embody the four humors, or temperaments: the melancholic, the phlegmatic, the sanguine, and the choleric.

SanguineThe sanguine temperament is fundamentally impulsive and pleasure-seeking; sanguine people are sociable and charismatic. They tend to enjoy social gatherings, making new friends and tend to be boisterous. They are usually quite creative and often daydream.

CholericThe choleric temperament is fundamentally ambitious and leader-like. They have a lot of aggression, energy, and/or passion, and try to instill it in others.

MelancholicThe melancholic temperament is fundamentally introverted and thoughtful. Melancholic people often were perceived as very (or overly) pondering and considerate, getting rather worried when they could not be on time for events.

PhlegmaticThe phlegmatic temperament is fundamentally relaxed and quiet, ranging from warmly attentive to lazily sluggish. Phlegmatics tend to be content with themselves and are kind.

Albrecht Dürer

The Great Piece of Turf

1503watercolor16 x 12 1/2 in.

Albrecht Dürer

The Hare

1502watercolor and gouache on paper25 x 23 cm

Albrecht Dürer

Knight, Death and the Devil

1513engraving9 5/8 x 7 3/8 in.

Two tendencies that Durer fuses in Knight Death and the Devil

Idealization.Naturalism.

Albrecht Altdorfer

The Battle of Issus

1529oil on panel4 ft. 4 1/4 in. x 3 ft. 11 1/4 in.

As he began a campaign against the Turks, the Duke of Bavaria hired the artist Albrecht Altdorfer to paint the historic conflict between Alexander the Great and Darius (leading the Persians).

Altdorfer emphasized the connection between the ancient battle and contemporary times as the figures are attired in contemporary armor and are engaged in contemporary military alignments.

Stylistic effects he utilized to emphasize the violence of the battle;The landscape contains craggy mountains, swirling clouds, and a blazing sun.

Albrecht Altdorfer

The Battle of Issus

1529oil on panel4 ft. 4 1/4 in. x 3 ft. 11 1/4 in.

Albrecht Altdorfer

The Battle of Issus

1529oil on panel4 ft. 4 1/4 in. x 3 ft. 11 1/4 in.

Hans Holbein the Younger

The French Ambassadors

1533oil and tempera on panel6 ft. 8 in. x 6 ft. 9 1/2 in.

Three Italian elements that Holbein integrated into his painting:

Monumental composition.

Bodily structure.Sculpturesque

form.

Elements that reflect his Northern training:

Close realism.His detail is exact

and exquisitely drawn.

Hans Holbein the Younger

The French Ambassadors

1533oil and tempera on panel6 ft. 8 in. x 6 ft. 9 1/2 in.

anamorphicA distorted image recognizable when viewed with a special device, such as a cylindrical mirror, or by viewing the image at an acute angle.

Hans Holbein the Younger

The French Ambassadors

1533oil and tempera on panel6 ft. 8 in. x 6 ft. 9 1/2 in.

FRENCH ART

Jean Clouet

Francis I

1525-30oil and tempera on panel3 ft. 2 in. x 2 ft. 5 in.

Jean Clouet

Francis I

1525-30oil and tempera on panel3 ft. 2 in. x 2 ft. 5 in.

Rosso Fiorentino and Francesco Primaticcio

Gallery of King Francis I

Fontainebleau, France

ca. 1530-40

Three Manneristic characteristics that are seen in the decoration of the Gallery of Francis I at Fontainbleau:

Abrupt changes in scale.

The texture of the figurative elements.

Elongated grace and formalized elegance.

Château de Chambord

Chambord, France

begun 1519

Three Italian Renaissance features of the Chateau of Chambord:

The plan includes a square block with four corridors, in the shape of a cross.

At each of the four corners, a round tower punctuates the plan.

The exterior is a carefully contrived horizontal accent on three levels, windows aligned precisely one above another, a motif based on the Italian palazzo.

Two French Gothic features:Above the third story the structure’s line breaks chaotically into a jumble of light dormers, chimneys, and lanterns.The silhouette is soaring and ragged like Gothic buildings.

Château de Chambord

Chambord, France

begun 1519

Pierre Lescot and Jean Goujonwest façade of the Square CourtLouvreParis, Francebegun 1546

The architect who designed the Square Court of the Louvre was Pierre Lescot and the sculptor who ornamented the facade was Jean Goujon.

Pierre Lescot and Jean Goujonwest façade of the Square CourtLouvreParis, Francebegun 1546

Features of the facade of the Louvre courtyard that are derived from the Italian Renaissance and those that are essentially French.

Italian:

Each of the stories forms a complete order.

The cornices project enough to create a strong horizontal accent.

The arcading on the ground floor resembles the ancient Roman use of arches.

French:The decreased height of the stories.The scale of the windows (proportionately much larger than in Renaissance buildings).The steep roof.

Jean Goujon

Nymphs from the dismantled Fountain of the Innocents

Paris, France

1548-1549marble reliefseach 6 ft. 4 3/4 in. x 2 ft. 4 3/4 in.

Three characteristics of Goujon’s Nymphs from the Fountain of the Innocents, noting which seem to be related to Italian Mannerism:

Figura serpentina poses.

They are in a confined, unspecified space.

They appear to make one continuous motion, an illusion produced by reversing the gestures, as they might be seen in a mirror.

Jean GoujonNymphs from the reconstructed Fountain of the InnocentsParis, France1548-1549marble reliefseach 6 ft. 4 3/4 in. x 2 ft. 4 3/4 in.

NETHERLANDISH ART

Jan Gossaert (Mabuse)

Neptune and Amphitrite

ca. 1516oil on panel7 ft. 2 in. x 4 ft. 1 in.

Features of Jan Gossaert Neptune and Amphitrite are classical:

Neptune is shown with his aspect, the trident, and wearing a laurel wreath and an ornate conch shell. The figures both stand in a contrapposto stance.

Which are not:

The poses are derived from Dürer’s Fall of Man. The painting is executed with Netherlandish polish.

Quentin MassysMoney-Changer and His Wife1514oil on panel7 ft. 3 3/4 in. x 2 ft. 2 3/8 in.

Economic Life:

A professional man is shown transacting business, with the setting and objects suggesting a fidelity to observable fact.

Religious life:

References to the spiritual world in the prayer book, the carafe with water, and the candlestick. There are two small vignettes referring to the balance this couple must establish between their worldly existence and their spiritual commitment: two men gossiping, and the reflection of a man reading a prayer book in front of a church steeple.

Quentin Massys

Money-Changer and His Wife

1514oil on panel7 ft. 3 3/4 in. x 2 ft. 2 3/8 in.

Pieter Aertsen

Meat Still-Life

1551oil on panel4 ft. 3/8 in. x 6 ft. 5 3/4 in.

Pieter AertsenMeat Still-Life1551oil on panel4 ft. 3/8 in. x 6 ft. 5 3/4 in.

Three religious features found in Aertsen’s Meat Still Life:In the background, Joseph leads a donkey carrying Mary and the Holy Child. The crossed fishes, pretzels, and wine all refer to “spiritual food.” They are contrasted to symbols of gluttony and lust in the oysters and mussel shells, which are shown just under an outdoor scene of people carousing.

Caterina van HemessenSelf-Portrait1548oil on panel12 3/4 x 9 7/8 in.

The Self-Portrait by Caterina van Hemessen is purportedly the first known self-portrait by a European woman.

Levina Teerlinc

Elizabeth I as a Princess

ca. 1559oil on oak panel3 ft. 6 3/4 x 2 ft. 8 1/4 in.

Lavina Teerlinc worked as a royal portraitist in England.

Pieter Breugel the ElderHunters in the Snow1565oil on panel3 ft. 10 in. x 5 ft. 4 in.

Three characteristics of Bruegel's landscape paintings:Human activities remain the dominant theme.He did not include classical elements in his paintings.The landscape is recorded in an optically accurate manner.

Pieter Breugel the Elder

Netherlandish Proverbs

1559oil on panel3 ft. 10 in. x 5 ft. 4 1/8 in.

Pieter Breughel “the Elder”

The Triumph of Death

ca. 1562oil on board46 x 63 3/4 in.

Pieter Breughel “the Elder”

The Triumph of Death

ca. 1562 oil on board46 x 63 3/4 in.

SPANISH ART

Colegio de San Gregorio

Valladolid, Spain

ca. 1498

Pedro Machucha

courtyard of the palace of Charles V

Alhambra, Granada, Spain

ca. 1526-1568

Juan de HerreraEscorialnear Madrid, Spainca. 1563-1584

The style of the building:It has a gridlike plan, classical Doric severity, simplicity of form and majesty without ostentation. Only the three entrances break the long sweep of the severely plain walls. Massive square towers punctuate the four corners. The stress is on the central axis and the granite used for the building conveys a feeling of starkness and gravity. The effect is of overwhelming strength and weight.

Juan de Herrera

Escorial

near Madrid, Spain

ca. 1563-1584

Juan de Herrera

Escorial

near Madrid, Spain

ca. 1563-1584

El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulous)The Burial of Count Orgaz1586oil on canvas16 x 12 ft.

Describe two elements of El Greco's style that seem to be related to Italian Mannerism.

Intense emotionalism.

Great reliance on color.

Describe two purely personal stylistic traits that are found in El Greco's work.

Elongated undulating figures matched with abstractions and distortions to show the immaterial nature of the Heavenly realm.

The figures are bathed in a cool light of uncertain origin and float in an undefined space.

Describe two elements that point toward the Baroque.

His strong sense of movement.His use of light.

El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulous)

View of Toledo

1586oil on canvas47 3/4 x 42 3/4 in.

El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulous)

Mary Magdalene in Penitence

1577oil on canvas42 1/2 x 39 7/8 in.