PatronageFlorence was the leader in Renaissance art especially in
the quattrocento (1400s) Giorgio Vasari (1511-74): The Lives of the Artists
Contemporary Renaissance art historian who left much valuable information about Renaissance artists and their works.
Massive patronage for the arts came from wealthy merchant-families (such as the Medicis) who commissioned countless worksIn essence, the wealth of Florence was mirrored by the
superb artistic output of the Renaissance A good example is Donatello‘s David which stood in the Medici
courtyard during the wedding of Lorenzo de Medici. In Milan, the Sforza‘s commissioned Leonardo‘s The Last
Supper
Patronagec. Patronage also came from local churches who
increasingly saw Renaissance art as a means of glorifying God. Some notable examples include Brunelleschi‘s Il Duomo built for the Santa Maria del
Fiore cathedral Ghiberti‘s two sets of doors for the baptistery opposite
Il Duomo Michelangelo‘s David was originally commissioned for
the cathedral (but was too heavy and thus placed elsewhere).
RomeBecame the center of the Renaissance in 1500s
(cinquecento)With the decline of Florence in the late-15th century,
Renaissance dominance shifted to Rome. Pope Alexander VI (r. 1492-1503): most notorious of the
Renaissance popes; spent huge sums on art patronage (e.g. Bramante‘s Tempietto)
A few of the notable works commissioned by the Church in this period include Michelangelo‘s dome atop St. Peter‘s Cathedral, his paintings on
the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and the sculpture Pieta that is located within the cathedral
Raphael‘s The School of Athens (a fresco painting inside the papal apartments)
Bramante‘s Tempietto, a small church that is a masterpiece in classical architecture; and his floor plan for a newly rebuilt St. Peter‘s cathedral. (Much of his plans were altered after his death)
New artistic techniques Painting Perspective: 3-D effects on a 2-dimensional surface
Medieval works, in contrast, looked flat and two-dimensional Chiaroscuro: use of dark and light colors to create the
illusion of depth Faces of subjects expressed unique individual
characteristics (embodied Renaissance ideal of ―individualism) Also, more emotion was shown on human faces In contrast, medieval paintings tended to be more stylized
in their portrayal of human faces (i.e. more generic) Sfumato developed by Leonardo; a technique of blurring
or softening sharp outlines
1. Realism & 1. Realism & ExpressionExpression
Expulsion Expulsion fromfromthe Gardenthe Garden
MasaccioMasaccio
14271427
First nudes First nudes sincesinceclassical classical timestimes..
2. Perspective2. Perspective
Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!
Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!
First use First use of linear of linear
perspective!perspective!
Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!
The The TrinityTrinity
MasaccioMasaccio
14271427
What you What you are, I once are, I once was; what I was; what I am, you will am, you will
become.become.
3. Classicism3. Classicism
Greco-Roman influence.
Secularism.
Humanism.
Individualism free standing figures.
Symmetry/BalanceThe The “Classical Pose”“Classical Pose”
Medici “Venus” (1c)Medici “Venus” (1c)
4. Emphasis on 4. Emphasis on IndividualismIndividualism Batista Sforza & Federico de Montefeltre: Batista Sforza & Federico de Montefeltre:
The Duke & Dutchess of UrbinoThe Duke & Dutchess of Urbino
Piero della Francesca, 1465-1466.Piero della Francesca, 1465-1466.
Isabella d’Este –Isabella d’Este – da Vinci, da Vinci, 14991499 1474-1539
“First Lady of the Italian Renaissance.”
Great patroness of the arts.
Known during her time as “First Lady of the World!”
5. Geometrical 5. Geometrical Arrangement of Arrangement of
FiguresFigures The Dreyfus The Dreyfus Madonna Madonna with the with the PomegranatPomegranatee
Leonardo da Leonardo da VinciVinci
14691469
The figure as The figure as architecture!architecture!
6. Light & 6. Light & Shadowing/Softening Shadowing/Softening
EdgesEdges
ChiaroscuroChiaroscuro
SfumatoSfumato
7. Artists as 7. Artists as Personalities/CelebritiesPersonalities/Celebrities
Lives of the Lives of the Most Most Excellent Excellent Painters, Painters, Sculptors, andSculptors, andArchitectsArchitects
Giorgio VasariGiorgio Vasari
15501550
SculptureRenaissance sculpture was often free-standing,
designed to be seen in the round Heavily influenced by ancient Greek and Roman
sculpture Contrast with medieval sculpture that largely was
done in relief Many sculptures glorified the human body and
many portrayed nude figures (like works in ancient Greece and Rome)
Like Renaissance painting, many Renaissance sculptures glorified the individual
Lorenzo Lorenzo the Magnificentthe Magnificent
1478 - 15211478 - 1521
Cosimo de Cosimo de MediciMedici
1517 - 15741517 - 1574
David by David by DonatelloDonatello
14301430
First free-form bronze First free-form bronze since Roman times!since Roman times!
The Liberation The Liberation of Sculptureof Sculpture
Leonardo, the SculptorLeonardo, the Sculptor
An An Equestrian Equestrian StatueStatue
1516-15181516-1518
The PietaThe Pieta
MichelangeMichelangeloloBuonarrotiBuonarroti
14991499
marblemarble
The Popes as Patrons The Popes as Patrons of the Artsof the Arts
Architecture Utilized ancient Greek and Roman forms such as
Greek temple architecture (with triangular pediments), Greek columns, Roman arches and domes (e.g. the Pantheon in Rome)
Simplicity, symmetry and balance. Contrasted sharply with the highly-ornamented
gothic style of the middle ages of pointed arches (as evidenced in numerous medieval cathedrals)
Florence Under the Florence Under the MediciMedici
Medici ChapelMedici Chapel
The Medici PalaceThe Medici Palace
Filippo Filippo BrunelleschiBrunelleschi1377 - 14361377 - 1436
ArchitectArchitect
Cuppolo of St. Cuppolo of St. MariaMariadel Fioredel Fiore
Filippo Brunelleschi
Commissioned to build the cathedral dome.Used unique
architectural concepts. He studied the
ancient Pantheon in Rome.
Used ribs for support.
Other Famous Other Famous DomesDomes
Il Duomo St. Peter’s St. Paul’s US capital
(Florence) (Rome) (London) (Washington)
A Contest to Decorate the A Contest to Decorate the Cathedral: Cathedral: Sacrifice of IsaacSacrifice of Isaac
PanelsPanelsBrunelleschi Ghiberti
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