REN - The Student has Become the Master: Medieval Art & its Influence on Renaissance Art (Lesson)

The Student has Become the Master: Medieval Art & its Influence on Renaissance Art.

Information below is adapted, in part, from the Giant EHAP Review Guide at HistoryTeacher.net. You can view the powerpoint and artwork that accompanies these notes by clicking here to download. Links to an external site.

 

The differences between Medieval art and Renaissance art are numerous and very dramatic for a complete change in style occurred. Also, during the Renaissance, great artists, for the first time, gained special recognition and prestige instead of simply being craftsmen. Giorgio Vasari wrote about each of the major artists in his work - the Lives of Artists. (1550) His biographies are considered the first examples of Art History. In his work, Vasari noted the idea of Artistic Genius - that some people are inherently more talented than others.

 

Characteristics of Medieval Art.

• Paintings were lacking in depth and perspective.
• Paintings usually lacked a background.
• Always themed religiously and usually focusing on heaven or holy subjects.
• The paintings were not realistic, and made no sense geometrically or mathematically.
• The subjects did not show any emotions, except for calm or piety.

 

Characteristics of Renaissance Art.

• Emulation of the Ancient Greeks and Romans.
• Good use of depth in paintings.
• Linear (further away = smaller) and atmospheric (further away = hazier) perspective.
• Paintings began to have more detailed backgrounds.
• Not necessarily religious, more focus on earthly themes and humans. Many may include imagery from mythology.
• More realistic, geometrically precise and mathematically accurate.
• Bodies have accurate proportion.
• Subjects showing signs of more emotion.
• Contraposto posture, in which the subject is shifting his or her balance.

Artists of the Early Renaissance.

Giotto - (1267 - 1337) was a fresco painter famous for solid bodies, the expression of human emotion, and the suggestion of landscape in his paintings.

Masaccio - (1401 - 1428) was a painter who used the inspiration of the ancients to put a new emphasis on nature, on three-dimensional human bodies, and on perspective. He also was the first painter since the ancients to show nudes in his paintings.

Donatello - (1386 - 1466) was mainly a sculptor whose focus was on the beauty of the human body. His statue of David was the first free standing nude since Roman times. The sculpture on the right is The Penitent Mary Magdalene by Donatello (from the biblical story about Mary Magdalene). You'll notice the realistic body and proportions that signify this is a piece from the Renaissance. You should also take a moment to look closely at her "dress" as it is not rags, rather it is the detailed carving of the locks of her hair.

Brunelleschi - (1377 - 1446) was an architect whose work was groundbreaking for its simplicity, symmetry, balance, and harmony. Additionally, he created the largest dome built in Europe since the ancients, for a cathedral in Florence.

Artists of the High Renaissance.

Leonardo da Vinci - (1452 - 1519) was a painter (and a scientist, writer, and inventor) whose paintings are remarkable for their technical perfection; in other words, for their good use of angles, perspective, and a detailed background.  

Raphael - (1483 - 1520) was a painter who used his mastery of perspective and ancient styles to produce works of harmony, beauty, and serenity to convey a sense of peace. He is known for his portraits as well as multiple Madonna (Mary, mother of Jesus) paintings.

Michelangelo - (1475 - 1564) was a painter who also experimented in poetry, architecture, and sculpture. Most of his work focuses on individuals who always give a sense of strength and ambition.

Titian - (1479 - 1576) was a painter who painted scenes of luxury in such a vivid, immediate way that his paintings seem real to the viewer.

 

A Note About Renaissance Art - Often art was sponsored through patrons. These were often of the wealthy elite, but also included the Church (primarily the Pope). Patrons sponsored artists, occasionally requesting specific pieces of art, and once complete the piece would bear both the artist's name and the patron's. This allowed for the patrons to "be a part" of the glory an artist receives and was used to help raise social standing and prestige.

Later in this module,  you will be introduced to your semester long project. During your course you will be evaluating artwork and artistic styles present in the various movements throughout history. For now, click here to download a copy of the art chart you will use later. Links to an external site. This one includes information over Medieval and Renaissance art that you can add to your notes.

 

RESOURCES IN THIS MODULE ARE OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER) OR CREATED BY GAVS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. SOME IMAGES USED UNDER SUBSCRIPTION.

MARY MAGDALENE SCULPTURE PHOTOGRAPH BY GEORGE M. GROUTAS, CC-BY VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS