Renaissance Art

Before the Renaissance Era there were primarily 3 social levels

Nobility

Churchmen

Peasants

Dark Ages During the earlier times the most important cultural institution was the church and the important learning was theology (study of God). Medieval thinking held that the world was filled with evil temptations. Famine and plague ran rampant (out of control) during this era. Plague could destroy entire villages, killing thousands of people within a very short time period. The most famous plague is the Black Death; it killed 1/3 of the population in Europe. The origin of the plague is unknown, but according to many scientist, it is believed to have been carried through rats.

During the Renaissance Era, social structure was changed and a merchant class of people developed.

Renaissance thinkers began to emphasize people’s responsibilities and duties to their society, a society that could civilize people rather than make them wicked. The changes in thinking happened gradually, but the influence of the Renaissance impacted and shaped the future, leading to a modern era.

The Renaissance Era

Between 1400 A.D. to 1600 A.D.

Began in the city states of Italy.

Renaissance means “rebirth” in French.

Art is reflected back to the classical time of Rome and Greece.

This reflection was not limited to art, but also literature, science and architecture.

Renaissance Literature

William Shakespeare

Sir Walter Ralegh

Henry Howard

Edmund Spenser

William Shakespeare

Tragedy

Romeo & Juliet

Hamlet

Macbeth

King Lear

Comedy

A midsummer Nights Dream

Much Ado About Nothing

The Taming of the Shrew

Poets

Sir Walter Ralegh

Henry Howard

Edmund Spenser

Farewell to the Court

Song of Myself

The Lie

Shepherds Calendar

The Fairie Queen

Renaissance Science

Botany- plants

Zoology- animals

Astrology- zodiac signs

Astronomy- outer space

Physiological and Anatomical studies- medical

Renaissance Architecture

Classically-Style Columns

Geometrically-Perfect Designs

Hemispherical Domes

Paintings

First oil painting on canvas

Three dimensions by use of shadow and light

Mythical subjects

Nature scenes

Differences in proportions (meaning size and location of one thing compared to another) of subject matter

Renaissance Artists

Leonardo Da Vinci

Raphael

Michelangelo

Leonardo Da Vinci

Last Supper

Mona Lisa

Leonardo Da Vinci Was an architect, musician, engineer, scientist and inventor. He sketched the first parachute, first helicopter, first aero plane, first tank, first repeating rifle, swinging bridge, paddle boat and first motor car during the late 1400’s and early 1500’s. It took him 6 years to complete the Mona Lisa. (Misty backgrounds, used lights in the portraits). No eyebrows on his portraits. When he finished the Mona Lisa, the King of France bought it. Leonardo did not want to part with it so the King let him keep it in his studio until he died in 1519. The last supper was painted in 1495; it has become one of the most famous paintings in the world.

Raphael

The School of Athens

Madonna with Christ and St. John the Baptist

Raphael Learned his techniques from Leonardo. He died on his 37th birthday in 1520. Raphael put realistic emotions in his paintings, making people think of personality. Beauty and serenity were his greatest emotional themes. Painted several Madonna pictures (Madonna dell Granduca, the small Cowper Madonna, and Alba Madonna. )

Michelangelo

The Last Judgment

Sistine Chapel

Michelangelo Began to show interest in art and drawing at the age of 10 and became an apprentice by age 12. He became the pupil of the great sculptor, Donatello. He is the sculptor of the Statue of David. His greatest glory was painting the Sistine chapel which began in 1508 and was completed in 1516 (8 yrs). The painting is the history of the Old Testament including over 300 figures and covered 6000 square feet of the chapel (about 16 classrooms). He lay for hours at a time on a scaffold more than 50 feet in the air with paint dripping into his eyes. 23 years later he painted The Last Judgment located over the alter at the same church as the Sistine chapel. His paintings were all equally proportioned with very good perspective. All of his paintings had a 3-D effect to make his figures stand out from the background.