GUIDE 10 Unit 3 THE RENAISSANCE The Renaissance in Northern Europe · Flanders · Germany · France · Spain · England Annunciation by Jan van Eyck, 15… (Detail) National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. [ www.womeninthebible.net] CHAPTER 5 THE RENAISSANCE The Renaissance spanned roughly 3 centuries : 14 th -16th 1300s – 1500s Petrarch , the great Renaissance humanist – Italian poet and scholar of the fourteenth-century, looked back at the preceding thousand years and saw only “ dark ages” extending from the collapse of the Roman Empire to his own time. In Petrarch’s view history fell into three periods : ANCIENT CLASSICAL WORLD MIDDLE AGES RENAISSANCE Petrarch and other humanists of his time (scholars) admired Classical world as a time of the highest achievements of human spirit. The Italians were very proud of their own time, which they believed was a revival of classical culture of ancient Greece and Rome. As for the thousand years that separated these two distinguished periods, the Italian humanists called them Dark Ages that had been marked by a decline of culture - a mere break in the history of human civilization. Renaissance – *_ [What does this French word mean?] The Renaissance was rebirth/revival of what ? *_ Do you remember why the Middle Ages are called Middle? I want you to remember that the Renaissance first emerged in the south of Europe - in ITALY! This happened in the end of the 13 th century (late1200s). Remember which historical period it was? --- Right, it was the end of the Gothic time. Yet, your textbook begins the Renaissance story in 15 th century Northern Europe –in Germany, Netherlands, France, etc. Why such a chronological leap? --- The logic would be that the Renaissance in Northern Europe was closer connected to the medieval culture and this provides us with a good stylistic transition - you will be able to trace emergence of a new style within the previous Gothic frame. Now let us open a new (and the last!) chapter in our course. Allow yourself enough time to study the splendid art of the Renaissance époque. Historical Background : Give a brief review of the most significant political, economic, and social events that brought about and determined a ‘face’/character of a new era of the Renaissance. Keep it short - “one event - one line” * * * Now, if you want, play a little bit with the timeline - locate the Renaissance period on it. Here is how to do it: Place a cursor before the red tab Renaissance… , and move it to the right until it is placed above the proper period on the timeline. [To move it just keep clicking on space bar ] Renaissance spanned about 300 years 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1650 15 th century Did you succeed? Good! If not, that’s okay. Just mark this period on the time line in your printed guide (circle) . Remember – it lasted about 300 years. What were the two most significant areas in ...

1. GUIDE 10
Unit 3
THE RENAISSANCE
The Renaissance in Northern Europe
·
Flanders
·
Germany
·
France
·
Spain
·
England
Annunciation by Jan van Eyck, 15… (Detail)
National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
[
www.womeninthebible.net]
CHAPTER 5

2. THE RENAISSANCE
The Renaissance spanned roughly
3
centuries
:
14
th
-16th
1300s – 1500s
Petrarch
, the great Renaissance humanist – Italian poet and scholar of
the fourteenth-century, looked back at the preceding thousand
years and saw only “
dark ages”
extending from the collapse of the Roman Empire to his own
time.
In Petrarch’s view history fell into
three periods
:
ANCIENT CLASSICAL
WORLD
MIDDLE
AGES

3. RENAISSANCE
Petrarch and other humanists of his time (scholars) admired
Classical world as a time of the highest achievements of human
spirit. The Italians were very proud of their own time, which
they believed was a revival of classical culture of ancient
Greece and Rome.
As for the thousand years that separated these two distinguished
periods, the Italian humanists called them
Dark Ages
that had been marked by a decline of culture - a mere break in
the history of human civilization.
Renaissance
–
*_
[What does this French word mean?]
The Renaissance
was
rebirth/revival
of what
?
*_
Do you remember why the
Middle Ages
are called

4. Middle?
I want you to remember that the
Renaissance first emerged in the south of Europe - in ITALY!
This happened in the end of the 13
th
century (late1200s).
Remember which historical period it was?
--- Right, it was the end of the Gothic time.
Yet, your textbook begins the Renaissance story in 15
th
century Northern Europe –in Germany, Netherlands, France,
etc.
Why such a chronological leap?
--- The logic would be that the Renaissance in Northern Europe
was closer connected to the medieval culture and this provides
us with a good stylistic transition
- you will be able to trace emergence of a new style within the
previous Gothic frame.
Now let us open a new (and the last!) chapter in our course.
Allow yourself enough time to study the splendid art of the
Renaissance époque.
Historical Background
: Give a brief review of the most significant political, economic,
and social events that brought about and determined a
‘face’/character of a new era of the Renaissance.

5. Keep it short - “one event - one line”
*
*
*
Now, if you want, play a little bit with the timeline - locate the
Renaissance period on it.
Here is how to do it: Place a cursor before the red tab
Renaissance…
,
and move it to the right until it is
placed above the proper period on the timeline.
[To move it just keep clicking on
space bar
]
Renaissance
spanned
about
300
years
1200

6. 1300
1400
1500
1600
1650
15
th
century
Did you succeed? Good! If not, that’s okay.
Just mark this period on the time line in your printed guide
(circle)
.
Remember – it lasted about 300 years.
What were the two most significant areas in Europe where the
Renaissance culture spread?
In the
South
of Europe -
*
In the
North

7. of Europe -
*
Find them on the map
.
Flanders
-
*
[
Territory of what
present-day countries
did Flanders occupy in the 15
th
century? ]
Southern Renaissance
Italy
RENAISSANCE
ART
2 streams

8. Northern Renaissance
Flanders, Germany
et al.
Stylistic characteristics
Southern Renaissance
Northern Renaissance
Flanders
Germany
France
England

9. Spain
Which one was more influenced
by the
Medieval
traditions?
And which one had the stronger
Classical
roots
?
*
*
Subject matter
Which one was more
religious
Which one more
secular
/
/worldly/ nonreligious?
*
*
Naturalism
/
Realism
Which one exhibits more
“exactness” in depicting world?
Which one was more inclined
to
Idealism
of ancient Greeks and
Romans?
*

10. *
Which one originated in
Manuscript Illumination
?
*
*
Symbolism
Which one is more laden
with symbols?
*
*
Attention:
Flanders – Flemish
Flemish
art
Flemish
painting
NORTHERN RENAISSANCE
15
th
century
It is not certain when the Gothic era ended and the Renaissance
began.
Gothic art
has been called a
long overture
to the
Renaissance
. This is particularly well seen in the arts of Northern Europe.

11. FLEMISH PAINTING
of the
15
th
century
(1400-s)
Why the title of this section is called
“Flemish Painting:
From Page to Panel
?”
Explain what the Flemish painting originated from.
Panel
-
*
[What kind of panel is meant when they talk about painting on
panel?]
Tempera
(Please google this term and try to answer as many questions as
you can)
What is tempera made of? -
*
What are the ground
pigments
(colors) mixed (“tempered”) with? -
*
How far back does the use of tempera date?

12. -
*
When was the oil paint invented and where? -
*
What kind of material/support for applying tempera came first -
wood or canvas panel? -
*
How did the artists prepare the surface before applying the
paint?
-
*
Define the terms:
Ground
-
*
Gesso
-
*
Gilding
-
*
The Limbourg Brothers
A Book of Hours

13. When was this book created?
-
*
What was its
purpose?
-
*
What
scenes
were usually rendered
on the
calendar pages
of such Books of Hours?
-
*
What is depicted on the page from your handbook? -
*
How do you like this ornate festive of colors? It is very
decorative, isn’t it.. .
Take a moment to carefully observe the beautiful details of this
spectacular
entourage and
enjoy all the glittering colors of their costumes etc.
International Style
Why such a name?”
*
When was it developed? -

14. *
In some books on Art History you can find the International
Style in the Gothic section,
in the others - in the early Renaissance period.
Indeed, it was shaped on the border of two eras.
Symbolism
- a very important concept when we speak of Northern Europe,
as well as to Medieval.
Behind the most ordinary objects (e.g., like kettle or lilies) are
hidden meanings.
We can say that these objects
serve as
symbols
, or that they are
symbols for
…
What does the author of your textbook say about a challenge for
us, modern day people, to understanding symbolic art? Why are
our chances not too high to fully comprehend the works of art
that came down to us from this and earlier times? -
*
I like the thought
though that we still can enjoy this art even though we can not
receive the whole message? Could you please write it down?.
Remember about this when you will be observing the Flemish
paintings.

15. *
In a way it is true about all art (Medieval in particular) – even
when we do not understand what the artist was telling we still
can feel an emotional depth in artwork -
it has a clear appeal - it affects us emotionally and spiritually.
Robert Campin
Date:
*
[datecentury:]
[ro-BER
cam-PAN …]
Merode Altarpiece
Let me explain why Campin is also called
the
Master of Flémalle.
In long time the scholars did not know that the author of this
work was Robert Campin.
They used to identify the author as the Master of
Flémalle
, because the style of this altarpiece
was very similar to the painting panels that once came from the
Abbey of
Flémalle
.

16. Annunciation
is depicted in the central part of the altarpiece.
*
[
Look up this word in Glossary, unless you know what this
biblical event was about]
The Campin’s altarpiece shows a combination of
realism
and
symbolism
that is so typical
for the Northern Renaissance.
Let us play experts and analyze this work of art.
Read thoroughly the paragraph and define what is realistic
about this painting, and which objects refer to its symbolic
character.
Keep it one statement or one object – one line/cell.
Symbolism
Realism
*
*
*
Kettle -
*
Clean room -
*

17. White Lilies -
*
Mouse trap -
*
Snow white towel (your guess?) -
*
Just imagine that each of the wildflowers had special symbolic
significance regarding the Virgin Mary!
This proves how deeply symbolical the Northern art was. As
you know now, it took this feature from medieval art.
Jan van Eyck
-
Arnolfini and His Bride
.
Date/century
*
Genre Painting
[Define the term]
*
What is depicted in this painting?
*
Symbolism
:

18. Though being
secular
(having no reference to religion) and very realistic in depicting
details, this painting is still a heir of Medieval art – hence it is
full of symbols.
Provide an example of used symbols in this work of art.
Dog
was a symbol of
*
Oranges
-
*
[They look more like peaches to me; Fruits often symbolized
fertility too]
Finial of the bedpost
(carved figure of what saint) -
*
Broom
- *
Why the groom took his shoes off?
- *
Oil painting
(note before that moment we have talked about
Tempera painting
)
The
Flemish artists
, and particularly

19. Jan van Eyck
, were credited in the History of Art for introducing the
oil painting.
The Flemish artists are called the “fathers of modern painting”,
for
oil has been the painter’s basic medium ever since.
What are the
advantages of
oil
as a paint
? -
*
(see in your Glossary or online – oil painting and glossing)
What does the oil paint consist of?
-
*
Glazing
-
*
German Art

20. NORTHERN RENAISSANCE
In what ways was
German Art
different from
Flemish Art
of this period?
a.
*
b.
*
Grunewald
Isenheim Altarpiece
- t
he most dramatic work of art during the Renaissance
The Crucifixion
This type of art is called
expressionistic
? Why? What do you think?
How does it affect the viewer? How would you describe the
work?
Which details better convey the unsurpassed tension and
exaltation?
*
*

21. Albrecht
Durer
Adam and Eve
*
[date]
(Note – we are now in
t
he next, 16
th
century)
Durer is the most famed artist of the Northern Renaissance. But
he was not a typical one.
Can you tell that his art was deeply rooted in the Medieval
traditions? Or was it more classical oriented?
Why is he called in your handbook “Italianate“ master?
*
How does
Adam and Eve
convey Durer’s passion for the Classical art?
How does he treat human body?
Are figures idealized or rendered naturalistically like any of us,
the common mortals? Don’t they look like classical statues?
*

22. As you, of course, noticed this work is not a painting. This is
the first time - in the history of art we have covered so far –
that we encounter this technique – “engraving.”
Durer was a great master of this new method, developed in the
15
th
century.
Engraving
[define the term – look in the glossary or online]
*
Explain how an artist creates engraving print (on paper).
*
* * *
As always, I recommend reviewing the guide right after
completion.
Then you can take QUIZ # 8.