The High (Late) Renaissance (1495-1520)
Look for:
- perspective
- mastered
- use light, shadow, and atmosphere
- inspiration from classical antiquity
- interest in human body
- represent psychology and spirit
- grander scale of patronage = grander projects
- artists now theorists, geniuses - well-rounded
- age of religious turmoil
- age of exploration
Leonardo da Vinci, Vitruvian Man, 1490, ink, Italy
- study of proportiona of human figure
- Roman architect Vitruvius - man is the measure of all things
Da Vinci, The Last Supper, tempera wall mural, 1495-1498
- figures and architecture in proportion
- Judas’s face is darker, grabbing money bag
- grouped with St. John and Peter
- emphasis on emotional expression
- 3 windows = Trinity
- 4 panels = 4 seasons
- sfumato - general hazyness, smokiness
Da Vinci, Mona Lisa, 1503-1505, oil on panel Italy
- sfumato
- no outlines
- built-up glaze
- sense of realness
- chiaroscuro
- light on forehead, chin, chest, dark eyes, under chin
- triangular composition
- shape of her body
- inscrutable expression, transient
- Renaissance ideal of female beauty
- wife of merchant
- more individualistic
- 3-dimensional
Michelangelo Buonarroti, David, marble, 1501-1504, Italy
- painting, sculpture, architecture, poetry
- debate with Da Vinci over painting vs. sculpture
- emphasizes power, not youthfulness like Donatello’s
- more consistant with classical sculpture
- Michelangelo’s is before slaying Goliath, Donatello’s is after
- challenger, not victor
- psychological depth
- Michelangelo was 26 when sculpted
Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel, fresco, 1508-1512, Vatican, Italy
- almost 6,000 sq. ft., 50 ft. up, finished 4 yrs.
- East Wall painted 25 yrs. later - Last Judgement
- Trompe l’oeil - fool the eye - painted to look real - i.e. architecture
- separation of light and dark
- the drunkenness of Noah
- ancient prophets
- idea of middle is that man’s sins will be redeemed by Christ
Michelangelo, Creation of Adam, Sistine Chapel, 1508-1512
- not focused on environment or space
- focused on interaction between figures
- Adam is more passive
- female figure under God’s left arm may be unborn Eve
- Adam seems to lean toward her
- God has grey hair, older, portrayed as Greek gods to be powerful and
strong
Raphael, School of Athens, Stanza della Segnatura, fresco, 1510-1511, Italy
- philosophy, theology, law, and poetry - Pope’s 4 walls
- School of Athens is philosophy
- Trompe l’oeil - top arch
- architecture based on St. Peter
- dome and barrel-vaulted arms
- scientific perspective
- in center
- Plato on left, pointing up = divine inspiration
- Aristotle on right, pointing toward earth = human experience
- 2 main trends in philosophy
- statuary
- Minerva = wisdom
- Apollo = sunlight, rationality, poetry, music
- leaning on box is Michelangelo
- Plato is Leonardo, Raphael is second from right
Titian, Venus of Urbino, oil on canvas, 1538, Italy
- mannerism = elongation of figure
- mistress of Duke of Urbino
- Venus’s were largely courtesans of wealthy men
- interest in classical goddess of beauty
- lets artists show women nude if they call them “Venus”
- spaniel = fidelity
- eyes look at viewer
- connection
- raised level of intimacy
Matthias Grunewald, The Isenheim Altarpiece, oil on panel, Germany, 1510-1515
- focus on texture, color, and light
- new influence with north and south artists meeting (Greek and Roman
influence on north)
- religious turmoil depicted (Protestant Reformation occurring)
- prudella - bottom of altarpiece
- placed in hospital for patients with skin disease
- interest in skin - Christ suffering skind disease
- elliptic - multi-paneled
- focus on highlighted subjects on dark background
- no emphasis on 3-dimensionality
- focus on emotionality
- sick saw hope for salvation and end of suffering
- St. Anthony on right, St. Sebastian on left (with arrow wounds)
- First Opening (shown on Sundays)
- the Anunciation in center panel
- Mary as Queen of Heaven on left (blue dress)
- washbasin, towels = purity
- red roses, fig tree = immaculate conception
- Christ rising from tomb on right
- Gothic, early Renaissance, original style
- hard edges, drapery, weighty figures
- foreshortening, modeling in light and shadow
- glowing light to depict miracle
- Second Opening (see below)
Nikolaus Hagenauer, St. Anthony Enthroned, from The Isenheim Altarpiece, painted and gilt lime wood, 1505
- gold-covered wood
- St. Anthony in middle - Saint of Healing
- hieratic scale
- most important figures are large
- unimportant firgures are small
- Jesus and apostles in bottom
- hard edges, microscopic realism
Albrecht Durer, Self Portrait, oil on panel, 1500
- interested in incorporating Renaissance style in work
- wanted to express ideals of Protestant Reformation
- master printmaker
- depicted similar to Christ
- mink robes
- similar facial features
- hand on chest, like Sacred Heart?
Durer, Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, engraving, Germany, 1487-1498
- Conquest, War, Plague and Famine, Death
- rays of light = presence of God
- corrupt sinners being trampled
Durer, Adam and Eve, engraving, 1504
- classical figures
- metal plate cut with vurin or graver - lowered image
- engravings have higher contrast betweeen black and white
- can capture more values
- more depth and detail
- engravings = looks drawn with shading
- woodcut = outline based
- engraving allows more delicate, precise lining
- modeled after Venus and Apollo
- based on idealized, theoretical body types
- cat = anger
- elk = melancholy
- rabbit = cheerfulness
- ox = calm
- considered the master of engraving because of detail and large
variance of tone
Albrecht Durer, The Four Apostles, oil on panel, 1526
- Protestant Reformation
- against sale of indulgences
- against veneration of saints
- want less emphasis on pope, more on individual piety
- want radical recentering on person and relationship, not church
and figures
- John, St. Peter, Paul, and Mark
- St. Peter was 1st Archbishop, 1st Pope, placed in back to emphasize
less
- St. Paul was favorite
- below is direct translation of Bible by Martin Luther
- Durer thought that religious art could be educational and inspirational,
not just worship of idols
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