Renaissance Art, Part I

Some Renaissance style artists are Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and many more. But first, Jan Van Eyck.

Painting #1 Van Eyck’s The Arnolfini Marriage

Jan Van Eyck 1395-1441 (say yahn fun ike)

Van Eyck was from the Netherlands.

Here is a wedding. Now the man and woman are together: they have a marriage.

See this lady’s tummy? She will have a baby: she is pregnant.

Here is Van Eyck’s The Arnolfini Marriage.

Van Eyck’s The Arnolfini Marriage This lady is going to have a baby, too. What color is her dress? Do you see a pet? (say “ar-nul-FEE-nee”)

Painting #2 Fra Angelico’s Annunciation

Fra Angelico 1395-1455 Say frah ahn-JELL-ee-koh

Fra Angelico was from Italy.

Here is the Virgin Mary, with her baby Jesus.

The Bible says that

an angel

told Mary she would have baby Jesus. This visit from the angel is called the Annunciation.

Here is Fra Angelico’s Annunciation.

Fra Angelico’s Annunciation Which one is the angel? Which one is Mary?

Painting #3 Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus

say “bah-tuh-CHELL-ee” Sandro Botticelli 1445-1510 say “bah-tuh-CHELL-ee”

Botticelli was from Florence, Italy.

In the Roman empire,

people worshipped many gods.

Venus was the Roman goddess of love.

The Romans said that Venus rose up from the waves of the sea The Romans said that Venus rose up from the waves of the sea. Here is Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus.

Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus What is Venus standing on? What does the lady on the right want to do?

Painting #4 Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa

Leonardo da Vinci 1452-1519

Leonardo was from Florence, Italy, too.

Smiles are interesting. Here is a big grin with lots of teeth.

Here is a small smile, with no teeth.

Here are two smirks.

Here is Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.

Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa What kind of smile does Mona Lisa have? What do you see behind Mona Lisa, in the background? What is she doing with her hands?

Painting #5 Da Vinci’s Virgin of the Rocks

Sometimes the Virgin Mary is just called the Virgin or Madonna.

Here is a man named John the Baptist—he was a preacher who worshipped God.

Some people say that, once, Jesus met John the Baptist when they were both babies. Here is Leonardo da Vinci’s Virgin of the Rocks.

Da Vinci’s Virgin (or Madonna) of the Rocks Where is the Virgin (or Madonna)? Which one is baby Jesus? Which one is the baby John the Baptist?

Look! There is a sea cave!

Painting #6 Da Vinci’s The Last Supper

Jesus had twelve helpers, called the Apostles.

The Bible says Jesus had one last supper with his apostles before he died. Here is da Vinci’s The Last Supper.

Da Vinci’s The Last Supper Who is in the middle of the table? Who are the other men?

Drawing #7 Da Vinci’s The Vitruvian Man

Leonardo da Vinci was very smart Leonardo da Vinci was very smart. He had many ideas that he wrote down in his notebooks. Leonard da Vinci

Here is Da Vinci’s The Vitruvian Man Here is Da Vinci’s The Vitruvian Man. It is a symbol of all human beings.

Da Vinci’s The Vitruvian Man From head to foot, and from hand to hand—it’s the same. The man fits into a square. He also fits into a circle! Those were Da Vinci’s ideas!

The End