Medieval Art transforming into Renaissance Art Medieval Art was used to teach people about religion. So we find it within manuscripts, in stained glass windows, on statues outside of churches and on walls inside churches. It is not especially lifelike, instead it crams religious education into spaces accessible to the public. It was also not signed since artistic talent was considered a gift from god rather than something that deserved acclaim for the artist. Medieval Art

Illuminated Manuscripts Monks not only copied the mauscript, but also created art within manuscripts One manuscript might be the life’s work of a monk On the left is the Kiss of Judas in the Rouen Book of Hours http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/m/lifetimes/literature/art/medievalart.html Letters from the Book of Kells http://keirasoleore.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html

Stained Glass, from Cologne, Germany Christ Giving the Keys to Peter Stained glass was another way to educate the illiterate about the stories of the Bible Christ Giving the Keys to Peter, ca. 1315, German; Cologne, Pot-metal glass and vitreous paint; Christ: 28 x 13 5/8 in. (71 x 34.5 cm), Peter: 27 3/4 x 13 1/8 in. (70.5 x 33.2 cm) It is easy to tell what is happening, but hard to make figures realistic when the pieces of glass have to be held in place with metal pieces. Now in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/29.55.1,2

Stained Glass Sainte Chapelle, Paris, France As building techniques advanced, entire walls could be made of stained glass. Sainte Chapelle (which is just blocks from Notre Dame) is known as the “jewel box” because it glows with the light from its stained glass walls. The windows tell multiple Bible stories, you can walk around the church “reading” them up and down. shan4.wordpress.com

Statues North Transept Chartres Cathedral Statues on the outside walls of churches Slim, elongated figures attached to the Church wall – medieval sculptors did not know how to create free-standing statues and needed the wall to support their statues. The 12 apostles are a common subject for Cathedral Walls. http://www.123rf.com/photo_15307626_chartres-eure-et-loir-centre-france--exterior-of-the-gothic-cathedral-statues.html

Statues West Door, Notre Dame Even though all figures had to be attached to the walls, the designs got very ornate (some might say overwhelming) in order to tell as many stories as possible Picture from L. Reimann, 2013

Mosaics Justinian and his court, Ravenna Mosaics were more of an eastern European tradition – very popular in the Byzantine Empire, but made it to places in Italy like Ravenna and Venice. Hard to make figures lifelike with little pieces of stone and glass – but it was easy to make pictures colorful! http://traumwerk.stanford.edu/philolog/Justinian.jpg Mosaics Justinian and his court, Ravenna

Icons Icons were also an eastern tradition, they are still used in the Orthodox Church Icons are pictures of saints that people would pray in front of. They are stiff and symbolic There is a lack of realism (nose, hands, eyes), the baby looks like a small adult Modern art historians can only guess at who created many icons.

Pre-Renaissance The Slow March toward Realism

Religious Paintings of the late Middle Ages “Flat” Religious Paintings of the late Middle Ages 2 dimensional Gold Background Not realistic Not signed by the artist for many centuries Religious paintings Medieval paintings tended to be one dimentional, not very realistic, gold, anonymous, and have floating disproportionate angels next to the main figures. Rick Steeves, the travel enthusiast, describes Medieval Art as the time when “art was a flat as the world” This is by the Biagello Master (his name is unknown, but many works of art in this region are similar, so art historians had identified him as the “Biagello Master”, Madonna and Child Enthroned, 2nd quarter of the 13th century in the Ufizzi Gallery

An attempt at perspective: Duccio de Buoninsegne Madonna and Child Enthroned, 1285 An attempt at perspective Duccio de Buoninsegne, Madonna and Child Enthroned with Six Angels, 1285 Ufizzi Gallery No real background, the angels are just stacked on top of one another Perspective of the throne is off, its ¾ on one side, head on on the other Mary is like a cardboard cutout hovering just above the throne In general these medieval madonnas have religious subjects, gold backgrounds, two dimensionality and meticulous detail http://www.virtualuffizi.com/uffizi1/Uffizi_Pictures.asp?Contatore=63

Improved Perspective: Cimabue Madonna and Child Enthroned with Angels approx 1280 Improvement in perspective Cimabue – Madonna and Child Enthroned with Angels, the Patriarch Abraham and Prophets Jeremiah, David, and Isiah Throne creates an illusion of depth Foot actually hangs out over the edge of the throne But the angels are still stacked http://www.virtualuffizi.com/uffizi1/Uffizi_Pictures.asp?Contatore=57

Identification of the Artist: Madonna and Child, Bernardo Daddi, cir Identification of the Artist, Bernardo Daddi, Madonna and Child c. 1335 Vatican collections Coming closer to the Renaissance, the artist is actually identified

An attempt at 3-D: late 1300s Baby steps toward 3-D Crucifix with Stories from the Passion, Ufizzi Gallery Pisan artist of the late 12th century The artist attempted 3-D by painting Christ’s head on a separate piece of wood and tipping it forward http://www.virtualuffizi.com/uffizi1/Uffizi_Pictures.asp?Contatore=55

Starting to show emotion: Simone Martini Annunciation with Saints Ansanus & Maxima, 1333 Showing a little emotion (Mary does not look happy with the news that she is going to have a baby) Simone Martini, Annunciation with Saints Ansanus and Maxima Not exactly 3D, more about teaching a Bible story. Lots of symbols – Lilies symbolize Mary’s purity, the Holy Spirit appears as a Dove The words read (in Latin) “Hail favored one, the Lord is with you.” http://www.virtualuffizi.com/uffizi1/Uffizi_Pictures.asp?Contatore=68

Early Renaissance Art Finally! Realism! Giotto – The First Renaissance Painter

Birth of Christ Scrovengi Chapel – 1303-5 Giotto painted human figures that looked real and lifelike, with bodies and faces that seemed fully rounded Created an illusion of depth (though his perspective is not always perfect) People in the painting seemed to interact with each other Faces showed realistic emotion Blue pigment has not stood up to the test of time. (Lapis Lazuli was applied with a binding medium over dry plaster since it was so valuable.) http://www.the-art-minute.com/just-a-second-fresco/

The informal name for this picture is “mother and baby”

Adoration of the Magi Scrovengi Chapel More scenes in the life of Jesus Adoration of the Magi http://tomclarkblog.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-magi.html

Expulsion of the Money Changers from the Temple Scrovengi Chapel Expulsion of the Money Changers from the Temple (perspective is off, child is odd, but Jesus’s anger is genuine). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrovegni_Chapel

Entry into Jerusalem Scrovengi Chapel Entry into Jerusalem – great faces (and donkey), people in the trees aren’t quite right http://www.artoyster.com/giotto-di_bondone-paintings_scenes-from-the-life-of-christ-10-entry-into-jerusalem-cappel_re33730.html

Kiss of Judas Scrovengi Chapel Kiss of Judas, notice the stare between Jesus and Judas http://www.artble.com/artists/giotto_di_bondone/paintings/scrovegni_chapel_frescoes

Scrovengi (a.k.a. Arena) Chapel Padua, Italy All these painting hang together in Padua, near Venice Life of Joachim, the Virgin, Christ http://www.belludi37.it/en/padua/the-scrovegni-chapel;2;84

Masaccio – Pulling it all Together

Masaccio – Story of St. Peter (1426-28) Pulled together perspective and realism McKay calls him the father of modern painting. Masaccio (b. 1401 to 1428) (Frescoes in the Cappella Brancacci in Florence (right view), 1426-28, Fresco, Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence (The Raising of Tabitha on right, Healing of a Cripple on left) Studied Giotto, friends with Brunelleschi and Donatello – since Masaccio died young, this was finished by other artists http://www.yourwaytoflorence.com/brancacci.htm

Tribute Money Christ telling Peter to pay the tax in the center, Peter getting the coin from a fish on the left, Peter paying the tax on the right. Painted right at a time when Florence had enacted a new means based test. http://www.intofineart.com/htmlimg/image-30403.html

Perspective point is right about the head of Jesus http://www.intofineart.com/htmlimg/image-30403.html

Masaccio – Adam and Eve Brancacci Chapel The emotion on Adam and Eve’s faces is deep – they are both anguished and ashamed http://www.abcgallery.com/M/masaccio/masaccio1.html Masaccio – Adam and Eve Brancacci Chapel

The entire chapel http://www.wga.hu/tours/brancacc/