2. Introduction Renaissance (1400–1600) Humanism Religion Means “rebirth”
Refers to the time period and the style of art
A renewed interest in Classical thinking, mythology, and art
Humanism
Philosophical approach that stressed the intellectual and physical potential of human beings
Religion
Reformation and Counter-Reformation
Catholic and Protestant beliefs were reflected in the art of the Italian Renaissance and the northern Renaissance

3. Introduction Baroque (1600–1750)
Refers to the time period and the style of art
Increase in trade, advancements in science
Permanent split between Roman Catholics and Protestants
Baroque art tends to be full of motion and emotion

4. 3.117 Map of Renaissance and Baroque Europe

5. 3.118 Portrait of Michelangelo from Giorgio Vasari’s Lives of the Great Artists, second edition, Engraving

6. Portrait of Michelangelo from Lives of the Great Artists
The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects
Written by Italian artist and historian Giorgio Vasari
Published in 1550
Known as the first art history book
Emphasized the intellectual ability required to make art
Encouraged the view of artists as creative geniuses

7. The Early Renaissance in Italy
Renewed interest in the Classical past
Study of mathematics and science encouraged the systematic understanding of the world
Art was a balance of the real and ideal
Realistic depictions of three-dimensional space and perspective
Idealistic portrayal of mythological or religious subjects, and the nude figure
The artist Giotto represents the transition between the art of the Middle Ages and the early Renaissance (see chapter 3.2)

8. 3.119 Arnolfo di Cambio and others, Florence Cathedral, view from south, begun 1296

9. Florence Cathedral
Building the cathedral began in 1296, but it was still incomplete more than 100 years later
No one had figured out how to build its enormous dome
In 1419 a competition to design the dome was held
Italian sculptor and architect Filippo Brunelleschi won
He designed the dome, devised the machinery used to build it, and oversaw the construction

10. 3.120 Filippo Brunelleschi, Dome of Florence Cathedral, 1417–36

11. Dome of Florence Cathedral
The construction of Brunelleschi’s dome began in 1420
It took 16 years to complete
Dome was a great technological challenge
140 feet in diameter, and 170 feet above ground at its top
Brunelleschi designed the system and equipment for building it
The dome structure was built layer by layer

12. 3. 121 Masaccio, Tribute Money, c. 1427. Fresco, 8’1” × 19’7”
3.121 Masaccio, Tribute Money, c Fresco, 8’1” × 19’7”. Brancacci Chapel, Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence, Italy

13. Masaccio, Tribute Money
Masaccio is a nickname, meaning “Big Clumsy Tom”
Masaccio applied linear perspective (Brunelleschi’s invention) in Tribute Money
All elements use the same scale
Vanishing point and focal point
Atmospheric perspective
Creates the believable illusion of three-dimensional space
Chiaroscuro
Used to create realistic shading and modeling
Continuous narrative
Three separate moments in time are depicted in one unified space

14. The High Renaissance in Italy
Beginning of the 16th century
Continued development of making art look “believable”
Rules of perspective
Ideal and real
Religious and mythological subject matter
Three great Italian artists dominated this period:
Leonardo da Vinci
Michelangelo
Raphael

15. 3. 122 Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper, c. 1497
3.122 Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper, c Refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan, Italy

16. Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper
Commissioned by Dominican friars
For their refectory in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan, Italy
Story of the Last Supper
Christ’s last meal with his disciples before crucifixion
Visual structure:
Christ at the center
Christ as a stable and calm triangular form
Christ’s head framed by natural light from three windows
Vanishing point directly behind Christ’s head

17. 3.123 Michelangelo, Detail of Creation of Adam, Sistine Chapel ceiling, 1508–12. Vatican City

18. Michelangelo, Creation of Adam
Michelangelo was commissioned by Pope Julius II to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, Italy
Michelangelo preferred sculpting to painting
Three-dimensionality of his painted figures
Painted architectural and sculptural elements
Nine central panels depict the Old Testament story of Genesis
More on Michelangelo in chapters 2.1, 2.2, 2.9, and 4.4

19. 3.124 Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, with view of Last Judgment (1534–41)

20. Michelangelo, Last Judgment, Sistine Chapel
Around 20 years after completing the ceiling, Michelangelo was commissioned to return to the Sistine Chapel and paint the altar wall
Last Judgment
Souls called up on the left
Blessed remain in heaven
Damned cast down into hell on the right
Energetic, chaotic effect of the scene
Reflects uncertainty of the late Renaissance

21. 3.126 Michelangelo, Detail of Last Judgment showing self-portrait in St. Bartholomew’s skin, 1536–41. Sistine Chapel, Vatican City

22. Detail of Last Judgment showing self-portrait in St. Bartholomew’s skin
Flayed skin of St. Bartholomew
Located at the center-right of the composition
Face is a self-portrait by Michelangelo
Possible meanings:
Michelangelo was a tortured artist
Indication of his dissatisfaction with painting commissions (his favored process was sculpting)
May refer to the artist’s homosexuality

23. 3. 125 Raphael, The School of Athens, 1510–11. Fresco, 16’8” × 25’
3.125 Raphael, The School of Athens, 1510–11. Fresco, 16’8” × 25’. Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican City

25. Raphael, The School of Athens Past and Present in the Painting
Reference to the Classical past
Gathering of great philosophers and scientists
Lived at different times in history
A fictional scene
Raphael made the scene believable
Followed the rules of perspective
Used features of contemporary people he knew
Plato modeled after Leonardo
Heraclitus after Michelangelo
Self-portrait as Apelles

26. The Renaissance in Northern Europe
Northern European countries we now know as the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Belgium
During the fifteenth century, artists in northern Europe:
Continued using methods established in the Middle Ages
Those used for illuminated manuscripts (see chapter 3.2)
Paid careful attention to texture and fine detail
Developed oil painting techniques
Depicted everyday objects with religious symbolism
Were considered the finest artists in Europe at the time

27. 3. 127a Jan van Eyck, Analysis of The Arnolfini Portrait, 1434
3.127a Jan van Eyck, Analysis of The Arnolfini Portrait, Oil on panel, 32⅜ × 23⅝”. National Gallery, London

28. 3.127b Detail of Jan van Eyck, The Arnolfini Portrait

29. Jan van Eyck, The Arnolfini Portrait
Enigmatic subject matter
Believed to be Giovanni Arnolfini and his wife
Perhaps a legal document, possibly a marriage certificate
Highly symbolic (see annotations on figs a and 3.127b)
Jan van Eyck was a master of oil paint
Details, such as the mirror, give the illusion of reality
The artist’s presence can be felt in the work (see 3.127b)

30. 3. 128 Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Netherlandish Proverbs, 1559
3.128 Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Netherlandish Proverbs, Oil on oak, 3’10” × 5’2”. Gemäldegalerie, Staatliche Museen, Berlin, Germany

31. 3.129a Detail from Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Netherlandish Proverbs, illustrating the proverb the “world turned upside down”

32. 3.129b Detail from Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Netherlandish Proverbs, illustrating the proverb “beating his head against a wall”

33. 3.129c Detail from Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Netherlandish Proverbs, illustrating two women gossiping: the proverb “one winds the distaff, the other spins it”

34. Pieter Bruegel: A Sampling of Proverbs
Bruegel was interested in “types”
Such as farmers and townspeople
The people are general and universal figures
Not idealized individuals
Over 100 proverbs are illustrated in this painting
Some are now obscure
Some are still in use

35. 3. 130 Matthias Grünewald, Isenheim Altarpiece (closed), c. 1510–15
3.130 Matthias Grünewald, Isenheim Altarpiece (closed), c. 1510–15. Oil on panel, center panel: Crucifixion, 8’9⅝” × 10’; predella: Lamentation, 29⅞” × 11’1⅞”; side panels: Saints Sebastian and Anthony 7’6⅝” × 29½” each, Musée d’Unterlinden, Colmar, France

36. Matthias Grünewald, Isenheim Altarpiece
Made for the chapel of the Abbey of St. Anthony in Isenheim (northeastern France)
Hospital for patients with skin diseases
Very graphic depiction of Christ’s crucifixion
Patients could relate to his suffering
Green pallor of his skin
Thorns piercing his flesh
Deformed bones from hanging
Opening the altarpiece makes Christ’s limbs appear amputated

37. 3. 131 Albrecht Dürer, The Last Supper, 1523. Woodcut, 8⅜ × 11⅞”
3.131 Albrecht Dürer, The Last Supper, Woodcut, 8⅜ × 11⅞”. British Museum, London, England

38. Albrecht Dürer, The Last Supper
Dürer traveled to Italy twice
He was influenced by Classical subject matter
And Italian Renaissance rules of perspective and composition
This woodcut was made 25 years after Leonardo’s painting The Last Supper
Reflects the ideas of the Protestant Reformation
The doctrine of the Lutheran Church emphasizes that communion is only a re-enactment, not the literal receiving of Christ’s body and blood

39. Late Renaissance and Mannerism
A time of historical upheaval
1527 Sack of Rome
1530 Charles V crowned Holy Roman Emperor
Late Renaissance art
A reaction to the high Renaissance
Dissonance instead of harmony
Distortion rather than precision
Mannerism
From the Italian “di maniera,” which means charm, grace
Exaggeration for emotional effect

40. 3.132 Sofonisba Anguissola, Portrait of the Artist’s Sisters Playing Chess, Oil on canvas, 28⅜ × 38¼”. National Museum, Poznań, Poland

41. Sofonisba Anguissola, Portrait of the Artist’s Sisters Playing Chess
Italian Mannerist artist
Achieved success rare for a Renaissance woman
Known for her portraits
Was appointed at the court of the Queen of Spain
Portrait of the Artist’s Sisters Playing Chess
Everyday scene
Details and textures: fabric, jewelry, fashion of the day
Emphasizes personality and expressions of the girls

42. 3. 133 Paolo Veronese, Christ in the House of Levi, 1573
3.133 Paolo Veronese, Christ in the House of Levi, Oil on canvas, 7’3⅜” × 16’8⅞”. Galleria dell’Accademia, Venice, Italy

43. Paolo Veronese, Christ in the House of Levi
Originally painted as a Last Supper scene
Veronese included unconventional characters, including clowns and dwarves
Church officials objected and the Inquisition charged the painter with irreverence
Veronese changed the title to portray the Feast in the House of Levi
Classical architectural structure
Roman arches
Formally balanced

44. 3. 134 Tintoretto,The Last Supper, 1592–4
3.134 Tintoretto,The Last Supper, 1592–4. Oil on canvas, 11’11¾” × 18’7⅝”. San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice, Italy

45. Tintoretto, The Last Supper
The Catholic Counter-Reformation believed in religious images as powerful teaching tools
Especially to dissuade followers from converting to Protestantism
Intensely dramatic quality of this painting is characteristic of Counter-Reformation art
Diagonal lines
Asymmetrical balance
Extremes of light and dark
Supernatural light
Active and dynamic
Versus the calm and order of Leonardo’s Last Supper (fig )

46. 3.135 Jacopo da Pontormo, Deposition, 1525–8. Oil on wood, 123¼ × 75⅝”. Capponi Chapel, Santa Felicita, Florence, Italy

47. Jacopo da Pontormo, Deposition
Mannerist depiction of the deposition scene
Unstable composition
Swirling pattern
Bright, unnatural colors
Sense of anxiety and disorder

48. 3. 136 El Greco, Laocoön, c. 1610/14. Oil on canvas, 54⅛ × 68”
3.136 El Greco, Laocoön, c. 1610/14. Oil on canvas, 54⅛ × 68”. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

49. El Greco, Laocoön Domenikos Theotokopoulos, called El Greco Laocoön
Mannerist painter from Greece
Worked in Venice and Rome
Eventually moved to Spain
Laocoön
Story from Greek myth of a Trojan priest
Mannerist exaggeration
Elongated and distorted forms
Expressionistic use of color and modeling

50. 3. 137 Donatello, David, c. 1430. Bronze, 5’2¼” high
3.137 Donatello, David, c Bronze, 5’2¼” high. Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence, Italy

51. Depictions of David Biblical story of David and Goliath
Interpreted by three different artists at different times
Donatello’s David
Early Renaissance
Inspired by the art of ancient Greece and Rome
Revives the ancient technique of bronze casting
Idealized depiction of the human body

52. 3. 138 Michelangelo, David, 1501–4. Marble, 14’2⅞” high
3.138 Michelangelo, David, 1501–4. Marble, 14’2⅞” high. Galleria dell’Accademia, Florence, Italy

53. Depictions of David Michelangelo’s David High Renaissance
Classical athletic body
Idealized proportions
Poised in contemplation before battle

54. 3. 139 Gianlorenzo Bernini, David, 1623. Marble, 5’7” high
3.139 Gianlorenzo Bernini, David, Marble, 5’7” high. Galleria Borghese, Rome, Italy

55. Depictions of David Bernini’s David Baroque
Designed to be viewed in the round
Dynamic energy of pose
Even the muscles in his face are tensed

57. Depictions of David Compare and contrast:
Characteristics of the different time periods
Medium
Size
Moment depicted
Overall effect

58. The Baroque Time of exploration and discovery Religion Warfare
Theory that the sun was the center of the universe now accepted
Religion
Post-Reformation
Warfare
Battles throughout Europe
Artwork characteristics:
Emphasis on light
Diversity of approaches
Dramatic movement and theatrical compositions

59. 3. 142 Caravaggio, Judith Decapitating Holofernes, 1599
3.142 Caravaggio, Judith Decapitating Holofernes, Oil on canvas, 4’9” × 6’4¾”. Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica, Rome, Italy

60. Gentileschi, Judith Decapitating Holofernes The Influence of Caravaggio
Innovative painter, tumultuous personal life
Developed stylistic technique called tenebrism
Dramatic light
Dark background, figures seem to be lit with a spotlight
Caravaggio’s Judith Decapitating Holofernes
Italian Baroque
Dramatic light calls attention to the violence of the scene
17th-century (present-day) clothing

61. 3. 143 Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Decapitating Holofernes, c. 1620
3.143 Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Decapitating Holofernes, c. 1620. Oil on canvas, 6’6⅜” × 5’3¾”. Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

62. Gentileschi, Judith Decapitating Holofernes The Influence of Caravaggio
Gentileschi’s Judith Decapitating Holofernes
Influenced by Caravaggio’s use of realism and tenebrism
Both scenes emphasize violence
Gentileschi’s Judith appears physically stronger and more active in the murder

63. 3. 140 Nicolas Poussin, The Funeral of Phocion, 1648
3.140 Nicolas Poussin, The Funeral of Phocion, Oil on canvas, 44⅞” × 68⅞”. National Museum of Wales, Cardiff

64. Nicholas Poussin, The Funeral of Phocion
French Baroque
Nicholas Poussin
Carefully planned his compositions
Specialized in subjects from Classical antiquity
The Funeral of Phocion
Story of an Athenian general falsely executed for treason
Space organized to guide the viewer through the landscape
Balance and order

65. 3.141 Peter Paul Rubens, center panel from The Raising of the Cross, 1610–11. Oil on canvas, 5’1⅛” × 11’1⅞”. Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp, Belgium

66. Peter Paul Rubens, The Raising of the Cross
Flemish Baroque
Peter Paul Rubens
Very prolific artist
Operated a large workshop with assistants
Received many commissions from wealthy merchants
The Raising of the Cross
Center panel of an altarpiece for a church
Focus on Christ’s body
Strong diagonal lines
Bright light
Muscular body, immaculate flesh

67. 3.144 Rembrandt van Rijn, The Company of Frans Banning Cocq and Willem van Ruytenburch (The Night Watch), Oil on canvas, 11’11” × 14’4”. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands

68. Rembrandt van Rijn, The Night Watch
Dutch Baroque
Rembrandt
Impressive reputation as an artist
The Night Watch
Commissioned by the Dutch civic militia
Depicts a gathering of officers and guardsmen
Skillful use of lighting techniques
Chiaroscuro, tenebrism
Believed to be a night scene
Until it was cleaned after WWII, when it was revealed that the dark atmosphere was a result of years of accumulated dirt and layers of varnish

69. St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel
The following videos will show you more about the art and architecture of the Renaissance and the Baroque:
St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel

70. Gianlorenzo Bernini: The Ecstasy of St. Teresa

71. Sandro Botticelli: The Birth of Venus

72. Diego Velázquez: Las Meninas

73. Discussion Question
Find two examples of artwork in this chapter in which linear perspective plays an important part. Point out the parts of the composition that use linear perspective to create the desired illusion. Discuss what the artist wants to communicate by using linear perspective.

74. Discussion Question
From this chapter choose a northern Renaissance artwork and an Italian Renaissance work. List the prominent characteristics of each. Include information about both the form and the content of the artworks in your lists.

75. Discussion Question
Select three artworks that deal with subject matter from the Bible. Consider how they portray their biblical themes: examine style, medium and technique, content, and any other aspects that the artist emphasizes. You might choose works from this chapter, or elsewhere in the textbook. For example: 1.70, 2.148,

76. Discussion Question
Select a Renaissance work and a Baroque work from this chapter. List their similarities and differences. Consider their subject matter, style, content, and emotional impact.

77. Discussion Question
Select three Renaissance artworks that draw on the artistic and intellectual heritage of Classical Greece and Rome. Make a list of the ways in which they use the Classical past. Make another list of any Renaissance innovations, either in terms of form or content. You might choose one work from another chapter in the textbook, for example: 4.133,

78. Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts
This concludes the PowerPoint slide set for Chapter 3.6
Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts
By Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, M. Kathryn Shields
Copyright © 2011 Thames & Hudson

79. Picture Credits for Chapter 3.6
3.117 Drazen Tomic From Vasari, G., Lives of the Great Artists, © Michael S. Yamashita/Corbis Libreria dello Stato, Rome Brancacci Chapel, Church of Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence Refectory of Sta Maria delle Grazie, Milan 3.123, Vatican Museums, Rome Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican Museums, Rome Vatican Museums, Rome 3.127a, 3.127b National Gallery, London/Scala, Florence 3.128, 3.129a, 3.129b, 3.129c Gemäldegalerie, Staatliche Museen, Berlin Musée d’Unterlinden, Colmar British Museum, London Museum Narodowe, Poznan´/Bridgeman Art Library Galleria dell’Accademia, Venice Cameraphoto/Scala, Florence Capponi Chapel, Church of Santa Felicità, Florence National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., Samuel H. Kress Collection, Photo Scala, Florence, courtesy Ministero Beni e Att. Culturali © nagelestock.com/Alamy Photo Scala, Florence, courtesy Ministero Beni e Att. Culturali The Earl of Plymouth. On loan to the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff Royal Institute for the Study and Conservation of Belgium’s Artistic Heritage Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica, Rome Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam