1. From the French word, “rebirth” Began in Italy and spread throughout Europe from 1300’s until 1600’s Huge breakthroughs in depicting nature, space, and light The artists were fascinated with Ancient Greece and Rome, but also very Christian in their subjects and themes Many political issues, European countries were fighting over control of Italy, the country wasn’t united, so each individual province tried to display their prosperity through art Renaissance

2. Common Art Technique: Fresco – from Italian word “fresh”, a technique of wall painting in which pigments are mixed with water, and applied to wet plaster, leaving a permanent design. Primary Artists include: Giotto Jan Van Eyck Botticelli Leonardo Da Vinci Michelangelo Raphael

3. Giotto An Italian painter and architect Generally considered the first to contribute and developed the Italian Renaissance Connects the Byzantine and Renaissance period His figures were more life-like and his color palette more realistic; he was able to show emotions in facial expressions The Last Judgment 1304-1306 Fresco Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints c.1305-1310. Tempera on panel

4. Jan Van Eyck From the Netherlands, one of the few Renaissance artists not from Italy He created the technique of oil painting, which allowed for slow drying, subtle color mixings, and made brushstrokes almost invisible The Ghent Altarpiece – 20 panels, oil on wood, 1432 Giovanni Arnolfini and His Wife – tempera on wood, 1434 Jan worked with his brother, Hubert, but finished the Ghent Altarpiece after his brother’s death.

5. Botticelli Florence, Italy The Birth of Venus Primavera – shows weightless and linear figures At this time, Florence was ruled by a rich and powerful family, the Medici This family admired Botticelli’s work, so he was successful Then a preacher (the new rich power) kicked out the Medici family which influenced Botticelli’s style to depict more traditional and strict Christian scenes. Primavera - Tempera on wood 1482 Birth of Venus - Tempera on canvas 1485

6. Leonardo Da Vinci Artist, engineer, scientist, philosopher, mathematician, musician, inventor – master of all trades Only painted a few paintings, fewer survive Most famous painting in the world: Mona Lisa Also was commissioned to paint the Last Supper Painted with oil, because the thin layers allowed his subjects to emerge “without lines and borders, in the manner of smoke”, which created the technique sfumato, (Italian for smoke) like a misty background The history of the Mona Lisa is shrouded in mystery. There are many unknowns: the name of the subject, who paid for it, how long it took to paint it, how long the artist kept it, and how it came to be in the French royal collection. Mona Lisa - oil on wood 1503 The Last Supper - fresco 1495

7. Michelangelo Italian sculptor, architect, painter, and poet Michelangelo Buonarotti had family ties to the Medici family, which helped educate him and make him successful Crowning achievements include architect of St. Peter’s Basilica, which includes the Sistine Chapel ceiling fresco and the Peita sculpture His art marked the beginning of the Baroque and the end of purely classical architecture David - sculpture 1504 Peita - sculpture 1499 Creation of Man (Sistine Chapel) - fresco 1512 St. Peter’s Basilica Vatican City Home of pope and the Catholic Church

8. Raphael – his father was a painter and he studied Leonardo and Michelangelo The School of Athens – fresco, Vatican, 1509 The Transfiguration – oil on panel, Vatican, 1520 Hired to complete many frescoes in the Vatican and was well loved by many there known as their favorite He died at the base of his last painting, The Transfiguration, and was honored with a public funeral Buried at the Pantheon

9. Renaissance Activity! #1 - Create a religious or social panel  It should be constructed from construction paper and used colored pencils, markers, etc  It should be able to fold up and create multiple views #2 - Design a sculpture of someone you know, in Greco-Roman style  Draw a detailed form of the human body (PG13!)  Imagine carving every detail from stone  Pay attention to natural movement and realistic form