Art Through the Ages - Assignment Example

When the patronage system started, it was all about the patron giving orders; by the High Renaissance, it was more of a collaborative process, in which the patron would give a contract, but often allow the artist a lot of personal freedom to pursue their unique creative vision. This resulted in artworks that were more reflective of the growing power of humanism and neo-classicism, and their influence on society (Kleiner et al., 2006). The Northern Renaissance was mainly separated from the Italian by the barrier of the Alps, which was much more formidable at that time, in terms of easy travel.

The statement, “representation is a matter of function,” can be seen through the examples of famous artworks such as the bridge in Florence and Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel Ceiling. These works of art are both beautiful and functional. The needs of humanism dictated a decline in absolutism and a central prominence of the human figure being interpreted as divine; this was not a change in talent, but a change in culture and aesthetics.