Classical Art and Renaissance - Term Paper Example

? ical art and Renaissance Number ical art ical art and renaissance are significant developments that mirrored the historic cultural activities and ideology of the ancient European society. These periods witnessed humanism being presented as an imperative aspect of society, as it influences every individual’s life, hence the need to illustrate it in the arts of the periods. Folklore, archetypes, and beauty experiences discovered at the time, have swayed the contemporary culture. There are several similarities and variations between the time periods; for instance, during the Classical Ages, the society concentrated more on spirituality and religious activities while, in the Renaissance, the major tenets were worldlier. Due to this, the art of the period presented these prevailing social conditions. Art was used to record and preserve the most remarkable transformations during the Classical period and the Renaissance. The beginning of the Classical period is an era in European ancient life that was experienced between 500 and 900 A.D (Gaunt, 2005). Notably, the Classical period borrowed many innovations from the ancient periods. Even though it resulted in remarkable development from the previous periods, the Middle Ages art were largely conservative. Humanists thought the Middle Ages corresponded with societal turmoil of the period (King, 2003). Nevertheless, the Renaissance availed transformations in the manner in which individuals perceived themselves and how they initiated a revitalization of edifications. Additionally, an influx of numerous groups of individuals with similar philosophies was experienced during this era. The Classical period art encompasses Ranesque Art, which was created during the tenth century through the mid-twentieth century. Additionally, it includes Gothic Art. This happened from the mid-twentieth century through the fifteenth century. King (2003) indicated Romanesque carvings, fresco dying, manuscript illumination, blacksmiths work, which was initiated by monks, are all of Gothic art. In particular, Gothic art was illustrated in curved gothic art, stained goblet and surface images that were premised on Christian spirituality. They were fashioned; the objects and pictures were not nude, though the work was not often signed by the artist. The qualities of Romanesque art were presented in the construction of Basilica of Paray-le-Monial in France. Further, a perfect case of Gothic Art was employed in the construction of the Notre Dame Cathedral in French capital, Paris. Renaissance The expression Renaissance implies "rebirth." It began in Italy in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries and was upheld for more than three successive centuries. It signaled a period when urban areas became very common. The Renaissance society witnessed the resurfacing of traditional art and structural design of buildings. It led to the growth of renewed education of immense work from antique Greco Roman cultural heritage (King, 2003). The Renaissance era also spawned the best artistic and philosophical accomplishments of the West. Moreover, it illustrated the manner in which individuals perceived themselves in the general civilization compared to the classical period. Individualism assumed a remarkable role in the wake of the Renaissance era. Individuals in the Middle Ages looked upon themselves as comprising a ethnic segment of the society, relations or other all-encompassing demography. They never held the opinion that their individual accomplishments were of any importance until the Renaissance came to be. According to King (2003), throughout the twentieth century in the history of Italian society, individuals’ perceptions transformed as they appreciated their individual uniqueness. They gauged their individual characteristics, both strengths and weaknesses. The Renaissance encompassed Renaissance art, culture, and reorganization art. It is notable that a large percentage of the Renaissance art was during the sunset years of the thirteenth century, through the early seventeenth century. Oil paint was mainly used by painters of the time. The artists made their art works employing the use of improved color and profound hue to achieve attractive images. The art works had immense spiritual connotations, but few instances of secular touches were also represented. The secular connotations encompassed pragmatism; tromp l’oeil, body exposure, and humanism. Moreover, artists signatures accompanied the art. In the wake of the Renaissance, the three most common types of art encompassed paintings, carvings, and structural designs of buildings. Leonardo da Vinci images fall well within this category of art. Some of his widespread art include the “The Last Supper” and “Mona Lisa.” In addition, Pieta and David created by Michelangelo during the period is a perfect example of the Renaissance carving. Impact of religion and education During the Classical period, political activities were largely based on Christian faith (Gaunt, 2005). The society was largely composed of traditionalists. and uninformed philosophers. Individuals who lived during this period had an inclination of reason and their society was very significant to them. Feudal systems were very significant during the period; this encompassed three major leaders, the lords, fiefs, and vassals: these authorities were honored in sculptures and paintings of the time. During this period religion was highly sacred and most activities which people engaged in were viewed as sinful. This triggered the need for upholding the presence of god through sculptures. During the Renaissance, education was still poor, hence only a few had formal education. The only learned and literate individuals of the time were the religious personalities. The Renaissance society perceived political activity in a secular natural lens. Voltaire is an ancient philosopher who highlighted the Renaissance society for freeing the subconscious from baseless traditions and lack of knowledge. The urban areas actually developed, which resulted in a rush toward the pursuing of learning opportunities. This became feasible following the discovery of the transferrable type printing equipment by Johannes Gutenburg, resulting in easier ways of knowledge acquisition and more attractive art. Less formalities and resources were needed to attain literary prowess. Individuals learnt several disciplines, which represented the diverse nature of the society ahead. The Humanities learnt different themes such as ethics, language, rhetoric, the past activities, poetry, and the important works of classical relic (Gaunt, 2005). Academi Science discipline was also vital as it was based on the re-establishment of the innate skills of the antecedents (Gaunt, 2005). Humanism was largely central, though. This implies humans had coherent capacities. An individual could assume high prominence through learning processes; he or she was the most important creation of God. In view of this, the Catholic Church went through a downturn in regard to influence and standing, resulting in the questioning of the sanctity of the Roman Catholic Church, more so during the restructuring period. This development led to the discarding of some artistic symbols of God or a show of contempt to them in protest. Some artists abandoned the creation of religious art. Even though both the Classical period and Renaissance were not similar to each other, their transformations helped to create what they became in the contemporary world; the liberal society where art serves to forge unity and help with the reminiscence of the ancient societal ideals. Conclusion Generally, on the one hand the Renaissance turned out to be a period remarkable change of various artists as they jostled for influence in society. Art was increasing evolving into more than mere craft work. Renaissance culture was influenced by guilds, which stood for the vital trades under the prevailing social and political factors. All were associated with a patron clergy and each appeared out for their peers, making sure that all earned a living out of the activity in which they engaged. On the other hand, classical period was characteristic of the transformation of a grin of the ancient sculpture or painting into a somber facial appearance. Even in carvings which portray violent and zealous scenes the visage betray no depiction of the hostility. Logic and understanding was to form the basis of human art presentation, regardless of the dramatic nature of the prevailing situations. In a nutshell, both are, however, significant periods during which art underwent immense transformation and development. References Gaunt, J. (2005). The Classics. Veranda, 19(2), 122-132. King, M.L. (2003).The Renaissance in Europe. London, UK: Laurence King Publishing. Read More