Renaissance and Baroque - Essay Example

Renaissance and Baroque Over the years, man has used art to communicate, enrich his world and reflect on his surroundings. As man continues to develop, so do his artistic skills continue to improve. Therefore, art is dynamic. Art is not static and therefore changes over time. With improved innovations, humans have used their skills to come up with greater works of art. Art employs skills and imagination to express ideas, feelings and emotions. A comparison between renaissance artwork and baroque artwork highlights how art is influenced by time, technical innovations and historical events.

A more practical approach of comparing reconnaissance art and baroque art would be to compare Michelangelo’s statue of David and Bernini’s statue of David. While Michelangelo’s is static, Bernini’s is full of drama, action, emotion and dynamism.During the renaissance, paintings, sculptures, and architecture experienced a re-birth. From the 14th century, the world realized great innovations. During this time, artists blended light and colour more innovatively to their feelings, ideas and emotions.

Renaissance art refers t o ancient Greek and Roman cultures. The works of art during this time were mainly used to send religious messages more easily. At the time, people were barely literate and it was easier to communicate through pictures, paintings, and sculptures than through reading and writing. It was a period of great crisis which entailed; the unrest in the Catholic Church and political instability. Artists came up with innovative ways to encourage people to be good and have faith in God.

Paintings were therefore mostly religious.During this period, pictures had more depth and space. They were more realistic representations of physical objects. The pictures resembled what they were intended to portray more closely. The main elements in reconnaissance art include: perspective, shadows and light, emotion, realism and naturalism (Bret and McKay 32). To display three dimensional depth and space in their work, reconnaissance artists implemented the use of linear perspective, horizon line and vanishing point.

Artists used shadows and light to create a focal point on a piece of art. In the hope to motivate people to have faith and be better people, renaissance painting employed the use of emotion. They also made objects appear more real and natural. This enabled viewers to realize a connection with the pieces of art. Baroque art emerged in the 17th century, a period that was marked with counter-revolutions pioneered by the Catholic Church, which were mainly against Protestants (Riegl 1-4). Baroque art was used to teach and spread the doctrines of the Catholic Church.

The art mirrors the social unrest during the period. It depicted more detail, more action, and more emotional intensity.Baroque art lays great emphasis on asymmetry. It borrows a lot from reconnaissance. However, it is more grotesque. This type of art is hence more complicated than reconnaissance art. Both are real and natural. The paintings are more dramatic, energetic, dynamic and drastic than reconnaissance pieces. Again, it depicts more paintings to shadow, which helps realize more energy.

It appears more exaggerated due to the drama it portrays. It shows more creativity and imagination, leaving a viewer with intense emotional connection to the piece. Baroque art is more expressive, more exciting and intriguing. In conclusion, Michelangelo’s statue of David and Bernini’s statue of David show a great comparison between reconnaissance art and baroque art, and how art changes with time and innovations.Works CitedBret McKay and Kate McKay. Man Knowledge: The Basics of Art – The Renaissance.

Manly Knowledge, July16, 2010.ply http://artofmanliness.com/2010/07/16/man-knowledge-the-basics-of-art-the-renaissance/ Retrieved on April, 3, 2012. Henderson, Brigadier. The Art of Reconnaissance. Lighting Source Inc. 2011.PrintAlois, Riegl. The Origins of Baroque Art in Rome (Texts and Documents). Rome: Getty Publications. 2009.