The Development of the European Art of Time of Renaissance - Assignment Example

Strong surge in the cultural life of many European countries, which fell mainly on the XIV-XVI century, began in the XIII century, it is called the Renaissance. There is a significant enrichment of the themes like illustrating the Akathist of Madonna, (that’s why depicting Madonna with or without Christ was very popular during that time). Narrative moments are intensified in some scenes like the entry of complex architectural backgrounds and relatively detailed colorful landscapes. The composition is built in several plans and the painting no longer seems flat. Figures that used to be fixed, large, often presented from the front, are at this time of light, becoming elongated proportions; they are often portrayed in the interaction. The style of this period is marked increase of scenic elements, colorful range of complication with the use of color blend. As the era of European history it is marked by numerous milestones - including the strengthening of economic and social liberties of the cities, spiritual revival that led eventually to the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, the Peasants War in Germany, the formation of absolute monarchy (the largest scale it had in France), the beginning of the Age of discoveries, the invention of European printing, the discovery of the heliocentric system in cosmology and etc. The art of that time had showing of the Byzantine trend where the refined ornamentality, subtle artistic language and deep religiosity, emotion, dogmatism, expression and philosophical depth are closely interweaved. LORENZO DI CREDI. MADONNA AND CHILD, XV century. The base for this picture was the iconography of "Madonna: Tenderness". In the picture Christ is drawn to Marys cheek, with his hands around her neck. She lowered her eyes, gently hugging her Son. The cordiality emanating from the divine figures, brings them closer to the viewer, giving him an opportunity to at least partially understand the Heavenly harmony. The trends of the High Renaissance are reflected in this picture: clarity, balance, perfect beauty of forms and tranquility of the spirit which spreads between the figures. All the colors are selected very painstakingly; they are bright but calm and charm the viewer. The di Credis picture is very similar to the work of Raphaels "Madonna of the Meadow". RAPHAEL. MADONNA OF THE MEADOW, 1506. In the composition of this picture we can feel the significant influence of the Michelangelos works. Pyramidal structure of the group of actors reminds the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci. But with borrowed from Leonardo volume concept, "Madonna of the Meadow" is structurally harmonic - starting with a group of figures (led by the gentle shape of the Virgin Mary, which supports the child Jesus and gently looks at the boy John the Baptist) to a wide landscape with a sparkling, mirror-like lake, which stretches from one side of the picture to the other. All three figures hands are licked which symbolizes a spiritual unity. The most prominent is the beauty of Marys ideal type, the smooth contours of her parabolic shape. The "swirling" figures of two children resemble the imaginative methods of Michelangelo. This picture reflects the mix of traditional Christian iconography with new trends in the art of the 16th century. CIMABUE. MADONNA ENTHRONED, 1285. This artist was the last Italian who worked in the Byzantine manner. His "Madonna" is characterized by the fact that all of its figures - Madonna and Child, angels and saints - depicted practically in the same plane. Image depth is minimal. The prospect is balancing on the verge between forward and reverse. This can be particularly seen in the lower part of the image. Cimabue revives the composition by turning the angels of the lower row against higher one, but the strict symmetry with of the right half of respect to the left is strictly preserved. This doesnt concern only the Madonna and Child; all the persons are deprived of individuality. The artist gives a vent to his creative research in the figures of picture: their amazing refinement, the highest quality of the picture, grace and harmony. Cimabue tried to convey the brilliance of the wings, tranquility and at the same time the significance of the main figures movements. Paint (tempera) is soft with a lot of gilding. So outwardly the picture reminds a shining jewel of gold in a silver frame. The general composition is traditional, close to Byzantine style. This picture is very close to the Giotto’s “Madonna Enthroned” judging by the pose of Madonna and the colors selected. GIOTTO MADONNA ENTHRONED (THE OGNISSANTI MADONNA), 1310. This picture is similar to the "Madonna Enthroned" by Cimabue, but there is still a significant difference. Altarny image of the "Ognissanti Madonna" was intended for a Gothic Franciscan church in Florence. Although the Giottos panel was organically included to the Gothic interior, the principle of its connection with the architecture differs in many respects from the typical medieval art. The difference primarily lays in the interpretation of space. The art of the Middle Ages did not use the categories of volume and depth. For Giotto these qualities were paramount. They embodied the simplest and most obvious form of the new attitude to the world of the Renaissance - the materiality of the world, the effusiveness of everything terrestrial, tangible and measurable - which means the cognoscibility of that what in the Middle Ages was considered to be the unknowable space. Although the architectural construction of Giotto in his "Madonna Ognissanti" is not perfect in terms of the laws of perspective, yet the painter managed to achieve the visual accuracy. Preserving the traditional composition, Giotto achieves the persuasiveness of the spatial construction, monumentality and inner significance of the image. Angels and saints surrounding the throne, turned in profile and to the Madonna, thus they seem to be excluded from the praying system of image. An element of dramatic action is brought to the composition, that contradicted to the medieval iconography, which did not recognize the profile pictures. Changes made ​​by Giotto led to the fact that the image became more realistic: the figures of the kneeled angels holding a vase of flowers and Madonna, with all her stateliness, resembles an earthly woman. The fabric of wide woolen cloak and transparent Madonna’s tunic in the painting of Giotto are more subtle. The throne is depicted luxurious, but realistic. The group of angels and saints fill the space, as the royal retinue. Marys earthly nature declares itself in weightiness of her body, even more obvious because of the contrast with the delicate architectural details of the throne; Mary is dressed in simple clothes - they have little to do with precious robes of saints usually depicted on Byzantine icons. "Madonna Ognissanti" displayed with a bright and open face, and even a bit of a smile in the crease of the lips, which allows to see the whiteness of teeth. MASACCIO. THE TRIBUTE MONEY, 1425. This picture is unique and based on the story of Matthew. Its plot is unusual - painting scenes from the New Testament was rare especially the description of the parable about the tax collector. The parable tells about a Roman tax collector who raised money from the Jews to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. When the he came to Christ, the Gods Son refused to pay taxes, but sent his disciple Peter to the sea and told him to catch the fish, in the mouth of which there will be a coin, and to pay the tax. On the picture the story is decomposed into three different stages: the central group depicts Jesus and his disciples, among which there is Peter, mentioned by Matthew in his parable. On this frescoes Masaccio depicted St. Peter three times: in the center next to Christ - having a conversation with a tax collector, on the left - taking the coin out of the mouth of a fish and the on right - giving this coin to the tax collector. Such a construction of the composition was widespread during the age of Masaccio - such type of painting is called "incessant histories." The picture of Peter is quite traditional - a gray-haired, strong old man, with a short rounded beard. Jesus is depicted at a time when he tells Peter to go to the beach (a gesture of his hand is the evidence). Artistic integrity of the fresco was provided with a skillful compositional structure, and the new spatial pattern formation. Soil, mountains and sky at Masaccios work lost their symbolic meaning. The landscape is divided into separate areas, but they all are merged. In everything there is constructive framework - the idea of ​​gathering all spatial lines at the one point. In conclusion, I want to say, that the pictures, mentioned in this paper give us unique opportunity to study the development of the European Art of the time of Renaissance. General characteristic of the Renaissance lets us distinguish its features: practical and theoretical individualism, (the center of the world view and life experience of the Renaissance is concentrated on the human personality); cult of secular (ie, non-church) life with emphasized desire for sensual pleasures. So than it turned into Baroque and Rococo styles. References Honour Hugh. A World History of Art. Laurence King Publishing; 7th Revised edition. 2009 Read More