Italian Renaissance Art Questions - Assignment Example

1. The Myth of Venice was the idea that the Venetian was an exceptional due to religious and commercial life led by a government made up ofnoblemen, monarch, and a republican liberty. The visual arts and architecture of Venice only added to the Myth of Venice. An example is the buildings around the piazza San Marco. The buildings and art only validated the Venice republic. The Myth of Venice was despite being a small municipality, Venice was better than Rome and other cities. By having the best visual arts and architecture, the myth was perpetrated. 2. 15th century Venetian palace architecture differed from the palazzo in Florence in materials and make up. Due to the canals running through Venice the materials for Venetian palaces had to be sturdy, but light. Palazzo in Florence were not as concerned with light or bare materials as with strength. The materials were different due to the base and foundations needed to complete each building in the respective towns. 3. The scuoles exerted influence on the direction of 15th century Venetian painting by awarding commissions. These great schools nurtured artists to create paintings. Not all of the painters were of noble descent. Ordinary citizens with talent could attend scuoles. Narrative paintings were also created for the meeting houses of the scuoles. Since the scuoles taught art some of the best paintings decked their halls. 4. Antonello da Messina influenced the art of Giovanni Bellini. As a result he used oil paints instead of tempera and the made use of hidden symbolism. Many artists of the time used tempera. Tempera paint dries quickly. This does not create the mixture and texture of oil paints. By using oil paints, Bellini could find a better depth and more realistic tone to his paintings. 5. Bellini’s San Zaccaria Altarpiece has luminous colors. The reds and blues are very deep. It also has the balance and harmony associated with High Renaissance art. The same amount of people is on each side of the Madonna and child. It was created with oil on panel transferred to canvas. It also has a religious Christian theme depicting Madonna and child. 6. Using oil paints Bellini could use color and light better. His paintings of living subjects became more lifelike. For example, his painting of St. Jerome was muted and dark, but his portrait of Antonello da Messina was much lighter and realistic. The oil paints allowed for greater freedom in mixing the colors. This allowed the lightness to shine through. It also created a lasting painting that has endured throughout the years. 1. Leonardo’s scientific pursuits are related to his early Florentine art by simple observation. Leonardo observed things around him. This is apparent in his early art and his scientific pursuits. He did not theorize about science, but only pursued what could be seen. His collaboration with Verrocchio Baptism of Christ shows the attention Leonardo paid to anatomy, which was taught at Verrocchio’s shop. 2. Leonardo used the scientific investigation of nature as a result of the influence of classical philosophy and art. Instead of relying on faith alone, like artists of the Middle Ages, Leonardo used anatomy, astronomy, and other scientific means to express his artistic abilities. As a result his paintings of living things were more lifelike. The sketches gave way to more possibilities that might not have been achieved during his lifetime, but gave future scientists a foundation for their work. 3. Leonardo’s The Vitruvian Man represents the equal proportions that show humans are perfect. He wanted to express man and nature has a connection. It also shows the connection between art with architecture and science. If a person is perfectly proportioned, then buildings needed to be perfectly proportioned. Buildings are built to accommodate man. If a man is proportioned buildings need to be proportioned as well. 4. Leonardo’s Virgin of the Rocks is innovative due to the use of Sfumato. This is when two ideas can be simultaneously accepted by the brain or person. This painting has the religious theme of Mary, but also has the theme of the rock scene behind her. People like Leonardo can take in both ideas, but most people have to separate the two ideas. 5. Leonardo broke with traditional iconography in The Last Supper by showing the disciples as arguing with each other in three groups. The Last Supper has been discussed by many scholars. Some have even said that it was not the twelve disciples, but eleven with Mary Magdalene sitting next to Jesus. The dagger also has no hand connected, so the traitor might also be hidden. 6. Leonardo worked in Milan for Ludovico il Moro, Duke of Milan and the Catholic Church. For the duke he made floats, models, and a lyre. For the Catholic Church, he painted the Virgin of the Rocks for the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception and The Last Supper for the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie. His commissions created more opportunity for him. 7. The beginning of the High Renaissance style started with Leonardo’s The Last Supper. His study of the classics and incorporation of it into his paintings helped to contribute to the formation of the High Renaissance style. More Greek influence can be seen in Leonardo’s work. It suddenly became more about secular ideas than divine themes. Paintings had to have more meaning than just a religious meaning. 8. Leonardo’s distinguish traits that are not characteristic of High Renaissance was the use of the Sfumato technique and his detail of nature. Leonardo’s people had to look real. His men and women were perfectly proportioned. He also used the two themes combining into one painting. His paintings cannot be simply gazed upon once, but must be contemplated for a long time to even scrape the meaning behind the scenes. 9. A driving concern of Leonardo’s was science. He revealed this in his art by studying anatomy and other sciences. The The Vitruvian Man shows Leonardo’s attention to detail and proportion. He believed in painting, sculpting, and studying science by eyesight. This goes into his proportions of other paintings. The Last Supper and Virgin of the Rocks all were proportionately correct. 10. The significance of Leonardo’s Battle of Anghiari is it was lost. The painting/mural was shown in Leonardo’s sketches, but the whole mural was lost. It seems that when Leonardo started the painting at the Palazzo Vecchio it was ruined by paints that did not dry right. Tempera might have been originally used. Apparently it was painted over. Several copies by other artist exist. 1. David symbolized the defense of civil liberties of the Florentine Republic due to the story behind the statue. David defeated the much stronger Goliath. The Florentine Republic was at odds with Rome and other states around it. The symbol was though Florence was small it could defeat larger adversaries. David was a warning to all the cities and states surrounding Florence. They were small, but do not mess with Florence or be defeated. 2. The Battle of Cascina was fought in July 1364 between the troops of Florence and Pisa. Florence won the battle. Michelangelo painted the mural of Battle of Cascina at the Palazzo Vecchio across from what was supposed to be Leonardo’s Battle of Anghiari. This painting still exists, but Leonardo’s does not. Michelangelo used a technique that managed to last up until this day. 3. Pietro Perugino was Raphael’s teacher. The stylistic traits of Perugino retained by Raphael were the ability to make characters look gentle and sweet. Many of his figures were angelic. Raphael is known for angelic figures. His robust, sweet, and peaceful characters created a serene feeling for his work. Unlike the anger, retribution, and other emotions created by other painters of the time, Raphael could take the same subject and create a peaceful scene. 4. The main topic of Michelangelo’s art throughout his career was Biblical topics. The creation of Adam, David, angels, and other paintings and statues were created by the master. Since his major benefactor was the Catholic Church this was no surprise. He created the Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican. He also created burial places for Popes. The Popes during his lifetime used his services frequently. 5. Upon seeing and studying the statue of Moses, Freud notices three layers of emotion. The foot represents the ashes of impulsive anger. The relation of the right hand to the beard and the torso shows the overpowering of the wrath which is further shown by the calmness of the left hand. Moses’ face shows the triumph of overcoming the anger. Freud would interpret this statue as Michelangelo’s feelings toward his hometown of Caprese since Michelangelo associated Caprese and this sculpture. 6. A favorite compositional device of High Renaissance painters is the Golden Triangle or pyramids. This is practical and eye pleasing. It went back to the classic Greek tradition, but also created functional designs. The Golden Triangle is used by architects and painters today. It is 2:2:1 angle ratio. This allows for a sturdy base and tall top. Triangles are also geometrically pleasing to the eye when placed into paintings. 7. Leonardo da Vinci was most influenced by the Neoplatonic ideals of the Medici circle. Neoplatonic ideals focused on Plato’s ideas. Plato was all about proving ideas. Leonardo was a scientist at heart. He wanted to prove things through science. Although his ideas could only be proven through the limited techniques of the time, he did the best he could. Leonardo was a true Renaissance man. 1. The Tempietto was commissioned by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. Donato Bramante designed The Tempietto. The domed structure is placed within the walls of the church. It is one of the best pieces of architecture from the time. This is true despite the minuteness of the structure. Inside are geometric figures which represent a Greek basilica. 2. The Tempietto marks the supposed location of the martyrdom of St. Peter. This has been disputed, but King Ferdinand and Queen of Isabella of Spain felt that was the site. They spent quite a bit to have the Tempietto built. It is a fitting tribute to St. Peter. It is located in Montorio. The Tempietto is sat upon top of the Gianicolo hill. 3. Bramante represents the ideals of High Renaissance almost perfectly. He used decorated and ornamental, statuary, domes and cupolas in buildings like the Tempietto and design for St. Peter’s Basilica. It goes back to Greek and Roman elements. The Neoplatonic ideals of the High Renaissance were used by Bramante. The Greek and Roman influence can be seen in the Tempietto with the geometric shapes. 4. Bramante’s design for the dome of St. Peter’s would have resembled the Pantheon. The dome is like the Pantheon. Pillars line St. Peter’s like the Pantheon. Both structures were used for religion. St. Peter’s Basilica was used for the Catholic Church. The Pantheon was used to worship all the gods in Rome. The pillars were used to symbol the gods for the Pantheon, but Catholic art is used in St. Peter’s. 8. The most important patrons for Michelangelo were Popes of the Catholic Church. The main topic of Michelangelo’s art throughout his career was Biblical topics. The creation of Adam, David, angels, and other paintings and statues were created by the master. Since his major benefactor was the Catholic Church this was no surprise. He created the Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican. He also created burial places for Popes. The Popes during his lifetime used his services frequently. 9. These Popes were Popes JuliusII, Leo X, Clement VII, and Paul III. The main topic of Michelangelo’s art throughout his career was Biblical topics. The creation of Adam, David, angels, and other paintings and statues were created by the master. Since his major benefactor was the Catholic Church this was no surprise. He created the Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican. He also created burial places for Popes. The Popes during his lifetime used his services frequently. 5. The overall theme of the Sistine ceiling represents the book Genesis in the Bible. It shows the creation. God creating Adam is one of the most famous scenes. Noah and the flood. Cain being cast out of the garden. Eve’s betrayal. All of these scenes swirl on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel ceiling. It took Michelangelo years of laying on his back to achieve this ceiling’s magnificent. 6. The tomb for Julius II changed in scale. The original was to have over forty bigger than life statues, but a lack of funding halted Michelangelo’s work on the tomb. It was finally finished with fewer statues, but with a mixture of architecture design. The scaling of down did not change the grandness of the tomb. In the end, Michelangelo had to work harder to achieve the same goal. 7. In Raphael’s Stanza della Segnature the first image that represents Julius II is in the Disputation of the Holy Sacrament as a scholar debating Transubstantiation. The second image is The Cardinal Virtues as himself. These images also represented Plato, Aristotle, and other figures. The depiction of himself must have flattered Julius II. It showed him in a revered light. 8. Raphael’s Galatea is a mythical depiction of Nereid Galatea who loved the peasant shepherd Acis. Her consort, one-eyed giant, Polyphemus, killed Acis by throwing a pillar at him. In Raphael’s painting Galatea appears surrounded by other sea creatures and cupid like figures. Once again the mythology of the classics was used instead of a religious theme. The love and tragedy theme was portrayed in this scene. 9. The characteristics of High Renaissance portraiture are more realistic than those from the 15th century. Whereas the 15th century portraitures are more elongated, the High Renaissance portrayed people as more proportionally correct. The use of oil instead of tempera also made the pictures more realistic. The use of canvas instead of panel or wood also made the paintings more realistic. 10. Raphael’s School of Athens is set in a Greek cross which seems to reconcile pagan philosophy and Christian theology. Apollo and other mythical figures are painted in this fresco. The mythological figures are together, but it still has Christian elements. However, it is set in a Catholic Church. The Greek cross represents the Christian aspect. It must be pointed out that Raphael’s angelic figures made the School of Athens less intimidating than another artists’ figures might. 11. Michelangelo believed that every statue was in the stone. He subtracted as was dictated by the stone. The block had to reveal itself to him as he sculpted. He did not have a preconceived notion in his head. Every stone was a different project. If he would have started David with another block of stone it might have turned out different. The subject, tone, and size all depended on the piece of stone. 12. The eyes, arms, and feet all convey awful wrath. It is well controlled, but a tense wrath that is bound in stone. The look on Moses’ face shows his displeasure. His arms are placed on his chest and torso in an effort to control himself. His feet are planted firmly. All of this suggests a wrathful disposition. He controls himself, but is not pleased. 13. Italy was the major center for artistic development in the High Renaissance. More specifically Florence, Venice, and Rome were the center for artistic development in the High Renaissance. All of the great masters came or worked in these regions. Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, and other painters flocked to these regions. The term Renaissance man originated in this region. The impact of all the artists together made them better through collaboration. 14. Raphael’s School of Athens shows Plato teaching literally. Raphael’s Galatea is a mythical depiction directly from Greece. The Neoplatonism influence on Raphael was apparent in these paintings. It showed his interest in Greece and Plato in particular. The Neo-platonic ideals were logic and teaching of mythology. The classical impact showed on his paintings. The texture, symbols, and every other element showed his interest in the Neoplatonism influence. 15. In favor of painting, a painter has no less than 10 considerations light, shade, color, body, shape, position, distance, nearness, motion and rest, whereas the sculptor only considers body, shape, position motion, and rest. A painter has less physical stress than a sculptor. Painters can achieve 3D perspective if chosen to do so. In favor of sculpting, the argument is a sculpture is 3D. A sculpture can be touched. It has more depth. Finally, it takes more physical prowess to sculpt than to paint. Read More