3 - 15th Century Painting in Italy PDF

Preview

Summary

Professor Allison Young Summer Session 2021...

Description

Week 1 - 3 - 15th Century Painting in Italy

3.2. Late Medieval Painting

    

   

Gentile da Fabriano, Adoration of the Magi Transition between gothic and renaissance style in painting “international” style or “international gothic” style Not focused on clean or correct and more focused on retention of luxurious ornamentation and details of texture pattern and color Mix of elements: rich guilding of architectural frame, excessive use of golf throughout, internationalism to the details, flora and fauna, other motifs Renaissance techniques: foreshortening, might not be consistent, continuous narrative Single panel altarpiece Florence was a booming economic and cultural environment Depicts adoration of the magi –



Gothic style frame – pointed arches, quatrefoils, interlacing forms

   

Continuous narrative begins in upper left corner and moves to the right Adoration in the foreground is most important No real truthful sense of perspective and more of a hierarchical one Opulence, retention of byzantine traits, distortion of scale is still seen in the virgin Mary Embroidered, detailed robes, gold leaf Mary – facial features more life-like but with a slight stylized proportion Different styles of headdresses to represent different cultures from around the world, including Islamic culture o Pseudo-Arabic writing on the clothing of one of the women in the background Exotic animals depicted that are not native to Italy – big conglomeration of world cultures This painting moves us towards the renaissance – good foreshortening like in the horse Crowd is pouring out of the city and does a better job in the scale and perspective of people

  

  

    

        

Masaccio, The Tribute Money Fresco painting, illusion of volume, 3D, and space Abandons ornamentation and favors simplified form that is more like physical reality Tax collector is differentiated because he is wearing a different style of outfit Foreshortened arm of the tax collector, back facing us to make us feel like we are apart of the scene, contrapposto pose to make the body more relaxed in natural Continuous narrative of Peter, collecting money at the shore at the left and giving the money to the tax collector at the right Largest figures are at the center which is where your eye is drawn first, Peter and Jesus are pointing their arms to the left which is wear the next scene is All of the halos are foreshortened Artists are still bound to the traditions of religious art so they are still seen in this painting Atmospheric perspective Vanishing point is Jesus’s head Lots of use of shadow, attention to detail In the actual chapel



Divine light mixes with the light in the painting

  

Masaccio, Holy Trinity, Santa Maria Novella Fresco that depicts holy trinity First successful example of linear perspective in renaissance painting, even better than the Tribute Money painting Symbolic rather than narrative in nature White dove = holy spirt, even the dove has a halo of sun beams “The Throne of Mercy”

  

       

Intended to help people reflect on Jesus sacrifice for the sins of mankind Renaissance artist adding with more intensity with humanist interest in anatomy merging faith and scientific observation See a human body that is physically impacted Face shows a grotesque expression of pain, affected by gravity, bleeding, can see his ribcage Mary and saint john and intermediaries between human and spiritual world Patrons are depicted underneath, kneeling in a position of prayer, and are positioned outside of the trinity Marble tomb at the bottom – makes it look antique Memento mori – a reminder of death is inscribed above the tomb o Reminds people to live knowing that the day of judgement will eventually come

3.3. Early Renaissance Masters

 

Shows power of Florentine orligarchy Accumulation of wealth because of bankers and merchants, people wanted to surround themselves with art and become patrons of artwork in chapels

   

Scandals and corruption Intervened in the papacy of Rome Extended family included 4 Popes and 2 queens of France Wealthy through textile trade and banking, very important patrons of art in Florence

 

Monastery of san Marco Fresco painting

      

      

Fra Angelico was also a Friar Clear and humble depiction of the annunciation Top of the stairs on the floor of the sleeping quarters of the monks Monks were not into material realities and Fra Angelico matches that in the work Uses linear perspective Don’t cast shadows, immaterial looking figures as if they are floating spiritual beings Sharp clarity, clean lines, humble, simple, clear depiction, no distraction of luxuriousness

Filippo Lippi, Madonna and Child Was a friar but was very scandalous, Medici family helped him get out of trouble Humanist ideas with a religious subject Linear style, clear contours, and outlines, but sensitive painterly touch rendering skins, hair, textile and backdrop Halo is very different, more organic, very subtle line of light around her head, matches delicacy of her lace Very young and beautiful woman, proportions are perfectly human, soft rather than rigid No hierarchic scale, in proportion, a real looking baby

           

     

Angles look playful and mischievous Live models and believed that his mistress was the model for the virgin mary Atmospheric perspective in the background Playful, humanist approach, less somber, somber note but is more playful, more youth and beauty No byzantine elongation, looks like a real woman, beautiful Angels looks like children, Jesus looks like a real baby Playful smile, mischievous looks on kids Halo – halo is simple circle, barely there, symbols of divinity are out of place, wanted to look earthly and real Frame – almost the frame of the painting, like looking out of a window Landscape is realistic, atmospheric perspective Translucent fabric and detailed lines in the hair Sensuality, beauty

Sandro Botticelli, Birth of Venus Student of Fra Filippo Lippi but an innovator Elegant and linear style Compared to others, different nature of subject matter and painting One of the first renaissance painters to take on classical mythology at face value, authentic subject Depicts the birth of Venus for the medici family, based on a humanist poem



Luscious, sensual scene

 

Floral designs, leaves on the cloths Sky and sea are skill but subject of painting is full of movement, wind, hair, fabric are all moving



Did not paint from life but used a classical statue of Aphrodite as a reference Nudity was seen as sinful and idolatress in the church Nudity was humanistic and accommodating of artistic freedom, and this was a private commission of the Medici’s who were progressive

 ...