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Art History Intro: Definition: a relatively new discipline, the art object as a “persisting event” – something that was made for a cause, subjective and objective observations make up art history  Subjective: how we feel about art/ how it makes us feel  Objective: time frame, brush strokes, location, type of painting/medium used  Methodology: art isn’t a science  Written documentation: nice to have, want good data on art although its not always available; to prove who did the artwork or that it is genuine - Albrecht Durer—great documentation; egomaniac obsessed with his art, kept a diary letting us know much about him and his art (Van Gogh also wrote letters that explained his mind set) - Michelangelo—original David (small plaster); no documentation but seems to fit the history of the piece; thought to be burnt in a fire, is burnt; however, it hasn’t sold because there isn’t enough evidence to prove it. - Jackson Pollock—forged, proven by forensic science  “c” or “ca.” is for “circa” or “around/roughly” for time periods  Thomas Kinkead  Trying to establish provenance - origin of the artwork, usually determine by documentation, or, a chain of documents, leading back to the moment it was made (ideal) - Issues: docs. can be forged, some (Pollock, mini David) have no documents  Style: a distinctive manner that can be identified as constant or recurring and therefore can be classified. (use to classify a piece if there is no written doc.) - Ex. You can tell what art is from Egypt because it follows a specific style - Style Periods can be broken down into smaller movements or sub-periods - Even artists in the same place at the same time may have little in common - Some styles may be particular to the point of an individual artist, ex. Picasso & cubism - Style may also change dramatically during the career of an individual artist, ex. Picasso again Chronology - Necessary HISTORY part of art history; general assumptions can be made about the era in which an artwork was made. Very important when discussing influences of artists - An anachronism is something that doesn’t appear where it should in history (mistake),. XVII BC coin, B.C. wouldn’t be used at that time period 

1250-1400 1400-1450 1450 - 1495 1495- 1520 1520 +

Italy Italian Proto-Renaissance Early Quattrocento Later Quattrocento Italian High Renaissance Mannerism

Northern Europe Early Northern Renaissance Early Northern Renaissance Later Northern Renaissance Later Northern Renaissance

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Intent/Purpose – What message was likely to have been intended by the artist? - Propaganda or to Show realities (Dorothy Lange—Depression) - Rauscenberg (wanted each to have own interpretation/reading) - Issue with modern art: doesn’t answer questions as to intent/purpose Donatello—Renaissance—Saint John the Evangelist, Florence, marble, perspective changes when one is looking at it from eye-level or intended viewpoint of below Mystification—problem in art history, people get overly excited about works and fail to see things for what they are, Ex. Marcel Duchamp—took common place objects and put his signature on them and pretended they were his own works Other methodologies (not traditional) -Marxist Criticism of Art: concerned with power struggle and class division - Feminist Criticism of Art: Cindy Sherman, started in 1972-1973, says men had excluded the works of women , comments on women as objects in art - Psychoanalytic Criticism of Art: Freud says dream imagery, latent imagery, etc. can all be seen in art, ex. Da Vinci’s vulture dream (The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne), Mona Lisa= self-portrait

Chapter 18: Fourteenth Century Art in Europe The Italian Proto-Renaissance (Proto= before 1400)  Renaissance= rebirth - This is a rebirth of classical ideas: philosophy, mathematics, etc.  The country of Italian was made up of Independent City-States; most credited with bringing about the Renaissance  Life was determined by what status you were born into, feudalism  Humanism—notion that humans have the potential and ability to solve problems, belief in self (perfection of mind and body)  Rivalry among the city-states; Italy didn’t unite as a country until 1870  Republic of Florence vs. Siena – big rivalry to this day  Pisa (Florence port town) is one of the most visited spots in Italy; grew up due to the crusades quite quickly. Marshy ground = leaning tower of Pisa - done before the renaissance, its late medieval; however the Pulpit of Pisa Cathedral baptistery by Nicola Pisano  “Relief sculpture” carved out of and rising out of stone, flat backside, look at it from the front like a painting, projects from the background surface of the same piece of material; high relief= projects far from its background, low relief= projects less far  There is a nude figure on this pulpit whose likeness we do not know  Nude>Naked; Nude—a figure that is unclothed for the sake of beauty (sculpture), Naked—scandalous behavior  Continuous Narration—the principle figures appear more than once within the same scene, at different stages of the narrative; condenses multiple scenes into one

Florence  

Town Hall in Florence – Piazza della Signoria -Secular Building; *secular= not religious in function Florence Baptistery - 3 sets of doors - Andrea Pisano: Doors “Life of John the Baptist” o Expected, standard story for baptistery (usually always story of John) - Head Cluster: signifies all; ex. Shows three heads but stands for all the apostles - Finished by 1336 but removed by 1401

Byzantine Art  A.K.A. “Greek Style”  Utilized gold backgrounds, gold leaf, and the art had flat spatial depth  Tempera paint: pigment is mixed with egg yolk; dries very quickly and has an opaque quality

 Virgin and the Child Enthroned (1280-90): Cimabue  What Italy’s art was based off Cimabue  Tempera Paint: Madonna, child + thrown held by angels  Giotto di Bondone – “Virgin and Child Enthroned” (1305-10) student/pupil of

Cimabue, similar and different to his masters. Shows interest in naturalism – how things really are, the way light really falls, how creases would form, etc. (symmetry, shadows, light source, part of change in culture), Have to become artist through apprenticeship—master-apprentice system (enter at 14/15; Guild of St. Luke)

Vasari  Architect  “The Lives of the Artists” showcasing greatness of art + artists (book) *Usury—high interest rate loan; awful sin at this point in time. Family business of Enrico Scrovegni (also a patron—employs artists) - Used money to make “The Arena Chapel” (in Padua— aka The Scrovegni Chapel), retribution for sin, penitence - Scrovegni hired Giotto di Bondone to decorate aforementioned chapel *Grisaille—painting that imitates sculpture, usually paint in monotone (stone-like); “The Seven Deadly Sins”— Giotto * The Fresco Technique—putting paint right onto wet wall, water-based paint on damp intonaco (wall  arriccio  intonaco layer  sinopia drawing); Buon Fresco— true or best fresco technique, Michelangelo Sistine Chapel and Giotto Arena Chapel (used Buon Fresco and finished in Fresco Secco). Fresco Secco—painting (wet paint) on a dry wall, Giotto “Triumph Entry into Jerusalem”, will fall or peel of wall, flaky (looks terrible)= less desirable b/c more upkeep * Asymmetry—not centered, Giotto utilizes this

*Giornata—how much work you can get done in a day, often used in discussion with buon fresco because you have to paint while the wall is still wet. * Perspective—any system used to project a 3D world onto a 2D surface; even simple overlapping is a form of perspective; interest in perspective brought back a bit by Giotto, Roman Wall Paintings (1st Century CE)

Pietro Lorenzetti   

“The Birth of the Virgin”; shows 3 rooms depicting different aspects of Mary’s birth, Tempera on Wood Sala Della Pace (Frescos—The Effects of Good Government in the City and in the Country) Lorenzetti and his brother disappeared in 1348 because of Black Death

City Hall in Siena; inside Palazzo Publico 

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Secular Fresco: focus on government and the Council of Nine (also decided who lived and died), how its good (good vs. bad government, seriousness of secular job) “The Effects of Good Government in the City and the Country” One symbolic figure of Justice o Hall of the Council of Nine

The Black Death – big role in this time of history - Manuscript Illumination—sacred texts plus decoration and illustration  Manu= Handmade; Script=Illustration; Illumination= Bright Colors  One at a time  No mass production until post 1470—Guttenberg Bible  Elite thing, owning one means you have a high social status  “Book of Hours” has text, prayers, psalms linked with the appropriate hours of the day for their reading and is made for non-clergy o Jeanne d’Evreux got one as a gift at the age of 14 when she married her first cousin, the King of France, Charles IV—had messages in it implying she should soon produce a male heir as that was her purpose (obligation) o Jean Pucelle—makes “Books of Hours” esp. “The Hours of Jeanne d’Evreux” (1325-28) o Lingering Gothic feel in the books of hours o “S” (S shaped body) or the “courtly style” what people of high status should present themselves as

Germany  Expressionism—to be raw and brutal, not hold back with emotion in art  German (Gothic) Expressionism (comes back in 1500 Renaissance)—very  

brutal and exaggerated (ex. Bloody Crucified Jesus) [Vesperbild= prayer art, helps you as you pray—German Pieta] Art was very gruesome and lacked in naturalism as if to emphasize the emotion Verperbild—Pieta that is creepy *pieta—Mary holding Jesus

Chapter 19: 15th Century Art in Northern Europe

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50 years after the Bubonic Plague, felt the plague was an omen that there was too much focus on humanism Northern Renaissance: 1500s Duke and his lavish book of hours, never received it, him and the artists, Limbourg brothers, died during a second wave of the bubonic plague before it was finished Worship of Virgin Mary was elevated during the Gothic Age, so there are many different paintings of the same scenes, ex. Annunciation Dijon, France—Burgundian Court—“Enclosure for the Well of Moses” by Claus Sluter, naturalism; Moses mistranslated Mistranslation of the Bible said rays of light resulted in translation of horns of light and thus Moses is often depicted as having horns in 1400s sculptures and paintings Jeremiah, Moses, David, Isaiah are all depicted on the well and their body language signifies conversation and communication Sluter Workshop—“Tomb of Charles the Bold”, monks are small and king is large because he is more important, Hierarchy of Scale—less status= smaller depiction Europe in 15th Century: Focus on territory Flanders:

Flemish Painting    

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Oil painting first emerges in Flanders, ca. 1425 Oil paint: pigment mixed with oil, oil paint dries more slowly than tempera allowing the painter to lay down the color in superimposed translucent layers Robert Campin “Master of Flemalle”—possibly popularized oil, “Portrait of Robert de Masmines” and “Portrait of a Lady”—oil on panel (1425) Diptych vs. Triptych, 2 paneled vs. 3 paneled painting or altarpiece o EX. “Triptych of the Annunciation” (1425-30); Merode Altarpiece – triptych accredited to the workshop of the Master of Flemalle; shows the annunciation—one of first great oil paintings Donors—the patrons for a particular work of art, often included in pieces they commission; Campin’s donors are Mr. and Mrs. Inghelbrecht (angel bringer); kneeling in one left side panel of Merode Altarpiece “Disguised” symbolism—objects are meant to signify spiritual messages (e.g. purity, sin, the brevity of life, etc.); quotes are because the symbols would have been understood at that point of time Other Important Cities: Dijon and Bruges:

Bruges, Belgium 

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Jan Van Eyck—“Man in a Red Turban”, most likely a self-portrait however there is not enough documentation to prove it; issue of humanism again— individuality, worthy of other’s time and attention; (labeled on frame: “To the best of my ability” (at showing everything he sees) “I made this myself”) (1433), Red Turban and fur-line coat= sign of class and wealth “Portrait of Margaretha Van Eyck”: Van Eyck’s wife Silver Point: stick of silver sharpened down to point, oxidizes and becomes shiny purple color, not seen as finished works of art, drawings in aid of final

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work, shows how artists work/draft, not erasable (sketch if lack of time for person to pose); Van Eyck worked in silverpoint, primitive form of drawing, cover wood with a white surface and then use sharpened silver to sketch (EX. “Portrait of Cardinal Nicola Albergatti—1431) (used because paper was not desirable) Van Eyck disproportional, very realistic however body is smaller than head would warrant “Portrait of Man (Timotheus))—in memory of his good friend a court Jester who passed away (dwarf) (“In Fond Remembrance”) o Holding paper signified that you were learned and could write “Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride” (1434): Gets a Portrait from Van Eyck o Orthogonal—how one constructs space using linear perspective, lines should all converge toward a vanishing point, diagonal lines that can be drawn along receding parallel lines (or rows of objects) to the vanishing point. o Van Eyck is not orthogonal, slightly off o Van Eyck uses “Intuitive” perspective where all of the lines do not lead to a consistent/single vanishing point (eyeballed it) o Dog is an ancient symbol of fidelity (Fido) o Chandelier has one lit candle= Holy Spirit present as a witness o Fruit symbol of proper or “ripe” age o Mirror is symbol for the all seeing eye of God (didn’t put dog in mirror —Why…?) o Bed is a symbol of domestic obligation o This was signed stating that he was there as if attesting to the verity (“I was here. I was in this room.”) Polyptych—Multi-paneled (EX. 12 panels— Van Eyck “Ghent Altarpiece” 1432, oil on wood) Atmospheric perspective—look at real world and report on what it really does (further away= more hazy/blue) Hans Memling: Portinari Donors’ Portraits, oil on panel Hugo Van Der Goes—Portinari Altarpiece triptych (1470), also had Portinaris as a donor—closed has sculpture on outside, open has painting on inside

15th Century Printmaking:  The Relief Method—woodcut, draw what you want in reverse, mass produced art, can be produced by children (not much thinking, just manual labor once have cut), you leave behind the upper surface you do want to print, but relieve what you don’t want (cut out)—hence the name; print making method  Gutenberg Bible comes about based off an idea similar to the relief method  The Intaglio method –done using metal, scrape lines into metal, more muscle involved, engraving, put ink on surface and press it into grooves,

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don’t relieve, need a print press, what you want printed= (EX. Martin Schongauer “Demons Tormenting St. Anthony”) Michelangelo is painted version of above^ 1400s in Italy—Quattrocento

Chapter 20: Art in 15th Century Italy Florence           

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Early Renaissance= Quattrocento 1401 Competition for a new set of Baptistery doors (second set because needed to be updated), funded by the wool merchants’ guild: Filippo Brunelleschi vs. Lorenzo Ghiberti The competition panel was “Sacrifice of Isaac”  Ghiberti comes out on top; Brunelleschi even messed up and had to be given a second chance Ghiberti chosen by cloth merchants, took about 1 year/panel (28 panels) When completed, Ghiberti put his own face sculpted in these doors  humanism This was the FIRST major project of this century, set off the rest of the century 2nd great project is putting a dome on the Florence Cathedral (1416)  Brunelleschi’s Dome Pantheon—Rome (118-125): inspiration for dome, perfect size, made out of concrete and how to make it was not left in records, so there is no idea how to replicate = struggle for the Florence Brunelleschi made the dome for the Cathedral of Florence; egg story, football/egg shaped dome= less likely to implode on self, Built with stairs inside; no centering device was used Vasari documented competition Michelozzo di Bartolommeo—Medici family home (banking) (1446) - Sumptuary Laws—(Consumption Laws), forbade ostentatious displays of wealth, rules of decorum, mandates how you dress and behave; 1 of which says you cannot have more than 12 rooms - Coat of Arms still on the building - Was open to the public, lower level. Third floor is where family lived (further from filth of streets), 2nd floor had offices/business and first floor was open and showed art (destroyed 20 small houses to create a house of about 46 rooms!) - Medici is very important in their patronage to the art - One great discovery was a Roman copy of a Greek Venus (Aphrodite) known as the “Medici Venus” Orsanmichele (building begun in 1337) - Important for niches (a shallow recess, especially one in a wall to display a statue or other ornament.) - Niches were filled by different guilds from 1406 to 1423 - Linen Drapers Guild commissioned Donatello to sculpt St. Mark (their patron saint)

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Contrapposto—counter-positioning of weight, looking relaxed and at ease, weight all in one leg while the other is bent (EX. Donatello’s St. Mark)

Sienna  Donatello travels to Sienna because the money is good and has large commissions

 “Feast of Herod” (Donatello) from the baptismal font of Siena Cathedral (1425)

 Rossellino: “Tomb of Leonardo Bruni” 

Donatello’s 3 unique things (Donatello travels to Sienna because the money is good and has large commissions) 1. Single-point linear perspective—all orthogonals converge at a singular vanishing point; idea first formulated by Brunelleschi (1422); first published in a book by Leon Battista Alberti called “On Painting” (1436) 2. First life-size cast bronze nude since Antiquity—David (1446-60) - Homoerotic—an erotic interest in one’s own gender; seen in David (feminine/gay looking—possibly just because Donatello was aiming for pre-pubescence) 3. First life-size equestrian bronze since Antiquity (1443-53) - At the Basilica of St. Anthony; odd because it’s a secular sculpture - “Gattamelata”—nickname of the condottiere (freelance warrior) Erasmo di Narni, which means “The Honey-Colored Cat”

THIRD SET OF DOORS FOR THE FLORENCE CATHEDRAL      

Once again done by Ghiberti Began around 1425 Now only has 10 panels Was updated because perspective was needed Taken off and moved inside for long term restoration because the elements were beginning to take their toll on them Ghiberti once again put himself on the doors; son also depicted now

Masaccio 

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Linear Perspective and Painting: Brancacci Chapel - Master’s perspective - Chiaroscuro= shading (light & then fades into darkness, shadows) - Atmospheric perspective utilized as well - “Expulsion of Adam and Eve” - “Trinity with the Virgin, St. John the Evangelist, and Donors”—shows off single-point perspective. Could be 1st ever (if from 1425), has skeleton in drawing (“As you are I used to be. As I am you will be.”)—Memento Mori: reminder of human mortality or death Uccello – obsessed with 1 point perspective - Another condottiere (free-lance warrior, portrait of Equestrian sculpture fresco): Giovanni Acuto - Battle of San Romano (1438-1440)—Tempera on Wood - Foreshortening: how to show a figure from a very unusual vantage point

The Princely Court at Urbino The court of Federico da Montefeltro—Duke of Urbino (1474-1482) - Originally a condottiere - Continued to wage war as a duke against Florence and the Pope - Blinded in right eye early in his career in a jousting tournament - Legendary library owned by him at Urbino - Also interested in perspective - Francesca’s “Battista Sforza and Federico da Montefeltro”  Sacra conversazione—“holy conversation...