New art style in Florence Essay Example

create something new and beautiful. The renowned Duomo was notably influenced by the Roman Parthenon, while features like the columns of the Innocenti foundling hospital also showcase his Roman-inspired style.

Despite evidence of artists paying closer attention to physical accuracy and human form toward the end of the Middle Ages, Brunelleschi is considered the defining figure in the discovery of perspective in art. His use of a grey and white hallmark color scheme and creation of a mathematical perspective system were revolutionary. His famed experiment involved painting an incredibly accurate picture of the baptistery of San Lorenzo, amazing and confusing passer-bys who saw it. Brunelleschi's mathematical rules set a precedent for painters like Masaccio, who expanded these rules to create illusionistic and revolutionary wall-paintings in St Maria Novella, featuring three-dimensional perspectives and correctly-proportioned figures that departed from classical religious representations. In fact, according to Libero de Liberi, Masaccio's new style of painting was considered a miracle that breathed life into paintings with real and earthy urgency that it had never had before. Masaccio's style was highly influential on Florentine arts.

It is evident that the influence of Brunelleschi and Donatello, who greatly inspired Masaccio, played a significant role in his artistic vision. By merging Brunelleschi's perspective and Donatello's ability to convey intense humanity, Masaccio was able to depict Man as a genuine individual with emotions and desires. Masaccio's unique approach, combining the ideas of both artists, led to a paradigm shift in Florentine painting. Renovating and rejuvenating it, he recognized the stale and conventional state that it was in prior to his intervention. Drawing from the innovations in sculpture and architecture, he transformed the Gothic

style of painting and earned him the title of ‘the founder of Renaissance Art,' which is universally recognized today.

Masaccio's Cappella Brancacci frescoes exemplify his focus on the naturalistic revolution. He employed the laws of perspective to depict space and captured deep emotive intensity. In addition, the work La Trinita showcases an illusionary pictorial perspective, which is a hallmark of Masaccio. Masaccio innovatively combined the techniques of his fellow artists, Donatello and Brunelleschi, to create a new art style that inspired later artists such as Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raffaello. This new art style involved careful application of the theory of perspective to produce outstanding artworks.

Donatello revolutionized the sculpting world by completely abandoning Gothic principles and instead focusing on the exact dimensions and vigor of the human body. His energetic sculptures defied previous rules, which emphasized elegance and gentleness. One can observe the evolution of his style by comparing his two David statues. The first (David 1409) still had international Gothic hallmarks, while the second (David of 1430) was a stunning and homoerotic bronze figure, with a feather sensuously tickling his inner thigh. This piece referred to classical periods and was the first freestanding nude since then.

Undoubtedly, Donatello adopted the classical technique of using a model for his statue, as he often did. He, like Brunelleschi, studied classical art and ruins, which motivated him to explore the human body and nature for greater precision and independence. These studies are emblematic of Donatello's support for the Renaissance's classical revival. Nevertheless, his later works betrayed his classical background by featuring frenzied figures in unusual and demented postures, such as his statue of Mary Magdalene, which depicted her

as old, disheveled, and distressed rather than the typical portrayal of her as sweet and holy. Florentine figures were taken aback by his bold religious scenes that exhibited a staggering realism-based style of art. Although shocking, Donatello's unsettling yet captivating sculptures inspired other sculptors in Florence to create their own style by following his lead.

Sculptors like Sluter were influenced by Donatello and began creating a new, ascetic and dynamic style. The Moses Fountain, a sculpture by Sluter, was an example of art that was both realistic and imaginative. These artists were critical in shifting Florentine art away from the international Gothic style that had been dominant for many years. While they began in Gothic style, they later pioneered new styles that transformed Florentine art. Some may argue, however, that their ideas were not entirely novel as they drew inspiration from classical art – using models, striving for proportionality and finding inspiration in nature.

The innovative perspective discoveries of Brunelleschi and the groundbreaking grotesque sculptures of Donatello, along with Masaccio's fusion of previously disparate ideas, established a vital Florentine art style that later artists like Michelangelo would emulate. While drawing inspiration from the past, these three artists reinvigorated old concepts with fresh perspectives, resulting in a distinct Renaissance mode that set a new precedent.