Renaissance Argumentative – Flashcards
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When was the Arena Chapel created?
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1305-1306
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Grisaill
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Monochrome grays, often used for modeling in painting to resemble sculpture
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The Lamentation of Christ
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Created by Giotto, ca. 1305 Located in the Arena Chapel
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What did the Lamentation of Christ accomplish?
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It was close to having completed perspective
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International Style
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Developed by Simone Martini, a 14th-15th century style in which French Gothic manner was adapted to Sienese art fused with influenced from the North. It appealed to the aristocracy because of it's vivid colors, lavish costume, intricate ornamentation, and the theme involving splendid processions of knight and ladies
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Annunciation by Simone Martini
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Created in 1333, International Style, an architectural piece, there is intricate carving of script on the background wall
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The Ghent Altarpiece
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Created by Jan Van Eyck in 1432, Saint Bavo Cathedral, Ghent, Belgium. One of the largest and most admired Flemish altarpieces of the 15th century. Functioned as the liturgical centerpiece of the endowment established in the chapel Vyd and Borluut built in the local church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist.
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Polyptych
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Many panels
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Liturgical
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A prescribed form or set of forms for public worship
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Triptych
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Three-paneled painting
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Deposition from Notre-Dame hors-les-murs (The Descent from the Cross/ Deposition)
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Roger van der Weyden, 1435, center panel of a triptych, sums up Rogier's early style and content, compressed the figures and action onto a shallow stage to concentrate the observer's attention, imitated the large sculptured shrines that were popular in the 15th century, resembles a stratified-relief carving
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Robert Campin, the Merode Altarpiece
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Created in 1425, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, shows the Annunciation
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Symbolism in the Merode Altarpiece
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Book, extinguished candle, lilies, copper basin, towels, fire screen, and bench symbolize, in different ways, the Virgin's purity and her divine mission. Joseph is making a mousetrap to symbolize the theological tradition that Christ is bait set in the trap of the world to catch the Devil. The couple that appears in the closed garden which symbolizes Mary's purity and the flowers represent Mary's virtues, especially humility
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Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride
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Jan Van Eyck, 1434
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Symbolism in Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride
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The cast-aside clogs indicate this event is taking place on holy ground, the little dog symbolizes fidelity, the bedpost's crowning ornament is a tiny statue of Saint Margaret, the patron saint of childbirth, from the final hangs a whisk broom, symbolic of domestic care, the oranges on the chest below the window may refer to fertility, and the all-seeing eye of God is seen by the single candle in the left rear holder of the chandelier, and by again by the mirror
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Garden of Earthly Delights
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Hieronymus Bosch, 1505-1510
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Enigmatic
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Mysterious, difficult to interpret
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Gates of Paradise
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Lorenzo Ghiberti, 1425-1452 Demonstrated his interest in perspective in his Sacrifice of Isaac, embraced Donatello's innovations. Enthusiasm for unified system for representing space
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What did Michelangelo say about the Gates of Paradise?
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"So beautiful that they would do well for the gates of Paradise"
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What do the panels represent in the Gates of Paradise? What did they accomplish?
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A relief set in plain moldings and depicts a scene from the Old Testament, the complete gilding of the reliefs creates an effect of great splendor and elegance. They accomplished linear perspective.
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Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden
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Masaccio, 1425
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What are the characteristics of the Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden?
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Painted awkwardly on a narrow space, displays the representational innovations of Tribute Money (slightly slanted light from an outside source creates deep relief, with light placed alongside darks, acts as a strong unifying agent, figures move with structural accuracy, substantial body weight, hazy atmospheric background
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Symbolism in the Expulsion of Adam and Even from Eden
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Adam's feet are touching the ground, represent the human presence on earth, and the cry issuing form Eve's mouth voices her anguish, Eve looks like a skull, pained expressions, covering body, shamed
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In the Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden, what does the angel do?
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The angel does not force them physically from Eden, rather, they stumble on blindly, driven by the angel's will and their own despair
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Capernaum
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A large Galilean fishing village and busy trading center. This place if of special interest to Christians because of its frequent mention in the history of Jesus Christ
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Tribute Money
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Masaccio, 1427, fresco
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What is the story behind Tribute Money?
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This is a story from the Gospel of Matthew. The tax collector confronts Christ at the entrance of Capernaum and asks them to pay their taxes to the church. Christ tells Saint Peter to go to Lake Galilee and there he finds a half drachma in the mouth of a fish and he returns it to pay the tax.
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How is Christ represented in Tribute Money?
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He has a blue toga (he is the singular blue toga), his hands are outstretched, and the mountains seem to be pointing to him and Peter.
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What did Massacio's halos look like?
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Flat discs atop the heads of the people wearing them.
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How is the illusion of sculptural relief shown in Tribute Money?
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The light strikes the figures at an angel, illuminating parts of the solids that obstructs its path and leave the rest in shadows
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Coffered
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Barrel-vaulted chapel
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Pilasters
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A rectangular column with a capital and base, projecting only slightly from a wall as an ornamental motif
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What does the dove represent?
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The holy spirit
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True or false? Bosch was an early form of surrealism.
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True
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When was the height of the Renaissance?
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1420
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What city was the most important city during the Renaissance?
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Florence
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Who began the Renaissance?
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Massacio
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What are the 3 most important paintings by Botticelli?
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Birth of Venus, A Prima Vera, and Mars and Venus
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Why does Mars and Venus have an odd shape?
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It was originally bedroom furniture
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What is the overall theme of Mars and Venus?
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Love defeats war
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Who is the central figure in A Prima Vera? Who does she resemble?
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Aphrodite. She resembles Mary
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What symbols are usually associated with Botticelli and Aphrodite?
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Oranges
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Who is the deity of Florus? What is her mortal name?
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Chlorus is the mortal and Flora is the goddess
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Where is A Prima Vera taking place?
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Cyprus
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Who was Mantegna?
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The royal, court painter for Gonzaga in Mantua who was interested in ancient Greek and Roman sculpture. He is the only official great painter to be a court painter
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Sfumato
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Up in smoke, blurred edges, soft focus, disguise linear quality of a painting
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How did da Vinci usually paint his portraits?
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From the waist up, 3/4 of the body was shown (the body was turned)
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What is Leonardo da Vinci responsible for?
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Ushering in the High Renaissance
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What was da Vinci's view?
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"Man is the measure of all things" (Humanism)
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What was the main perspective during the Renaissance?
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Humanism
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How does da Vinci use light in the Last Supper to create halos?
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He uses arches and windows to mold the light to make it appear as if Jesus is wearing a halo
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What does the arch symbolize in the Last Supper?
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The arches symbolize the saying "we are as they were". It is a way of saying that the artists of the Renaissance were like the great artists and thinkers of Greek times
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What is Titian's great work?
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The Flaying of Marsyas
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What is the story behind The Flaying of Marsyas?
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A satyr, Marsyas, challenged Apollo to a flute playing competition, saying that the winner could do what ever he wanted to do too the loser. Apollo won and decided to flay Marsyas alive
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What does the Flaying of Marsyas represent?
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The flaying represents the life of an artist and how as he grows, he becomes bared alive as his work is shown and he "bears his soul"
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What do the laurels that Apollo wears represent?
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They symbolize the nymph, Laurel, who Apollo fell in love with and chased. Her father turned her into a Laurel tree in order to protect his daughter from Apollo.
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What is the message behind the Flaying of Marsyas?
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"To be an artist means to be completely exposed"
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What is Michelangelo's David made of? Where did it come from?
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Carrera marble, 100% marble. The town that Michelangelo was working in had a piece of marble that was slightly flawed, making other artists avoid it. The town saved it for someone who would use it. Michelangelo volunteered to use it and created David from it.
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Describe the position of David. What does this mean?
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Disotto in su- the David is designed to be looked at from below, up, not from level position or from above to below
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Disotto in su
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From below looking up
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Why is David top heavy?
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It was designed to be looked at from below, so the top is heavier to allow for the position of the looker
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What is a saying that is used to describe David? What does this mean?
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"Calm before the storm". It means that David is calm before going to fight Goliath, the giant he is supposed to defeat. He is calm before going into battle
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Describe David by Michelangelo
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Top heavy, head and hands are larger than they should be, counter balance, thinking, furrowed eyebrows, rock hidden in hand, activates the space, wants you to walk around the sculpture, slingshot hidden by the shoulder, ancient Greek classical style
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Why is David designed the way it is (rock hidden in hand, slingshot behind the shoulder, etc.)
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Michelangelo wanted the viewer to walk around the sculpture
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How did Michelangelo work with marble?
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He thought that the sculpture was already in the marble and that he just had to carve it out. He also used almost every single inch of the marble, not much of the marble was left over when he was finished with his piece
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The Sistine Chapel
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Made in the early 1500s, many art historians believe that Michelangelo was unable to paint due to to build up of grime over the paintings. In the 1970s, the paintings were cleaned and the historians were astounded by the brilliance of the paintings they unearthed. Each of the panels are considered masterpieces. Some of the post important paintings are the Last Judgement and God breathing life into Adam.
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Is the Sistine Chapel vaulted?
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No, but it appears so because of the paintings
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What does it mean to be Michelangelo-esque?
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Over the top muscle tone
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What painting is in the center of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?
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The Creation of Adam
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What does everything revolve around in the Sistine Chapel?
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Adam and God's fingers touching
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Where did Michelangelo include a self-portrait in the Sistine Chapel? How did he portray himself?
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He painted himself in the alter piece (depicting the Last Judgement), but he showed his empty skin
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What is the alter piece in the Sistine Chapel similar to?
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Dante's Inferno
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What is important about the Pieta?
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It is the only sculpture that Michelangelo has ever signed. He signed it because no one believed he had created it.
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What painting typifies the High Renaissance?
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The School of Athens by Raphael
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The School of Athens was painted in?
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1520
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What is the apex of the classical high Renaissance?
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The School of Athens by Raphael
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When was The School of Athens started (around the time of what other important event)?
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When Michelangelo was painting the Sistine Chapel
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1510 is as to the High Renaissance as ___ is to Greece
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450 BC
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Where is the School of Athens located?
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It is located in another portion of the Sistine Chapel
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Who was Michelangelo a mentor to?
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Raphael
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How did Michelangelo influence Raphael?
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Raphael would sneak into the Sistine Chapel in order to watch Michelangelo work
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What is the School of Athens an icon of?
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Humanism
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Who are the two figures in the center of The School of Athens?
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Aristotle and Plato
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How is Plato represented? What does this mean?
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Plato points upward. This symbolizes the "Platonic Ideal"- heaven is the ultimate source for his philosophy
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Who does Plato represent in The School of Athens?
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He represents Leonardo da Vinci
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How is Aristotle depicted in The School of Athens?
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His palm is facing the earth emphasizing the importance of gather knowledge through observing the material world
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What do Plato and Aristotle represent in the School of Athens?
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The coming together of heaven and earth (Humanism). They also represent the great minds of the past merging with the great minds of the present
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Where and why did Raphael put himself into the painting? How is he shown?
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He is letting us know that he is also a great name to be remembered.
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What does Ptolemy represent in the painting? How is he shown?
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He is in the foreground holding a terrestrial globe. It signifies his important contributions to science as an ancient astronomer
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Who is Heroclitus? Who does he represent? How is he shown?
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Heroclitus was a melancholy philosopher from Greece who was portrayed as the portrait of Michelangelo. He is shown sitting on the steps, leaning against a box, looking sad and depressed. This represents how Michelangelo was moody and despondent.
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Who does Euclid represent in the School of Athens? How was Euclid?
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He represents Bramante. At the time, he was working out the plans for the reconstruction for St. Peter's Basilica. Euclid was an ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher who is displaying one of his geometric principles in the painting (father of Geometry)
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What is the location of the School of Athens in the painting?
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St. Peter's Basilica
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Holy Trinity
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Masaccio, 1428
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What two principal Renaissance interests does the Holy Trinity embody?
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Realism based on observation and the application of mathematics in the new science of perspective
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How is the Holy Trinity composed?
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On two levels of unequal height
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What is believed about Masaccio, Brunelleschi, and the Holy Trinity?
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Brunelleschi may have directed Massacio while he painted the Holy Trinity
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Where is the vanishing point in the Holy Trinity?
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It is at Christ's feet
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Why is it that you can calculate the dimensions of the chapel in the Holy Trinity?
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Massacio was so exact in his metrical proportions
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Why was Donatello's David created?
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The Medici family commissioned it for the Palazzo Medici courtyard
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What is Donatello's David?
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The biblical David, the young slayer of Goliath and the symbol of the independent Florentine republic
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Contrapposto
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How humans naturally stand with more of their weight on one leg than on the other
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What is significant about Donatello's David?
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It is the first free standing nude statue
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When was Donatello's David created?
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1428-1432
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How was one of the best known artists who produced works for the Medici?
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Sandro Botticelli
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When was the Birth of Venus painted?
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1482
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What inspired Botticelli to paint the Birth of Venus?
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A poem by Angelo Poliziano
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Who is blowing Venus to shore in Birth of Venus?
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Zephyrus
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Who is running towards Venus in the Birth of Venus?
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Pomona
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Pudica
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Modest venus, Venus covering herself up
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How did Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo chose the way their religious figures would look?
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They would paint people that they saw on the streets or in public places
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When was Michelangelo's David created?
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1501-1504
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In the School of Athens, who is Raphael standing next to?
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Ptolemy
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Where is Socrates in the School of Athens?
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He is in a green robe to the left of Plato and Aristotle
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Didactic
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Tells a story
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In the Arena Chapel, how was being exalted into Heaven?
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Scravini, the man who hired Giotto to paint the Arena Chapel
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What are some characteristics of Giotto's paintings?
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Long, skinny hands, outlined figures, rounded figures, and flat halos, proportions that were not accurate
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In The Lamentation of Christ, where does the composition lead your eye?
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To Jesus in the bottom left
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How are the halos made in The Lamentation of Christ?
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They are made of gold leaf
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How was the Ghent Altarpiece often presented?
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Usually closed, or one panel was open depending on the time of the year
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Liturgical
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Used for public worship
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What is the Duomo Cathedral made of?
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Marble
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Where is the Sistine Chapel located?
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Within the St. Peters Basilica
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Why, in the Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden (1425), do Adam and Eve cast shadows?
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It represents that they are part of the Earth and are mortal, unlike God
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How does the Holy Trinity pay homage to the ancient Romans and Greeks?
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The vaulted ceiling and the arches
