...The Classical and Renaissance art periods are two of the most important and celebrated art periods in our history. The two periods were alike in many ways with only a few differences setting them apart. In the end, the Renaissance was a “rebirth” of the Classical art style, architecture and beliefs. The Classical period was a time of spectacular architecture, philosophical pondering, and human development; taking place between 500 – 323 BC, Ancient Greece enjoyed wealth and power. The arts, literature, and drama thrived. The Classical Period made world changing discoveries in medicine, mathematics, physics, and astronomy. The city of Athens, one of the most powerful and influential cities in the Classical period introduced the world to Democracy and has shaped today’s western governments. Some of the philosophers of the Classical Period have become the most well known philosophers know to man today and have had influence on Western thought and civilization. To this day the teachings of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle are still pondered today. Classical art focused mainly on five forms: architecture, sculpture, pottery, painting, and music. Ancient Greece was dominated by religion. This resulted in the temples being big and beautiful. The Classical period brought change in the style of sculptures. The Greeks believed in humanism and their art displayed this. The Greeks took great pride in the importance of the individual in society in the forms of art, philosophy and government...
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...The Renaissance was a time of rebirth and changes in the lives of many people and many people’s views on how humanity functioned. After the calamitous 14th Century in which many people were murdered through wars, or die naturally by plague, the survivors started to look at the world in a whole new way. The philosophies of many people had changed after such near death experiences and the Renaissance blossomed from the Renaissance. The Medici family were catalyst to the Renaissance as the were patrons of the arts. Art was a crucial part of the renaissance as this changed the method in which people viewed life greatly and so created many new methods in portraying the mind of the artist. Two such great sculptors of the Renaissance were Donato di Niccolo di Betto Bardi and Michelangelo did Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni. Michelanglo and David are most famous for creating the sculptures of David from the High and Low Renaissance respectively. The sculptures’ of Donatello and Michelangelo are both drastically different, evidenced by the influences of their respective Patrons, the time period that the sculptures depicted and the symbolism behind each sculpture. The influences of the two sculptures are important to find out how the final result of each Sculpture was. Donatello’s David was commissioned by the Medici family, at the time it was thought out of the ordinary for a member or a group of government to commission a piece of art. The fact that the Medici commissioned this artwork...
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...A1 - Renaissance The Renaissance period began in Italy around 1300 and spread throughout Europe during the 1400 and 1500’s. This period signified the beginning path to incredible change in customs, ways of life and institutions that had existed in Europe for almost a thousand years. Many of the new ideas of this period still influence our lives today. The beginning of this period the European countryside was broken up into large estates owned by the wealthy nobles. Most people were peasants, who worked the land for the noble owners. All parts of life centered around religion mainly the Catholic Church which was very powerful. Throughout the Renaissance, the large estates were taken over by royalties like kings and princes and built strong kingdoms and national governments. The people began to move from the farm to the cities. The Protestant reformation weakened the Catholic Church and divided Christians into many different groups. (Renaissance Art. 2013). I believe the greatest milestones that came out of the Renaissance are was that of Art and Education. This was a period of rebirth of the classic ideas of ancient Greece and Rome, and at this time, there was a great deal of energy placed on man rather than God. Art of this time used new forms and techniques to show the ideas of this new age. The Art was focused on glorifying man. Renaissance artist were sought-after and gained fame during this period. Unlike the unknown artists of the Middle Ages, Renaissance artists...
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...The Renaissance & Baroque Arts The Renaissance, also known as the period of “rebirth”, directly followed the Middle Ages. Some considered the Renaissance period as a bridge from the “Dark Ages” to the modern era or the “light”. This period in history lasted about four centuries—late 13th century to the early 17th century— featuring “a revival of classical art, literature, philosophy, architecture, and learning” and introduced some of “the finest artists and intellectual achievements in the history of the Western humanities” such as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo Buonarroti (MindEdge, 2013). Renaissance art is traced back to Italy where artists and scholars looked to the ancient Greco-Roman culture for inspiration by reviving the language, values, and traditions that were lost after “the fall of the Roman Empire in the sixth century” (A&E Television Networks, LLC, 2013). Furthermore, Renaissance artists added individuality to their works through portraying “beauty and mystery of the natural world” (A&E Television Networks, LLC, 2013). Most of the art produced during this time showcased religious imagery, completed mostly as Catholic Mass altarpieces. Artists around these times were sponsored by patrons of the arts such as The Catholic Church and affluent families such as the Medici family in Florence. Political permanence, growing wealth, and technological advancements are some of the social conditions that may have contributed to the arts of the Renaissance era...
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...The Renaissance art finds its roots mostly in Classical Greek and Roman art. Early renaissance art was created in parallel with late Medieval art and it was also greatly influenced by Gothic arts, an older art style that was developed in the 12th century and during late middle ages. Although religious topics and events remained very popular which reflected the influence of medieval art, but more emphasis was placed on the meaning and the realistic qualities of the artwork by renaissance artists. As the political and social domination of church started to diminish and the humanist movement grew in popularity, the renaissance art took a different direction and distinctive characteristics started to develop in different areas. The artists started to separate themselves from their Middle Ages heritage by going against the religious traditionalism. To keep up with the humanist movement the renaissance artists started to portray more life-like and more realistic human forms, and they broke from medieval traditions in painting, sculpture and architecture. The decline of Church absolutism also altered people’s religious views and produced a different view of life. The renaissance patrons demanded art that showed joy in human beauty and life's pleasures. The renaissance artists had to produce arts to meet the tastes of their patrons. A combination of social and political conditions and the development of new techniques started to separate the work of artists in the two art periods and...
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...Miguel Graham May 1, 2015 Renaissance to Modern Art Dr. Dwight Smith What I’ve Learned in Renaissance to Modern Art I’ve learned so much information in the class titled “Renaissance to Modern Art” and I want to start off with my new found knowledge of Art History. According to Wikipedia, the history of art is “the history of any activity or product made by humans in a visual form for aesthetical or communicative purposes, expressing ideas, emotions or, in general, a worldview.” This field of "art history" was developed in the Western world, and originally was focused solely on European art history. Gradually, over the course of the 20th century, a wider vision of art history has developed. Thus, art history is now viewed to encompass all visual art, from the sculptures in Western Europe to the paintings in China. Also according to this source, the history of art is often told as a chronology of masterpieces created in each civilization. It is said that the Wonders of the World are the epitome of high culture through the stories that are conveyed. Art history spans the entire history of humankind, from prehistoric times to the twenty-first century. No matter what you choose to observe, you can find visual arts that challenge someone’s creative side and inspire them to find beauty in the things manmade. In modern times, art history has emerged as a discipline that specializes in teaching people how to evaluate and interpret works of art based on their...
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...Other than the fact of two different time periods, there are many cultural specimens of continuity and change from the Medieval Ages to the Renaissance Era. Sculpture of the Virgin Mary was in a sense continuous throughout the Medieval to Renaissance ages because she still showed as much of significance, whereas, Medieval and Renaissance art show drastic dissimilarities in their style and position. The Virgin Mary holds a prominent place in Medieval times and Renaissance times because she is the mother of Jesus and the mother of the church. In Medieval times, people of the Chartres Cathedral built on the west façade a sculpture called Scenes from the Life of the Virgin Mary. In the sculpture Mary is sitting on the seat of wisdom and holding Jesus as a baby on her lap. It shows different scenes of baby Jesus’s life and him and Mary are placed at the very top of the sculpture. In relation to this sculpture, the Renaissance figure of The Rottgen Pieta also shows Mary sitting on a chair and holding Jesus on her lap, though this is a scene of Jesus’s later life as a man and his human nature of suffering and Mary’s detail is shown more expressive than that of Renaissance. Although there are some slight transformations, the Virgin Mary is still sitting on a chair holding her sun and expressed in significance to both the Medieval and Renaissance ages. On the other hand, art showed an immense change. An example would be the painting the painting of the Madonna Enthroned done by Cimabue...
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...Art Ren November 26, 2012 David The iconic sculptures of David created by both Italian artists, Michelangelo of the High Renaissance and Donatello of the Early Renaissance are similar yet different in several ways. As with most art created during these time periods, the sculptures tell the Bible story from the Old Testament about David and Goliath. In this story, David, an Israelite, battled Goliath, a Philistine, and killed him with a simple slingshot and then David’s own sword allowing for David to claim a victory for the Israelites. The similarities start with the pose. Both the artists show David in a similar pose. Both statues depict David as a warrior. Both figures are standing and are predominately nude. Both sculptures are positioned in a contrapposto pose. Both statues show some form of a soldier’s tools such as the helmet, boots, and sword in Donatello’s piece, and the stones from the sling shot in Michelangelo’s piece. Both likenesses of David depict the concept of humanism in that they both display within their likenesses a sense of “self-contained, even heroic individualism (Sayre, 2012) that perfectly captures the humanist spirit. It is from this point on the sculptures begin to have stark contrasts. Let’s focus first on the physical differences. The bronze David created by Donatello is that of a younger msn or teen age boy. It is definitely more feminine looking or waifish than that of Michelangelo’s work. His statue of David is much more developed...
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...What kind of hierarchies do we encounter in the study of art from 1400-1600? Ideas of the Renaissance The hierarchical phenomenon operating between the years 1400-1600 shaped and organised Renaissance society, heavily defining codes of conduct and correct communal correlations. What’s more, it was a comprehensive and widespread concept that manifested from various angles in Italian Renaissance art. Hierarchical influence can be encountered when considering the contention between several aspects of Renaissance art, and the bearing this classification and ranking process had on the canon of art history was considerable given the periods place in it. Specifically, this ladder of position operated within the competitive frameworks between the liberal and mechanical arts, Early Renaissance and High Renaissance artists, male and female artists, patrons and their employees in the practice of patronage, genres of art works, and painters and sculptors. When trying to understand how a period is structured and works as a whole, consideration of the hierarchies operating within it reveal some clear points of focus. Societies generally work on a ‘pyramid of prestige’, and Renaissance Italy followed this rule. Each societal member had a place, and was expected to fully understand the boundaries this position placed upon them. Societal roles were clear, and every person was conscious of their social standing, whether it be that they were higher or lower than the next person...
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...Introduction The Renaissance period covers the 200 years between 1400 and 1600; although exact dates are still argued by many specialists. The word “renaissance” literally means “rebirth” and is the French translation of the Italian “rinascita”. The Renaissance style is primarily composed of a revival of the classical forms developed originally by the ancient Greeks and Romans and of the deepened concern for secular life – interest in humanism and assertion of the importance of the individual. In art history, the Renaissance period corresponds to the start of the great Western age of discovery and exploration. At the time, there was great desire to study all aspects of nature and the world. During the Renaissance, artists became independent personalities. They were no longer considered as mere artisans as they have been in the medieval times. Artists tried to find new solutions to formal and visual problems. Many of them devoted to scientific experimentations. During this time, a lot of mathematical and linear outlooks were developed. This resulted to proportionality and rationality in every aspect of painting and sculpture. Paintings became a window to the natural world and it was the painters’ job to depict this world in their art. Artists at the time dedicated themselves to the rendition of landscape. In addition, artists also developed aerial perspective --- an angle where wherein objects become less distinctive and less sharply colored as the eye moves away. Painters...
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...darkness; periods of severe weather that leads to crop failure and famine. (n.d.). The early middle ages arts also known as the Dark ages. The middle ages period was when European history fell from the Roman Empire to the renaissance. Art during the early middle ages went through many changes up to the early renaissance period. The Middle Ages art style known as the Byzantine art; while the dark ages followed by the medieval era of (1066- 1448 AD) encounter changes. Furthermore, the middle ages art and saw the emergence of early renaissance art. (WGU on line quote) The artist, by the name of Giotto di Bonedone, is one of the most famous people of the middle ages. His painting of “Madonna and Child” painted for a chapel in the church of Santa Maria. This picture made with temperas and wood and emphasized Christian faith, teaches spiritual truth, aid in the conversion of non-Christian. Renaissance art with the literal meaning “ Rebirth” played a significant part of our lives today. The early renaissance started right after the middle ages (1400-1600). During this period, the European history was marked by renewal of interest in intellectual and cultural legacies of ancients Greece and Rome. Renaissance was the time of tremendous creativity and intellectual moment. Beginning in Italy and spreading widely to the rest of the Europe, renaissance period brought about literature, art, music, politics, science and religion. Great men rise to prominence during the early renaissance period;...
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...1- CASE The ideology and culture of the Renaissance and Baroque Eras are reflected in artwork from the eras. Renaissance art seems to the moment before an event took place and the Baroque art is characterized by great drama, rich deep color, and intense light and dark shadows. Baroque artists chose the most dramatic point, the moment when the action was occurring. For example Michelangelo designed his David composed and still before he fights against Goliath. In Bernini's David in the Baroque era is caught in the motion of hurling the stone at Goliath. “Baroque art was meant to evoke emotion and passion instead of the calm rationality that had been prized during the Renaissance.” During the Renaissance Era, painters began to enhance the realism of their work by using new techniques in perspective. Their artwork represented three dimensions more realistically. Michelangelo's David was noted to be one of the greatest pieces of art to come from the Renaissance era. The 17 foot statue took Michelangelo almost five years to complete and now stands in the Galeria dell'Academia in Firenze, Italy. Michelangelo's five year of labor and hard work is now considered to be the "poster-child" of the Renaissance Art movement that started in the 14th century and lasted for a couple hundred years. The word Renaissance when used to describe the development of Western Civilization is defined as “rebirth or revival”. The era of Renaissance is considered to be when the European civilization...
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...techniques and methods used during this period. In particular, art has given the representation of this time, which is portrayed by each artist in different ways. One of the most significant figures in western art is Michelangelo. Some of his most famous works include the painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, his sculptures of The Pietà and David. Through his significant art pieces and sculptures, Michelangelo has widely influenced western civilization. Because of his contributions, he defined western art and he represented the Renaissance time period. Michelangelo was born in Caprese, Italy, on March 6, 1475. When he was young, his parents noticed...
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...What Were the Characteristics of the Renaissance? In very simple terms, the Italian Renaissance re-established Western art according to the principles of classical Greek art, especially Greek sculpture and painting, which provided much of the basis for the Grand Tour, and which remained unchallenged until Pablo Picasso and Cubism. From the early 14th century, in their search for a new set of artistic values and a response to the courtly International Gothic style, Italian artists and thinkers became inspired by the ideas and forms of ancient Greece and Rome. This was perfectly in tune with their desire to create a universal, even noble, form of art which could express the new and more confident mood of the times. Renaissance Philosophy of Humanism Above all, Renaissance art was driven by the new notion of "Humanism," a philosophy which had been the foundation for many of the achievements (eg. democracy) of pagan ancient Greece. Humanism downplayed religious and secular dogma and instead attached the greatest importance to the dignity and worth of the individual. Effect of Humanism on Art In the visual arts, humanism stood for (1) the emergence of the individual figure, in place of stereotyped, or symbolic figures. (2) Greater realism and consequent attention to detail, as reflected in the development of linear perspective and the increasing realism of human faces and bodies; this new approach helps to explain why classical sculpture was so revered, and why Byzantine art...
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...The idea of art has been guided by human psychological necessities and an understanding of life been escorted by religious beliefs. Throughout human history, it is easily visible the effect that human desire to define their existence have had in the development of art, social hierarchies and moral principles. High Renaissance (1490 - 1527) and Italian Baroque (late 16th century - early 18th century) are period styles greatly influence by occurrences at the time. Michelangelo’s Moses is an immense representative of the High Renaissance styles, as well as, Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne for The Italian Baroque Style. We are going to explore both artworks, comparing and contrasting the meaning behind their existence, their respective cultural and historical events as an influence on their individual time period. Initially, in 1505 Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo Buonarroti to build his tomb. Michelangelo consenting, dedicated 6 months choosing marble at Carrara, for his initial massive design which in theory was to have 40 statues. The project was postponed due to a lack of funds, and a new commission by the Pope, rumored to be the...
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