In what ways do figures of authority present themselves? How does art serve to define a ruler's image? What is it that these rulers want to communicate about themselves? How do these works of art serve to persuade our view of these individuals?
Here we have two artworks that each depict a ruler of the 17th century. The cultural identity of each is vastly different from the other, spanning continents and beliefs that are inherent to Europe and Asia. Yet, if we evaluate the portraits of these individuals, there's no doubt we will also come to recognize similarities in what each is hoping to communicate. Below are two articles that offer context to each work. The titles above highlighted in orange are hyperlinks that will take you to the museum websites and where you can find enlargements of the images. For this assignment, I ask that you compare these two artworks, Figure 1, Emperor Jahangir Embracing Nur Jahan, and Figure 2, Charles I and Henrietta Maria with their two eldest children, Prince Charles and Princess Mary. Make note of at least one similarity and one difference between these two works. Base your comparison on your observations and describe using terms and language we apply in class. Consider all elements represented in these works, in the articles, and the label for points of comparison. Post your observations by 11:59 pm, Sunday, November 12, 2023. (20 pts) Figure 1: Most Mughal painting specialists agree that this is a portrait of Emperor Jahangir (r. 1605-1627), the fourth Mughal emperor of India and the son of Akbar the Great. In this work he wears a pierced earring with two pearls indicating he is a follower of the Sufi (Muslim ascetic) saint Khwaja Muin al-Din Chishti. Jahangir had both ears pierced and started wearing pearl earrings in August 1614 after crediting the saint with his recovery from a severe illness. Accompanied by two female attendants, one holding a tray of food and the other holding a fly whisk and hookah pipe, the emperor is shown holding a cup of wine, of which he is known to have been particularly fond and typically had laced with opium. Jahangir is embracing and staring intently into the eyes of an elegant woman, who is presumably his beloved wife, Nur Jahan (1577-1645), although a few scholars question her identification. Jahangir and Nur Jahan married in 1611 when she was a widowed handmaiden. The empress Nur Jahan, Jahangir’s favorite wife, by all accounts, including those of Jahangir himself and European visitors to the Mughal court, was a remarkable and brilliantly capable woman. She was a dynamic empress who managed the affairs of state when her husband was incapacitated and was particularly influential on artistic and architectural development, religious policy, women's issues and trade matters, cultivating lucrative trading relationships in Asia and Europe. She also owned ships in her own name to transport cargo to Europe and pilgrims to the Muslim city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, and accumulated tremendous wealth independently of the Mughal treasury. Figure 2: This was Van Dyck's first commission following his appointment as court painter to Charles I in 1632. Charles I was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1625 to 1649. His authoritarian rule and quarrels with Parliament provoked a civil war that led to his execution in 1649. He was born into the House of Stuart, the royal Scottish family ruling Scotland and Britain in the 17th century. Charles I was the second son of King James VI of Scotland, and after his father inherited the English throne in 1603, he moved to England, where he spent much of the rest of his life. Figure 2 shows Charles and his Queen, Henrietta Maria of France, with their two eldest children: Prince Charles, later King Charles II, standing before his father and Princess Mary in her mother's arms. In the background we glimpse a silhouetted view of Parliament House, Westminster Hall and possibly the Clock Tower. Henrietta Maria of France met Charles I when he was traveling to Spain to discuss a future marriage to Maria Anna, Infanta of Spain. When this did not come to fruition, it was decided he would marry Henrietta Maria instead. They were married by proxy in 1625. She spoke little English when she came to England, and this combined with her Catholicism meant that she was not well liked in England. At first the couple did not get along, however as time went on their affections grew, and Henrietta Maria had nine children with Charles I, two of whom went on to be king – Charles II and James II. During the Civil War, Henrietta Maria moved to France for safety, and it was from here, in 1649 that she heard of her husband’s execution. She remained in France until the Restoration, when her son Charles II regained his position as King of England in 1660. She was a leading patron of the arts. In the summer of 1665 she contracted a bout of the plague, and returned to France. Upon her return to France she founded a convent in Chaillot, Paris where she spent much of the last years of her life until she died in 1669.
One of the greatest inventions to come from the Western world and specifically from Northern Europe (Germany) in the early Renaissance period was that of the printing press and the development of the graphic arts. "In an environment permeated by almost infinitely multiplied images—in newspapers and magazines, on billboards and computer screens—it is hard to imagine a world in which every image was unique. Yet prior to the fifteenth century, images were not only one-of-a-kind but rare, generally found locked away in palaces, to which few had access, or affixed to the wall of a church.The technology of printmaking, which first fell into place around 1400, suddenly made it possible for hundreds or even thousands of essentially identical images to be produced from a single matrix of carved wood or metal. When this invention was followed in the mid-fifteenth century by the introduction of movable type, so that the first printed books could be produced, the possibilities for the spread of knowledge and ideas expanded in an unprecedented manner. The study of science was advanced through accurate transmission of the forms of medicinal herbs and the results of anatomical investigations; the art of engineering took a great leap forward as detailed diagrams of newly invented machines were duplicated and dispersed throughout Europe, accompanied by instructions. Yet for all the far-reaching results of the capacity to multiply images, the initial demand driving the early print market was the desire for playing cards and inexpensive devotional images. Prints provided a means of mass-producing these objects that brought them within the reach of even the poorest members of society." –Wendy Thompson. “The Printed Image in the West: History and Techniques.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/prnt/hd_prnt.htm (October 2003) As we discussed the Buxheim St. Christopher, a woodcut (a relief or raised printing method), and Martin Schongauer's, Temptation of St. Anthony, an engraving (an intaglio or incised printing method), I hope that the two videos below will help to elaborate on these printmaking processes. As you watch the videos, think about the possible advantages and disadvantages of printmaking. Do you think that a woodcut or an engraving is better? Why? What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of printing from a woodcut or an engraving? Post your opinions on either question by Wednesday, March 1, 11:59 pm. (10 pts for completion by due date)
Filippo Brunelleschi was one of the pioneers of the early Italian Renaissance and is regarded as one of the most brilliant architects and engineers in Western art history. One of his greatest achievements was the design and complete construction of the Duomo (dome) of Florence's Cathedral. In addition, the development of a mathematical way to create an accurately depicted three-dimensional space on a flat, two-dimensional plane, such as on wood panel, paper, or canvas, is codified by Filippo Brunelleschi in the 15th century–we know it as linear perspective. Take a look at the YouTube videos below. What have you learned? What have you found to be interesting? What purpose does linear perspective serve for art, artists and/or the viewer? Leave a response to any of these questions by 11:59 pm, Thursday, October 6. For extra credit, watch the tutorial on how to draw a room in one-point linear perspective and create your own drawing. You may submit your drawing at any point to be counted as a graded assignment. Enjoy the process!
How to Draw a Room in 1-Point Perspective for Beginners (10:03)
https://youtu.be/qOojGBEsWQw
Follow these links below to the YouTube videos, Gold-Ground Panel Painting and Making Manuscripts. As you watch the videos, post a comment on what you learned, thought was interesting, or even a question you might have. Post by 11:59 pm, .
The history of this genre in painting, the reclining female nude, is a long one. The subject is first introduced and popularized by the Venetian High Renaissance team of Giorgione and Titian, and makes its appearance throughout the decades following, including the Romantic period of the late 18th and early 19th century we'll be discussing next, all the way to our own time. Looking at these three works below, taking note of the differences and similarities between them, how do you perceive these women? What is their relationship to the viewer? In your opinion, what are these women saying about themselves to you? Choose one work or even all three to comment on. Take a look at the links provided and share your thoughts by 11:59 pm, Sunday, November 21.
The French word "'baroque" from a similar word in Spanish and Portuguese, means "irregular or rough pearl," a disparaging term used by critics in later decades. Today, the term baroque is associated with describing something that is overtly ornate and complex. Baroque art became popular in the 1600s in Italy, specifically emerging in Rome, and moved to other areas of Europe and the world - after all, this is the age of exploration and expansion beyond Europe. The Roman Catholic Church, a major patron of the arts at this time, encouraged the Baroque movement in art and architecture as a response to the Protestant Reformation taking hold in Europe. In a movement known as the Counter Reformation or Catholic Reformation, the papacy and Catholic Church responded with a new expressive format for works of art depicting religious subject matter in celebration of its triumph over the spread of Protestantism. The Church wanted its religious paintings to become more emotional and dramatic. This type of style unfurled to where much of the art of the time became very energized, full of life, movement, and emotion- this style came to be known as a "style of persuasion." Angels flew dramatically, people fought, crowds cowered in fear, and saints rose to the heavens in literal, visual terms. This was the Golden Age of Painting in France, Spain, the Dutch Republic and Southern Netherlands. Baroque sculptures were often made of rich materials such as colorful marble, bronze, or even gilded (covered in gold). In Rome, the papacy and wealthy influential families commissioned art on a large scale, making Rome the most beautiful city of the Christian world and creating works "for the greater glory of God and Church." The Baroque period is considered the Early Modern Period in so many of the concerns we have in our time-gender, class, and sexuality-are explored in the 17th century. A subtle relationship is also born between art and science in the Baroque period as new developments took place in optical physics and physiology, The works of art from the 17th century depicted such subject matter and expanded to include genre, the images of everyday life with scenes including people drinking, smoking and playing musical instruments. Genre painting developed into a major force along with landscape and still life painting in nearly every European country. Here, we have examples of works of art that highlight the themes and compositional design concerns evident in the style of the Baroque. As you take time to review the slide presentation, consider the evolution that religious subjects, in this case the image of David, and portraiture, have taken from prior periods. Which group of works speaks to you most–sculpture or painting? What differences and/or similarities can you note in the Baroque works of art below versus their counterparts from previous periods/styles highlighted here? For this post, I'd like you to choose between the group of sculptures or the group of paintings below and make a comparison. List three (3) differences or similarities you note between Figure 3 versus Figure 1 and 2, OR list three (3) differences or similarities between Figure 4 and 5. You're being graded on this assignment so expand on your observations and give your own perspective and not that of someone else's. Your comments are due by 11:59 pm. Follow the links below for more information on any of these artworks…looking forward to reading your remarks! 1 · Sculpture
2 · Painting
"A portrait is typically defined as a representation of a specific individual, such as the artist might meet in life. A portrait does not merely record someone’s features, however, but says something about who he or she is, offering a vivid sense of a real person’s presence." –"Portraiture in Renaissance and Baroque Europe," by Jean Sorabella, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, 2007 I invite you to take some time to explore the Met Museum's article on portraiture (see link above) and the works below (follow the orange tabs to the web links). The artists of these works have been introduced to us, the time period in which they worked (Early Renaissance, High Renaissance, Late Renaissance). Women here are depicted from the perspective of the male artist in Figures 1, 2, and 3, but Figure 4 is from the perspective, and literally the reflection, of a woman artist–Sofonisba Anguissola. For our discussion here, I'd like for you to consider how the sitter (the figure depicted) is represented in each painting. How does the artist portray the subject in each work? Is there a difference between how Figures 1, 2, and 3 are presented in comparison to Figure 4? Do you notice any similarities? Any obvious differences? Leave a short comment about any one of these questions by 11:59 pm, . If anyone's interested, consider sketching/tracing any one of these works for extra credit and bring it to class on Tuesday. See you all then!
Art appreciation does not require knowledge of the historical context of an artwork (or a building). Art history does. Throughout the semester, we've moved beyond simply appreciating art and discovering works through the lens of history. The slideshow below reflects on the cultures and historical time periods we've studied this semester. Our focus has been on Western art- art produced in Europe and North America. Scroll through the images below and follow along with your course outline attached to the syllabus for a look back. Post a comment on which time period, style, or artist spoke to you, fascinated you, and even stretched your understanding of what art is. Feel free to leave a comment by . It's been a pleasure… A Traditional Subject Matter Brought to Prominence | Genre Scenes and Landscape in the Modern Era5/5/2021
We may often think of Modern Art and associate the period with works of art that are surreal, unfamiliar, mystical and symbolic. However, the earliest forays into the avant-garde, into radical and new ways of artistic expression in the early Modern period we've been studying, concentrate on the familiar world, and on subjects that were traditionally approached by artists in previous centuries–landscape and genre, scenes of everyday life. The prominence that these two subjects take in early Modern art is no coincidence. The landscape and the world around these artists has changed and is changing drastically. People of all classes are now intermingling in the vast cities that have arisen, which have also brought new occupational opportunities to the lower and middle classes of society. In addition, the industrialization of nations has forever changed the physical landscape. Trains, steamboats, factories, cafés, theaters, and public parks have come to define the environment. It's no surprise that the artists of the time are focusing on portraying these features of modern life, and in new ways. In these three works of art below, the subject of landscape and genre is a feature, approached by different artists with a different perspective. What I'd like for you to do is to take a good look at these works, watch the videos, and comment on one similarity and one difference you observe amongst them. Take the time to thoughtfully and fully express your views. Stretch your thinking, and then take a stretch ;) Submit a comment by 11:59 pm . Enjoy the videos!
Like his younger contemporary, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Pieter Aertsen lived and worked in the Northern Netherlandish city of Antwerp, a mercantile center with great wealth and a dynamic market for art in the 16th century. The city of Antwerp, in present-day Belgium, and Northern Europe as a whole, after Martin Luther's Protestations against the Catholic Church in 1517, was marked by iconoclastic movements - the destruction of religious images and works of art. Antwerp developed into a thriving art center as artists sought patrons outside the Church, and independently sought commissions through art dealers. The shift in subject matter, focusing less on overt religious iconography, is a strong one for regions of Europe that converted to Protestantism. This shift is evident in the works here by Pieter Aertsen, known as The Meat Stall, and that of Pieter Bruegel the Elder with his Return of the Hunters (Hunters in the Snow). These paintings are an example of the incorporation of both religious themes and the subject of genre, that is, the subject of everyday, ordinary, and peasant life; still life and landscape as well, themes that come to define Dutch art. How so? Well, let's take a close look…follow the link to the Google Arts and Culture link below to pan in on details and to virtually visit these two works. Follo For today's post I would like for you to make a comparison between these two paintings. What differences or similarities are the most notable for you? What question do you have about either of these works? Provide at least one comparison statement, and at least one question you have about The Meat Stall and The Return of the Hunters. Follow the links below and post your comments by 11:59 p.m., . This post is being graded as an assignment.
The Counter-Reformation, also known as the Catholic Reformation, was a movement that began in the mid-sixteenth century and was created specifically to counter the attacks of the Protestant Reformation. In response to the criticism and the schism that was ultimately created within the Christian religion, the Catholic Church turned to reforming itself and reaffirming its most fundamental doctrines. One of those reforms centered on a renewed devotion to martyrs and in 1622 the mystic Teresa of Ávila achieved sainthood. With new, contemporary persons obtaining saintly status, the Church of Rome could revitalize itself through the arts, focusing on these exemplary 17th century figures as its subject. Visual art aided in spreading the teachings of the Church and highlighted the possibility and desire to reach mystical union with God. We see that depicted in the works by El Greco and Gianlorenzo Bernini here. A common bond of loyalty to the Catholic Church connected Italy and Spain during these trying times and its art reflects that bond as well. But what is mysticism? How is it portrayed in Christian art of these centuries in devoutly Catholic regions like Italy and Spain? What is the aim of the Catholic Church in depicting such a subject as mysticism? I invite you to watch the video below (11:30 mins) as Father Kerry does an exemplary job in explaining Christian mysticism in a succinct and relevant manner to our study. Post a comment on how you connect mysticism to these works of art by 11:59 pm . As we journey through our study of Western art history, and ultimately to a greater understanding of what has and still shapes art in our time, our blogs have centered on specific themes that have influenced the time periods we've been evaluating. We've looked at the different types of painting, an important two-dimensional art form, that was a major outlet of artistic production from the Gothic period and into the Renaissance. We've looked at the importance of religion (Christianity) and patronage in the arts of Europe, and the desire by Northern and Southern European artists to bring scientific observation and greater realism, both physical and emotional in nature, to their works of art by developing the use of oil paints and linear perspective to achieve that near perfect depiction of our reality. We also see the technological advances of printmaking taking hold and changing accessibility to reading and writing, and visual appreciation to a broader public. It is truly an amazing time! Today's theme centers on understanding the philosophies that supported artistic expression in the late 15th and early 16th centuries in Europe. To understand High Renaissance art one must understand its most basic beliefs, concepts, and attitudes, its philosophy, and how the culture was depicted in the works of art produced at this time. The High Renaissance is the period of the great artists, known by name during their lifetimes and ours- Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo. What informs their art is Church patronage, the tastes of the royal and ducal courts and the rising middle class, as well as the philosophies of the ancient Greek and Roman past and contemporary philosophical developments that marry Christianity and classical philosophy. For today, I'd like for you to watch the videos below, and take a glance at the slide presentation, High Renaissance Art in Italy, 1495-1520. What is your philosophical take away? What of these philosophies do you feel speaks to you and spoke to the artists of the 15th and 16th century? Can you see any of that reflected in the Last Supper painting below or in any other work of this time period? Respond to either of these prompts by 11:59 pm. Looking forward to it!
Giampetrino
The Last Supper Copy after Leonardo Da Vinci, Oil on Canvas, 9’9”x 25’7” Royal Academy of Arts Collection, Magdalen College, Oxford, Filippo Brunelleschi was one of the pioneers of the early Italian Renaissance and is regarded as one of the most brilliant architects and engineers in Western art history. One of his greatest achievements was the design and complete construction of the Duomo (dome) of Florence's Cathedral. In addition, the development of a mathematical way to create an accurately depicted three-dimensional space on a flat, two-dimensional plane, such as on wood panel, paper, or canvas, is codified by Filippo Brunelleschi in the 15th century–we know it as linear perspective. I invite you to view the videos below describing the seminal contributions of this important artist and architect of the early 15th century. Consider the following- What was the goal for constructing Florence Cathedral and its Dome? What did the benefactors/patrons hope to achieve with the building of the Duomo? What were the difficulties in constructing such an architectural project, and how were these overcome? What was developed/invented by Brunelleschi to overcome these difficulties in construction with the Duomo? Post a reply to any ONE of the questions above by 11:59 pm, . Your response will count for a graded assignment so be thoughtful, concise, and detailed. Today, the Duomo of Florence's Cathedral is still the biggest brick dome in the world; PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY The Great Cathedral Mystery, PBS/NOVA (Video, 53 mins.) HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/RUBNNDLOGHG
Of all the genres in painting, that of history painting was considered to be the most important and prestigious of works to produce. Within a century, the idea of what constituted 'history' or what was appropriate to deem as a historical event and how it was depicted came to reflect the changing attitudes and perspectives of the artists working within their own contemporary circumstances. This is a great shift from the 17th and 18th century perspective where historical works of art reflected the ancient classical past. Here are three works of art that tackle the genre of history painting. Reflect on the subject being represented within each work and its composition. State why you believe Courbet's history painting, A Burial at Ornans, was so shocking to its audience as you compare it to West's and Gericault's history paintings. Post a short comment by 11:59 pm. Benjamin West The Death of General Wolfe 1770 Oil on canvas 59-1/2 × 84" National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa American-born Benjamin West met the artist Angelica Kaufmann in Rome. He studied in Philadelphia before leaving for Rome in 1759. In 1763 he moved permanently to London and specialized in history painting and in 1768, he became a founding member of the Royal Academy. In 1770 he shocked the academic art world with this painting, The Death of General Wolfe, an example of British Neoclassical training within a contemporary historical context. West argued that history painting, as it was spawned by the 17th century French artist Nicolas Poussin, was not dependent on dressing figures in Classical costume, it could represent contemporary subject along with grand themes and elevated messages. West spawned “modern history” painting. This painting glorifies the British General James Wolfe, who died in 1759 in a British victory over the French for the control of Quebec during the Seven Years War or French and Indian War (1756-63). West depicts General Wolfe in modern uniform as he dies in the arms of his comrades. Wolfe actually died at the base of a tree surrounded by two to three attendants; this was not an objective document of the event but rather employed the Grand Manner celebrating the valor of the fallen hero, the loyalty of the British soldiers, and the justice of their cause. To indicate the North American setting, a Native American warrior is also included in the scene. Théodore Géricault The Raft of the “Medusa" 1818–19 Oil on canvas 16'1" × 23'6" Musée du Louvre, Paris Théodore Géricault was a strong proponent and representative of French Romanticism in early 19th century art. He traveled to Rome from 1816-17 and discovered the art of Michelangelo. On his return to Paris he became set on producing a great modern history painting, choosing the scandalous shipwreck of the Medusa in 1816, a French ship bound for Senegal whose incompetent aristocratic captain reserved all six lifeboats for himself, his officers and several government representatives leaving the remainder 152 passengers adrift at sea on a makeshift raft. Thirteen days later when rescuers came, only 15 of those rafters survived, including Jean Charles a black man from French Senegal who showed endurance and emotional fortitude. Gustave Courbet
A Burial at Ornans 1849–50 Oil on canvas 10’ 3-1⁄2” × 21’ 9” Musée d’Orsay, Paris Some of Courbet's works were greeted with total incomprehension and caused outrage in the middle of the 19th century. This was the case with A Burial at Ornans, when his painting was exhibited at the Salon (the official venue of the French government for exhibiting art to the public) of 1850-1851. In the second half of the 19th century, academic tradition, that is art produced through training at the formal academies of art throughout Europe and particularly in Paris, France, required that large paintings should only have historic, biblical, mythological or allegorical subjects. Courbet ignored this convention by painting a familiar domestic world which he considered contemporary history and a view that aligned him with the Realist artistic movement. In declaring that "Historical art is in essence contemporary," Courbet expressed his desire to change history painting. Like his younger contemporary, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Pieter Aertsen lived and worked in the Northern Netherlandish city of Antwerp, a mercantile center with great wealth and a dynamic market for art in the 16th century. The city of Antwerp, in present-day Belgium, and Northern Europe as a whole, after Martin Luther's Protestations against the Catholic Church in 1517, was marked by iconoclastic movements - the destruction of religious images and works of art. Antwerp developed into a thriving art center as artists sought patrons outside the Church, and independently sought commissions through art dealers. The shift in subject matter, focusing less on overt religious iconography, is a strong one for regions of Europe that converted to Protestantism. This shift is evident in the work of art here by Pieter Aertsen, known as The Meat Stall. His painting is an example of the incorporation of both religious themes and the subject of genre, that is, the subject of everyday, ordinary, and peasant life. How so? Well, let's take a close look…follow the link to the Google Arts and Culture link below to pan in on details and to virtually visit the work at the North Carolina Museum of Art. For today's post I would like for all of you to make one observation here about The Meat Stall, and post one question you may have about this work. Any question is a good one…and all observations are valid. Pieter Aertsen
The Meat Stall 1551 Oil on Panel 48 1/2" x 59" North Carolina Museum of Art For close-ups of this work and to see this virtually at the North Carolina Museum of Art see: https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/fgF8j5tB3UFgAg
Albrecht Dürer’s style began in the traditions of Northern European realism (the practice of representing something accurately and true to life; unidealized treatment of subject matter), but also delved into the innovations of the Italian Renaissance. Trained as a painter and printmaker in his native Nuremberg, he traveled in Northern Europe and in Venice. He adopted humanistic learning that had taken hold in Italy, as well as making copies of Italian works and learning many of the lessons of Italian Renaissance art.
Dürer, a German artist, was trained to make both woodcuts and engravings and expanded the possibilities of each as seen in comparison to the previous generations' woodcut production seen above; he set a standard of pictorial effect in woodcuts that would transform the technique all over Europe. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse shows the figures from the Bible's Book of Revelations in a compact, overlapping group–a crowned rider, armed with a bow, on a typically white horse (Conquest); a rider with a sword, on a red horse (War); a rider with a set of scales, on a black horse (Plague and Famine); and a rider on a sickly pale horse (Death). Earlier artists simply lined up the horsemen in the landscape but not Dürer; he created a dynamic composition with voluminous figures that are realized with his expertly drawn line. Dürer probably employed a skilled carver who followed his drawings faithfully. Reviewing the video above, and reading pp. 375-376 in Janson's text, what have you learned about Dürer and his contributions to the world of Western art? Or, what difference can you note between Dürer's woodcut above and the Buxheim St. Christopher woodcut? Add a short comment by . The Late Renaissance Period in the 16th century is a time of great change- political, religious, and cultural. Martin Luther's protestations against the Catholic Church impacts Europe. The Protestant Reformation along with the rise of powerful courts affected Italian artists, changing the climate in which they worked but also their patronage which came from and reflected the tastes of the influential elite. In the 16th century, artists working in Italy would uphold the legacy of the High Renaissance and its artistic innovations as they were profoundly influenced by Leonardo, Raphael, and most importantly, Michelangelo, who was still living and working in Rome and Florence during this time. However, the Sack of Rome in 1527, the religious upheavals, and the changing tastes of the upper classes thrust artistic expression into a new modality depicted in artworks by the Mannerists. Mannerism became a style that was about refinement in technical and creative skill, variety, originality, personal expression, and experimentation rather than the clarity, unity and balanced beauty of the Early and High Renaissance period. This can be evidenced in the shift that Michelangelo's painting takes from one period to the next. Works in the three major art forms- sculpture, painting, and architecture- reflect a dynamic and expressive aesthetic that also paid homage to the generations of Italian artistic authority from the past. That's what we'll be exploring today. I invite you, then, to watch the videos below that focus on the work of the Late Renaissance artists Michelangelo, Giovanni Bologna (Giambologna), and Andrea Palladio. Which of these three artists speaks to you and what about their work do you appreciate? Post a comment by 11:59 pm. Looking forward to it!
Andrea Palladio
Villa Rotonda ca. 1567-70 Vicenza, Italy Palladio: America's Architectural Grandfather, Smithsonian Magazine, Video, 4:47 https://youtu.be/sZXhIIOMvQk
Jacopo Da Pontormo (aka Jacopo Carlucci)
Piéta ca. 1526-28 Oil on panel, 10’3” × 6’4" Capponi Chapel of the Church of Santa Felicità, Florence Pierro della Francesca's notoriety as a painter in the Early Renaissance period of the 15th century brought him to the attention of the duke and duchess of one of the most prominent centers in Italy-Urbino. The double portrait of the Duchess Battista Sforza and the Duke Federico of Montefeltro of Urbino is one of the most celebrated portraits of the Italian Renaissance. The diptych is composed in the tradition of the fourteenth century, inspired by the design of ancient coins, where the two figures are shown in profile, an angle that ensured a good likeness of the individuals and a faithful representation of facial details without allowing emotion to show through. The couple is facing each other in front of a deep continuous landscape. When the French invaded Milan while Leonardo was working for his patron, the Duke Ludovico Sforza, Leonardo took his leave and returned to Florence where he painted the portrait of a woman, whom the art historian Vasari identified as Lisa di Gherardo, wife of Francesco del Giocondo, or Mona Lisa as we know her today. This portrait of the High Renaissance was started in Florence around 1503 and is thought to be of the wife of a Florentine cloth merchant. However, Leonardo seems to have taken the completed portrait to France rather than giving it to the person who commissioned it. After his death, the painting entered King Francis I's collection. The portrait may have been painted to mark one of two events - either when Francesco del Giocondo and his wife bought their own house in 1503, or when their second son, Andrea, was born in December 1502 after the death of a daughter in 1499. The Mona Lisa is the earliest Italian portrait to focus so closely on the sitter in a half-length portrait. Looking at these two works, discuss at least one similarity and/or difference noted between them. Concentrate on the women presented here and share your thoughts on how the artists have represented these figures. Post a comment by . We've started our discussion of Northern European Art of the 15th Century with a look at sculpture, Claus Sluter's Well of Moses, and the graphic arts, The Buxheim St. Christopher, with your second assignment. Today we'll be looking at the developments Northern European artists were involved with in the form of painting, and they are substantial. The Renaissance period is associated with Italy and the developments made there by scholars, particularly humanist scholars, and the artists who brough those humanist ideals to life. However, Northern Europe also made substantial contributions to scholarship and the arts at the same time and in communion with its southern European neighbors. The continent was linked through trade and commerce, religion and political influence, and scholastic endeavor at the prominent universities throughout Europe. Our study of painting here brings us to Flanders in the Southern Netherlands (present-day Belgium) and the Northern Netherlands (present-day Holland), as we look at the work of Robert Campin, Hubert and Jan van Eyck, and Rogier van der Weyden. Your task for today is to watch the videos associated with each masterpiece below by these Northern European artists. Select ONE of these works to evaluate, and evaluate that work based on ONE design principle we've been introduced to in class. Describe the design principle you are working with and how it's depicted in the artwork you've chosen. Your description need not be lengthy but considered and clearly stated. Enjoy learning about these beautiful OIL paintings now… Attributed to Robert Campin or the Master of Flémalle Mérode Triptych ca 1425-30 Oil on Wood panel center section: 25 3/16” x 24 7/8” each wing: 25 3/8” x 10 7/8” Metropolitan Museum of Art Khan Academy, Mérode Altarpiece (Video, 11:32) Hubert and Jan van Eyck Ghent Altarpiece (Open polyptych, above) (Closed polyptych, below) Completed 1432 Oil on Panel 11’5” x 7’6” Cathedral of St. Bavo, Ghent, Belgium Khan Academy, Ghent Altarpiece, Part 1 (Video, 5:18) Khan Academy, Ghent Altarpiece, Part 2 (Video 7:23) Rogier van der Weyden
Descent from the Cross (Deposition) ca 1435 Oil on panel 7’ 2 5/8” x 8’ 7 1/8” Prado Museum, Madrid Khan Academy Rogier van der Weyden's Deposition (Video, 7:09)
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