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 Comments are closed.
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