Mini Post #3: Aisha Assaf

“Feast and Famine” is an exhibition that explores food in many different aspects: socially, politically and bodily. Food is considered as a commodity, since it is a useful and valuable item. The portrayal of food in art has many meanings, and is observed through many types of media from different artists. The theme of "diversity" in the exhibit was very compelling, as it shows the wave of human diversity through food. Empowering minorities through art is used to show the diversities of artists through using food as their subjects. Food is a universal concept that brings people together, especially artists. There are many examples of food diversity, explained as a social topic, in ancient and contemporary art. 

Renee Cox's The Liberation of UB and Lady J. shows Cox as a superhero named Raje rescuing a newly empowered Uncle Ben from his box of rice and Aunt Jemima from her maple syrup label. A modern-day Aunt Jemima dressed in a wet-look bikini and dominatrix-style knee boots and Uncle Ben, dressed liked a shirtless boxer step off their respective packaging into new roles that are no more "liberated" than their predecessors. The stance of the female figures shows a strong side to "blackness" and portrays diversity using food. 

Renee Cox, The Liberation of UB and Lady J., 1998

Divya Mehra's Modernity at Large: Candy Hearts, 2015 is a piece of artwork that implies diversity through food. The artwork is comprised of candies stamped with the series' title that are displayed in a small heart-shaped bowl and says "Enjoy Diversity". Both works destabilize singular understandings of the term diversity which can hide differences in politics and policies, explaining how this art work describes social and political themes of the world through food. 

Divya Mehra, Modernity at Large: Candy Hearts, 2015

Clara Peeter's Still Life with Flowers, Goblet, Dries Fruit and Pretzels, 1611 portrayed food through a social and cultural aspect, and explained diversity. This art work was painted by a Dutch artist and contains "pretzels" which portray diversity because it was invented by German monks to rewarded children who had learned their prayers  (Stokstad, 754). The twisted shapes represented the crossed arms of a child praying. This painting helped show diversity of culture and religion through food. 

Clara Peeter, Still Life with Flowers, Goblet, Dries Fruit and Pretzels, 1611 

Pieter Claesz's Still Life with Tazza, 1636 portrays social and cultural aspects of food. The objects in the painting are part of the set of household articles that would have been owned by the well-to-do classes and were all made in the Netherlands, except the tazza, which was imported from Italy (Stokstad, 767). This painting explains the diversity of food from other cultures and portrays food in a social and cultural manner. 

Pieter Claesz, Still Life with Tazza, 1636

Food is a huge part of art, including old artwork and modern contemporary art. Many artists use food in different ways to portray diversity through their works. In Cox's artwork, liberation of black women and men using food shows diversity and Mehra's artwork shows diversity through candy hearts that say "Enjoy Diversity". Both Peeter and Pieter's art work explain food through diversity of culture and society using other cultures to portray food. "Feast and Famine" exhibition helps portray food through the light of diversity.

Post #3 Marah Siyam

Marah Siyam






The Representation of Food in Art






The portrayal of food in art carries many motifs and meanings but these meanings have significantly changed over time. The Feast & Famine exhibit encompasses this but in a contemporary voice that highlights the political, economic, social privilege or lack thereof, of food. While works like Juan Sanchez Cotan’s Still Life With Quince, Cabbage, Melon, and Cucumber (Fig,1) focus on his own skill disregarding any meaning of what food can mean in terms of these social ideas. Cotan's oil painting is focused on the fruit but the subject is not actually the fruit. This painting is a display of Cotan’s immense skill of painting still lifes, even though artists still use this as a technique to practice it is not as prominent as it was at the time of Cotan. The way the fruit is painting is highly realistic, it almost looks like a picture. The attention to detail is very important and is what is making this piece effective (Stokstad).






Figure 1. Sanchez Cotan’s Still Life With Quince, Cabbage, Melon, and Cucumber 1602 San Diego Museum of Art











Figure 2. Lucy Sparrow Twinkies 2018

Express Newark Gallery







































On the other hand, in the Feast & Famine exhibit, Lucy Sparrow is an artist who completely rejects this idea of realism but she does choose a focus of her work even though the subject is different much like Cotan. Sparrows woven Twinkies box is an example of this (Fig,2). She takes away all realistic attributes to food and creates her woven pieces based on that. Sparrows works also replicate many processed and packaged foods which is another difference between contemporary and art before the 18th century. Our society is obsessed with the packaging it is almost just as important as the taste of the actual food we are buying and Sparrow uses this idea to her advantage through selling her woven creations for relatively cheap prices, paralleling how cheap these processed foods are even though they are not good for us.





















Figure 3. Clara Peeters Still Life with Fruit and Flowers 1611, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford



Clara Peeters Still Life with Fruit and Flowers (Fig,3) is an example of the way early artists used fruits and flowers to convey wealth and power. The fruit in Peeters painting sits on an imported Italian silver like display plate (Stokstad). This is a theme of travel which in turn is a theme of wealth, as your eyes keep moving on this painting you notice coins, which allow the painting to be dated but also show the wealth of the owner of these fruits that will ultimately maybe eat them alongside his wealth and power.














Figure 4. Chris Thorson

Of Wrath 2015

Express Newark Gallery



A polar opposite work of this painting is Chris Thorson’s sculpture of rotten potatoes Of Wrath. This sculpture of rotten potatoes is not on a fancy plate, in fact, there is no base of this piece. The different potatoes and stems sit alone in a modest box on the exhibition. This work highlights the fragility of fruits and vegetables and how if a potato, for example, looks anything but perfect it is tossed even though it could be perfectly fine, but our society rejects food that does not look pristine. In Peeters painting the fruit is more natural given the time period hormones were yet to be introduced to fruits and vegetables, while in Thorsons portrayal of food is trying to go back to that and trying to teach people that the fruit that does not look perfect might be better for you than the fruit that is filled with hormones and GMOs.










Stokstad, Marilyn; Cothren, Michael W.. Art History, Volume 2. Pearson Education. Kindle Edition.

Post #2: Hajer Samir

The Renaissance, "rebirth", was a period of great artistic and cultural growth in Europe which lasted from the 15th to the 17th century.  During the Renaissance period, literature, art, and philosophy were heavily supported by the emerging middle class. This gave rise to many works of art influenced mainly by religion and the evolution in politics and culture of European society during this time. Some of the most influential artists during this time include Hans Holbein the Younger, Gianlorenzo Bernini, Artemisia Gentileschi, and Jan van Eyck. Through these artists' works, one can observe the evolution of artistic techniques and establish a political timeline of the Renaissance period.

Jan van Eyck's Double Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and His Wife, painted in Florence during the year 1434, depicts the emergence of one of many wealthy merchants who rose to power due to their own individual accomplishment. Giovanni Arnolfini was an Italian cloth merchant whose wealth and connections stemmed mainly from having provided luxury fabrics to the Burgundian court. These two factors allowed him the privilege of having himself and his wife the opportunity to be recorded in a portrait which exhibited their wealth. Surrounding the couple are luxurious objects such as sumptuous bed hangings, oriental carpets, a lavish chandelier, and their costly clothing. "The man wears a fur-lined, silk velvet heuque... the woman's gown not only employs more costly wool fabric than necessary to cover her slight body; the elaborate cutwork decoration and white fur lining of her sleeves is an ostentatious indicator of cost."(Stokstad, 575)  Many religious symbols are also depicted in the painting including crystal prayer beads and a figure of St. Margaret. Behind them, on the back wall, hangs a mirror around which the Passion of Christ is meticulously painted. This great attention to detail was most often associated with the works of art produced during the Northern Renaissance.

Following the trend of portrait paintings of the wealthy comes The French Ambassadors by Hans Holbein the Younger in 1533. Jean de Dinteville and Georges de Selve- the two wealthy ambassadors portrayed in this image- inhabited England during the painting's creation. On the left of the painting, de Dinteville wears a fur-lined cloak with satin clothing which is defined with the sense of clarity which seems to overtake many Northern Renaissance paintings. On the right, Bishop de Selve is dressed in a simple fur cloak. Upon close inspection, one can see that Jean wields a dagger in which his age is inscribed and that Georges is resting his arm on a book that also has an inscription of his age. Such details help us discern between the different elements shown in a grid-like manner in the painting. "On the left, you have an active life. On the right, you have a contemplative life. At the top, you've got the celestial sphere. At the bottom, the terrestrial sphere." (Zucker, 2012, 2:38) Contributing to the pattern of symbolism throughout the painting is a lute located on the bottom shelf. Using his scrupulous techniques, Holbein was able to carefully paint a snapped cord on the lute. This is thought to be about the political discord which had overtaken Europe- supported by the fact that this painting was commissioned during the same time that King Henry VIII was diverging from the Catholic Church. This painting was only one of many which exhibited both political and religious affairs.

One of the most expert of artists in works of religious affairs was Gianlorenzo Bernini. In addition to producing religious-based works of art, Bernini himself was a very religious individual. In his most famous work of art, St. Teresa of Avila in Ecstasy, Bernini brings together his reverence for religion and theater to create this breathtaking sculpture. This sculpture was inspired by one of many visions experienced by St. Teresa. The sculpture, made of colored stone, masterfully depicts the way St. Teresa described the gracefulness and divinity of the vision she received. The angel smiles as he holds the arrow, pointing it toward St.Teresa while what the viewer should presume to be wind gently whips the light and delicate fabric of the angel around his body. The making of this sculpture comes in the 17th century and serves as a Counter-Reformation in all its splendor to draw the Protestant people in and intrigue them with the exhibition of such an intimate spiritual experience. Using the gold and a hidden window above the sculpture, Bernini uses his extensive theatrical knowledge to shed a light on the marble masterpiece and give it a dramatic atmosphere. "Bernini's doing everything he can to make us walk up to this chapel and go [GASP] and feel this moment, this spiritual vision, in our bodies...Baroque art appeals to our senses in a way that's so different from the high Renaissance and its appeal to the rational mind. This is not at all about the rational. This is about change...metamorphosis...spiritual awakening. And it is incredibly powerful emotionally." (Harris and Zucker, 2012, 6:50) The sculpture, as Bernini intended it to, presents a union between the physical and spiritual world- something most religious works of art during the Renaissance strived to accomplish.

Another Biblical and politically inspired work of art was Judith Beheading Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi produced between 1619-1620. Being one of many followers of Caravaggio, Gentileschi moved from Rome to Florence and produced works of art heavily influenced by Caravaggio's techniques of dramatic illumination and exhibition of real-life events. The inspiration of the painting comes from the book of Judith which narrates the story of the Assyrian invasion of Judah by the general Holofernes. Using her femininity and charm to her advantage, Judith gets close to Holofernes and uses that opportunity to behead him with the help of her maid. Gentileschi's adept manipulation of colors to produce lighting gives the painting a gruesome and dramatic effect. Moreover, Gentileschi uses a diagonal approach in this painting to draw even more attention to the scene unfolding. "...both of the women's arms are fully extended, whereas Holofernes' arm breaks at the elbow. His leg breaks at the knee so we have the sense of dismemberment that is not only at the head, but also at his other limbs. The women's arms diagonal pushing towards the center. The general's legs functioning very much to pair with the parallel forearms of Judith. But all of those limbs bringing our attention down to the severing, down to the violent act itself." (Zucker, 2014, 2:32) The heroism of Judith is thus greatly emphasized by the graphic, almost life-like way in which the blood of Holofernes spurts out of his neck. The greatness with which Gentileschi portrays Judith has much to do with the fact that she wished to leave an impact of Judith's bravery as a woman, on viewers of this particular piece of art. "Throughout her life, Gentileschi painted many such images of heroic biblical women, which art historians have interpreted in relation to her own struggle to claim her rightful place in an art world dominated by men." (Stokstad, 738)

Works Cited

Stokstad, Marilyn, and Michael Watt Cothren. Art History. Pearson, 2018.

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/early-europe-and-colonial-americas/renaissance-art-europe-ap/v/van-eyck-portrait-of-giovanni-arnolfini-and-his-wife-1434

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-reformation/northern/holbein/v/hans-holbein-the-younger-the-ambassadors-1533

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/early-europe-and-colonial-americas/reformation-counter-reformation/v/bernini-ecstasy-of-st-theresa

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/monarchy-enlightenment/baroque-art1/baroque-italy/v/gentileschi-judith

Post 2

Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci
1503-1506

The Renaissance is a time period in the late fourteenth century to the seventeenth century where revitalized civic life and economic growth gave rise to a prosperous middle and upper class that supported scholarship, literature, and arts. Their patronage resulted in a growth of learning and creativity which we Renaissance(French for "Rebirth"). During this time status, money commerce, and political leadership became valued which lead to a rise in prestigious families. This lead to the patronage of arts which was seen as an important public activity. This activity lead to the creation of many unique and famoue paintings, sculptures, and buildings we know of today.

The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci while he lived in Florence between 1503-1506. The painting is a portrait of Lisa Gherardini who was the wife of Francesco del Giocondo a wealthy Florentine merchant. It is an oil painting on a wood panel. It currently hangs in the Louvre museum in Paris, France and is considered the most famous painting in the world. This painting demonstrates the skill and intelligence of da Vinci during the time of the Renaissance. The painting is of a half-body woman with a backdrop of a distant landscape. Leonardo uses a three-quarter view, where the sitter is mostly facing the viewer. This style of portrait broke the traditional pose in many portraits and become heavily popularized which is still common today. The subjects face shows the skillful handling of stumafo which is fine shading. Leonardo understand the musculature of the human body and was able to paint her face in a realistic manner. He also was able to carefully portray the curves of the clothing and properly display her hair. He uses dark colors to paint the portrait and the Mona Lisa has no smile. It shows the dull mood of the painting . Also da Vinci painted the eyes in such a way that it seems like she is always looking at you no matter what angle you look at the painting.

David, Michaelangelo
1501-1504

Michaelangelo's David was created between 1501 and 1504. It is a 18ft. white marble statue of the biblical hero David. He is sculpted as standing full male nude. The sculpture is currently located in the Academia Gallery of Florence with a replica in Duomo Square. The sculpture was commissioned by the Opera del Duomo for the Cathedral of Florence. Michaelangelo was only 26 years old when he began his masterpiece. The sculpture is made before David fights Goliath hence the sling over his left shoulder and the rock in his right hand. He was empowered with God on his side. He faced Goliath who was heavily armored and defeated him by slinging a rock at his forehead. This sculpture is a true masterpiece because it shows the human body in a realistic way. David is casually standing with the weight of his body on his right leg with his left bent slightly. You can also clearly see how Michaelangleo was able to depict the human muscles, and curvatures of the body in such a real way. Michaelangelo went into such detail that you could even see the veins on the hands of David in close up pictures. David is seen as symbol of courage and unexpected strength in Florence. 

Ospedale Degli Innocenti, Filippo Brunelleschi
1421-1427

In 1419 Filippo Brunelleschi designed the Foundling Hospital in Florence. This hospital was established as a large public orphanage. It was commissioned to Filippo Brunelleschi by the silk manufacturers and goldsmiths (Arte della Seta) to be built near the church of the Santissima Annunziata. "Brunelleschi created a building that paid homage to traditional forms while introducing features that we associate with the Italian Renaissance style"(Stoksad 612). He used elegance and smooth round columns and richly carved capitals to design the front corridors of the building. The columns stand 20 feet tall while the arches are exactly half that height. "The bays at the end of the arcade are slightly larger than the rest, creating a subtle frame for the composition. Brunelleschi defined the perfect squares and semicircles of his building with pietra serena, a gray Tuscan sandstone, against plain white walls"(Stoksad 613). The building stands as a landmark for liberty, humanism, and innocence for children as symbolized by the word "innocenti."

Double Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and His Wife, Jan van Eyck
1434

The fifteenth century saw a rapid rise in wealthy merchants who rose to power due to individual accomplishment. Giovanni Arnolfini happened to be one of these merchants. Giovanni Arnolfini was a wealthy Italian cloth merchant who provided luxury fabrics to the Burgundian court. During this time it was common for wealthy people to have paintings of themselves to show off their riches and prestige. Giovanni commission Jan van Eyck to paint this in 1434. Jan van Eyck uses a heavy amount of symbolism in this painting. On the right you see Giovanni's wife who has her hand over her stomach which symbolizes that she may be pregnant. She and her husband are also wearing very lavish clothing that is very expensive. "The man wears a fur-lined, silk velvet heuque (sleeveless overgarment). The elaborate cutwork decoration and white fur lining of her sleeves is an ostentatious indicator of cost"(Stoksad 575). During this time The Church provided spiritual grounding for men and women and can be seen in this painting with the crystal prayer beeds hanging in the background next to the mirror. A figure of St. Margaret, protector of women during childbirth, is also carved on top of the bed post. Another unique symbol is the dog at the very bottom. During this time dogs were symbols of fidelity or wealth because not everyone could afford them. Overall throughout the painting you can see the wealth of the couple with the chandelier, carpet, lavish bed, etc.

Post 2

Art is often known for its freedom of expression and the creative techniques that an individual can do to showcase an emotion or simply a beautiful arrangement. Yet, during the Renaissance period, it bought a whole new different perspective on how everyone viewed and interpreted art, especially in Europe. Renaissance was the rebirth of literature and art as a whole, having it shape the way we view and interpret art today. It was composed of many different characteristics such as realism, emotion, individualism, anatomy, etc. This time period developed and morphed throughout the 14th to 17th century but different components throughout the year added to the true meaning of the Renaissance. Although many of the contributions were based on religion due to the church being so wealthy and contained many individuals at power who funded these art pieces, it didn’t limit the artists on their artwork and techniques. Some of the artists that helped shape this era were Michaelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Masaccio, and Gentileschi. 

Masaccio was a spectacular artist that helped shape the beginning of the Renaissance, despite his

The Expulsion of Adam
and Eve, Masaccio (1425)

short timeline. He was well known in his contributions to realism. In art pieces such as The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise, we are presented with many different factors that often weren’t targeted at the time being. He focused on the nude body trying to capture the human body in the best shape or form using light and shadow to shape their body. This wasn’t as common so early in the time period, trying to capture the bone and muscle structure in paintings but he did a beautiful representation in this piece. Not only did he attempt to make his frescos appear like sculptors using shadow and light but he also emphasized on trying to catch the emotion of individuals on his paintings. He targeted the psychological impact of shame on the first humans who were Adam and Eve, after being thrown out of paradise into the naked world (Stokstad, 624). Using all these techniques developed a greater realism because it wasn’t solely based on the precise lines and outlines which was focused on at the time but instead the mass form of it as a whole. 

The Vitruvian Man, Leonardo de Vinci
(c. 1490)

Although Mosaccio captured realism well and was a great artist to shape it, nothing can compare with how Leonardo De Vinci captured realism and humanist contemporaries. Da Vinci was well known for his knowledge of the human body, mathematics, the natural world and etc. He was so knowledgable and creative; everyone was far aware of so but he never quiet pushed through with many of his pieces (Stokstad, 650). He contributed with the Renaissance Period with many of his artwork such as The Vitruvian Man and The Mona Lisa. In The Vitruvian Man, we got to see how intelligent of a man he truly was. We got to see and understand the anatomy of an individual and he did so by almost capturing it as a machine. The mathematics and scale of it all provided the era with a clear depiction of the ideal body. Being aware of his

Mona Lisa, Leonardo de Vinci
(1503)

understanding of scales and his wisdom gives us a clearer look into many of his pieces and other factors such as The Mona Lisa. In The Mona Lisa, we were presented with many different contributions that may not be captured at first glance. One factor that stands out to all would be the expression on her face, being no one truly knows the emotion trying to be showcased. Also, he strayed away from usual paintings at the time being women high in society by painting someone who seems on the poorer side of society. We acknowledge this by viewing her clothes and the lack of jewelry. It was also uncommon for portraits to have a background presenting his knowledge of depth and perspective alongside with his knowledge of light and shadows to create this beautiful image.

Alongside Da Vinci and extreme wisdom, we are presented with Michaelangelo who was greatly

David, Michaelangelo
(1501-1504)

known for his sculptors. That was his true passion, sculpting the body and capturing the many different components. We get a better glimpse of this idea when taking a look at his statue of David. David was a beautiful depiction of not only the nudity of a man but more of an athletic man, capturing the shadowing of the body, almost as if it is soft to touch. The expression he also placed on David was something new because we get to interpret his stare as powerful as if something lies ahead of the eye of the beholder. Using all these components of shadow and expression we get to view David as a warrior and get a new understanding of the male body (Stokstad, 659). Although Michaelango’s passion was sculpting, the Pope had other plans in store for him, is that the Church was a big influential factor at the time. He ordered him to paint The Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and it may not have been what he preferred, he surely executed this piece. Here we get his understanding of the geometric aspect by the way he painted and shaped the ceiling using lines and light to his advantage. He also may not have enjoyed painting at all but he embodied the individuals to almost be viewed as statues capturing the light and softness of the body as well. 

The Ceiling of Sistine Chapel, Michaelangelo
(1508–1512)

Lastly, we are presented with a woman painter, named Gentileschi. Women weren't at all common in the time period. Famous daughter of a well-known artist, Orazio, she bought a powerful representation into the

Judith Beheading Holofernes, Gentileschi
(1610)

Renaissance era for women at the time who often had no voice at all to many matters. Her most well-known painting being Judith Beheading Holofernes bought many techniques and also powerful meaning alongside it. We got to interpret the scene as a very sensual moment sue to the dramatic spotlighting and the angles she captured her images (Stokstad, 738). She also painted to have the woman be depicted as the hero in paintings due to her personal life after being raped by one of her father’s men. She spoke up for many women at the time who had no voice and gave them a sense of power and understanding for many of the situations that occurred because of how often they were brushed off or hidden. 

The Renaissance period being the rebirth of all literature and art was truly an era that morphed many of the ways we view things today. Bought a new understanding and techniques to now our present-day art. It provided a new appreciation to the world and the aspects of it. 

• Stokstad, Marilyn, and Michael W. Cothren. Art History. Boston: Pearson Education, 2014. Print.

Class trip to the Brooklyn Museum, Saturday 11/16

++BROOKLYN MUSEUM TRIP++
We will be meeting at the Brooklyn Museum on Saturday, November 16th at 3pm

We will meet in the glass lobby of the museum near the main entrance door at least 10 minutes BEFORE 3pm. Buy your ticket as soon as you arrive. General admission to the museum is a suggested donation. We will assemble here and I will be leading all of us upstairs to visit some of the galleries together. We will be together for about 1.5 hours and you will then be able to visit any part of the museum after we are done. I highly recommend coming early or staying and seeing other galleries! The museum opens at 11am and closes at 6pm.

Give yourself extra time for traveling on the weekend. Directions to the Brooklyn Museum can be found here. There is street parking near the museum if you drive there. Careful to read street regulation signs carefully. There is also a parking lot at the museum where you can pay to park. Speak to other students about car pooling together or traveling together via public transportation. Please feel free to invite a guest to join.

Attendance at the class trip will count in place of the last writing assignment (10pts), only if you attend on 11/16 with the class. More details to follow soon.

Post 2

Martina Michelato


Intro Art History II


10/17/19

Professor Cacolio



This paper will discuss the four major Italian artists during the Renaissance period. The artists that will be discussed in this paper are; Michaelango, Da Vinci, Donatello, and Rafael. The work of these iconic artists left a deep influential impact in the world of art history. They were and are, to this day, major art developments. The most famous art in Europe came from these artists, people loved their paintings, sculptures and architecture. A large majority of their artworks still have meaningful impacts on today's modern cultural, economical and political issues.


The first artist that will be discussed in this paper is the notable Michelangelo. Michelangelo was from Florence, Italy. He is one of the most influential artists of the renaissance period. Not only did he work on paintings, he also worked on sculptures and was known for creating iconic artworks with marble. Michelangelo's great artworks with marble are what led him to being commissioned for one of the world's best sculptures, David. When creating David, he used a leftover block of marble, which was originally assigned to be made for the buttress of the cathedral. The sculpture David was finished between the years of; 1501 to 1504. Once the masterpiece was finished, it was extremely praised and acclaimed by the Catholic church. They used the lifesize sculpture and put it at the entrance of the Palazzo Dei Priori, as a great symbol of Florence. “There it stood as a reminder of Florence’s republican status, which was briefly reinstated” (Stokstad, 659). David is from the biblical story of ‘David and Goliath’. David has become such an important piece of art and has influenced today's artists. This iconic masterpiece has also immensely changed Florence by making their art reputation one to be reckoned with. To this day, David is still very famous, iconic and relevant now in our classrooms. The sculpture is visited and appreciated by thousands of people everyday. Michelangelo also worked on many other prominent, influential artworks, such as; the Sistine Chapel located at the Vatican City in Rome. His work is held in high regard, specifically in association to his work and attention to detail. This is what makes him a great, memorable artist, he brings his work to life.





David by Michelangelo


Donatello was another notable, significant artist from Florence region of Italy. His main artworks focused on bronze, wood and marble. One of his greatest works was the first naked bronze male sculpture, David which was made during this time period. This sculpture was also David but in this one he is holding a sword and has his foot on top of Goliath's head, showing how he defeated him. This iconic sculpture is located within the Museo Nazionale del Bargello in Florence. Many people viewed his sculpture as more of a realistic, victorious figure compared to Michaengalos because he showed how he defeated Goliath. “ It symbolized the citizens ideas to oppose tyrants, no matter their superiority” (Stokstad 618). It is also said that the engraving on this sculpture could have another meaning that represents “ a victory that brought resolution to a quarter- century struggle with depots and helped give Florence a vision for itself as a strong, virtuous republic” (Stokstad, 619).


David by Donatello, 1446-1460?


Rafael is from Urbino, Italy he has one of the most influential works of art that changed the course of art forever. This masterpiece is called The School Of Athens, which was painted between 1510-1511. It is located in Stanza della Segnatura in the Vatican, Pope Julias II asked him to do the painting. He included himself in the painting, he loved to put himself in his work so the people can see who made it. This painting represents all the greatest mathematicians, scientists and philosophers together sharing and learning from one another. After this painting his reputation built more and more, “that he was obliged to leave more and more work to his assistants” because he didn't have time to do it all. (ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ART EDUCATION.) It is such a powerful painting because The school of Athens refers to school of knowledge, this painting has all the influential men from different periods of time put together to learn from one another. “The serene and harmonious qualities of Raphael's paintings were regarded as some of the highest models of the humanist impetus of the time, which sought to explore man's importance in the world through artwork that emphasized supreme beauty” (The Art Story).





The School of Athens by Rafael, 1510-1511


The last artist this paper will discuss is Da Vinci. Da Vinci was born in Anciano, Italy. He created two extremely famous paintings very well known, Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. The Last Supper was created between 1495 to 1498 it depicts the Passover dinner during which Jesus Christ addresses the Apostles. It is located at the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. “The Painting’s careful geometry, the convergence of its perspective lines, the stability of its pyramidal forms, and Jesus’s calm demeanor at the mathematical center of all the commotion, work together to reinforce the sense of gravity, balance, and order. The clarity and stability of this painting epitomize High Renaissance style” (Stokstad, 650). This painting represents a very important moment in the catholic history and especially in Italy. The Mona Lisa is located in the Louvre in Paris he began it in 1503 but it was not put up until he died in 1519, it is said he worked on it over the years and took his time. It is such a masterpiece that it cannot be bought or sold. Mona Lisa’s look is very intriguing, “Her expression has been called enigmatic. It hides rather than reveals her thoughts and personality, and it lacks the warmth one expects to see in her eyes, which have shifted to the side to look straight at us” (Stokstad, 645). Mona Lisa is visited by thousands of people a day and it is considered an artistic relic and a huge legend in art history. Da Vinci was not only an artist he was also a scientist, which he also used in his work, his strategy was he would first understand how a human's muscles and skeleton fit together. Then he would use his strategy to paint and help him with detail and create amazing work.





Mona Lisa by Da Vinci, 1503-1506





The Last Supper by Da Vinci,1495-1498


In Conclusion, The Renaissance period was a very important time period for art. It had a lot of new and historical art that is still famous up to this day. Mostly all the paintings were based on religion in this time period, and have a story behind them. These four artists from this time period have changed the history of art and have brought forward a new era and a new kind of art. I have seen most of these painters work in person and being able to study them more has enlightened me to see more, these painters are very influential and have amazing work.





Works Cited:


History.com Editors. “Leonardo Da Vinci.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2 Dec. 2009, https://www.history.com/topics/renaissance/leonardo-da-vinciHistory.com Editors. “Leonardo Da Vinci.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2 Dec. 2009, https://www.theartstory.org/artist/raphael/


“School of Athens by Raphael - Facts & History of the Painting.” Totally History, 9 Jan. 2014, http://totallyhistory.com/school-of-athens/


Stokstad, Marilyn, and Michael Watt Cothren. Art History. Sixth ed., II, Pearson, 2018.


“The School of Athens (1509-11).” School of Athens, Raphael: Analysis, Interpretation,





http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/famous-paintings/school-of-athens.htm#raphael

Post 2

The origins of the Renaissance came from an Italian scholar and poet Francesco Petrarca who was one of the earliest humanists. Petrarca emphasized the power and potential human beings have for individual triumph. They proudly saw their period of time as an era of revival and rebirth. The goal was to live a rich, noble, and productive life so they emerged into appreciating the achievements and accomplishments of ancient Rome, valuing rational scientific investigation. There was a new way of thinking in Europe and people were starting to think on their own. The Renaissance began in Florence, where the wealthy showed off their money by becoming intellectuals, supporters of artists, and patrons. Without the patronage of the wealthy, artists wouldn’t have been able to explore and enjoy the pleasures Italy had to offer turning Florence into the cultural center of Europe. As one Florentine merchant, Giovanni Rucellai, succinctly noted, he supported the arts “because they serve the glory of God, the honour of the city, and the commemoration of myself”(Stokstad 608). Some artists that were vital in changing the perspectives of people all over the world were Leonardo Da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Masaccio. 

Mona Lisa, Leonardo Da Vinci
(1503-1506)

Leonardo Da Vinci was one of the greatest minds of the Renaissance. His "Mona Lisa" and "Last Supper" are indisputably among the most famous and admired around the world. As Milan was being invaded by the French, Da Vinci fled to Florence where he painted "La Gioconda" also known as "Mona Lisa" between 1503 and 1506. Leonardo Da Vinci surprisingly had no formal education and was mostly self taught which is just astounding considering his works. At first glance, this painting captivates us in a way that only Leonardo Da Vinci could have done. The slight smirk with mysterious and ambiguous landscapes behind her and subtle eyes that follow you give the painting a three dimensional feel. It is easy to see that this portrait has many components of the High Renaissance style, "The blend of naturalistic description and classicizing idealism, and the clarity balanced structure of the pyramidal composition that gives utter stability to the monumental sculptural form"(Stokstad 641). Mona Lisa however is different. She does not have a lot of jewelry or a lot of fabrics like a wealthy women would have to signify their status and husbands riches, she ordinary but her psychological complexity hides what she's thinking and her personality which is why viewers are captivated by this portrait. This portrait now hangs at the Louvre for everyone to see in Paris. To think that this painting was never delivered and was kept to be worked on continuously by Leonardo Da Vinci almost alludes its stardom as if he knew it was going to impact art in such a huge way. Some elements used in this painting are form, line, space, and value. There are many shadows and tints among her body and the woman can be portrayed as positive space and the background negative. Leonardo Da Vinci continues to make people marvel at his work to this day. Without a doubt he was one of the greatest minds of the Renaissance.

Sandro Botticelli BIRTH OF VENUS
(1484–1486)

Sandro Boticelli was one of the greatest painters in the Florentine Renaissance. He "painted sculptural figures that were modeled by light from a consistent source and placed in a setting rendered illusionistic by linear perspective.(Stokstad 635). He often included saints aadn angles in religious painting much like other artists during the renaissance. Working for the Medici very frequently he was called to Rome in 1481 to help decorate the Sistine Chapel. At first Primavera was painted at the time fo the wedding of Lorenzo di Pierfranseco de Medici and Semiramidre d'Appian in 1482. Years later came the Birth of Venus which included some of the same mythological figures from Primavera. "Botticelli’s Classical goddess of love and beauty, born of sea foam, averts her eyes from our gaze as she floats ashore on a scallop shell, carefully arranging her hands and hair to hide—but actually drawing attention her sexuality. (Stokstad 635). This painting shows the goddess of love and beauty arriving on land on the island of Cyprus. Alongside her are the god of the winds, Zephyr and the breeze Aura driving Venus towards the shore where she is naked on a golden shining shell. It is said that the rose was supposed to have flowered for the first time when Venus was born and for that reason the gentle rose colored flowers are almost dancing around Zephyr and Aura. Again an important element during the renaissance was realism. Attention to the human body was vital so many studied anatomy. Venus's left arm, long neck, and shoulders show us just how convincing Boticelli wanted to be which is why he is one of the greatest painters during the Renaissance.

David, Michelangelo
(1501-1594)

Pieta, Michelangelo (1500)

Stokstad introduces us to Michelangelo Buonarroti by beginning with "he was born in the Tuscan town of Caprese. He was born into an impoverished Florentine family that laid a claim to nobility—a claim the artist carefully advanced throughout his life." At thirteen Michelangelo apprenticed Domenico Ghirlandaio where he mastered fresco techniques and draughtsmanship. Michelangelo was distantly related to the Medici family through his grandmother so he lived in the Medici household from 1490-1492. As we know the Medici family commissioned many artists to paint portraits throughout the renaissance. Lorenzo de Medici was the person who commissioned Michelangelo's first works in 1492. Later, Michelangelo's interest became drawn to human anatomy and the complexities of the human body. In order to master this element he dissected bodies and drew from live models. In 1501, he accepted a commission for a statue of the biblical hero David. Michelangelo perfectly embodies the male physique and the slingshot over the shoulder is placed perfectly at rest. Pieta is a sculpture of the Virgin Mary mourning the dead Jesus in her lap. Something about this sculpture is that Jesus is much smaller than the Virgin but again the physique and human body of mouth Jesus and Mary are chiseled perfectly. Then sculpture was made to be seen up close to look at Jesus's face.

The Expulsion of Adam and Eve From Paradise,
Masaccio(1427)

 Tomasso di Giobanni di Simone Cassai, most commonly know as Masaccio was born on December 21, 1401 and died autumn 1428 in Rome. His frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel was very influential throughout the Renaissance. In only six years, his use of natural settings and using linear perspective created a new course of paintings for Florence. In the Expulsion of Adam and Eve From Paradise, Masaccio illustrates Adam and Eve as nude figures with a face of utter shame as they are kicked out of paradise and thrown into the naked world. Eve is covering her private parts as another use of Masaccio's psychological impact because she is now guilty of what she has done. Adam on the other hand is covering his face in embarassment where he can't even bear to show his face. 

Works Cited

Stokstad, Marilyn, and Michael Watt Cothren. Art History. Pearson, 2018.