Florence Italy in the 15th-17th century was a time for art, inspiration, and spiritual awakening. During the Renaissance, artists such as Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, and Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi used their talents to rely these themes to mass audiences. These artists are known for some of the most memorable work for this time era. Of these the earliest influence began with Donatello.
Donatello’s long career as a sculptor established him as one of the most successful and admired artists of the Italian Renaissance. He excelled because of his attentive exploration of human emotions and expression, as well as his ability to solve the technical problems posed by various media. Donatello received multiple commissions for the Niches at Orsanmichele during the first quarter of the century. “Donatello’s bronze DAVID was the first life-size, free-standing nude since antiquity (FIG. 20–14), Since nothing is known about the circumstances of its creation, this statue has been the subject of continuing inquiry and speculation.”(Stokstad Chapter 2 Page 618) During the 15th century, Donatello made the statue of David, which to this day is considered one of the greatest sculptures made in the Renaissance. Donatello utilized contrapposto with this sculpture, as showcased by the fluidity of David’s body, rather than a static position. The dynamic movement was one of the characteristics of art from the renaissance, you could see this in the later Baroque art.
(Donatello, David, c. 1440-1460, bronze)
This sculpture was commissioned by Cosimo de’Medici for the Palazzo Medici. The story of David is of overcoming great odds and fighting oppression. It tells of David, a man smaller in stature, who took down Goliath with a stone shot from a slingshot so precisely in the perfect spot. Goliath was a monster of a man, who had no weaknesses other than the one spot on the head. After taking Goliath down, David cut his head off with his own sword. The statue shows this effeminate side of David, not only from the angular pose that Donatello gives him but as well as the boyish body he is given. He doesn’t have much muscle definition, which showcases even more how much of a hero David is. Although he is boyish in figure, he carries the responsibilities of an adult warrior taking down Goliath, the Tyrant. This statue of David gets recreated more times throughout the centuries because of how important the Story of David is in Florence, Italy, but the recreation of David gives people an in-depth look at the main characteristics of the art through the periods.
(20–35 Sandro Botticelli BIRTH OF VENUS)
c. 1484–1486. Tempera and gold on canvas, 5′87⁄8′′ × 9′17⁄8′′ (1.8 × 2.8 m). Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence. )
Botticelli worked in Florence frequently and for the Medici before he was called to Rome in 1481, by the Pope to help decorate the Sistine Chapel along with other great artists. Afterward, he returned to Florence that same year and began a new phase of his career. Like so many other artists working for patrons steeped in Classical scholarship, he was exposed to different ways to view beauty. For the Medici Botticelli produced secular paintings of mythological subjects inspired by ancient works, one of his most famous was The Birth of Venus
This painting was one of the first known paintings that had a female in the nude to be the center of the painting. This painting is about Venus the mythological Goddess of love. She was born fully in the nude as you can see by the attendant to the right, who is mid-motion trying to cover the goddess from our gaze. Clearly Venus is the centerpiece of this painting, which was rare for art during this time which was consumed with religious influence and highly dominated by males.
“And its subject—like the subjects of many tapestries—is a highly complex allegory (a symbolic illustration of a concept or principle) interweaving Neoplatonic ideas with esoteric references to Classical sources. In simple terms, Neoplatonic philosophers and poets conceived Venus, the goddess of love, as having two natures. The first ruled over earthly, human love and the second over universal, divine love.”(Stokstad Chapter 20 Pg. 635)
Compare this to the bronze statue of David, his nudity was heroic and more focused on the symbolism of the biblical tale of David and Goliath. Venus’s hair comes beautifully across her curves and covers her so modestly. In the book, it says “In this way the philosophers could argue that Venus was a Classical equivalent of the Virgin Mary.”. (Stokstad Chapter 20 Pg 635) The birth of Venus is a celebration of love, to subject a full-length nude female was rather rare, rather than the traditional biblical subjects put in the nude, Adam and Eve. This painting showcases Botticelli has great knowledge of the human anatomy and the figures seem weightless especially Venus, it would be impossible to stand like this, and Venus tilts her head to make contact with the audiences Gaze. There is also such detailed use of gold throughout all of the painting, in the leaves. This painting connected mythology and Christianity culturally.
(21–15 Michelangelo DAVID)
1501–1504. Marble, height 17′ (5.18 m) without pedestal.)
Michelangelo’s David tells of the great mythical story of David who was able to take Goliath down with the power of God, it still has the classic contrapasso. But in this statue is seems as though his body just seemed to tense up and he locked eyes with his target(Goliath). Michelangelo’s David is about potential not only about what he can do but also the perfection of the human body. A man can imagine himself in the position of David. Donatello’s David was more about the achievement and bravery on taking down Goliath why seeming almost childlike. During the high renaissance, the marriage of Greek mythology continued to inspire art, there is more of an emphasis on David’s body in this take on the art. This painting resonated so much with the Government of Florence that it was requested to be put in the center of the Court to be seen by everyone. To enforce the motion of great potential and fulfilling one’s physical achievements.
(Gian Lorenzo Bernini, 1623–1624)
After the high renaissance, the Baroque art movement started to blossom. Bernini got influence from mannerist artists, Baroque was as all about dynamic drastic compositions of art with heavy contrast and a great sense of realism in the art. Unlike all other takes on David, Bernini’s take stands out the most because of the realism in the sculpture. The energy is key to the composition of the sculpture, it’s almost as if it were a frame freeze, a moment in time, it’s almost impossible to hold that pose for an extended period of time. “ By creating a twisting figure caught in movement, Bernini incorporates the surrounding space within his composition, implying the presence of an unseen adversary somewhere behind the viewer.” (Stokstad Chapter 23 Page 730). This David seems more mature, determined, tensed. One can tell by his straining of the muscles, and tightening of the mouth Bernini wanted to create a more interactive feel to this depiction of David, rather those who came before him. In conclusion, these four artists contributed greatly to a new era of art and inspired many generations to come. We can see that especially through the progressions of the statue of David.
Stokstad, M. (n.d.). 20. In M. Cothren (Ed.), Art History Volume 2 6th edition (pp. 618-730).
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