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