A New Era, The Renaissance by Chris Suleski - Post #2

Chris Suleski

Professor Cacoilo

Art History II

10/17/19

The Renaissance 

Changing the Perception of Art and Literature

     The interesting aspect of art is its openness to the many different interpretations of the admirer. Whether or not you have heard of Renaissance artists, their artwork, or the infrastructure they created, you learn to appreciate the beauty of it all. From the 14th to 17th century, the art movement was thriving with artist expressing the reality of people beliefs in their artwork, with many artists expressing these values in distinctive styles, allowing their work to have many different interpretations. It was a revival period for art, literature, and culture under the influence of ancient times, a rebirth - centered around Greece and Rome. Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Gian Lorenzo (or Gianlorenzo) Bernini, and Masaccio helped influenced the changes that were seen throughout the Renaissance time and into the future. This period enlightened individuals to view the world from humanistic values and dedication to the welfare of humans, which had a significant impact upon religion. People began to pay more attention to their own life rather than the hereafter.  The Roman Catholic Church succumbed to loss of power as individuals challenged the practices of the church. It's surreal to have seen a portion of these amazing creations in person and then eventually being able to connect to them during our class sessions.

 

 Michelangelo's David
  Accademia Gallery of Florence, Italy

      Above is Michelangelo's David that was started by Michelangelo in 1501 and finished
in 1504, currently residing in Accademia Gallery of Florence, Italy. David, his most famous statue, was made from a block of marble, 18ft in height, modeled after a biblical hero; who took down the giant Goliath with just his slingshot. During the Renaissance period, artwork immortalized their heroes and made their images as life like as possible, which can be seen in the image of David's detailed body structure above. When Michelangelo finished his statue of the Pieta, it seemed so real and alive, he demanded the statue to move, with no response, in a fit of anger, he slammed his  hammer on the knee of the statue, damaging it.  Michelangelo's David "embodies the antique ideal of the athletic male nude, the emotionless power of its expression and its concentrated gaze are entirely new" (Stokstad 659). There are other versions of this statue, however they show a victorious David, with the head of Goliath. This is David's moment before he takes on the fight of his life, preparing himself, and standing his ground. "This David stands for a sense of supremacy of right over might, a perfect emblem for the Florentines, who had recently fought the forces of Milan, Siena, and Pisa and still faced political and military pressure." (Stokstad 659). Even with something standing in their way,  they overcame it and fought through it just like David's pose represents. 

 

 

Sistine Chapel Vatican City, Italy 

Michelangelo

      Even though Michelangelo strictly did statues, he was ordered by the Pope to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, a patronage system reward. Michelangelo never tool a break of doing art. As he was working on the ceiling, he would complain that he was practically painting upside down and "the force of it has jammed my belly up beneath my chin. Beard to the sky."  (Stokstad 660). The Sistine Chapel project started a new powerful style in painting. An artist who strictly was not a  painter was able to revolutionize the world of  art for the next couple of centuries. In the beginning of the project,

Michelangelo was to follow strict instructions from the Pope of what to put up and where; however later, the Pope decided to let him do whatever he felt. Michelangelo was able to picture people in his  paintings like they were popping out, taking on the appearance of  three dimensional sculptures. The Sistine Chapel arrangement is impeccable and the lifelike structure makes it all so more exciting.  Everything was accounted for, from the creation of godlike things, the closeness of the alter, to Eve being in the middle of the ceiling. Perhaps the most famous painting that many people recognize is the creation of Adam which hangs right above your head in the Chapel. I think this was a true test of  how beautiful the biblical story can be depicted through art, showing how astonishing it can be even till this day when tourists are in awe when they look up.

   

The Mona Lisa

by

Leonardo Da Vinci

 
      Leonardo di ser Piero Da Vinci, known as Leonardo Da Vinci, was born April 15, 1452, Anchiano, Italy, referred to as the Renaissance man- the Universal Genius.  Da Vinci was very knowledgeable in several disciplines which included painting, drawing sculpturing, mathematics, astronomy, botany, science, music, and  engineering.  Leonardo is considered one of the best painters in the World today, even though only 15 paintings of his exist.   Leonardo had no formal academic training as a painter, however, at the age of 15 he worked as an apprentice for Andrea del Verrocchio in Florence.  Da Vinci had two famous paintings - "The Last Supper" done between 1495–1498 and "Perhaps the most famous of his Florentine works is the portrait he painted between about 1503 and 1506 known as the MONA LISA" (Stokstad 650).  The Last Supper depicted the gathering of his disciples, the evening before Christ was betrayed. Whereas, the Mona Lisa, known as La Gioconda, is the wife of Francesco del Giocondo. The painting resides at Louvre in Paris, France and is owned by the Government of France. The Mona Lisa is sized at 30 x 20 7/8 in, painted oil on wood, and approximately valued at $2.67 billion. 

   Leonardo,  being very knowledgeable in science, uses the properties of light and illumination in his paintings, as in his creation of "The Mona Lisa".  Leonardo paints a women, clothed in a Florentine style of her time, forefront of a mountainous landscape, with the use of soft, shaded imaging. "The Expressive complexity of Mona Lisa's smile" (Stokstad 650) represents the contentment in her life.  Happiness prevails as the central alluring feature of the painting with the eyes all so provoking, capturing your attention from any angle at the same level as the mountainous background. Da Vinci is the first artist ever to use aerial perspective, connecting humanity and nature. Leonardo's Mona Lisa created a new dimensions that was lively and distinct from his earlier colleagues, an image with a soul that is not attainable.  Interestingly, in 2010 it was discovered in the Mona Lisa's  right eye, the artist initials L.V. appear.  The Mona Lisa did not become an important valuable art work until it was stolen in 1911. And the Mona Lisa can never be sold because it belongs to the public.

 

St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Italy

Gian Lorenzo Bernini's 

Baldacchino 

     

     Gian Lorenzo (or Gianlorenzo) Bernini was born December 7, 1598 Naples, Italy and died November 28, 1680, Rome, Italy. Gianlorenzo was a prominent Italian sculptor and architect, being the dominant sculptor of his time and recognized for the creation of the Baroque style of sculpture.  Gian had a particular manner and vision that was enormously powerful over his colleagues during the Renaissance time frame. Additionally, Bernini had passions in painting as well as theater.  Lorenzo endeavors lead him into designing buildings, cathedrals, chapels, and public spaces, as well as elegant public fountains and structures for festival.  As talented as he was, many of his colleagues thought he would be a worthy successor for Michelangelo.  "When Urban Vlll was elected pope in 1623, he unhesitatingly gave the young Bernini the daunting task of designing an enormous
bronze baldacchino, or canopy over the high altra of St. Peter's" (Stokstad 728) using a rewards from the patronage system without concerns of cost, making the sanctuary worthy of the holy site. Intrigued by the Pope's confidence, Bernini created a masterpiece that would live on for eternity, blessed with his Baroque style.

     Bernini masterpiece was welcomed by many; however was scorn by those who were overwhelmed by the enormous cost due to the abundance of bronze contained in the structure. Yet, he was able to design and implement a structure that had eloquence and blended into it's surrounding and didn't cause any distractions.  It provided a balance to the emptiness that would have dominated over the small Papal Alter without it, allowing the background to be seen flawlessly, leaving the over dimensional impression  of the Basilica untouched. In the end Urban Vlll earned the glory and Bernini was generously compensated, proving that he was the only one that could be compared to Michelangelo.

 

Trinity with the Virgin

Masaccio

     Masaccio, "Big Tom"  (Stokstad 622) was born on December 21, 1401 in San Giovanni Valdarno, Arezzon, Tuscany, Italy – died summer 1428 Rome, Italy. His birth name was Tommaso di Ser Giovanni di Simone. Masaccio was an Italian artist from the Florentine region, regarded as the finest painter of the Quattrocento era during the Renaissance. Masaccio had a brief career as a painter because of his early demise at the the age of 26. However; he is identified with being the initiator of the Italian Renaissance. Masaccio keen skills of imitating nature and movements in his paintings, provides a sense of three dimensions to the viewer. "He did this by integrating monumental and consistently scaled figures into rational architectural and natural settings using linear perspective."
(Stokstad 622).

     Around 1426  Masaccio was awarded a impressive assignment from the Dominican church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence being a reward that was granted from the patronage system to create a fresco of the Holy Trinity. "Masaccio fresco was meant to give the illusion of a stone funerary monument and altar table set below a deep aedicula (framed niche) in the wall" (Stokstad 622).  Masaccio created his fresco by sketches on the wall and plaster to provide a medium to produce the Trinity.  The Holy Trinity represents the union of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Ghost, represented by a white dove. "The effect of looking up into a barrel-vaulted niche was made plausible through precisley linear perspective" (Stokstad 622). The single point linear perspective feature  of this mural made this artwork one of the 15th Century significant Renaissance masterpieces. Faith in the Trinity overcomes death according to the suggested theme of the fresco.

Conclusion

     The four prominent artist discussed in this document certainly influenced the change  of art and literature, defining new ways to  educate, bringing forth a revived culture into a new era,  the Renaissance.  The political and religious practices evolved into a society that benefited humanity. I am glad my Italian vacation last year offered me a culture that was influenced by the Renaissance. More-so, I am elated that I had the opportunity this year to take this academic course and to connect with the many artist creations that I saw in Italy.

Work Cited   

   

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

“The Mona Lisa - by Leonardo Da Vinci.” Henri Matisse, https://www.leonardodavinci.net/the-mona-lisa.jsp 

Wikipedia contributors. "Gian Lorenzo Bernini." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Web. 10 Oct. 2019.

Wikipedia contributors. "Leonardo da Vinci." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Web. 17 Oct. 2019.

Wikipedia contributors. "Masaccio" Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Web. 6 Sept. 2019.