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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.