Renaissance Art

The renaissance was a period of European history that began in the fifteenth century and spread to the rest of Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Fifteenth century art can be considered a rebirth of art. Artists developed new techniques and were able to expand their artistic ability. During the time period of the Renaissance, artists were able to leave their mark and change how many artists depicted art in the future. Artists such as Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Giorgione and Brugel paved the way for a new style of art.

Leonardo Da Vinci left his mark on the Renaissance period with his unique sense of style. Leonardo Da Vinci was contracted by the confraternity of the immaculate conception to paint an alter piece for their chapel in the church of San Francesco Grande in Milan. The painting  he was contracted to paint is now known as “The Virgin of the Rocks”.

Leonardo Da Vinci The Virgin of the Rocks c.1485

The contract stated that Leonardo Da Vinci must paint a virgin and a child with angels, yet Da Vinci put a spin on his artwork and included a figure of the young John the Baptist. Normally the Virgin Mary is depicted as the queen of the heaven yet she is depicted in this painting sitting on the floor. This representation of Mary makes her seem humble. Mary has her right arm around John the Baptist who seems to be in prayer to Christ. The child seems to be engaging in a dialogue with the young John the Baptist. Marys hand hovers over sons head protectively. The angel in the painting seems to be directing the viewer toward the center of the painting. The angel who looks without making eye contact with the viewer points to the center of the interaction between John the Baptist and Christ. The subjects in the painting are sitting in a pyramid-like arrangement, which becomes a standard feature of High Renaissance Classicalism. To ensure that the subjects are the main focus of the painting, Leonardo uses a spotlight on each of the figures to assert their dominance. This spotlight on each of the figures creates a strong Chiaroscuro. This use of light and dark projects the figures out of the darkness and illuminates them making them seem more three dimensional.
Michelangelo is also a well known artist during the Renaissance time period. His most famous sculpture is known as "David". Michelangelo breaks away from religious art and focuses on the human body more. This statue left a mark on the way figures are depicted in painting later on during the time period. 

Michelangelo David c. 1501-1504

In 1501, Michelangelo accepted a Florentine commission for a statue of the biblical hero David to be placed on top of the cathedral. Michelangelo chooses to depict David before the battle rather than being victorious. He stands relax but alert at the same time. The statue seems to be standing one leg holding its full weight and relaxing the other leg. This makes the statue seem realistic because the viewer is able to see the slight curve in the torso. The slingshot that David seems to be carrying over his shoulder is almost invisible and presents that David use cleverness rather than force to defeat Goliath. David seems to be staring into the far distance preparing himself for the danger he is about to face. Michelangelo focuses on the detail of the human body in his sculpture "David". 
Giorgione da Castelfranco was another painter during the High Renaissance time period. Although his career ended briefly, his importance to Venetian painting is critical. One of Giorgione's most interesting works is the "The Tempest". 

Giorgione The Tempest c. 1506

The Tempest was painted shortly before his death. At the right of the painting a woman is seen sitting on the ground naked with a white cloth thrown around her shoulders. Her nudity seems more maternal than that of a sexual nature, as she nurses the baby she is holding protectively. Across the rocky elevated surface she is sitting on, there seems to be a man looking over at her. The woman sitting down does not seem to be looking at him but rather looks at the viewer instead. The background of the painting is also seemingly interesting. Giorgione also focuses on the landscape of the painting as well as the figures. In the far distance, a lighting bolt seems to split the dark sky. The artists attention seems focused on the landscape as well as the figures within the artwork. Giorgione's use of green and blue colors seems to give the viewer a sense of impending doom. 

As Art begins to reform the artwork seems to shift from Religious paintings to more landscape paintings. Another painting by Pieter Brugel seems to shift away from the norm of religious paintings and focus on the landscape. Pieter Brugel's "Return of the Hunters" seems to be more focused on the landscape rather than the figures within the painting. 

Pieter Brugel Return of the Hunters c.1565

The painting captures a bleak atmosphere of early winter nightfall. The hunters in the lower left corner seem to be returning home at dusk. Rather than the portrayal of a triumph, Brugel depicts a rather unsuccessful hunt. The men walk through the snow with their heads low in a pose of defeat. Even the dogs seem to be walking in a pose of defeat which is highlighted with the drooping of their ears. During the Renaissance time period, artists were able to expand from the confines of religious art and depict things such as landscape. 

In conclusion, the Renaissance art period shows the shift from religious art to more realistic depictions. The human figures were drawn as realistically as possible, often with backgrounds of nature. The emphasis on religious art shifted by artists such as Michelangelo, Giorgione and Brugel. Artists such as Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Giorgione and Brugel left their mark on the artistic world and they changed the way artists went about their art in the future.