Author: Flossy Fogarty (Page 3 of 3)

In this class we looked at the early Italian Renaissance in the 15th Century. We discussed the role of “studia humanitatis,” which is the study of human works, had on the influence of Greco-Roman knowledge in the Renaissance. Then, we examined the role of Florence in the Renaissance period, and how it was connected to ancient Rome, in the sense that it was ruled as a republic. Additionally, Florence was run by powerful bankers and merchants, as opposed to monarchs and aristocrats. Furthermore, guilds flourished in Florence, allowing for further development in different specializations.

We then examined Brunelleschi’s Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence. Brunelleschi designed the dome after he lost a contest to create a panel on the door of the Baptistry of Saint John to Ghiberti. Both artists took the same prompt, but returned with very different depictions. Brunelleschi’s design of the Dome employs a sense of rationality behind the meaning of its ratios and relationships with people.

A large portion of this class was spent discussing Jan van Eyck, more specifically, his 1434 painting, The Arnolfini Portrait. We used this painting to look at van Eyck’s use of “disguised symbolism.” The portrait is considered a reflection of marriage, and van Eyck hides religious and social commentary in ordinary objects; however, the detail he includes shows they are not so ordinary. One of the painting’s most prominent examples of “disguised symbolism” is the scattered shoes on the floor. While it seems that the room is just messy, the two subjects’ bare feet call back to Moses removing his shoes in the presence of God in the Bible, indicating that they are on holy ground and the painting is a religious metaphor. Additionally, we looked at how he included himself and the viewer in the painting through the reflection in the painting. We also looked at other Northern European painters from the same time and how they attempted to employ “disguised symbolism.”

We ended class by looking at Conrad Witz’s The Miraculous Draught of Fishes from 1444. The painting merges two events from the Bible, the Miraculous Draught of Fishes and Christ Walking on Water, into one scene in mid-15th Century Lake Geneva. Witz uses the painting to demonstrate how the Pope needs the Bishops’ assistance to be a good leader. At the time of the commission, this was being discussed by a council. This painting demonstrates how artists used their work to reflect a political message.

In this class, we finished up 13th Century and 14th Century Italy, and started discussing 15th Century Northern Europe. We primarily focused on looking at both Cimabue and Giotto’s versions of the Madonna Enthroned, and compared the two. When comparing them, we looked at how Giotto made what he believed to be improvements, which demonstrated the changing of the times. Giotto’s depiction had much more of a sense of depth and perspective compared to Cimabue. Additionally, the painting has many more realistic details and intricacies. We then briefly looked at Duccio’s Madonna Enthroned, which stylistically resembled Giotto’s, but showed much more detail. We also compared the use of space and perspective between other works of Duccio and Giotto.

In the second part of class, we began discussing 15th Century Northern Europe. In particular, we looked at John, Duke of Berry, in France. In a manuscript created about him, we viewed the wishful perspective of the upper class from the upper class. This manuscript portrayed the wealthy as very good, which tied back to a piece we looked at earlier, Allegory of a Good and Bad Government. We also viewed how the different pages showed extreme detail and employed rising perspective to allow the viewer to see more.

I found the material covered in the class to be extremely interesting. The comparison of sections of the Pulpit in the Pisa Baptistery to earlier Greek statues and works stood out. When considering the layout of churches, I hadn’t considered the positioning of the altar and the purpose of an altarpiece. Additionally, the placement of the depiction of Jesus, in Enthroned Madonna and Child, in relation to the host serves as a good example of the use of altarpieces. When examining these paintings from the early 12th century, I noticed the toned down colors of the paintings, and as it shifts into the 14th century, the colors become more vibrant, and the people become more lively. This shift makes sense when considering the shift in culture and time.

We also briefly touched on the political factors that surrounded art and architecture. Primarily the Piazza della Signoria, a town hall in Florence. In order to put up the town hall, buildings owned by the Uberti family were demolished. The Uberti family opposed the rule of the Pope, and this was a display of strength to show what happens to those who supported the emperor. The structure also contained militaristic design to make it seem more imposing.