1. Early Renaissance
Italy, 1400 to 1500
Gardner’s Art Through the Ages
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2. Renaissance Florence
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3. Goals
• Understand the social, religious, and political influences of 15th-
century Italian art
• Discuss the increased popularity of Humanism
• Observe the influence of classical art and architecture in the
painting and architecture of Renaissance Italy.
• Discuss the role of wealthy and powerful families
• Cite and understand art and architectural terms in relation to this
historical period
• Analyze visual aspects of art and architecture
• Identify various artists of the period and their stylistic
accomplishments
• Discuss the various roles of commemorative portraits
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4. Rebirth of Italian Culture
• Understand the social, religious, and political influences of
15th-century Italian art
• Discuss the increased popularity of Humanism
• Discuss the role of wealthy and powerful families
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5. Artistic Achievements in 15th Century
Florence
• Cite and understand art and architectural terms in relation to
this historical period
• Analyze visual aspects of art and architecture
• Observe classical artistic and architectural features in the art
and architecture of 15th century Florence
• Identify various artists of the period and their stylistic
accomplishments
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6. Important Artistic Elements to Observe
• Attention to the human form including the return of classical
nudity and contrapposto --- influence of classical Roman statues
• Discovery and codification of linear perspective to create the
illusion of three-dimensional space, usage of aerial perspective ---
these values were important to classical painting
• Use of chiaroscuro to model forms, use of single light source ---
greater realism
• Paintings that have balanced, symmetrical compositions, often
using pyramidal composition
• Classical forms are incorporated more into architecture
(triumphal arches, domes, coffers, harmonious geometric
relationships)
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7. FILIPPO BRUNELLESCHI,
Sacrifice of Isaac, competition panel
for east doors, baptistery, Florence,
Italy, 1401–1402. Gilded bronze, 1’
9” x 1’ 5”. Museo Nazionale del
Bargello, Florence.
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8. LORENZO GHIBERTI,
Sacrifice of Isaac, competition
panel for east doors, baptistery,
Florence, Italy, 1401–1402. Gilded
bronze relief, 1’ 9” x 1’ 5”. Museo
Nazionale del Bargello, Florence.
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9. DONATELLO, Feast of Herod, panel on the baptismal font of Siena Cathedral, Siena, Italy, 1423–1427.
Gilded bronze , 1’ 11 1/2 ” x 1’ 11 1/2”.
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10. LORENZO GHIBERTI,
east doors (Gates of Paradise), baptistery,
Florence, Italy, 1425–1452.
Gilded bronze, 17’ high.
Modern copy, ca. 1980.
Original panels in Museo dell’Opera del
Duomo, Florence.
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11. LORENZO GHIBERTI, Isaac and His Sons (detail), (Gates of Paradise), baptistery, Florence, Italy, 1425–1452.
Gilded bronze, 2’ 7 1/2” x 2’ 7 1/2”. Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, Florence.
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12. NANNI DI BANCO, Four Crowned Saints,
Or San Michele, Florence, Italy, ca. 1410–
1416 Marble, figures 6’ high. Modern copy
in exterior niche. Original sculpture in
museum on second floor of Or San Michele.
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13. DONATELLO, Saint Mark, Or San Michele, Florence, Italy, 1411–
1413. Marble, 7’ 9” high. Modern copy in exterior niche. Original
sculpture in museum on second floor of Or San Michele, Florence.
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14. International Gothic Style
• Not all painters incorporated classical features in their paintings
• Still a loyal following of International Gothic Style painting
embodied in work of Gentile da Fabriano
• Even Gentile da Fabriano’s work contains elements of the “new
naturalism” (interest in modeling in light and shadow and
developing recessional space)
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15. GENTILE DA FABRIANO,
Adoration of the Magi, altarpiece
from Strozzi Chapel, Santa
Trinità, Florence, Italy, 1423.
Tempera on wood, approx. 9’
11” x 9’ 3”. Galleria degli
Uffizi, Florence.
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16. Importance of Masaccio
to Early Renaissance
• Tribute Money – brings together innovations in 15th century
painting --- trailblazer whose work influenced other artists
– Linear perspective
– Aerial perspective
– Classical body types (blend of realism with idealizing the
human form)
– Chiaroscuro to create a more realistic picture, single light
source from the right, modeling the human anatomy to give
figures weight
– Balanced, symmetrical composition
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17. MASACCIO, Tribute Money, Brancacci Chapel, Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence, Italy, ca. 1427. Fresco, 8’ 4 1/8” x 19’ 7
1/8”.
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18. •Notice that Adam’s and Eve’s body
types and poses are derivative of
ancient Roman statuary.
•Compare Masaccio’s Adam to Jan
van Eyck’s Adam from the Ghent
Altarpiece.
•Eve has the “modest Venus” pose.
MASACCIO, Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden, Brancacci Chapel, Santa Maria
del Carmine, Florence, Italy, ca. 1424–1427. Fresco, 7’ x 2’ 11”.
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19. Notice symmetry created by the
pyramidal composition. How many
triangles can you count?
Notice the significance of the donors
(Renaissance interest in the
individual), classical architecture, and
the memento mori at the base.
MASACCIO, Holy Trinity, Santa Maria Novella,
Florence, Italy, ca. 1424–1427. Fresco, 21’ 10’ 5/8” x 10’ 4 3/4”.
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20. FILIPPO BRUNELLLESCHI,
cutaway view of the dome of Florence Cathedral,
Florence, Italy, 1420-1436 (after Piero Sanpaolesi).
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21. FILIPPO BRUNELLESCHI, interior of Santo Spirito (looking northeast), Florence, Italy, designed 1434–1436; begun ca. 1436.
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22. FILIPPO BRUNELLESCHI, early plan (left) and plan as constructed (right) of Santo Spirito, Florence, Italy,
designed 1434–1436; begun 1446. 22

23. FILIPPO BRUNELLESCHI,
facade of the Pazzi Chapel, Santa Croce,
Florence, Italy, begun ca. 1440.
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24. FILIPPO BRUNELLESCHI, plan of the Pazzi Chapel, Santa Croce, Florence, Italy designed ca. 1423, begun 1442.
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25. FILIPPO BRUNELLESCHI, interior of the
Pazzi Chapel (looking northeast), Santa Croce,
Florence, Italy, designed ca.1423, begun 1442,
with glazed terracotta roundels by Luca della
Robbia.
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26. MICHELOZZO DI BARTOLOMMEO,
facade of the Palazzo
Medici-Riccardi, Florence, Italy, begun 1445.
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27. MICHELOZZO DI BARTOLOMMEO, interior court of the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, Florence, Italy, begun 1445.
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28. PAOLO UCCELLO, Battle of San Romano, ca. 1455 (?). Tempera on wood, approx. 6’ x 10’ 5”. National Gallery, London.
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29. First free-standing nude statue since
antiquity. Notice the contrapposto
Nudity used to portray a Biblical hero
rather than as an allegory for
sinfulness (Medieval mentality).
DONATELLO, David, late 1440–1460. Bronze, 5’ 2 1/4” high.
Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence.
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30. ANDREA DEL VERROCCHIO, David,
ca. 1465–1470. Bronze, 4’ 1 1/2” high.
Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence.
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31. Pollaiullo – Interest in Human
Anatomy
• Hercules and Antaeus – study of the musculature of struggling
human form
• Battle of the Ten Nudes – one of earliest known engravings,
ecorche – muscles look so defined that it looks as if they lack skin
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32. ANTONIO DEL POLLAIUOLO, Hercules and Antaeus,
ca. 1470–1475. Bronze, 1' 6” high with base. Museo
Nazionale del Bargello, Florence.
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33. ANTONIO DEL POLLAIUOLO, Battle of the Ten Nudes, ca. 1465. Engraving. 1 3 1/8” x 1’ 11 1/4”.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (bequest of Joseph Pulitzer, 1917).
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34. SANDRO BOTTICELLI, Birth of Venus, ca. 1484–1486. Tempera on canvas, approx. 5’ 9” x 9’ 2”.
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence.
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35. Rise of Portraiture
• Understand the social, religious, and political influences of
15th-century Italian art
• Discuss the various role of commemorative portraits
• Identify various artists of the period and their stylistic
accomplishments
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36. DONATELLO, Gattamelata (equestrian statue of
Erasmo da Narni), Piazza del Santo, Padua, Italy,
ca. 1445–1450. Bronze, 12’ 2” high.
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37. Figure 21-16 ANDREA DEL
VERROCCHIO, Bartolommeo Colleoni
(equestrian statue), Campo dei Santi
Giovanni e Paolo, Venice, Italy, ca. 1481–
1496. Bronze, 13’ high.
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38. DOMENICO GHIRLANDAIO, Giovanna Tornabuoni(?),
1488. Oil and tempera on wood, 2’ 6” x 1’ 8”. Thyssen-
Bornemisza Collection, Madrid.
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39. DOMENICO GHIRLANDAIO, Birth of the Virgin, Cappella Maggiore, Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Italy, 1485–1490.
Fresco, 24’ 4” x 14’ 9”.
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40. LEON BATTISTA ALBERTI BERNARDO
ROSSELLINO, Palazzo Rucellai, Florence, Italy,
ca. 1452–1470.
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41. LEON BATTISTA ALBERTI,
west facade of Santa Maria Novella,
Florence, Italy, ca. 1456–1470.
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42. FRA ANGELICO, Annunciation, San Marco, Florence, Italy, ca. 1438–1447. Fresco, 7’ 1” x 10’ 6”.
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43. ANDREA DEL CASTAGNO, Last Supper, the refectory, convent of Sant’Apollonia, Florence, Italy, 1447. Fresco, 15’ 5” x 32’.
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44. FRA FILIPPO LIPPI, Madonna and Child with Angels,
ca. 1455. Tempera on wood, 2’ 11 1/2”. x 2’ 1”.
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence.
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45. PERUGINO, Christ Delivering the Keys of the Kingdom to Saint Peter, Sistine Chapel, Vatican, Rome, Italy, 1481–1483.
Fresco, 11’ 5 1/2” x 18’ 8 1/2”.
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46. Artistic Achievements of
Mantua and Urbino
• Understand the social, religious, and political influences of
15th-century Italian art
• Cite and understand art and architectural terms in relation to
this historical period
• Analyze visual aspects of art and architecture
• Identify various artists of the period and their stylistic
accomplishments
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47. LEON BATTISTA ALBERTI,
west facade of Sant’Andrea, Mantua, Italy,
designed 1470, begun 1472.
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48. LEON BATTISTA ALBERTI, plan of Sant’Andrea, Mantua, Italy, designed 1470, begun 1472.
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49. LEON BATTISTA ALBERTI,
interior of Sant’Andrea
(looking northeast), Mantua, Italy,
designed 1470, begun 1472.
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50. ANDREA MANTEGNA, interior of the Camera Picta (Painted Chamber),
Palazzo Ducale, Mantua, Italy, 1465–1474. Fresco.
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51. ANDREA MANTEGNA,
Camera Picta (Painted
Chamber),
Palazzo Ducale,
Mantua, Italy, 1465–1474.
Fresco, 8’ 9” in diameter.
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52. ANDREA MANTEGNA, Foreshortened Christ, ca. 1500. Tempera on canvas, 2’ 2 3/4” x 2’ 7 7/8”.
Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan.
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53. PIERO DELLA FRANCESCA,
Enthroned Madonna and Saints Adored by Federico da
Montefeltro (Brera Altarpiece), ca. 1472–1474.
Oil on wood, 8’ 2” x 5’ 7”.
Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan.
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54. PIERO DELLA FRANCESCA, Flagellation of Christ, ca. 1455-1465.
Oil and tempera on wood, 1’ 11 1/8” X 2’ 8 ¼”. Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, Urbino.
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55. LUCA SIGNORELLI, Damned Cast into Hell,
San Brizio Chapel, Orvieto Cathedral, Orvieto, Italy, 1499–1504. Fresco, 23’ wide.
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56. Discussion Questions
 What are the primary stylistic achievements of 15th-century
Italian artists? How do these traits reflect a change in man's
view of spirituality and the emergence of Humanism?
 Do important political families today patronize the arts as
during the Renaissance? Why or why not? Can you cite
examples?
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