The High Renaissance and Mannerism

1. THE HIGH
RENAISSANCE
AND MANNERISM

2. CONTEXTS AND CONCEPTS
THE EXPANDING WORLD
 July 27, 1497, Vasco da Gamma sailed from Lisbon (Portugal) with
armed ships. In November 1497 he reached the Cape of good hope,
the southern tip of Africa. In May 1498 he reached India.
 In 1450 Pedro Alvarez Cabral left Portugal with 15 ships and 1500
men. He sailed to far west and ended up on the coast of Brazil
which he claimed for Portugal.
 In 1515 Portuguese sailors found their way to Japan too.
 In 1559 a Jesuit mission was established in Japan. A powerful
Christian convert gave the Jesuits the town of Nagasaki.
 After Christopher Columbus has shown the way, the rate of
exploration increased.
 In 1515 Magellan completed his three-years voyage around the
world.

3. THE PAPAL STATES
The power of the papacy grew through practical (worldly) measures
of war diplomacy.
The Popes displayed their power by:
 building big churches, great palaces and fountains, and
 hiring the best artists of the time.
 collecting the best antiques, and most expensive jewelry
 collecting rare books and manuscripts
During the High Renaissance, Rome’s splendor increased. The
Papacy depended more and more on taxes for support.
In 1527 the Spanish invaded Rome. The invasion put an end to the
Renaissance “extravagances”.

4. SPAIN’S GOLDEN CENTURY
Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain were best known for:
 financing the voyage of Columbus and
 for expelling the Moorish conquerors of Spain.
 for unifying the country and adding Italian territories
 for negotiating a French alliance
 for making Spain one of the most powerful countries in Europe
In 1555 Charles V abdicated the throne.
Philip II (the grandson of Charles V) inherited a rich and powerful empire
 The Protestant powers of Europe allied against Spain
 England under Elizabeth I
 In France, the Hughenots (were members of the Protestant
Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries.
French Protestants were inspired by the writings of John Calvin)
 The Netherlands revolted and became independent in 1609

5. THE OTTOMAN TURKS
 Constantinople's fall in 1291 marked the end of Christian claims to
the Holy Land. In 1299 the Ottoman dynasty was established and
quickly became a dominant force both militarily and politically.
 In 150 years , it became the Ottoman Empire and covered the
greater portion of what is now Turkey, while advancing on the other
side of the Bosporus Straits; the European side.
 Facing little or not opposition from Christians on either side, the
Ottomans occupied southeastern Europe which lasted until the
early twentieth century.
 The Mongols from the east, and their leader named Timur,
interfered with the northward pursuit of the Ottoman Empire. A
generation passed before the Ottomans could restart their efforts at
completing their capture of what had been the Byzantine Empire.

6.  By the 14th century, there was an very strong Islamic empire
that was uncomfortably close to the Christian powers of
Europe. The only interaction between Europe and Asia Minor
was in the form of trade.
 They had a well disciplined army.
 The people in the Ottoman Empire had to pay tribute money for
the Sultan’s military campaigns. Boys were also taken, raised
as Muslims, and trained for he army.
 The Turks were tolerant toward the Jews and Christians in the
empire.
 Conflict over the succession of the throne of Transylvania
helped the Turks to consolidate their power in the Balkans and
2/3 of Hungary.

7.  The Ottoman Empire was far more interested in keeping their
religious structure in place, without accepting any external
influences. As a result became increasingly oppressive which
forced Many of their greatest minds fled to Europe.
 These Byzantine scholars brought something with them as they
fled the persecution of the Ottoman Turks besides the knowledge
contained inside their heads; they also carried actual manuscripts
of ancient Greek texts.
 These texts which inspired many of the greatest minds of the
European Renaissance.

8. CONCEPTS
CLASSICISM
 Renaissance had a high regard for classical antiquity in setting its
formal standards.
 Renaissance Classicism was a form of art that removed emotional
details and showed an idealized world.
 From Classicism sprang two movements:
 Mannerism: a countermovement that was extremely anti-
classicist,
 Baroque: a sort of exaggerated Classicism on a grand scale
portraying power and authority

9. THE HIGH RENAISSANCE(1495-1527)
In the 16th
Century the Papal authority reestablished and artists called
to Rome. Renaissance began earlier in Florence with the work of
Leonardo da Vinci. It also involved other locations
The renaissance introduces the concept of genius.
The two major artists of the high renaissance are:
Michelangelo Buonarroti in Rome
Leonardo da Vinci in Florence
By 1500 Italian princes become significant art patrons; their courts
become cultural centers.

10.  Rome becomes the center of patronage.
 Church’s patronage affects the style of art produced.
 Ancient Roman sculptural and architectural style is revived.
 Artist of this period were conscious of their position as
continuators of Early renaissance. They were also aware of their
mission to develop art further.
 As a result they considered themselves equal to the artists of
antiquity.
 The art they produced is different from that of antiquity in that it
had a different historic and cultural background.

11. MANNERISM
 Mannerism emerged in Florence and Rome as a new style in art in
1520, following the death of Raphael Sanzio.
 It focused on the human figure, and depicted forms in contorted
poses with evident emotional content. Mannerism rejected the
stability of the High Renaissance, and reflected the general
turmoil in Europe at the time of the sack of Rome in 1527, the
Reformation, and new outbreaks of plague.
 Mannerism in art, gained popularity in much of Europe and
northern Italy, through the use of distorted figures in complex
compositions, and strange artificial colors.
 Mannerism bridged the gap between the High
Renaissance Art and the Baroque Art of the 17th
century.

12. THE ARTS OF THE HIGH RENAISSSANCE AND
MANERISM
 The art of High Renaissance was highly influenced by Greek
Classical Art. The artists sought to capture the essence of classical
art. The figures become types rather than individuals. High
Renaissance idealizes all forms.
 The artists of High Renaissance developed a system of
mathematically defined proportion and composition based on the
harmony of the parts.
 High Renaissance was very concerned with composition, which
was based almost exclusively on geometric devices. Compositions
were closed (line, color and form kept the viewer’s eye redirected
into the canvas; moving around without leaving the canvas).
 The organizing principle of High Renaissance painting was usually
a geometric shape (triangle, or oval).

13. THE RENAISSANCE IN ROME
Renaissance in Florence met the end of its Renaissance heyday in the
1490s for several reasons:
 Lorenzo de Medici, the greatest of the Medici, died in 1492. This
brought the end to the "Laurentian Age" in Florence.
 A monk named Savonarola, in Florence decried the decadence of art
which, in his opinion, caused moral decay and would, bring the
Apocalypse upon the Florentines. Many were willing to listen to
Savonarola.
 The Medici were expelled from Florence They fled to Rome.
 Inspired by Savonarola the townspeople organized the first "bonfire of
the vanities", wherein "sacrilegious" items were burned in public. The
damage to Florence's profile in the arts had been irreparably done.

14. LEONARDO DA VINCI (1452-1519)
Philosophically da Vinci was a skeptic. He was fascinated by
science and natural objects, and art.
In painting he is known for using a technique called sfumato. The
technique consists of blending light and shadow (the name comes
from Italian sfumare, “to tone down” or “to evaporate like smoke”).
That makes one form disappearing into another, only highlighted
areas are emerging
The sfumato technique, in painting or drawing, produces soft,
imperceptible transitions between colors and tones, subtle
gradations, without lines or borders, from light to dark areas.
The technique was used for a highly illusionistic rendering of facial
features and for atmospheric effects. It is also referred to as
chiaroscuro.

15.  The Madonna of the Rocks, has a an Ethereal quality
resulted from the use of sfumato
 The painting interprets the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception:
Mary was freed from the original sin in order to be worthy of
becoming the vehicle that brought Christ into this world.
 Mary sits in a dark world and she protects Infant Christ who
blesses John the Baptist to whom the angel points.
 The implied lines create movement around the perimeter, the
depth of the triangle makes it a pyramid.
 The lights and shadows are not consistent with a light source.

16. Leonardo da Vinci
The Madonna on the Rocks
c. 1485. Oil on panel

17. The Last Supper, depicts the moment at which the apostles are
responding with disbelief to Christ’s prophecy that one of them would
betray him.
The figures are the focus of the painting. The architecture is secondary,
it helps the composition and focal point.
Christ’s face is the focal point. Most compositional (implied) lines
converge on his face. Christ dominates the center.
The composition is symmetric. The symmetry is slightly interrupted by
the various positions of the apostles. The visibly geometric composition
emphasizes the psychological drama.
This painting is a technical experiment. For that reason is not in a good
condition today. da Vinci used his own mixture of oil, varnish and
pigments. The mixture proved not suitable for this damp wall. The
deterioration started as early as 1517.


18. Leonardo da Vinci
The Last Supper, c. 1495-1508. Mural painting.

19.  Mona Lisa, was painted at the same time with Virgin and
Child with St. Ann. Both paintings have a very similar background
(dramatic peaks, winding roads, and other natural forms receding
into the mists)
 Sitter identified as Lisa Gherardini del Giocondo, wife of a
Florentine merchant. Da Vinci used a stable triangular
composition.
 The figure was originally framed by two columns. They were cut
away at some point but the bases are still visible at the right and
left corners of the canvas. The columns would have made clearer
that she sits on a balcony. The light suggest evening
 da Vinci thought that people looked their best in the mellow light
of evening. He used atmospheric perspective in the background
and the sfumato technique on the figure.

20.  Da Vinci used Sfumato, building layer upon layer of translucent
glazes to produce a hazy atmosphere, to soften contours and to
create velvety shadows.
 The background emphasizes the mood of the figure in the painting.
 The composition is unusual. The artist painted a full torso
including hands and arms.
 This painting is important in that it marked a new format in Italian
portraiture.
 The result is a larger and grander portrait in compliance with the
Renaissance idealism.

21. Leonardo da Vinci
Mona Lisa. c. 1503-1505.
Oil on panel.

22. MICHELANGELO (1475-1564)
His full name is MICHELANGELO DI LODOVICO BUONARROTI
SIMONI (b. March 6, 1475, Caprese, Republic of Florence [Italy]--d.
Feb. 18, 1564, Rome).
Known as the Italian Renaissance sculptor, painter, architect, and
poet who exerted an unparalleled influence on the development of
Western art.
Throughout his life he was interested mostly in the human form.

23.  The Sistine Chapel ceiling
 The elaborate restoration, of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel took
nine years. Not executed without controversy, the restoration
renewed the vivid colors. It caused a reevaluation in the minds of
art historians of Michelangelo’s use of color.
 The controversy centered on concern that restorers had taken off
too much of the accumulated overlay of the ages and that maybe
Michelangelo had himself surfaced the frescoes with a layering of
varnish meant to subdue the vibrant coloring.
 In each of the triangles along the sides are Christ’s ancestors
awaiting for the redeemer.

24.  Between the triangles Michelangelo used architectural elements. In
the corners he used biblical stories.
 The human forms are sculpturally modeled. The scenes and
figures follow four directions. Therefore the whole ceiling cannot
be viewed at once. The viewer must reposition in order to see
correct.
 The opposing directions are held together by the structure of
simulated architectural elements.

25. Michelangelo
The Sistine Chapel ceiling.
1508-1512. Fresco. Vatican

26. Michelangelo. Diagram of of scenes from the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
1508-1512. Fresco. Vatican

27. The Creation of Adam (detail from the Sistine Chapel)
 Chronologically, this is the fourth in the series of panels depicting
episodes from Genesis on the Sistine ceiling. God stretches
outward to reach Adam. Adam is in a reclining position waiting for
the spark of the soul from God’s finger. Although reclining Adam
seem dynamic (position of his limbs)
 The composition is based on a rectangular layout, which can he
roughly divided into two squares. The right square is dedicated to
the God, and the left to Adam.
 The name Adam means "ground“ in Hebrew, which is symbolic of
the figure resting on an area of barren earth. God, in the other
section, is flying accompanied by angels.

28. Michelangelo
The Creation of Adam, detail from the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
1508-1512. Fresco. Vatican.

29.  The empty sky in the center of the composition forms a
diagonal band that brings dynamism to the composition, and it
is important because provides the background to the joining
of the two hands, the point of communication and the focal
point of the painting.

30. RAPHAEL SANZIO da URBINO(1483-1520)
Raphael is considered on the three great master of the Renaissance.
Although he is an important High Renaissance artist he is not considered
on the same level with da Vinci or Michelangelo.
He was enormously productive. He had a very large workshop referred to
as Rphaael’s studio or school. He died at 37, but he left behind a large
body of work.
Raphael received many important commissions which were designed by
him and executed by his workshop. The result sometimes the loss of
quality.
His work is recognized for clarity of form and ease of composition

31.  The Alba Madonna
 Although painted in a tondo format, circular shape,
 the composition is triangular. The circular shape’s tendency to
visually roll is counteracted by the horizontal line of the horizon
and landscape and the horizontal line of the triangle formed by
figures..
 The implied lines in the composition form the sides of the triangle,
visually have a stabilizing effect, that counteract the rolling
tendency of the circle. The modeling is very subtle. The light in the
foreground and background is equal. Light is not used to create a
focal point.
 The focal point is not strong. The focal point is Christ Child. His
almost standing position makes him the focal point as the other
figures seat. Atmospheric perspective and overlapping are used to
achieve depth

32. Raphael,
The Alba Madonna
c. 1510, oil on canvas
(originally oil on panel)
37” diameter.

33. The Deliverance of St. Peter
Like Massacio in the Tribute Money, Raphael paints the three phases
of the miracle almost like a cartoon technique. The composition of this
fresco is affected by the shape of the wallThe fresco depicts the
miracle of St. Peter’s escape from prison. It shows three scenes in
symmetrical balance. The scenes are shaped by the architecture.
In the center the angel wakes Peter, and on the right guides him past
the sleeping guards. On the left scene one guard has noticed the light
emanated by the angel and wakes a another soldier, pointing up to the
miraculously illumined cell. This creates tension to the last scene on
the right which depicts the exit of Peter .
Raphael uses light to establish the importance of the scenes. The
most important scene has the brightest light.

34. Raphael,
The Deliverance of St. Peter. 1512-1514. Fresco

35. THE HIGH RENAISSANCE IN VENICE
TITIANO VECELLI (1488?-1576)
 Titian’s (as his known) major contribution to the history of art is the
use of color for he direct perception of light.
 He Introduced the technique of building up pigment from a reddish
ground through many layers of glaze (paint thinned with oil). The use
of glazes created depth and richness to the painted surfaces and make
shadows seem three dimensional. Some painting have 30-40 layers of
glaze.
Assumption of the Virgin
 God is at the top of the painting, and the encircling of angels at the
feet of the Virgin separate her in a circle from the scene at the bottom
of the painting. The intense activity at the bottom lamost penetrate to
the upper realms through the stretched arms of the figure on the left.

36. Titian,
Assumption of the Virgin.
1516-1518. Oil on panel.

37. MANNERISM
Characteristics:
Affected appearance of subjects in paintings,
Works are formal and inward looking
Oddly proportioned forms
Icy stares
Subjective viewpoint
The form represents a sensitive and emotional content of a
naturalistic representation. Mannerism can be compared with
expressionism, in that the form reflects a state of mind.
Mannerism has an intellectual component that distorts reality, alters
space, and makes cultural allusions.

38. ANOLO BRONZINO
Italian Renaissance artist Agnolo Bronzino was court painter to
Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany.
Portrait of a Young Man
 Bronzino painted the figure in a stiff pose still using organic shapes.
The painting has a strong triangular composition
 Incongruous geometric shapes in the background fragment the
composition. The lack of perspective flattens the picture.
 The color scheme makes the painting seem cold and uncomfortable.
The pose and affected stare are typical of this movement.
 The human form is disproportionate: the head is too small, the hands
too large.

39. Bronzino (Agnolo di Cosimo
di Mariano),
Portrait of a Young Man.
1535-1540.

40. PARMIGIANINO
The Madonna with Long Neck (1534)
The painting was commissioned for the Church of the Servi in Bologna
but it was never delivered. It is typical of the artist’s late work.
The painting’s title is Madonna and Child with Angels and St Jerome
but acquired the name Madonna with the Long Neck because of the
curious length of the Madonna's swan-like neck.
The painting displays a lack of proportion due to elongation is
associated with Mannerism, the style of this painting. The simplicity of
composition is replaced by numerous details
The composition has a slight hint of a triangle. In typical mannerist
style this is a painting for the sake of painting.

41. Parmigianino.
Madonna with the long Neck,
c. 1534. Oil on canvas.

42. SCULPTURE
16th
Century produced little sculpture of major significance. The
sculpture produced is mostly on a grand scale. Sculpture during the
Renaissance is characterized by an "ideal" balance between stillness
and movement.
During this period sculpture was normally commissioned by the
wealthy and the state to decorate or embellish architecture,. normally
within courtyards where others were able to admire the
commissioned art work.
 Pope Julius II also patronized many artists. During the High
Renaissance there was the development of small scale statuettes for
private patrons mostly for funerary purposes.
The subject matter related to sculpture was mostly religious but
also with a significant classical influences.

43. MICHELANGELO (1475-1564)
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (his full name, is the
uncontested master of High Renaissance sculpture.
Michelangelo's career lasted into the Late Renaissance, but most of
his sculpture dates to the High Renaissance. He devoted his later
years to painting and architecture.
The Pieta is the greatest of his early works, while David, is
considered the greatest sculpture of all time. He ignored previously
established rules and took perception into consideration.
This is the only work Michelangelo signed. It is based on a
triangular composition which is characteristic of High Renaissance
The subject matter, figure treatment, and the size of Madonna
compared to Jesus reflects the cult of the Virgin characteristic of late
medieval period.

44. Michelangelo,
Pieta. 1498-1499
Marble.

45. David
The of marble from which Michelangelo carved David was not fresh
out of the quarry. It sat in the courtyard of the Overseers of the Office
of Works of the Duomo (Operai) for years, and several artists
attempted to carve the representation of David.
It took Michelangelo more than two years to complete. The
sculpture was intended for the roof of the cathedral of Santa Maria
Del Fiore. Shortly before completion, while planning the move, the
authorities realized that they couldn’t raise the six ton sculpture on
the roof of the cathedral.
In June, 1504, after consulting other artists and prominent members
of the city, the authorities decided David was to be installed next to
the entrance to the Palazzo Vecchio.

46.  In 1873 the statue of David was removed from the piazza, to protect
it from damage, and displayed in the Accademia Gallery. , Florence.
A replica was placed in the Piazza della Signoria in 1910.
 The sculpture is 14 ft 3” tall and it is displayed at 18ft above the
floor. The figure has bulging muscles, exaggerated ribcage, heavy
hair, undercut eyes, and seems out of proportions because was
meant to be placed high above the ground.
 David is a renaissance sculpture not a copy of a Greek one. The
expression of the face is a renaissance characteristic.
 The classical Greek sculptures have a calm even vacant
expression on the face. David has an angry expression. He was
angry at the forces of evil represented by Goliath

47. Michelangelo,
David
1501-1504
Marble, 14 ft 3” high.

48. GIOVANNI DA BOLOGNA (1529-1608)
He was a Flemish sculptor and architect, active in Italy. He received
his early training in the shop of Jacques Du Broeucq, a Flemish
sculptor, engineer, and architect.
He traveled around 1551 to Rome, where he made sketches after
the city's best artworks. Around 1553, while passing through
Florence, he met the banker Bernardo Vecchietti, who became his
patron.
Through Vecchietti's connections, Giambologna began around 1558
to receive Medici commissions. By 1561, he was the court artist.
Giambologna's success and productivity depended in part on his
flexibility as an artist, his wide ranging talent, and on the talents of
the other major sculptors who worked in his shop.

49. Mercury
Giovanni da Bologna was a master of small bronzes. This sculpture
is a tour de force of bronze casting. In typical mannerist style, he was
uninterested in subject matter or content. The style is important.
Mercury is depicted wearing a winged helmet and winged sandals
which give him speed in flight. He carries the magic wand given to
him by Apollo that symbolizes the practice of medicine. A bronze
column of breath from Aeolus, the wind god, serves as a pedestal to
propel Mercury upward and forward.
Mercury points upward towards Jupiter in a contraposto (twist of
the body) pose. This mannerist sculpture displays an affected pose, a
linear emphasis, and an upward-striving line,

50. Giovani da Bologna
Mercury, 1567
Bronze

51.  RENASSANCE ARCHITECTURE is the architecture of the
period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different
regions of Europe,
 It demonstrates a conscious revival and development of certain
elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material
culture.
 The Renaissance style places emphasis on symmetry, proportion,
geometry and the regularity of parts, and is highly influenced by
the many examples of the architecture of classical antiquity (in
particular ancient Roman architecture), of which many examples
remained.
 Orderly arrangements of columns, pilasters and lintels, as well as
the use of semicircular arches, hemispherical domes, and niches
replaced the more complex and irregular plans of medieval
buildings.

52. The Tempietto, one of the most harmonious buildings of the
Renaissance, was designed by Bramante and it was built in the
courtyard of San Pietro in Montorio, which is believed to be the site
of St Peter's martyrdom.
The architect worked from a historical typology: individual
architectural elements such as columns, entablature, and vault
acknowledge a debt to classical structures.
The resulting centralized building represented a new type of
Christian architecture.
Despite its small scale, the building has all the rigorous proportions
and symmetry of Classical structures, surrounded by Doric columns,
and topped with a dome.

53. Donato Bramante
The Tempietto
1511. Rome

54. Saint Peter Basilica is the culmination of Bramante’s design.
He and then Michelangelo created the revolutionary plan of the new
construction.
Bramante built the immense central body in the form of a Greek cross
held up by four gigantic pillars.
Michelangelo was the designer of the dome and he was also
responsible for the simple, yet majestic exterior with its gigantic
columns crowned by a very evident horizontal fascia.
In the end, it was Carlo Maderno who lengthened the central nave of
the church and erected the monumental façade. An imposing
construction that was as big as a football field and as high as a
thirteen-story building, crowned with the colossal statues of Jesus,
Giovanni Battista and the apostles.

55. Originally designed by
Donato Bramante and
continued by Antonio da
Sangallo the Younger,
Michelangelo took over the
redesign of St. Peter's.
Many of his changes were
never realized, however; the
Dome was being worked on
at the time of his death.

56. Michelangelo's plan,
extended with
Maderno's nave and
facade
Bramante’s design for
Saint Peter Basilica,
1506
Michelangelo.
St. Peter’s Rome,
Plan, first version,
1546

57. Michelangelo did not simply dismiss the ideas of the previous
architects. He drew on them in developing a grand vision.
Michelangelo recognized the essential quality of Bramante's original
design.
Michelangelo made the external masonry of massive proportions. The
effect created is of a continuous wall-surface. His design lacks the
right-angles which usually define change of direction at the corners of
a building.
This exterior is surrounded by Corinthian pilasters all set at slightly
different angles to each other, following the ever-changing angles of
the wall's surface.
The work of Michelangelo is best appreciated from a distance, because
the projection of the nave designed by Maderno obstructs the dome
when the building is approached from the square in front of it

58. Maderno’s façade, with the statues of
Saints Peter (left) and Paul (right) flanking
the entrance stairs

59. Palladio appropriated set of forms that were already in existence
(such as the Greek temple front, loggias and porticos, barchessa,
colonnades and arcades) and combined them in a number of
variations while still maintaining a coherent image in the villa.
The villa employs a systematic methodology underlying the designs
as a whole. Harmonic proportions, ideal geometries, virtual
movements, and computational algorythims have all been used to
“explain” Palladio’s strategy.
The Villa presents the following characteristics:
It has a cubic form
It is frontally oriented
It contains a hierarchal gradient of spaces: in the main residential
building, a large central hall serves as the focus of the composition,
with major grouping near the hall and diminish into smaller y spaces
as one progresses away from the center.

60. Paladio. Vila Rotonda.
Vocenza, Italy. Begun 1567-1569.