This document provides an overview of works from the Early Renaissance through Mannerism periods. It compares works using categories of identifying statements, supporting evidence, and generalizations. Key points include: - The Early Renaissance saw a rebirth of humanism and developments like linear perspective that created more realistic illustrations of space. Works like those by Masaccio and Uccello explored linear techniques. - The High Renaissance in Florence saw masters like Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian produce works that represented a culmination of artistic skills and aesthetics through techniques like closed form compositions and planar organization of figures. - Mannerism emerged afterwards, exemplified by artists like Pontormo, who

1. Homework Assignment: #2: Compare these two works using our 3 part format.
Compare these works: Identify General Statement Supporting Evidence

2. The High Renaissance
Man, the measure of all things

3. Greek Classicism: The model
A rebirth of humanism.
Man stands alone, prepared
to take the consequences of
his own actions.
Action in repose
Reason guides Man’s action: The Climax

4. Spiritual Inhibition
Forms which are:
Restricted
Stylized
Man, the Challenger…again!
Free standing
We know the sculptor’s name

5. From Otherworld to this world concern

6. FLORENCE, THE NEW ATHENS
Man imposes his will and pride

7. Ghiberti Brunelleschi
Who will win
the competition?
The commission for the Bronze Doors of the Baptistry

8. And the winner is?

9. Ghiberti brings the bible to earth.
Although losing the competition, Brunelleschi’s
discovery of linear perspective paves the way.
Spatial illusion made possible
Linear and aerial perspective

10. Early Renaissance: Exploiting linear perspective.
Niccolo da Tolentino leads the Florentine troops. 1450s. Paolo Uccello

11. A 3D obsession
Masaccio
Linear details
Foreshortening
Human emotion

12. One point perspective brings spatial harmony in a 3D illusion of reality.

13. Pre-Renaissance depiction
Ghirlandaio The Last Supper
Where is Judas? Do you get the point?

14. The High Renaissance: The culmination of pictorial communication.

15. Da Vinci utilizes linear perspective and groupings to organize space.
The viewer is placed in the audience; not as a participant at the table.
Judas is placed in opposition to Christ at a 90 degree angle.
Closed Form
Plane Composition
Linear

16. The High Renaissance
A culmination of visual knowledge
and aesthetic groundbreaking.
In the brief span of 25 years, four great
masters produced works unparalleled
in artistic achievement.
Raphael
Da Vinci
Michelangelo
Titian

17. Figures are composed within
an implied Closed Form, or in
this case, a triangle.
Religious themes
infused with HUMANISM
Figures and landscape
are placed parallel to
the picture plane.
Shapes are placed in a
a series of PLANES which
are parallel to the frame.
Closed-form & Plane

18. Raphael unifies his work
with a CLOSED FORM
composition.
Both linear and aerial
perspective place us
in this PLANE, stage-like
setting.
His idealized figures are
clarified with a LINEAR
emphasis on the clarity
of outline.
The light of day.
Raphael’s Deposition of Christ

19. Calm, balanced
grandeur of the
High Renaissance
Idealized
Rational
Humanism

20. Titian: The Venetian
Anticipates the
Baroque.
Lost edges
Intimate space
and lighting
Greater corporeality
Unified by light
PAINTERLY*
* Time in flux Lost edges Softer edges Suggested detail

21. Giorgione: The Venetian painter who reflects a more secular and
sensuous art of the Renaissance. His compositions will be
the source of inspiration for the French Realist, Manet.

22. Titian’s Venuses: A sensual response to the secular
focus of Venice’s wealthy merchant class.

23. This, I will do!
Michelangelo
A Sculptor
A mission to free the
existing life within
the confines of a
discarded piece
of marble.
A Painter
343 painted figures bring
the book of Genesis to life.
Contemplative Action In Repose

24. Sculptured figures
in fresco reveal as
much about the artist
as his subject.

26. Michelangelo believed the form
was in the stone, waiting for his
mallet and chisel for liberation.
Stone becomes
flesh and blood
as a genius tries
to fulfill God’s will.

27. A self-portrait of
the sculptor reveals
more than a physical
appearance.
The High Renaissance fades into…

28. Lorenzo de Medici Dusk & Dawn Giuliani de Medici Night & Day
Michelangelo’s Tomb of the Medici Mannerist sculpture

29. Raphael Change? What kind of change? Pontormo

30. transforms “the
calm, balanced grandeur” of the
Renaissance into disquieting
distortion, ambiguity and hidden
meanings.
Pontormo
MANNERISM:

31. El Greco: Spanish Mannerism Parmigianino: Italian Mannerism
What do these works
tell us about the times?
What do they tell us
about ourselves?

32. Action in repose
gives way to…
be continued…