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Chapter 21Italy,

1400 to 1500

Gardner’s Art Through the Ages, 13e

PMA

• Positive Mental Attitude – allowed Humanism to flourish

• Perspective, Modeling, Anatomy • P = AM2 : mathematical

Perspective and the second “dawn” (AM) provided by the Renaissance

• PAM: “Greece” – thanks for everything!

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Renaissance Florence

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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Florence

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Figure 21-2 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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Figure 21-3 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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Figure 21-10 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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Figure 21-11 LORENZO GHIBERTI, Isaac and His Sons (detail of FIG. 21-10), (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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Figure 21-4 NANNI DI BANCO, Four Crowned Saints, Or San Michele, Florence, Italy, ca. 1410–1416Marble, figures 6’high. Modern copy in exterior niche. Original sculpture in museum on second floor of Or San Michele.

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Figure 21-5 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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Figure 21-12 DONATELLO, David, late 1440–1460. Bronze, 5’ 2 1/4” high. Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence.

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).

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Figure 21-13 ANDREA DEL VERROCCHIO, David, ca. 1465–1470. Bronze, 4’ 1 1/2” high. Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence.

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Figure 21-15 DONATELLO, Gattamelata (equestrian statue of Erasmo da Narni), Piazza del Santo, Padua, Italy, ca. 1445–1450. Bronze, 12’ 2” high.

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Figure 21-18 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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Figure 21-19 MASACCIO, Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden, Brancacci Chapel, Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence, Italy, ca. 1424–1427. Fresco, 7’ x 2’ 11”.

•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.

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Figure 21-20 MASACCIO, Holy Trinity, Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Italy, ca. 1424–1427. Fresco, 21’ 10’ 5/8” x 10’ 4 3/4”.

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.

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Figure 21-28 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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Figure 21-40 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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Figure 21-30 FILIPPO BRUNELLLESCHI, cutaway view of the dome of Florence Cathedral, Florence, Italy, 1420-1436 ( after Piero Sanpaolesi).

21Figure 21-31 FILIPPO BRUNELLESCHI, interior of Santo Spirito (looking northeast), Florence, Italy, designed 1434–1436; begun ca. 1436.

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Figure 21-36 MICHELOZZO DI BARTOLOMMEO, facade of the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, Florence, Italy, begun 1445.

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Figure 21-37 MICHELOZZO DI BARTOLOMMEO, interior court of the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, Florence, Italy, begun 1445.

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Mantua

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Figure 21-44 LEON BATTISTA ALBERTI, west facade of Sant’Andrea, Mantua, Italy, designed 1470, begun 1472.

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Figure 21-45 LEON BATTISTA ALBERTI, plan of Sant’Andrea, Mantua, Italy, designed 1470, begun 1472.

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Figure 21-46 LEON BATTISTA ALBERTI, interior of Sant’Andrea (looking northeast), Mantua, Italy, designed 1470, begun 1472.

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Figure 21-47 ANDREA MANTEGNA, interior of the Camera Picta (Painted Chamber), Palazzo Ducale, Mantua, Italy, 1465–1474. Fresco.

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Figure 21-48 ANDREA MANTEGNA, Camera Picta (Painted Chamber), Palazzo Ducale, Mantua, Italy, 1465–1474. Fresco, 8’ 9” in diameter.