The Renaissance

Revival of Classical Rome in Italy 1400-1600s

LASTWEEKLastclassItalkedaboutthebeginningoftheChris<anEra.ItbeganinthelateRomanEmpire(330CE)whenConstan<nemadeChris<anitythe‘official’religionoftheRomanEmpire.Duringthe1000+yearsbetweenthefallofRomeandtheEarlyRenaissanceEuropewasrebuilding.Welookedatsomeofthatartworklastweek.Nolongeraretheremanygodsandgoddesses,thereisonegod.ManysaytheVirginMaryemergedbecausethepeoples<llneededafemaledeity.Regardless,shebecameamajorfigureofworship.ThemainotherfemaleimagewasEve.

ThefemaleinChris<anArt---SaintsorSinners.WeseemanyimagesofEveandtheVirginMary.Imagesofwomenandrolesforwomenarelimited.

THEMIDDLEAGESDuringtheMiddleAgesTheCatholicChurchhadenormouspower.AlmostallartworkwasChris<anthatwascommissionedbytheChurch.Thereligious,socialandpoli<calstructureswereGodcentered.ItwasbelievedthatGodwasresponsibleforeverythingandthepopewashisinstrumentonearth.ManyoftheadvanceswesawinGreeceandRome(philosophy,mathema<cs,medical,etc.),theknowledgewaskeptaliveintheEasternpartoftheEmpirebutlosttotheWest.ArtworkfocusedonChurchsanc<onedChris<anthemes.ItwasoWenhighlyemo<onal.

VirginwiththeDeadChrist(Rö3genPietà),fromtheRhineland,Germany,ca.1300–1325.Paintedwood,2’101/2”high.RheinischesLandemuseum,Bonn.

THERENAISSANCETheRenaissanceisaperiodinWesternhistorythatfollowstheMiddleAges.WeseearevivalofinterestinclassicallearningandideasofancientGreeceandRome.Inaddi<ontorevivalofthehumani<esfromGreeceandRome,thebeliefin,“thegeniusofman…theuniqueandextraordinaryabilityofthehumanmind”.Ar<stsdevelopedtheuseof‘linearperspec<ve’inpain<ngtoshowdepthandtheillusionof3dimensionalform.Leonardowasconsideredtheul<mate“RenaissanceMan”ashestudiedawiderangeoftopicsincludinganatomy,geology,botany,hydraulics,flightandweapons.

VitruvianMan,LeonardodaVinci,1490.Thisdrawing,basedonthewri<ngofVitruvius,isLeonardo’srepresenta<onofmanatthecenterofthecosmos.Inaddi<on,itshowstheperfec<onofhumanpropor<onsasthemanfitsperfectlyintoacircleandsquare,symbolsofmathema<calperfec<on.

THERENAISSANCETheperiodbetween1450and1650wasa<meofrevolu<onaryculturalchange.Religiouschange,thegrowthofempires,educa<onaldevelopments,socialmobility,theater,art,theprin<ngpressandmedicaladvancesreshapedthehistoryoftheWest.Inthislecturewelookatartworksthathighlightchangesinthoughtaboutreligion,sexualityandrace.LeonardodaVincididtwoversionsofthispain<ng,TheMadonnaoftheRocks.Inthisone,from1483-6,MaryisshownwithherarmaroundSt.JohntheBap<st.TheChristchildisblessinghimwhileanangelpointstowardthechild.Gonearethehaloesandthrone,Leonardostrivedtoshowdivinitythroughidealgraceandbeauty.

LeonardodaVinciisoneofthemostfamousar<stsinWesternhistory.Wealsoknowthathelovedtosurroundhimselfwithbeau<fulyoungmen.

IMPORTANTHISTORICALEVENTSThingsthathappeninhistoryarealwayscomplicated.Thewaywetellwhathappenedmustbesimplifiedinordertogettothepoint.JustknowthisasIspeakaboutthingsthatareinfluencingchange.EventsthatcreatedsignificantchangeinEuropeandespeciallyItalyinthe1400s:1.TheOkomanTurksofficiallyendedtheByzan<neEmpire(lateRoman)in1453withtheconquestofConstan<nople.Byzan<nescholars,whohadkeptGreekandRomanknowledgealive,migratedWest.TheybroughttoWesternEuropeknowledgeofGreekciviliza<onwhichledtotheRenaissancedevelopmentofhumanismandscience.

MosaicoftheByzan<neEmperorKomnenos,11thCentury.

Moreevents:2.WiththerebuildingofRomepeoplediscoveredandbecameentrancedbytheartandarchitectureoftheClassicalGreekandRomanciviliza<ons.3.AnewclasswasemergingoutoftheFeudalMiddleAges,amerchantclass,providingpeoplewithwealthandpowerwhocouldrivaltheChurchinthecommissioningofart.

WeseethedevelopmentofothersubjectsinartbesidesjustChris<anones.NowweseeportraitsofwealthypeopleandartworkaboutGreekandRomangods,goddessesandmyth.

TheDuchessBanstaSforza(DuchessofUrbino),PieroDellaFrancesca,1465-1472ThereisalsoafacingportraitoftheDuke.

8

ITALYAROUND1400It’simportanttorememberthatItalywasn’taunifiedcountryasitisnow.Itwasacollec<onofcitystates,oWenatwar.Florence,Rome,MilanandVenicewerethemostpowerful.SomeoftheearliestachievementsoftheRenaissancehappenedinFlorenceasaresultofthepatronageofthepowerfulMedicifamily.

CosimodeMedicisupportedtheartsandhumani<esinFlorence.TherewerealsofourMedicipopes.

ReturntoClassicalStyleDonatello’sbronzestatueofDavid,wasthefirstnudesculptureintheroundsinceClassicalRome.Revolu<onaryforit’sday,thestatuereflectedde’MedicitasteforGreekandRomanartaswellasDonatello’sownsensibili<es.WhilewehavenorecordofDonatello’ssexualpreference,muchaken<onisgivetothesensualityoftheyoungDavid.InthisbiblicalstoryofDavidandGoliath,Davidisnolongerrepresentedasakingbutasaninnocent,youngman.No<cethesimilari<esanddifferenceswiththeGreekstatue.

DONATELLO,David,late1420s–late1450s.

Bronze,5’2¼“.Florence.

POLYKLEITOS,(SpearBearer).RomanmarblecopyfromPompeii,Italy,aWerabronzeoriginalofca.450–440BCE

SANDROBOTTICELLI,BirthofVenus,ca.1482.Temperaoncanvas,approx.5’8”x9’1”.GalleriadegliUffizi,Florence.

AlsocommissionedbytheMedici,thethemeforthispain<ngcomesfromtheRomanpoet,Ovid’sMetamorphoses.Thebookcontainsover250mythsandchroniclesthehistoryoftheworldfromcrea<ontotheendofJuliusCaesar’sreign.InthisstoryVenusisbeingbirthedfromthesea.Standingonaseashell,ontheleWthepersonifica<onofwindblowsherdryasamaidenwaitstocoverherbody.

MythologyinRenaissanceArt

GreekMythologyinRenaissanceArt

SANDROBOTTICELLI,BirthofVenus,ca.1482.Temperaoncanvas,approx.5’8”x9’1”.GalleriadegliUffizi,Florence.

AndRomancopyofGreekstatueofVenus.OneverysimilarwasownedbytheMedicifamily.

Ihopeyoucouldalreadymaketheconnec<onbetweentheposeoftheVenusinBoncelli’spain<ngandtheearlierGreekone.

Thepain<ngcanalsobeenseenasanodetothewealthyMedicifamily.

As we have already studied, these Roman copies of Greek originals of Venus, the goddess of beauty were some of the first nude representations of women in Greek art since the Greeks

did not consider the female body either beautiful or perfect in the way they viewed the male. These images however, became the model for representations of the female body in art.

12

MASACCIO,ExpulsionofAdamandEvefromEden,BrancacciChapel,SantaMariadel

Carmine,Florence,Italy,ca.1425.

Fresco,7’x2’11”

ReligioninRenaissanceArtTheChurchwasalsocommissioningartintheRenaissance.EventhoughGreekthemeswerepagan,theleadersappreciatedthestyle.SoweseesimilarnudebodiesinChris<anart.ThestoryofAdamandEvecon<nuedtobehighlyrepresentedasareminderthatawomanwasresponsiblefor‘originalsin.’storiesfromthebible.

Durer,,AdamandEve,1504,engraving.

TITIAN,VenusofUrbino,1538.Oiloncanvas,approx.4’x5’6”.GalleriadegliUffizi,Florence.Thispain<ngispaintedwithoilpaint.Theearlieronesareeitherfresco(paintonplaster)ortempera(pigmentineggbinder).Theydonotallowthismuchnaturalism.

CommissionsandMeaningThispain<ngbyTi<an,wascommissionedbytheDukeofUrbinoforhiswife.The<tletellsusshe’sVenus,agoddess.However,ifweanalyzethepain<ngweseesomethingnewhappening.Ti<anwasaveryfamousVene<anpainterknownforsmoothbrushworkandabilitytocreatetheillusionoflife.OneofthewaysRenaissancear<stswereabletocreatesuchsensi<veillusionstoreallifewastheinven<onofoilpaint.

TITIAN,basedhisgestureonanearlierpainKngbyhisteacher,Giorgioni,whichdepictedVenussleepinginalandscape.

CommissionsandMeaningTheearlierGreekstatueisnowreclining,witheveryaspectofherbody,includingsymbolsinthepain<ng,aboutero<cism.Fromthispointforwardwewillseemanymanypain<ngswithrecliningnudefemalefigures.The“idealized”femalebodyhasbecomeanobjectofmaledesire,acommodity,ero<cizedandobjec<fied,andnooneeverreallytalkedaboutitinArtHistoryun<lsecondwavefeminisminthe1970s.

RAPHAEL,MadonnaintheMeadow,1505.Oilonpanel,3’81/2”x2’101/4”.KunsthistorischesMuseum,Vienna.

TheChurchandCommissionsTheCatholicChurchwass<llcommissioningalotofartwork.Infact,theyfeltitenhancedtheirpowertoworkwithfamousar<sts.Manypain<ngsoftheVirginMarywithChristwerecommissionedastheVirginneverlostpopularity.ButbecauseofHumanism,thehaloesbegintodisappear.TheHolyFamilyappearsmorelikerealpeople.Allpain<ngsoftheMadonnaandChristnowfollowtheleadsetbyLeonardoaswesawearlier.Representedmorelikeafamily,withhumanquali<esandposes.

I’mmen<oningthisbecausethisideaofthear<stasgenius-creator,inven<ngthingsoutofnothing,followesusthroughhistory.Importantly,un<lrecentlytherewasnoroomforwomeninthisviewof‘crea<on.’Menweretheac<veones.Womenwerepassive.Someofthisissimplycon<nuingAristotle’sideasyoulookedatlastweek.

TheBirthoftheAr<stAr<stssuchasLeonardodaVincibegantoseekhighersocialandculturalsocialstatusfortheirprofession.

Leonardoarguedthatpain<ng,sculptureandarchitecturerequirednotjustcraWbutintellectualknowledge--Knowledgeofanatomy,op<cs,mathema<cs.

Healsoequatedartwithagod-likeact…likeGodcrea<ngtheuniversefromthevoid,thear<stinventsapersonorlandscapeoutofnothing.

Atrulyblessedar<stisapar<cipantinthedivineprocessofcrea<on.

Caravaggio,TheCrownofThorns,1602In1517Mar<nLutherakackedtheCatholicChurchforit’scorrup<on,greedandabuseofpower,andini<atedamovementthattransformedreligious,poli<calandartofEurope.Protestantscri<cizedChris<anartforwhattheythoughtwerecultimages.

RenaissancetoBaroqueRenaissanceartwasaboutrevivingclassicalideasandform.Ra<onality,order,logicwerefollowedinallthings.AswemoveintoLateRenaissancetoBaroqueArtstylesbecomemoreemo<onalandmorediversesubjectsaredepicted.Baroqueartisdefinedbyit’suseoflight.BecauseofthegrowthofMar<nLutherandtheProtestantReforma<on,theCatholicChurchencouragedvisualartthatwouldguidethefaithful.Inordertomoredirectlyengagetheviewer,powerfulanddrama<crealism,accentua<ngcontrastoflightanddarkand<ghtlycroppingcomposi<onsenhancedemo<onalimpact.Artworkshouldinstruc<onandinspire.

Oneofthesefemalear<stswas,ArtemisiaGen<leschi.Self-portraitastheAllegoryofPainKng,1638-9.

WomeninRenaissanceandBaroqueArtBeforethe1970stherewerenowomenar<stsmen<onedinanyWesternArtHistorybooks.Therewerenopeopleofcoloreitherbutwe’llgettothatabitlaterinthesemester.EmpoweredbytheideasoftheFeministMovement,femaleArtHistoriansbegantochallengewhatwascalled“thecanon.”Thecanonwasatone<meconsideredfixed.Itwasthebodyofartworksconsideredtobethebestexamplesofastyleorgenre.Theartworksinthecanonwereconsideredthe‘masterpieces’andthisiswhatwasstudiedinart.Ques<onsaboutthecanonledtodiscoveriesofwomenar<stsinhistorywhohadneverbeforebeenconsidered.

JudithBeheadingHolophernes,ArtemisiaGen<leschi,1614-20.

WomeninRenaissanceandBaroqueArtArtemisiaGen<leschiwasapainterwhofollowedCaravaggio,afamousBaroquepainter.Mostofherpain<ngsfocusonheroinesfromtheBible.Inthispain<ng,Judith,atradi<onalexampleofvirtueandchas<ty,isshowndecapita<ngHolophernes,whohadplannedtodestroyhervillage.Shehasseducedhimandisnowshownviolentlybeheadinghimbecomingthesaviorofherpeople.Thispain<ngwasprobablycommissionedbyCosimoIIde’MedicibutduetotheviolenceitwasplacedinadarkcornerofhisPalaceandGen<leschiwasnotpaidun<laWerhisdeath.

JudithandherMaidservant

WomeninRenaissanceandBaroqueArtGen<leschididdifferentversionsofthestory.

WomeninRenaissanceandBaroqueArtThestoryofJudithwasverypopularinart.AlotofdiscussionhasbeengiventotheviolenceinGen<leschi’spain<ng.Herearlytrainingwasfromherfather,afamouspainter.WhenshewasrejectedfromartacademiesshestudiedwithAgos<noTassi,herfather’sfriend.In1612,herfatherbroughtchargesagainstTassiforrapinghisdaughter.Ahighlypublicizedtrialendedwithnoconvic<on.However,thistrauma<ceventisthoughttohaveaffectedthetoneofthepain<ng.

Thesearetwomorepain<ngsofthesamethemebymalear<stsCaravaggioand

PhilipvanDijk.NeitherhastheviolenceofGen<leschi.

WomeninRenaissanceandBaroqueArtJudithLeysterwasinfluencedbytheDutchar<stFransHalsandmuchofherworkhadbeenakributedtohim.Mostofherworkwascreatedbeforehermarriage.Inaddi<ontoraisingherchildrenshemanagedthefamilybusinessandassistedwithherhusband’sart.Awell-knownar<stinherlife<me,shewaslargelyforgokenun<l1893whenherini<alswerefoundunderafalsesignatureof“FransHals.”Thisledtorenewedresearchonherasanar<st.Atone<meitwasthoughttherewerenowomenintheArtHistoryCanonbecausethereweren’tanygoodones.Wehavelearnedthiswasnotthereason.

SelfPortrait,JudithLeyster,1630

HowWomenRepresentThemesAnotherissuesthatisdiscussedwithregardstothegenderofthear<stishowmaleandfemalear<stsapproachsimilarsubjects.WesawthatwithGen<leschiandlet’slookatitagain.Thispain<ngisonebyamalear<stvanBaburenthatrepresentsanotherpopularthemeinBaroqueart—brothelscenes.Itshowsthreefigures,apros<tuteontheleW,theclientinthemiddleandtheprocuresspoin<ngtoherpalmtoindicateexpectedpayment.Theclientisholdingacoin.Inthisversion,vanBaburendepictsthepros<tuteasatemptress,herbreastsprominent.She’sintheprocessofseducinghim.

DirckvanBaburen,TheProcuress,1622SincereligiousartwasnotbeingproducedinthisDutchcountryitisthoughtthatgenrescenes(scenesofeverydaylife),likethisoneservedtoins<llmorality.

HowWomenRepresentThemesThisisapain<ngbyJudithLeysterofasimilartheme.Herewehavearichlydressedmanofferingcoinstoawomenwhoisquietlyengagedinmending.Insteadofshowingthewomanasunrestrainedandsinful,heresheishardatwork,themodelofvirtue.

JudithLeyster,ManOfferingMoneytoaWoman,orTheProposiKon,1634

RaceinEuropeanRenaissanceTheMediterraneanwasacross-culturalandinter-ethnicareafromthemid-15thcenturyon.ClassicalculturewaspartlyrevivedbytheideasbroughtbyArabsandblackAfricansregularly,andinsignificantnumbersenteredEurope.Intercon<nentalnaviga<onhelpedreshapeEurope’spopula<on.

TheSupperatEmmaus,Veni<anAr<st,1530-40.InthisoWenrepresentedeventinthelifeofChristweseetheinclusionofaBlacksoldier,iden<fiedasEgyp<anbyhisredhat.MostlikelyincludedtosignifyChrist’suniversalpromiseofsalva<on.HeisalsoshownseatedontherightsideofChrist.Awelcomeguest.

PortraitofaWealthyAfrican,1540

RaceinEuropeanRenaissanceSt.MauricewasthoughttohavebeenaleaderoftheRomanarmyinthe3rdcentury.HewasmartyredforrefusingtoslaughterChris<ans.Manypain<ngsweredoneofhimduringtheRenaissance.

Scholarsarejust

beginningtoresearchracerela<onsinRenaissance<mes.ItseemsIdeasabout

racewerenotasclearlydefinedatthat<me.

St.Maurice,MakhiasGrunewald,c.1510

St.Maurice,LucaCranachtheElder,1520-25s

RaceinEuropeanRenaissanceWeseeimagesofdarkskinnedpeopleshowingupinReligiouspain<ngsofthis<mewiththesamenobilityaswhites.Beforethemid-fiWeenthcenturyonlyasmallpercentageofslaveswereAfrican.FreedslavesandfreeAfricansweresociallymobileandappearedinprofessionalandcrea<veposi<onsinEurope.

AdoraKonoftheMaji,FlemishAr<st,1599Bythe15thad16thcenturies,thousandsofimagesdepic<ngBlack(Moorish)kingswhofollowedastartowitnessthena<vity(theBirthofChrist)werepainted.Theyoungestofthethreewisemeninthena<vitystory.

RaceinEuropeanRenaissanceThroughtheimageswecanseethatpeopleofcolorweredepictedinsimilarwaystoEuropeans.AndwhiletheywereassimilatedintoEuropeanculture,werealsothoughttobe‘behind’Europeanciviliza<on.

AdoraKonoftheMaji,FlemishAr<st,1460-1523PortraitofanAfricanSlaveWoman,AnnibaleCarracci,1580

NEXTWEEKInthe15thCenturyweseetheriseofintercon<nentalnaviga<onbysea.Europeancountriesbeginsendingshipsaroundtheworldtoexploreandconquer.Portugueseexpedi<onsbringEuropeanshipsinregularcontactwithSaharanAfrica.TheyinauguratedtheAtlan<csalvetrade,soonjoinedbySpainandBritain.ChristopherColumbus’conquestoftheCaribbeanvirtuallywipedouttheindigenousculturesthere.Slaveryhasbeenaroundeversinceciviliza<onsbegan.However,aWerthe15thcenturyAfricansbecomethelargestpopula<onofslaves.

Moreaboutthisnextweek.

MAINPOINTSFORTHISWEEK•  The Renaissance from about 1400-1600 is the

revival of ideas and styles of Greece and Rome.

•  The Catholic Church is still very powerful and there is much Christian art created.

•  In addition, a rising merchant class with Classical taste, commission artwork with different themes, like mythology and portraits.

•  Invention of oil paint allows more naturalism. In addition the development of linear perspective makes painting a strong illusion of the natural world.

•  Paintings of the idealized female figure become undeniably eroticized.

•  Women artists emerge.

•  Racial diversity is represented in art.