The Renaissance is defined as the revival or rebirth of the arts.
Beginning in Italy in 1400, it spread throughout Western Europe, lasting
until 1600.
It was during this time that Europe was
busy pulling herself out of the economic bog of the Middle Ages. With this
new financial growth came political, scientific and social energy unlike
any experienced before. Artistically, it was a time of firsts... the first
time oil paint was used; the first time symbols and real-life events were
represented together in the same painting; the first time scientific
principles crept into art...
Phases and Periods
There were several phases or periods of the
Renaissance.
The period from 1420 to 1500 is most often referred to as the Early
Renaissance whereas the term High Renaissance is used to
describe anything that happened from 1500 through 1530 -- involving pure,
classical, balanced harmony. It was then that artists were in complete
control of their materials and were capable of executing masterful works
of art. Beyond that, a period known as Mannerism came into play --
although still technically part of the Renaissance, Mannerism marked a
time when elegance was key.
What Was it All About?
Generally speaking, the main elements of the
Renaissance were:
- Oil paint was used for the first
time. Prior to this point, egg tempera was the medium of choice.
- Both symbols and real-life events
were represented together in the same art works.
- Chiaroscuro (the balance of light
and dark was for the first time shown within a picture by using
shadows rather than blocky outlines).
- Balanced compositions. The
arrangement of things like lines, colors and form were seemingly
"correct".
- Ancient Roman ideals were the
inspiration for many works in Italy.
- Larger than life figures appear
in German art.
- Dutch works of art began to show hints
of daily life (hunting, farming) rather than religious themes.
- French art featured clean
simplicity.
Who Was Involved?
There were many artists who created wonderful
masterpieces during this exciting time. Some of those included:
Heironymus
Bosch,
Sandro Botticelli,
Pieter
Bruegel,
Leonardo da Vinci,
Donatello,
Albrecht Dürer, El Greco,
Michelangelo Buonarroti,
Raphael and
Jan
Van Eyck.
Renaissance... Not Renaissance
When trying to determine if a work of art was
created during the Renaissance, there are certain characteristics you can
look for.
- A date is, of course, a dead
giveaway. Look for dates between 1400 and 1600.
- Look to see if the figures in the
painting look natural. Do their faces express real emotions?
- What is the subject matter? See if Religious
events or icons or Greek and Roman myths play a large role
in the painting.
- Does the painting show perspective?
Are people and places shown in three dimensions (not flat)? If yes,
you might be looking at a Renaissance painting. (Think about the
scientific principles associated with a da Vinci painting).
- Remember that it was during the
Renaissance that artists began to use oil paint instead of egg
tempera. A key to whether or not oil paint was used is how dark the
shades are - the richer the colors, the more likely the work has been
painted in oil.
- In addition, a method known as "chiaroscuro"
was employed by Renaissance painters. This simply means that three
dimensional objects are depicted using light and dark areas of color
rather than harsh outlines.
- Does the painting express real life
events along with certain symbols? This combination was
common during the Early Renaissance in Flanders (1400-1500).
- Have a good look at the composition
(how the painting is laid out). Does it feel organized and balanced?
Do you feel like everything is in its proper place? Harmonious
composition was typical of the High Renaissance in Italy (1495-1600)
- If the painting fits into the above
categories but instead of showing religious events, it features
ordinary people doing ordinary things, it might well be from the High
Renaissance in Northern Europe - specifically the Netherlands.
- Look for signatures of known Renaissance
painters: Jan van
Eyck; Andrea del
Verrocchio;
Sandro Botticelli;
Leonardo da Vinci;
Raphael;
Titian;
Albrecht Durer and Pieter
Bruegel the Elder are but a few.
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