Artistic Development Flashcards
Affect of the Printing Press on the development of the Renaissance: Accessibility/Affordability
Prior to press - copied by hand - time consuming, caused inaccuracies.
-Printing press - mass produced at fast pace.
-e.g. around 1580 about 40 million books had been produced in the last half century, compared to around 5 million per a half century around 1475.
-Democratized knowledge - more people became literate - motivation to read.
-Previously only elite and clergy.
-By early 16th century, about 90% of printed books in vernacular language.
-Classical texts translated into vernacular languages - spread of revival of the classics (key element of Renaissance culture.)
-E.g. In Venice editions 35% of the vernacular texts printed were classical texts.
-By mid 16th century - there were printing presses in over 200 cities.
Affect of the Printing Press on the development of the Renaissance:
Spread new ideas and cultural development.
-Scholars and artists could engage with broader audiences.
-E.g. Erasmus, prominent humanist scholar, over 700 editions of his book ‘In praise of folly’.
-Work of Roman poet Virgil - over 50 editions by 1500. more widely available.
-Cross-fertilization of ideas vital to development of the Renaissance.
-Educational manuals more widely circulated by printing press.
-E.g. Latin Grammar book - “Ars Grammatica” by Donatus, had numerous printed editions.
-Important for aspects of humanist education like rhetoric.
Influence of Erasmus and the development of the Northern Renaissance a more significant turning point.
o His writing widely distributed – translated into many languages.
o “in Praise and Folly”
o Erasmus’s humanism produced a wealth of artistic, literary, and scientific achievements.
o Albrecht Dürer, Hans Holbein the Younger, and Jan van Eyck, incorporated humanist themes and techniques into their works, contributing to the flourishing of Northern Renaissance art.
o Northern Renaissance artists are celebrated for their attention to detail, realism, and emotional depth.
o humanist values such as individualism, curiosity, and skepticism, illustrating the profound influence of Erasmus’s humanism.
Emphasis of humanism on classical learning
o Devotion to study of Greek and Latin literature – Homer, Plato, Aristotle – believed the study of these would improve them intellectually and morally – morals not coming directly from the bible.
o Translation of ancient texts into vernacular – increasing audiences – E.g. Petrarch translated Homer and Cicero into Italian.
o Humanists advocated for a curriculum based on classical literature, rhetoric, history and philosophy. ‘Studia Humanitatis’ E.g. Neoplatonic academy 1462 in Florence- founded by great/influential patron – Cosimo de Medici.
Focus of much renaissance art on classical themes, directly influenced by humanist ideals - humanist ideals exemplified in many renaissance art works.
o Neoplatonist ideas in art:
o Idea of Importance of balance of active and contemplative life - Tomb of Julius the II - two girls either side of central figure, Rachel is representative of contemplative life - Leah representative of active life – Michelangelo.
o Botticelli’s ‘Primavera’ - Platonic love - (sensual, spiritual, divine) The Graces represent platonic love - one looking to mercury who points to the heavens.
o Raphael’s ‘School of Athens’ – Classical Virtues – Plato and Aristotle – Humanisms revival of Plato – Plato points to sky, Aristotle to earth – humanist discussions.
o Leonardo’s Drawing of the ‘Vitruvian man’ – interest in the balance of man – humanist ideal of the Renaissance man – universal man.
o Improved anatomy in painting and sculpture - Antonio Pollaiuolo - to skin human bodies – improve accuracy of Human bodies – effect of Humanism focus on the human and the human body. ‘The Battle of Naked Men’.
Regional variations in the artistic developments and achievements of the renaissance - connection between these and the spread of humanist ideas.
o Florence: Epicentre – many of the earliest Renaissance artist and Humanist from here such as:
o Petrarch – regarded the father of humanism. Early Renaissance Artist such as Donatello, Masaccio, Brunelleschi etc.
o Venice – humanist ideals arrived in Venice much later - seen in their Renaissance starting later – Titian (1488-1576) and Giorgione(1477-1510) – Humanist themes in their art
-Rome - humanist ideas in art under Humanist Popes - E.g. School of Athens - Pope Julius II.
Cultural impact of humanism on the Italian city states, which created fertile conditions for artistic development.
o Humanism Promoted Revival of the Classics – interest in ancient Greek and Latin literature and way of life.
o These brought about ideas of symmetry and balance valued in the Greek times.
o Value can increasingly be seen in art, E.g. Brunelleschi’s Duomo in Florence, modeled on the proportions of the Pantheon in Rome, Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence by Michelozzo classical elements like pilasters and round arches.
o Architects employed mathematical principles derived from classical texts, such as Vitruvius’s “Ten Books on Architecture,” – discovered and translated by Poggio Braccolini in 1414 – drew on Classical ideals of balance and harmony.
o Humanism promoted the idea of civic pride and communal identity - development of urban planning concepts - creation of public spaces and monumental architecture within city centers: Piazza del Campo in Siena, designed as a communal gathering space for civic events and festivals.
The importance of technical developments in the arts, such as the development of perspective.
o one-point linear perspective – developed by Brunelleschi (The School of Athens, Raphael 1509-1511)
-Alberti - calculated the vanishing point - da Pictura.
-CHange from Medieval 2D - characters were bigger to show importance - Renaissance = central.
o chiaroscuro (light and dark - creates volume) Virgin of the Rocks - da Vinci (1483-1486)
o new genres: frontal portraiture, self-portraiture, and landscape. (although some of these derived form the classics.
o Jan van Eyck: originating a style of painting characterized by minutely realistic depictions of surface effects and natural light. detailed realism. - focus on every day life.
o Albrecht Dürer:
revolutionized printmaking, elevating it to the level of an independent art form. (e.g. young Hare 1502)
o Hieronymus Bosch:
pessimistic fantastical style - wide influence on northern art 16th century. highly individualistic painter with deep insight into humanity’s desires and deepest fears. e.g. The Garden of Earthly Delights, 1515 - earthly paradise with the creation of woman, the first temptation, and the Fall. - religious symbolism.
o Classical themes may have been due to the remanence of the Roman ruins in Italy – artists copied this directly not necessarily humanist influence.
– For example, Brunelleschi used Roman Ruins to study one point perspective and Brunelleschi’s Duomo in Florence, modeled on the proportions of the Pantheon in Rome,
The importance of guilds and other associations as patrons
o The Guild of St. Luke (artist guild) in Antwerp commissioned works from renowned artists such as Peter Paul Rubens.
o crucial role in training and educating young artists and craftsmen - Likely Botticelli and da Vinci received training within theses.
o The Arte di Calimala, the guild of wool merchants in Florence - Lorenzo Ghiberti – Bronze doors of Florence Baptistery ‘Gates of Paradise’.
o Guilds of merchants in Venice, got - Gentile and Giovanni Bellini to decorate the Scuola di San Giovanni Evangelista and the Scuola Grande di San Marco with frescoes depicting scenes from the life of Saint John the Evangelist.
Civic humanism and the link between Renaissance intellectual and artistic developments and public life.
o Drawing on Aristotelian ideas about government, Roman Stoicism, and the political life of the Italian communes in the late Middle Ages, civic humanism is a form of classical republicanism that involves the fusion of participatory political engagement with classical learning as revived in the Renaissance.
The importance of individual Renaissance authors in transforming Renaissance literature
o Castiglione – “The Book of the Courtier” 1528.
o Dialogue set at Urbino – Courtiers discuss qualities + behaviors of ideal Renaissance men.
o concept of sprezzatura, or effortless grace – key attribute of courtier – mastering various skills while looking natural and unaffected.
o topics such as education, etiquette, manners, conversation
o “The Book of the Courtier” had a profound influence on courtly behavior
o Influential piece of literature inspired by Renaissance values - became a handbook for courtiers across Europe, shaping the behavior and aspirations of the aristocracy.
o Poliziano – Miscellany (1492) – new rules to interpret and correct texts – influenced further literature such as Erasmus’s ‘In praise and Folly’.
o Gucciardinni – author of a history of Italy – theorized about ‘the reason of state’ – implying that politics no longer subject to Christian morality -inspiring the works of Machiavelli ‘The prince’.
The development of schools and universities.
o New school trends – emphasized subjects such as History, Poetry, Literature, Letter, Rhetoric and internal debates on ethical issues – rejection and reconsideration of medieval curriculum.
o Humanist curriculum – Pietro Paolo Vergio – treaties on education – influential during the Renaissance.
o Study Programme included Grammar, history, Moral Philosophy and Poetry.
o Study of Humanities – different type of educational environment – Vittorini da Feltre – School called Casa Giocosa – taught children of elite and poor who showed potential and an interest in education – paid school fees for the one who could not afford it.
o Feltre’s school focused on intellectual and physical learning – different to Medieval class setting – corporal punishment etc.
o Platonic Academy – founded by Ficino – Met at Medici’s Villa – neo-platonic approach to literature – when Plato and works of Plato were rediscovered.
The formulation of the ideal of the ‘Renaissance Man’.
o Vittorini da Feltre – formulated idea of the Renaissance man – ‘health of body, strength of mind and strong character.’
o Also attributed to Leonardi Alberti.
o Opened a new way to look at man and his unlimited potential at the center, of the universe.
Foundation of many of the literary developments in the renaissance had been laid in the medieval period.
o Allegory and symbolism – Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’ 1302 – allegorical journey through hell, purgatory and heaven – symbolic imagery to explore theological concepts.
o Renaissance writers – Edmund Spenser – ‘The Faerie Queene’ – allegorical characters and settings to convey ethical and political ideas.
o Petrarch – 1304-1374 – technically a medieval figure – considered the father of humanism – revived interest in classical literature – admiration for ancient works of Virgil and Cicero – foundation for humanist movement that flourished in the Renaissance.
Knowledge of (some) of the works of the ancients was important in the medieval scholastic tradition, and the renaissance built on this.
o Aristotle was vital to Medieval scholastic tradition – Thomas Aquinas – influential philosopher and theologian – reconciled Aristotle with Christianity.
o So interest in the classics existed during the medieval period.
o Aristotelian works re-introduced during the Medieval period such as ‘Organon’ and ‘Metaphysics’ – studied by scholars – E.g. Aquinas’ ‘Summa Theologica’ – engagement with Aristotelian thought.
o Scholastic methodology – logical analysis and dialectical reasoning – follows from ancient Greek tradition of philosophical inquiry – employed techniques such as the question and debate to explore theological and philosophical debates – reflects influence of earlier Greek philosophical methods.
