Chapter 22 - A Golden Age Flashcards
What were the themes/subject matters of the Golden Age
Based on the study of nature and human form. Artists not interested in clever realism but in the ideal beauty of the human figure. Artists often worked with non-religious subjects, and even religious themes were not only glorifying God, but man also
What were the innovations/developments of the Golden Age/High Renaissance?
Correct proportions in human figure More natural facial features and expressions Greater range of human movement More natural interaction between figures Striving towards 'ideal beauty'
Why was Leonardo da Vinci regarded as the ‘ideal Renaissance man’?
He was a great painter, sculptor, musician, scientist, architect, inventor and writer
Who did da Vinci study under?
Verrocchio
What allowed da Vinci to paint brilliantly realistic figures?
He dissected bodies and studies human proportion and facial expression
Name the painting and the artist. Discuss
The Virgin on the Rocks by da Vinci
Virgin Mary watching over baby Jesus and baby John the baptist
Soft, smiling angel sits beside them, pointing mysteriously to the left of the composition
Dark cave, figures surrounded by a holy light
Figures arranged in a pyramidal shape
Atmospheric perspective and great realistic depth
Soft and mellow colours
Dramatic highlights and shadows
Oil paint allows great detail
Name the painting and the artist. Discuss
The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci
Fresco
Different to traditional layout of the famous Bible scene
Great variety of facial expressions
Composition is open and we feel we are part of the group
Golden ratio and apostles are arranged into four triangles with Jesus in the middle as the fifth
Connected by their gestures
Jesus is framed by the window and is the exact center of the composition
His head is the vanishing point
What material did Michelangelo use for his sculptures?
Marble blocks
Name the painting and the artist. Discuss
The Pieta by Michelangelo
‘Pity’
Virgin Mary grieving over dead Christ
Gave it an elegance never seen before in Italy
Pyramidal composition shows the influence of Leonardo
Lines give it energy and life
Jesus’ body has few distinct lines, emphasising its lifelessness
Support from elegant folds of cloth
Only work he ever signed
Name the painting and the artist. Discuss
David by Michelangelo
17ft / 5.17m
Flawlessly beautiful young male with a calm, classical appearance
Highly realistic but also idealised like a Greek god
From Bible story of David
Preparing for battle → different to previous depictions
Calm pose → fewer issues with balance
Head and hands too large (originally planned for high up in the cathedral)
Pose and gesture mirror that of Venus from Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus
