Exam 1

Question 1

Late Gothic Period Dates and Description

Answer 1

1300-1350

• Gothic term come from the Goths who were barbarians and believed to be reckless and un-orderly (hence why there is such a negative connotation with the word Gothic)
• mainly centered in Europe. Florence and Sienna are popular cities of the arts
• It is the last period of the middle ages and it is a transition period leading to the Renaissance
• Lots of wealthy merchants who were also major patrons of the arts
• Artisan guilds: groups made up of artisan masters (those who are commissioned to make a piece of art) with the same skills who get together and set the prices for art.
• Painters (chemists) and sculptors (masons)
• population growth exceeded food production
• black plague spread and killed 40% of the population

Question 2

Italy during the Late Gothic Period

Answer 2

• lots of wealthy Italian merchants: powerful patrons of the arts
• Italian writers of plays, literature, etc. writing in vernacular language: Dante Alighieri, Francesco Petrarca, Giovanni Boccaccio.
• Artists as individuals, contracting freely with patrons and institutions
• more portraiture started to be made so that people could be honored and remembered.

Question 3

Santa Trinita Madonna

Answer 3

Artist: Cimabue
Period: Late Gothic
Location: Florence, Italy
Material: tempera and gold on wood panel

• Technique: artist used tempera = mineral pigment added with egg yolk and water. the artist also used gold - crushed gold attached to the piece (helps create a heavenly experience and shows power and wealth)
• Iconography: The Virgin Mary sits on a throne holding baby Jesus surrounded by angels and below the throne are believed to be saints. The Virgin Mary has a tilted head symbolizing gentleness and baby Jesus holds a scroll symbolizing knowledge and makes a gesture of blessing
• Context: the work is found in the Santa Trinita (a gothic church in Florence). Religion is very important during this time, especially catholicism and the Virgin Mary. Since religion was important, the focus of artwork did not dwell on accurate representations of the figure. More care in the idea that the work creates a spirituality/connection/focus to the heavens. Was believed that the body represented sin. Cimabue was a master artisan who had his own workshop. He painted with expensive materials to assert his power.
• Style: more Byzantine stylistically influenced; Maniera Greca style. Long noses, narrow chin, and shoulders, small eyes, tilted head of virgin mary, not much observation of the body since the bodies are bodyless. The perspective is off. Hieratic scale is used as the Virgin Mary is much larger than all the other figures. She wears royal purple and a halo. The arch leads your eyes to the heavens.

Question 4

Ognisanti Madonna

Answer 4

Artist: Giotto
Period: Late Gothic
Location: Florence, Italy
Material: Tempera and gold on wood panel

• Technique: artist used tempera = mineral pigment added with egg yolk and water. the artist also used gold - crushed gold attached to the piece (helps create a heavenly experience and shows power and wealth)
• Iconography: Similar to S.T.M., the Virgin Mary sits enthroned holding baby Jesus. Angels and saints surround the throne adorning Mary and baby Jesus. Saints integrated with the angels.
• Context: Giotto was an apprentice of Cimabue and focused on observing visual reality and methods that would capture visual reality. There was a growing interest in visual reality and the here and now. Religion, wealth, competition, and observation were important during this time. More of interest and transition to naturalism.
• Technique: figure look more convincing; more human. Angels have more structure. More naturalistic. There is modeling in the clothing and figures. More than one point of view (Giotto observing and experimenting with perspectives). Sense of space since figures are overlapping.

Question 5

Creation of Adam

Answer 5

Artist: Andrea Pisano
Period: Late Gothic
Location: Florence, Italy
Material: Stone

• Technique: This is a relief meaning it is a carving, which in this case is made out of stone. A relief carving is a sculpture with figures that protrude from the background while still being attached to it.
• Iconography: This shows God creating Adam. On the left is Jesus holding what appears to be a branch. He is bending down, leaning forward handing the branch to a reclining figure on the ground, which in this case is Adam. They are in the garden of Eden hence the background of different trees and connection to the story of Genesis in the Holy Bible.
• Context: This piece was found on the Bell Tower of Florence Cathedral,
  Italy, in front of the Cathedral. It was located towards the bottom of the tower amongst other reliefs depicting other stories and symbols. It was a decoration to be observed from afar. The work was commissioned. Andrea Pisano was an Italian architect and he was influenced by Giotto.
• Style: the artist kind of combines gothic stylization with naturalistic classicism. Gothic stylization is seen in the drapery which does not do a very good job rendering the form underneath it anatomically correct. It is more patterned and simplified. Naturalistic classicism is seen in the figure of Adam. The figure is nude, male, athletic, structured, etc. much more naturalistic and life-like. Heirartic scale in God’s figure; he is much bigger than Adam. Overlapping creates a sense of space. Lots of negative space in the work since the work was meant to be viewed from afar.

Question 6

The Effects of Good Government In the City and in the Country

Answer 6

Artist: Ambrogio Lorenzetti
Period: Late Gothic
Location: Sienna, Italy
Material: Fresco

• Technique: Buon Fresco. a painting done rapidly (8 hours) on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling, so that the colors penetrate the plaster and become fixed as it dries. Each day they would work was called Giornata (a days work). They used new ultramarine blue (from afgan and very expensive).
• Iconography: Shows two sides; the city on the left and the country on the right. In the city, there are lots of people dressed nicely, dancing, commencing, selling, trading, building, acting, etc. There are many buildings for shelter and protection. In the country are luscious crops and workers harvesting and planting (prosperity). There are people moving in and out of a gate that divides the city and the countryside (shows movement). There is a winged figure that appears above the gate holding a hanging man (personification of security). The scene shows the important relationship between the city and the country (how the city lives off of the country) and the effects of the rule of the nine. This alludes to the idea that with the Rule of the Nine, all good things happen when they are controlled and not fighting.
• Context: Located in Sienna, a city competing in Florence. Since the city was in a lot of turmoil, the rule of Nine takes over, which is a council of merchants and bankers (oligarchy). Had gatherings at the Palazzo Publico, which is where this painting is found. Made during a time where observation and focusing on what things looked like was growing increasingly popular and important.
• Style: Divergent viewpoint suggests the artist uses an intuitive perspective (not point perspective, but still observes the specific angles and direction of edges). Space is very evident. Used methods of spacial recession including overlapping, diminution, vertical perspective, and atmospheric perspective. Hieratic scale (in size and color) seen in Man dressed in red riding on a horse; could be one of the “nine”.

Question 7

Early Renaissance in Northern Europe

Answer 7

1350-1490

• Netherlands and Flanders (Belgium)
• New conventions start to creep into art and transition starts to lead into the Renaissance

Question 8

Painting in Flanders

Answer 8

• Patrons: Civic groups, town councils, wealthy merchants.
• Cities: Self-governing, independent from landed nobility.
• Flemish painting: Use of oil paint, applied in glazes, or
  translucent layers.
• Extreme realism (not illusionism) focused on detail

Question 9

Merode Altarpiece

Answer 9

Artist: Workshop of Master Flemalle (Robert Campin)
Period: Early Renaissance
Location: Flanders
Material: Oil on wood panel

• Technique: Used oil paint. This technique was used since oil paint dried very slowly, allowing for a longer work time. The paint preserved well and presented bright colors and brilliance. Painters would paint in light, translucent layers. Was an altarpiece and a tryptic meaning it had a middle panel with two wings.
• Iconography: In the middle panel, the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will be pregnant with the son of God, Jesus. Lots of objects: books/scrolls represent holy texts; closed windows and lilies symbolize the virgin pure mary; the small figure carrying the cross and the blown-out candle symbolize the presence of God leaving and entering mary’s womb. In the left panel, the patron and his wife visit the scene of the annunciation. The artist also appears in the back. The people visiting the holy even symbolize wealth, blessing, and power. There is a rose bush and a walled garden that symbolize the virgin, Mary. In the right panel, Joseph at old age carpenter sits making a winepress and mousetrap. Winepress alludes to wine which alludes to communion and Jesus. Mousetrap alludes to the black plague and the idea that Joseph is trying to stop the works of the devil.
• Context: This piece was meant to be a devotional altarpiece displayed in a private chapel or residence. The black plague was going around during this time (mousetrap). Men would often marry younger women for fertility purposes, hence why the patron seems to be with such a younger woman and Joseph looks much older than Mary. People in Flanders were very attached to material things. Therefore, that’s why the scene is in a house (similar looking to ones in Flanders) and there are lots of things in the pictures. These “things” were added so that people could relate to the image. During this time, extreme realism was studied.
• Style: Extremely detailed, which signifies this transition into realism and extreme attention to detail and painting everything exactly as it is. The perspective and proportions are a little bit off however. The ladies in the picture are more idealized and reveal the idealized woman of flemish society. However, the men in the picture are more individualized and have more portraiture, such as the patron. This is so the patron could be recognized for his power and wealth and possibly lineage.

Question 10

Double Portrait of Giovanni and His Wife

Answer 10

Artist: Jan Van Eyck
Period: Early Renaissance
Location: Netherlands
Material: Oil on Wood Panel

• Technique: Used oil paint. This technique was used since oil paint dried very slowly, allowing for a longer work time. The paint was preserved well and presented bright colors and brilliance. Painters would paint in light, translucent layers.
• Iconography: This painting shows Giovanni and his third wife standing with their hands together in a room with a bed and other furniture in it. It is believed to be a sort of family room even though it has a bed in it, which was typical during this time. The event is believed to be a pre-engagement ceremony. The fruit suggests fertility. The woman wearing a dress with a high waist and bunching up the fabric around her belly suggests fertility, wealth, and the want be pregnant. Lit candle suggests the presence of God in the room and the man shows a gesture of blessing. Many symbols of wealth include clothing, chandelier, ornamental dog, etc. The mirror has scenes from the passion of the Christ decorating it; its reflection shows the backside of the scene and the artist of the painting.
• Context: Major values of society during this time include wealth, fertility (older men marrying younger women for fertility purposes), and marriage. The painting reflects these values. Women would often wear their hair wrapped, as reflected in the painting. Patriarchal society. Arnolfini was a very very wealthy man and he commissioned this painting. Portraiture was popular during this time. The man in the painting is individualized for the purpose of power and recognition in lineage.
• Style: Extreme Realism was used in this painting. Very clear observation of the here and now and painting things exactly the way they look like in real life. Intuitive perspective. There are diverging points, but not every angle converges to one point so it is not a one-point perspective. The composition is balanced so this reinforces formality and reveals how the artist was thinking about balance and composition.

Question 11

Deposition

Answer 11

Artist: Rogier Van Der Weyden
Period: Early Renaissance
Location: Belgium
Material: Oil on Wood Panel

• Technique: Used oil paint. This technique was used since oil paint dried very slowly, allowing for a longer work time. The paint was preserved well and presented bright colors and brilliance. Painters would paint in light, translucent layers.
• Iconography: This shows the moment Jesus is being taken down from the cross. Many figures from the Bible appear in the scene - Mary fainting; Mary’s two sisters stand behind Mary and John the Evangelist holds her as well; Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus hold Jesus’ body; Mary Magdeline also appears on the right. Other two figures not specified, might be servants of some kind. There are bones symbolizing death but also christ as the redeemer (Momento Mori).
• Context: This painting was commissioned by the crossbowmen’s guild. Art during this time focused on realism and painting things realistically and exactly how they looked. Art of the North where this painting was made tended to be more expressive and dramatic. Displaying wealth was and power in society through paintings was important during this time. The artist, Rogier Van Der Weyden, was a representative of observation and mastery of painting with skill.
• Style: REALISM. The bodies, positions, and drapery are all represented with extreme naturalism and precision. A lot of modeling. Very bright colors (including ultramarine blue) reflect the typical painting technique used in the early renaissance (oil paint) and they also communicate wealth and importance. The fashion in the picture reflects the fashion of the time. Paints with extreme expression. Everyone is in distress and Jesus and Mary hold almost the same position showing that Mary shared intense suffering with her son (this technique of shared suffering is called Capasso). There is a unified look and unifying details that show newer attention to not only accuracy but design and aesthetics as well.

Question 12

Early Renaissance In Italy

Answer 12

1350 - 1490

• Republic and States. Made up of powerful families.
• Condottieri: powerful soldiers who work for those who pay them the most. kind of like assassins or something.
• a lot of Turmoil
• humanism: the belief humans can solve their own problems by themselves and be less dependent on God.
• Classical Antiquity: influence of Greece and Rome
• Renaissance = rebirth and life

Florence Italy (important city)

• Republic of Florence: the Council of Ten, constitutional oligarchy
• guilds
• Patrons for art: Private Citizens, guilds, churches, gov. councils
• a LOT of art
• Medici Family: very important, powerful, wealthy family

Question 13

Dome of Florence Cathedral

Answer 13

Artist: Brunelleschi
Period: Early Renaissance
Location: Florence, Italy
Material: Stone Masonry

• Technique: built with stone masonry with cement and bricks. he observed that the Dome needed to be made lighter to be able to stand on its own. he proposed supporting arches to span across the Dome and he used an outer and inner shell which lighten the load of the Dome he also used marble ribs to act as a skeleton for support and Sandstone rings. for the bricks, he used a fishbone pattern in one big spiral. it was cantilevered (overhanging brick layering).
• Iconography: there is not really any iconography.
• Context: Council of the ten reigned during this time. The Medici family was very powerful and influential in society and in the making of this dome. the cathedral was originally built without a dome, so this Dome was built later on. it was very difficult to build and competition was opened up for proposals for how to build a dome (reflects the spirit of humanism and trying to individually work out their own problems). Brunelleschi proposed a plan to make a dome without any supporting structures which were unlike any of the other proposals. his work and the work of the Dome were commissioned largely by the Medici family.
• Style: This dome was new in the sense that it was extremely large and had new ideas like the spanning supporting arches. Brunelleschi was inspired by other architecture such as the pantheon (Classical Antiquity). In celebration of finishing it, they put a lantern at the top (circular space with windows to let light in) with flying buttresses. Gilded ball at the top, symbolizes the world and alludes to humanism. Last judgement, painted later, in the late 1500s.

Question 14

Four Crowned Martyrs

Answer 14

Artist: Nanni di Banco
Period: Early Renaissance
Location: Florence, Italy
Material: Marble

• Technique: Carved out of marble (perhaps a symbol of wealth and power). First, it was drawn out. Then, a clay or plaster model was made. Then carve a block of marble using a subtractive method. Lastly, it was polished. Made a sculpture in the round.
• Iconography: Iconography: four crowned early Christian martyrs (someone who died for their faith, in this case christianity) during the time of the roman empire. They had been made into saints. They are discussing, perhaps, about the fact they are about to be killed. In the bottom register, there is a sculpture relief of the sculptors themselves. They are not wearing drapery, therefore, this means they are not timeless like those above them who wear the timeless drapery. Stone workers (right) and woodworkers (left).
• Context: Located in Orsanmichele, Florence in the Loggia (a building that served as a grain market). Grain was often sold in the streets during this time. So, a central grain
  market was made, Loggia. Each of the guilds in the city were required to denote a sculpture to be placed in the niche of the building as a form of payment. One sculpture being the Four crowned martyrs.
• Style: the style of the sculptures is largely Rennaisance. The representation of humans is very lifelike and naturalistic. They are not portraits, but they are individualized (have different features). They did not put any recognizable face of someone who was living on the body of the saints since this was considered blasphemy. They are all wearing drapery (drapery is dressed outside of time, drapery makes the clothing universal). The drapery allows for modeling of the body underneath the cloth. The artist is knowledgable of anatomy, suggests he probably sketched a lot. FIgures stand in contrapassto, but more classical form of contrapassto since the hips are not terribly swayed. The classical form stance suggests the figure is relaxed but still alert. `

Question 15

The Delivery of the Keys to St. Peter

Answer 15

Artist: Perugino
Period: Early Renaissance
Location: Rome, Italy
Material: Fresco

• Technique: Painted using Fresco. The Fresco Technique included painting on a wall of wet plaster so the paint dries secure and remains preserved.
• Iconography: A group of people and disciples stand in a courtyard in front of a church and triumphal arches. Jesus hands a set of keys to St. Peter (who was the first pope). Peter kneels down as he accepts the keys. Beside Jesus and beside Peter are the other Apostles standing with other commoners. There are people talking and playing together.
• Context: Painting was placed in the Sistine chapel (which is where every pope gets elected). It was made in order to convey the idea that the merchants and patrons were not as important as the pope. The Pope was divinely elected by God through Jesus; so, in order to convey this idea as Peter as the divine ruler, the image shows Peter being given keys to the kingdom. The disciples and Jesus wear drapery, differing them from the common people who do not.
• Style: Definitely has some classical antiquity; contrapposto poses in the figures and drapery. There are also Triumphal Arches in the back, revealing the influence of Roman architecture. Everything is very life-like and visually proportional. However, it is an invented landscape. Linear Perspective is used with the vanishing point residing in the entryway of the church. Methods of spatial recession used: diminution, overlapping, a little bit of vertical perspective, and atmospheric perspective.