Final Flashcards
Giotto
Giotto di Bondone is considered the FATHER OF THE RENAISSANCE because of his innovation and use of different artistic techniques. Giotto embraced a realist style–breaking off from the typical Byzantine art style. He used techniques such as perspectives, shading, and shadowing in order to create life-like paintings.
Fresco
“Fresh” painting on wet plaster (painting becomes part of the wall)
Trompe L’Oeil
“to trick the eye” (optical illusion)
Usury
The illegal action or practice of lending money at unreasonably high rates of interest
Chiaroscuro
An Italian term that means “light-dark” and is a classic artistic technique that uses contrasting light and shadow to create the illusion of light from a specific source shining on figures and objects in a painting
Lorenzetti
Italian Gothic painter of the Sienese school
Black Death
Plague brought into Europe from Central/East Asia. Between 30-60% of population died (some towns up to 80%)
- Spread by fleas on rodents or lice
- Result of increased trade and interactions
- Boccaccio described the plague in the intro to Decameron
EFFECTS:
- labor shortages
- governments cap wages, leading to revolts
- tension rises from blaming minority groups
- disruption of social norms
100 Years’ War (1337-1453)
A prolonged conflict (over territories) between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of France, marked by intermittent periods of warfare and truces
- Joan of Arc
- Battle of Agincourt / Henry V (Shakespeare)
- Causes rift between England and France
- Tension lasts until WWI
Great (Western) Schism
1378-1417
Period where the Pope is moved from Rome to France. Several Popes are appointed at one time, causing CONFUSION!
* Causes an increase in national tension
Annunciation
A scene depicting the visit of the Angel Gabriel to Mary, telling her that she will be the Mother of Christ
Deposition
A scene of Christ being taken down off the cross
Lamentation
A scene depicting the mourning of Christ’s followers
Noli Me Tangere
“Do not touch me”
As Mary Magdalene weeps outside the tomb of Christ, she is visited by the Savior. He instructs her not to touch Him, since He has not yet ascended to heaven.
Mary Magdalene
Virgin Mary
Peter
John the Baptist
St. Catherine
St. Jerome
his translation of the Bible into Latin (the translation that became known as the Vulgate) and his commentaries on the whole Bible
Frame Narrative
A story within a story, within sometimes yet another story
Petrarch
“Father of Humanism”
- classical scholar and collector
- revived many classical texts
- studied and imitated Cicero, Ovid, and Virgil
Boccaccio
(1313-1375) Creator of “Decameron”, which was a narrative framework for quarantine.
(also he’s the writer who defined Dante’s comedy as “Divine”)
Chaucer
Christine de Pizan
Sought to defend women against misogynistic literature and stereotypes
Educated in the court of France
* Both father and husband end up dying and she needs to support her children, mother, and niece, SO SHE STARTS WRITING
* Author of “City of Ladies”
Humanism
A focus on the individual achieving his/her own achievements (self-actualization)
Decameron
NARRATIVE FRAMEWORK
“Ten Days”
100 Stories told during period of quarantine
7 women, 3 men
10 days, 10 stories each
* Boccaccio says that he writes the stories with women in mind
Canterbury Tales
NARRATIVE FRAMEWORK
- group of pilgrims that begin at a tavern and are traveling to Canterbury. They tell stories to pass the time on the trip.
- includes a long prologue to introduce characters
- written in iambic pentameter
- themes are corruption in the church
* written by Chaucer, but he dies before it is completed
City of Ladies
Written by Christine de Pizan
- starts off as a prayer explaining all of the things she’s heard about women being bad
- continues praying (putting herself down) until she meets with “logic”
- praises her father and criticizes her mother
* considered one of the first feministic pieces of literature
Cimabue
Painter and mosaicist, the last great Italian artist in the Byzantine style, which had dominated early medieval painting in Italy.
- Cimabue was the teacher of Giotto, the first great artist of the Italian Proto-Renaissance.
Giotto’s Madonna Enthroned (Ognissanti Madonna)
Giotto’s Arena Chapel Frescoes
Lorenzetti’s The Effects of Good and Bad Government
- Rare example of secular art (commissioned by the city of Siena)
1st Wall: Allegory of Good Government
- wisdom + justice = harmony between people
- virtues are depicted by certain characters
2nd Wall: Effects of Good Government
- depiction of a well-kept city
- industrious people
3rd Wall: Allegory of Bad Government
- tyranny rules (when justice doesn’t exist
- vices are depicted by certain characters
4th Wall: Effects of Bad Government
- depiction of a destroyed city
- war-torn people
Why do we refer to the 14th century as tumultuous? What were some of the events that occurred during this time that led to social or political upheaval?
The 14th century and its devastating events – including the Black Death, widespread famine, economic decline, political instability, and the Hundred Years’ War – was a challenging and tumultuous era for many, gaining the century its dark reputation
In what ways do Cimabue and Giotto’s Madonna Enthroned differ (even though the subject matter is almost identical)?
What characteristics of the typical Byzantine style does Giotto retain? In what ways does he depart from the Byzantine style? Why is Giotto considered by some to be the first painter of the Renaissance?
What was the intent of Lorenzetti’s Good and Bad Government? Who commissioned it?
Intended to demonstrate the ideal government and the corrupt government (one on each side) as well as the consequences of each. Commissioned by the city of Siena.
What is the narrative framework of Boccaccio’s Decameron? How does this relate to events that were occurring during the time?
What is the narrative framework for Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales? How does this reflect common traditions and practices of the time?
Social Diversity
Storytelling Tradition
Pilgrimage structure
What was happening in the Catholic Church during this time period? What was simony? What were indulgences? How do we see criticisms of the church coming out in the literature of this period (Dante, Boccaccio, Chaucer, etc.)?
Why was Petrarch sometimes called the Father of Humanism? Who was Laura?
Very religious but also an ambitious learner, Petrarch had a great desire for earthly accomplishment. He emphasized that we can focus on the afterlife while still gaining merit in this life. Laura is the woman Petrarch loved and is the theme of his poems. She ends up marrying someone else and both died young (Laura died in the Plague), so they never actually had a relationship (much like Dante and Beatrice!!)
Why did Christine de Pizan write the City of Ladies? To what common narrative/stereotype was she responding?
There was a lot of inequality (men always blaming women for their problems). She was responding to the typical gender roles and how women shouldn’t be educated or hold jobs
Triptych
A painting in three parts (sometimes hinged)
Polyptych
A type work composed of many different panels
Oil Paint
Can control how fast it dries!
-> very detailed textures
-> huge attention to minute details
-> allowed for renaissance paintings to include a LOT of intricate symbols, real clothing, and the INTRODUCTION OF REAL MODELS
Patron/Patronage
Jan Van Eyck
Credited with originating a style of painting characterized by minutely realistic depictions of surface effects and natural light. This was made possible by using an oil medium, which allowed the building up of paint in translucent layers, or glazes.
REALISM & INDIVIDUALISM
Campin
Van der Weyden
Contrapposto
Linear Perspective
Masaccio is usually credited as one of the first painters to employ this new technique (discovered by Brunelleschi) in his painting of the Holy Trinity
Atmospheric Perspective
Humanism
The Medicis
Controlled Florence for most of the 15th century
Cosimo de Medici:
- started an academy for the study of Plato
- spent huge sums of money to collect and copy ancient manuscripts
- embraced Plato’s concept of an ideal good and the search for truth and beauty
Lorenzo de Medici: (Lorenzo the Magnificent)
- art patron and poet
Renaissance
Machiavelli
“The end justifies the means.” Common moralities don’t apply to princes whose main goal (the end) is to preserve their people, ensure stability, not overtax, and bring glory to themselves
“Machiavellian”
A ruthless leader or person who is willing to do anything to anyone to gain or maintain power
Botticelli
Famous outlier of renaissance artists
He is famous for his emphasis on line, his use of classical themes, his glorification of the human body, and the reddish-blonde hair on many of his female subjects
- Painted “Adoration of the Magi”
- Painted “Primavera”
- Painted “Birth of Venus” (MOST FAMOUS)
Towards the end of his life, he stopped painting classical Greek beliefs (paints only religious stuff), then he stops painting altogether and dedicates his life to reading Dante
Fra Lippi
Mentor of Botticelli
- Painted “Madonna and Child with Two Angels”
Donatello
Studies extensively in Rome with Brunelleschi
(created sculptures in a classical style)
Masaccio
Friend of Brunelleschi
* Painted “The Holy Trinity”, which is the first real use of LINEAR PERSPECTIVE
* Also painted “Tribute Money”
Ghiberti
Spent 50 years of his life creating quatrefoils (“GAITS OF PARADISE”) on the doors of the Florence Baptistry. New Testament Stories
Brunelleschi
“Invented” or brought back linear perspective
* Commissioned to build this “Duomo”
(Dome of the Florence Cathedral
Leonardo Da Vinci
True Renaissance Man – involved in everything from painting, sculpture, anatomy, engineering, inventing, cartography, music, architecture
- kept detailed notes, records, and sketches in his notebooks
- lots of anatomical study (he estimated that he had dissected 30 bodies)
Born near Vinci, Italy - illegitimate son
Apprenticed with Verrocchio
Sfumato
smoky, soft, hazy quality
(characteristic of Leonardo Da Vinci)
Michelangelo
Called “El Divino” by contemporaries
Famous even in his own day
Reputation for being brooding, competitive, and reclusive
Painter, sculptor, and architect. However, he considered himself a sculpture
- DAVID
- SISTENE CHAPEL
Pieta
Masterful sculpture of Mary holding the body of Christ after His crucifixion. Michelangelo always regretted chiseling his own name on the sculpture (act of pride)
Attacked with a hammer
Raphael
What does the term Humanism mean? How is this concept reflected in the art and literature of the Renaissance?
The Renaissance interest in the body, classical thinking and reason, and the pursuit of knowledge and excellence
The term Renaissance means “rebirth”. Why is this term used to refer to this period? What was being “reborn”?
How were “attributes” used to depict saints in the Late Medieval and Early Renaissance period? By what attributes might we identify Mary? Mary Magdalene? Peter? John the Baptist?
One of the characteristics of Early Northern European Renaissance art is the use of everyday objects as symbols. What would the following symbolize: white lilies? a dog? shoes off of feet? empty pot or vessel?
White Lilies: purity, chastity, and the Virgin Mary
A Dog: loyalty, fidelity, and watchfulness
Shoes Off of Feet: reverence and holiness, indicating that the ground or space is sacred
Empty Pot or Vessel: purity and virtue, as it may represent a state of being ready to be filled with divine grace. It can also signify the Virgin Mary as a pure vessel chosen by God. In some contexts, it may indicate futility or emptiness, depending on the overall theme of the artwork
What were the major differences in style and focus between early Italian and early Northern European Renaissance paintings? What did Italian artists tend to value? What did Northern European artists tend to value? What are some of the typical characteristics of each?
Early Italian:
- scientific proportion
- celebrating human anatomy
(artists often dissected bodies to study them)
- weight and mass
- mathematical perspective
- linear perspective
- geometry
- fresco paintings (rather than oil)
- chiaroscuro to create dimension
* Art was seen as an intellectual science
Early Northern European
- attention to minute detail
- focus on fabrics and textures
- religious people in contemporary settings
- symbolism in every day objects
- oil paints
- crowded/unrealistic use of space
* Art was seen as a way to show themes
How did the introduction of linear perspective and oil paints allow artists to create more realistic depictions in the Renaissance?
Finer details!
Which two artists were involved in the contest for the doors of the Florence Baptistry? Who won?
Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi were both chosen for a competition in 1401 to create a quatrefoil for the Florence Baptistry doors to see who would win the overall commission of the doors.
* Ghiberti Wins
How does Donatello’s David differ from Michelangelo’s? What elements of classical style do you see in the two Davids? What was the significance of David to the city of Florence?
Donatello’s David is the FIRST LIFE-SIZED, FREE-STANDING NUDE SCULPTURE since antiquity.
- after the fight
- really young and not much muscle
Michelangelo’s David
- before the fight
- very ideal musculature (a little older)
David is a symbol of the city of Florence (underdogs that have managed to fight off world powers)
How does Botticelli’s style differ from other Italian Renaissance painters? How do Botticelli’s paintings reflect the new interest in classicism and humanism? How do his paintings highlight the changing view of the human body from the Medieval period to the Renaissance?
- Embraces classical themes
- Different style from other Renaissance artists
- Fusion of pagan symbolism and Christian humanism
- Emphasis on line rather than heavy chiaroscuro
- More concerned with creating beauty rather than realism
- Fascinated with defined contour lines
What changes do we see in the status of artists during the Renaissance? How was this different than in the Medieval period? How might this translate into modern day battles between artists/patrons?
Changes in economics created a new class of patrons for Renaissance artists. How is this reflected in paintings like the Portrait of Arnolfini?
Why is Da Vinci’s Last Supper in such poor condition?
- Da Vinci wanted to highlight the brightness of the colors by painting on dry plaster instead of wet, but this caused the paint to start peeling
- Napoleon’s men stored horses in the refectory (super humid place for this painting)
- War damage, neglect and misuse, early and modern restoration challenges
What factors may have contributed to the popularity of the Mona Lisa?
Very mysterious
Stolen in the early 1900’s by Peruggia
- international news = increased popularity
(“where is the Mona Lisa?” memes)
Popularity grows on popularity
Been attacked multiple times
What are some characteristics that might help you identify a painting by Leonardo Da Vinci? Michelangelo? Raphael?
LEONARDO DA VINCI:
- unique, mysterious, dramatic landscapes (attention to botany and geology)
- sfumato (tries to hide contour lines)
- humanization of religious figures (no halos!)
- psychology (makes viewers question what the characters are thinking
* MONA LISA!
MICHELANGELO:
- very sculptural, muscular quality
- he was very interested in the male nude
- broad shoulders and large chest
RAPHAEL:
How did the original function and perception of Michelangelo’s David change when the location was altered? Where was David originally supposed to be placed? Where was it placed instead?
Originally commissioned to be on top of the Florence cathedral, but he was given such a large piece of marble that it ended up being 17 feet tall, so they put it in the middle of the city streets at eye level.
How does Raphael’s School of Athens reflect Renaissance ideas of Humanism and Classicism? The most prominent figures in School of Athens are Plato and Aristotle. Why does Raphael portray them the way he does? How does this relate to their individual philosophies?
Why are there different interpretations about what Machiavelli’s true thoughts and intentions were in writing The Prince?
He proposed that it is better to write a realistic treatise on governing than to focus on ideals
What does the term “Machiavellian” mean today? How does this relate to what Machiavelli wrote in The Prince?
In The Prince, he advises rulers to be pragmatic and realistic, suggesting that the ends often justify the means. Machiavelli emphasizes the importance of power, control, and the effective use of deceit and manipulation in governance, which has led to the modern interpretation of “Machiavellian” behavior.
Why did Machiavelli say it is better for a prince to be miserly than generous? Cruel rather than compassionate? Feared rather than loved?
- Miserly (frugal) people seem selfish in the moment, but over time they will be the most generous because they did not waste money.
- “The result is he will be thought to be generous towards all those whose income he does not tax”
- Cruel (just) people seem heartless in the moment, but over time they will be the most compassionate because they created peace.
- “It is more compassionate to impose harsh punishments on a few than, out of excessive compassion, to allow disorder to spread”
- Feared (realistic) people seem scary in the moment, but over time they will be the most loved because they told the truth.
- “It is much safer to be feared than loved”
FLAWED!!
Machiavelli suggests that he is going to give advice that is practical rather than idealistic. What reason does he give for doing this?
He wants to write a book that is useful “and not waste time with a discussion of an imaginary world”
