N Renaissance Painting Exam 1 Flashcards
1
Q
A
Christine at her desk [Manuscript illuminations from Christine de Pizan’s City of Women]
ca. 1405:
_______________
- was of Italian origin
- married into a noble french family and received an education
- the 1380s, her life pretty much fell apart…eventually left a widow with no support or resources which lead to her being a writer
- this was a period where women were rarely literate and discouraged from it
- one of per principle themes as a writer is the “status of women”
- she worked closely with scribes to write her books for her and worked closely with the artists that worked on her books
- we don’t know who did any of the illustrations, but we do know that one of them was a woman named Anistas
2
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A
Christine and the three Virtues dismiss the classes of the College of Ladies
ca. 1405
_______________
- three female figures appear to her, radiant angelic looking and represent things. They tell her they’ve come to help her build a city of ladies to show that women have just as much worth as men do and prove their worth in society. Fairytail-like
- one of per principle themes as a writer is the “status of women”
- Reason, Rectitude and Justice (the three virtues) illustration shows all the figures from the story
3
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A
Limbourg Brothers
- Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry [Jan & Feb]*
ca. 1411-16
_______________
- most of the collection of the Duc de Berry no longer exists except his collection of books and manuscripts
- this script is big, more than twice the size of the belle heures
- some of the illustrations are over 8in. high
- it’s 206 bound sheets of vellum and it was left unfinished… they both died before completed by someone else
- full page calendar illustrations for each month of the year
- includes astrological charts as well with the illustrations
- portrait of the patron is included in the illustrations: his dogs, tapestries, elements in his life (very personalized)
- some scenes show nobles, and some scenes show peasants
- scenes of every day life and scenes vary from month to month… contrast in setting (banquet in Jan. and outside in Feb.)
- peasants are a little less elongated and idealized as the nobles in their depictions
- his multiple castles appear on different calendar pages throughout the year
- nobles continue to be elongated and dressed super elegantly
— The Limbourg Brothers are pursuing naturalism - the building and landscapes are more natural in their work and not the people…less focus on human anatomy in their work.
— Bright, jewel-like colors are also common for their style
4
Q
A
Limbourg Brothers
- Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry [April]*
ca. 1411-16
_______________
5
Q
A
Limbourg Brothers
- Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry [Oct.]*
ca. 1411-16
6
Q
A
Limbourg Brothers
Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry
ca. 1411-16
[The Fall and Explusion]
_______________
7
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A
Limbourg Brothers
Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry
ca. 1411-16 :
[Astronomical page/Zodiacal Man]
_______________
8
Q
A
Jan van Eyck
Man in a red turban (self-portrait?)
1433
National Gallery London
_______________
- first Flemish painter to sign his pictures
- 9 signed and dated pictures by him… important because you can map his progress as an artist. It also shows the style of the artist and “brands” their work
- personal motto “as best I can”
9
Q
A
Hubert van Eyck?
Annunciation
Metropolitan Museum
before 1426
_______________
- Jan’s older brother, supposedly a great painter but virtually unknown
- St. Luke’s gospel gives Mary more air time and begins with the Annunciation
- lillies and the dove of the holy spirit that you see within paintings of this theme
- using the architecture to contribute to the iconography… gothic and romanesque orders to stand for the old pre-Christian order and the new-Christian order
10
Q
A
Jan van Eyck
The Ghent Altarpiece (exterior)
1432
________
- three levels
- patron on lower left (later became mayor of Ghent) and his wife on the right
- two patron saint Johns between them
- Erythrean and Cumaean Sibyls:*
- donor portraits very common to be seen
- a way for the patron to make a pitch for securing his/her own salvation (life was short back then and wanted to be in good graces with god)
- real close look at detail and capturing really naturally with modeling of light and shadow - adds weight and volume to the figures with such limited color
- Mary Panel:*
- has a dove on her head
- humble yet receptive pose to receive the news of conceiving the holy spirit
- the details create a stupendous sense of naturalism and drive the very detailed iconography of his religious pictures (ex. open gospel being blown open bc of the wind/the holy spirit here)
- inscription can be seen going from Gabriel to Mary on their respective panels … “hail mary fully of grace…”, written upsidedown so that God can read it, not us
- symbol of the trinity in the tri-paneled window
11
Q
A
Jan van Eyck
The Ghent Altarpiece (interior)
completed 1432
________
- begins in the upper middle with the 3 figures
— Van Eyck’s technique on the altarpiece: uses oil paint on a wooden panel
- modeling appears really smooth, an effect of oil painting
- subtlety in transparency of shadows
- much more slow drying than tempera, so you can scrape off and repaint mistakes (might contribute to why this piece is so perfect)
-
12
Q
A
Christ or God the Father
The Ghent Altarpiece (interior) detail
________
- middle top figure… is it christ or is it god?
- cloth behind him is embroidered with gold pelicans… pelican was a symbol of Christ bc it was (wrongly) believed that the pelican would pierce its own breast to feed its young
- interpreted as the crown of eternal life, reminding the viewer that christ is the original and supreme martyr
13
Q
A
Adam & Eve
The Ghent Altarpiece (interior) detail
________
- Christ is the second Adam that redeems the sin of the first
- amazing naturalistic approach
- much more subtle use of light to model but still extraordinarily natural and simple
- Eve is pregnant… consensus of Christian authorities at this date is that the fall was Eve’s fault in that she tempted him with her sexuality even though the Bible says nothing about that
- Cane and Abel are seen above Eve
14
Q
A
Adoration of the Lamb
Ghent Altarpiece detail
________
- the lower register
- pretty extensive detailed landscape, very naturalistically painted
- heavenly jerusalem in the distance
- all the “faithful” assembled in one scene
- iconographic center of the altarpiece… the heart of the argument “all saints altarpiece”
- celebrating the sacrament of the eucharist
- mystic lamb in the center symbolizing Christ, bleeding into a chalice from the altar
- the lamb and the altar surrounded by angels holding instruments of christ’s passion (cross, spear, nails, etc.)
- argument: well of the living water
15
Q
A
Jan van Eyck
Madonna in a Church
Berlin
1425-27
________
- good example of how closely iconography is linked to style
- very small panel painting
- she’s disproportionally large in proportion to the church
- she’s the personification of THE church, symbolizing it here
- clearly a church that celebrates Mary, crowning her as the Queen of Heaven
16
Q
A
Jan van Eyck
Annunciation in a church
National Gallery Washington
ca. 1428-29
________
- a very small painting
- moves the annunciation into the interior of a church
- the angel is very well-dressed with the robe and crown
- Mary’s hands indicating amazement
- inclusion of white lilies = traditional symbol of purity
- pavement floor is very detailed, decorated with old testament scenes (ex. david and goliath)
- church looks like it was constructed from the top down, the upper part is in the Romanesque style and the lower part is Early Gothic
- one single window up top for the one god/son, three lower for the trinity
17
Q
A
Van Eyck
Dresden Triptych
1437
________
- very extravagant and sculptural decoration
- very rich interior
details of Saints Catherine and Michael - donor is being presented on the left. catherine was beheaded so she holds a sword and dressed as a court lady
detail of Virgin and Child: - luminous style, visual importance of light seen here
- mary in red here again, a preference of Jan’s
exterior with Annunciation in grisaille
18
Q
A
Van Eyck
Madonna with Chancellor Rolin
Louvre
ca. 1433
________
- very wealthy man, represented in his own castle
- he’s praying and a miraculous apparition of the virgin and child appears
- usually the patron is moved to the side when depicted and the holy figures are the spotlight, but this one is different… he is right big in the middle. Very daring and unconventional
- mixing of the secular figure with the holy figures!
- Virgin in red again, child blessing Rolin
- angel is crowing Mary as Queen of Heaven
- through the open arcade window, there is extraordinary landscape
19
Q
A
Van Eyck
Madonna of Canon Van der Paele
Bruges
Musée Communale des Beaux-Arts
1434-36
________
- about 4ft high, his largest single panel picture
- again includes the virgin and child in the center with the patron in the same space
- Saint George extending his hand in presentation of his person to the virgin and child and saint donation
- Mary is in the center, but all attention is on the patron, eyes on him and he’s in white which stands out in contrast to all the darker colors in the painting
- reliefs and sculptural decorations always contribute to the iconography… here in the background we see Eve reminding us that Mary is the second Eve who redeems the sin
- above the Eve figure is a sculpture of Sampson killing the Lion which serves as an archetype for Christ
- Adam figure on the lower right and Cane & Abel above it (a pre-figuration of the sacrifice of Christ)
- Christ holding a parrot…symbol for eternal life?
- Christ is nude and embarrassingly positioned… it reminds us of his human side (he wasn’t just Divine)
20
Q
A
Van Eyck
Lucca Madonna
Frankfurt
ca. 1434
________
- looks more like a domestic interior, but very fancy
- Mary depicted in red robe again
- she’s not being crowned, but she’s enthroned… so still being portrayed as Queen of Heaven along with the Human Mother of Christ (he’s nursing)
- reminding viewers of Christ’s humanity
- Salomon’s throne - we remember him for his wisdom… part of Mary’s special natures is that she receives all of his wisdom and those church leaders who preceded her.
- fruit in the window is a reminder of the original sin that is going to be redeemed
21
Q
A
Van Eyck
St. Barbara
Antwerp, Musée Royale
1437
________
- drawing on wooden detail, very finished
- one of its kind
- executed in silver point
- girl’s father was building a tower to lock her away
22
Q
A
Jan van Eyck
Portrait of Cardinal Niccolo Albergati (right)
and
silverpoint drawing for the portrait (left)
ca. 1432
23
Q
A
Robert Campin
Entombment Triptych
London
ca. 1415-20
________
- Campin worked mostly with Middle Class patrons
- one of his earliest surviving paintings
- dates are hypothetical and undocumented
- a work that includes some old-fashioned characteristics [tooled gold leaf background]
- introduced the emotion of someone wiping tears away from someone’s cheek and other forms of expression seen
- donor is in the left side panel along with the crucifixion scene
- modeling of drapery is very detailed and realistic
24
Q
A
Robert Campin
Betrothal of the Virgin
Prado Museum
ca. 1420
________
- iconographic innovations here, the betrothal is taking place in a portal of a Gothic Cathedral and the bg building looks Romanesque
- the Saint Joseph here looks like he’s on his last legs, super old looking whereas Mary looks beautiful and youthful
- he has issues with perspective and packing of characters into space (naturalism is uneven)
- individualized faces, but they aren’t very realistic or natural looking
25
Q
A
Robert Campin
Nativity and Adoration of the Shepherds
Dijon
ca. 1420
________
- he’s putting things in a more natural landscape now (fitting the setting better to the subjects)
- but in terms of iconography, he’s interpreted the subjects of this event… it’s in a stable like the real story, but seems like contemporary countryside… stable looks broken down - it’s the “old order”… the old order is being replaced with the new order with the coming of Christ (sun is rising in the bg - dawn of a new day, dawn of a new order)
- strong symbols with just the setting alone
- read about Mary’s white clothing in the textbook
26
Q
A
Robert Campin
Merode Altarpiece
Cloisters Museum, New York
1426
________
- central panel shows the annunciation
- joseph is working on the right while the patrons watch on the left
- like some of van eyck, this is a domestic setting (the virgin’s house), she is wearing red
- the lion symbolizes Salomon’s wisdom, that mary is the heir of all the old testament prophets
- extinguished candle, turning of the pages of books (Gabriel’s arrival causes the wind that extinguishes and turns pages)
- the candle could also have been extinguished bc some said that the divine outshine
- little baby with a cross comes flying through the window… the virgin birth thru the window
- figures are pretty naturalistic, but the perspective is all skewed
- Joseph is creating a mouse trap in his wood shop
27
Q
A
Campin
St. Veronica
ca. 1430-32
________
- St. Veronica is the woman who on the side of the road during the crucifixion who gives jesus her handkerchief to wipe his face with and it takes the imprint of his face (she is holding that here)
28
Q
A
Rogier van der Weyden
Madonna enthroned in a niche
Thyseen Collection, Madrid
ca. 1430-32
________
- van der weyden was not a court painter, but he has some upper class commissions (mostly worked for middle class patrons)
- never signed or dated his paintings unlike van eyck
- this piece shows Mary with Christ Child, seated
- like van eyck, places her in a non-domestic environment
29
Q
A
Rogier van der Weyden
Annunciation
Louvre
ca. 1435
________
- this annunciation is similar to Campin… domestic interior, similar color pallet
- petals on the ground? maybe showing her purity, but the fall of what is to come
30
Q
A
Van der Weyden
St. Luke painting the Virgin
Boston Museum of Fine Arts
1435
________
- the man is St. Luke, not a patron
- first to paint St. Luke… and he later became the patron saint of painters
- gives us a glimpse that maybe he painted from life
31
Q
A
Van der Weyden
Deposition
Prado Museum, Madrid
ca. 1435-40
________
- painted for a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary
- Mary depicted as co-redeemer… this idea in her role form salvation doesn’t come from the bible…came from later writers and theologians
- figures are monumental, not really much space…focus is on the figures and their emotions instead of other details to distract from that
- taken from the natural world and put into a “niche”… it’s all foreground
- the skull at the bottom: it’d supposed to be Adam and the place he was buried.
- *compromising naturalism to express emotion
- sooooo detailed… tears coming from eyes, etc.
- Mary and Jesus are parallel posing
32
Q
A
Van der Weyden
Madonna and Child in a niche
Prado Museum
ca. 1436-37
________
33
Q
A
Van der Weyden
Crucifixion triptych
ca. 1440
________
- a continuous landscape thru the 3 panels (compositional unity)
- an old fashioned format that is now being adapted to compositional unity
- the donors are in the center panel and not on the side as tradition usually had them
- two female saints on the side
- first time that the Virgin Mary is shown embracing the foot of the cross at the crucifixion scene
- can see the detailed characteristics of emotion again…tears going down her cheek
34
Q
A
Van der Weyden
Miraflores Altarpiece
Berlin
ca. 1440
________
- devises a scheme where each panel is a portal looking into the space beyond
- 3 different chapters centered on the Virgin Mary
detail: Holy Family - in an interior setting, Mary very simply dressed
- sculpture reliefs in the portal “windows” add to the narratives
35
Q
A
Van der Weyden
Miraflores Altarpiece, ca. 1440
Detail: Holy family
_____
- in an interior setting, Mary very simply dressed
- sculpture reliefs in the portal “windows” add to the narratives
36
Q
A
Van der Weyden
Miraflores Altarpiece
ca. 1440
Detail: Lamentation
37
Q
A
Van der Weyden
Miraflores Altarpiece
ca. 1440
Detail: Christ appearing to his mother
38
Q
A
Van der Weyden
Beaune Altarpiece [Exterior]
1443-44
_____
- one of his most important commissions, it was for Rolin
- decorated a hospital that Rolin founded in Beaune
- donors each in their own panels on the sides, saints and annunciation scene in center panels
- Rolin making up for his sin thru these humanitarian gestures
- the saints are ones that refer to health
39
Q
A
Van der Weyden
Beaune Altarpiece [Interior with Last Judgment]
1443-44:
_____
- about 18ft. wide when open
- the last judgement, thinking about your life before you die
- jesus’s right hand is raised and left is lowered, common among last judgement paintings (raised in blessing juxtaposed to condemnation)
- less humanized, more holy representation of him
- lack of facial expression from Jesus
- gothic gates to the Kingdom, fire/rocks to hell (no demons pulling them in, but they look tortured as they fall in themselves. they sinned and they’re now realizing it so they go in themselves)
St. Michael
- weighing of souls in a scale
- a blessed soul vs. sinful soul (bad weighing it down) - not a very optimistic representation here
- grim moment, lack of facial expression from St. Michael
Mary & John
- interceding for humanity
- asking christ to be merciful
40
Q
A
Van der Weyden
Seven Sacraments Altarpiece
ca. 1448
_____
- sized to represent a Gothic church
- innovative in that it’s the first time that all seven sacraments are represented together in the same altarpiece
Baptism, Confirmation & Penance - on the left
Eucharist - center panel
Marriage, Last Rites & Ordination - right panel
41
Q
A
Van der Weyden
Seven Sacraments Altarpiece [Detail: Eucharist]
ca. 1448
42
Q
A
Van der Weyden
Bladelin triptych
Berlin
ca. 1425-55
_____
- commissioned by a wealthy advisor who built an entire new town
- was commissioned for the church in the town he built
- holes and drains in the ground..? bc it’s a stable and has a sewage system for waste?
Nativity - older, beaten-down barn in landscape setting
- softer, more approachable figures but proportionally unnatural
Pierre Bladelin - shown in the center as the donor
Start of Bethlehem appearing to 3 Magi - very personalized expressions on their faces
43
Q
A
Van der Weyden
Bladelin triptych
Berlin
ca. 1425-55
_____
44
Q
A
Van der Weyden
Crucifixion Diptych
Philadelphia Museum
ca. 1455-59
_____
- recently restored to show the original background
- red calls attention to the figures
- spacial arrangement and the setting being in an unnatural setting so you can focus on the emotion on the figures?
45
Q
A
Van der Weyden
St. Columba Altarpiece
Munich
ca. 1460
_____
- patron is unknown
46
Q
A
Rogier van der Weyden
Portrait of a woman
National Gallery Washington
ca. 1455
_____
- we don’t know the identity
- women didn’t often have portraits taken of them unless high status or in a super domestic setting
- right up there centered, plain dark background
- private commissions for families typically
- artist goals for this kind of portrait: an element of realism, representing a person, intimate, for that person to be remembered by ancestors… “Portraiture makes the absent present and the dead live.”
47
Q
A
Campin
Portrait of a woman
National Gallery London
ca. 1425-30
_____
48
Q
A
Rogier van der Weyden
Portrait of Charles the Bold
ca. 1457
_____
- two men portraits
- men portraits typically are easier to identify due to them probably having status
- the think around his neck is the Order of the Golden Fleece… the oldest noble order (really exclusive club where you came from an old, established, aristocratic family)
49
Q
A
van der Weyden
Portrait of Francesco d’Este
Metropolitan Museum
ca. 1455-60
_____
- two men portraits
- men portraits typically are easier to identify due to them probably having status
- the think around his neck is the Order of the Golden Fleece… the oldest noble order (really exclusive club where you came from an old, established, aristocratic family)
50
Q
A
Petrus Christus
Young Lady with black cap
ca. 1470
51
Q
A
Hans Memling
Tommaso and Maria Portinari
ca. 1472
_____
- common to see the companion pantings of couples, gestures and poses are coordinated for good balance in the composition
52
Q
A
Hans Memling
Man with a medal
ca. 1475-80
53
Q
A
Anonymous Flemish painter (Memling?)
Portrait of Jacob Obrecht
Kimbell Museum
1496
_____
- we know the identity of the sitter, but not the painter (rare)
54
Q
A
Memling
Portrait of a young man
ca. 1485
55
Q
A
Jan van Eyck
The Arnolfini Portrait
1434
_____
- one of the most famous and controversial paintings from the northern renaissance
- it has been argued that this is a wedding portrait,
- the bed and dog suggest that marriage is a factor in the events being portrayed
- brick building, daylight
- aside from referencing marriage, the bed references their socioeconomic status as wealthy
- red dye was expensive, so it shows wealth
56
Q
A
Dieric Bouts
Infancy Altarpiece
ca. 1445
_____
- figure style is closer to van eyck
- Mary meeting with her cousin while they’re pregnant [visitation]
- elizabeth is pregnant with john the baptist
57
Q
A
Dieric Bouts
Infancy Altarpiece [Details: Nativity; Adoration of the Magi]
ca. 1445
58
Q
A
Petrus Christus
Nativity
ca. 1445-50
_____
- portal decorated with sculpture
- rich fabrics on the angels, van eyck inspired
- pretty elongated figures, the child is literally placed on her robe
- adam and eve symbols on the side
59
Q
A
Hans Memling
Madonna and Child with Angels
ca. 1485
_____
- elongated figures
- emotionally expressive
- lots of detail similar to the elaborately rendered styles of van eyck
60
Q
A
Hugo van der Goes
Lamentation
ca. 1468-70
_____
- similar emotional characteristics to van der weyden
- similar wardrobe colors
61
Q
A
Van der Goes
Portinari Altarpiece
ca. 1474-76
_____
- one documented work of van der goes that we know he for sure painted
- commissioned by a wealth florentine
- some old-fashioned things about it
- the donors and their children are on the side
- the saints are disproportionally large when compared to the donors
- donor picked his own personal patron saint to be in the painting to be presented to the holy people
- Margaret and Mary Magdalen are also disproportionally large
center panel: everyone is adoring the christ child, which is absent from a lot of similar pieces that show this scene - devil is lurking in the shadows
- David’s palace in the background
- kneeling angels are wearing all different colors
- Mary’s kneeling is kinda distant…like she’s lost in thought, thinking ahead to the sacrifice that is to come for him
- unidealized faces of the men
62
Q
A
Van der Goes
Adoration of the Shepherds
ca. 1480
_____
- much less naturalistic
- lots of movement and emotional exuberance
- kinda loopy and not super convincing
- figures are kinda jammed into a narrow space that doesn’t quite seem sufficient to accommodate them
63
Q
A
Van der Goes
Death of the Virgin
ca. 1481
_____
- nobody is looking at the virgin Mary
- lack of narrative cohesion in this painting
- kind of strange
- is Christ looking down at Mary?
