Renaissance - Early Renaissance Flashcards
What does the term ‘Renaissance’ mean and when did it occur?
It means ‘rebirth’ of the art of classic antiquity and occurred from the 13th to 16th century.
What city-state is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance?
Florence.
What is ‘De Re Aedificatoria’ and who wrote it?
It is the most important architectural treatise by Leon Battista Alberti (1452-1485).
What were the two ideals pursued by artists and architects during the Renaissance?
Humanism and Secularism.
What is Humanism?
An ideology that believes humans have the ability for rational thought to some meaningful end.
What is Secularism?
The weakening of the spiritual and political leadership of the Church.
What was the role of guilds during the Renaissance?
They regulated and standardized crafts; those not in a guild were not fit for practice.
Which prominent family of Florence acquired great wealth in banking and supported architects and artists?
The Medici family.
What was the competition to design the east doors of the Florence Baptistry about?
It was a contest to create gilded bronze doors depicting ‘The Sacrifice of Isaac.’
Who were the two competitors in the Florence Baptistry door competition, and who won?
Brunelleschi and Ghiberti; Ghiberti won.
What artistic technique did Ghiberti introduce in his Baptistry door design?
One-Point Perspective.
What is Linear Perspective and when was it developed?
It was developed during the Early Renaissance and is a technique for creating depth and realism.
What is Chiaroscuro?
The use of light and dark to achieve a heightened illusion of depth and massing instead of outlines.
What is Foreshortening?
A method of rendering a specific object in depth, showing distortion seen by the eye when an object is viewed at a distance.
Who is considered the first naturalistic painter of Italy and founder of Renaissance painting?
Giotto di Bondone.
Which artist is known as the first great painter of the Italian Renaissance and created ‘The Holy Trinity’?
Masaccio (Tomaso Guidi).
Which Dominican monk artist created purely religious art using luminous colors?
Fra Angelico.
Which artist was a monk but was dismissed for abducting a nun, and created ‘Madonna and Child’?
Fra Filippo Lippi.
Which Renaissance artist drew from mythological inspirations and painted ‘Primavera’ and ‘The Birth of Venus’?
Alessandro Botticelli.
Who perfected the process of painting with oil and varnish?
Jan van Eyck.
What is Grisaille?
A technique using all grey tones to create a sculptural effect on paintings.
What was the significance of ‘The Marriage’ (Arnolfini Wedding) by Jan van Eyck?
It documented a wedding ceremony with several symbolic elements.
Which sculptor is known for sacred themes and created a youthful ‘David’ standing on Goliath’s head?
Donatello.
Who sculpted the north and east doors of the Baptistery of San Giovanni?
Lorenzo Ghiberti.
What are the characteristics of Early Renaissance Architecture?
Emphasis on symmetry, exact mathematical relationships, ashlar masonry with rusticated finish, and classic orders in facades.
Which architect designed ‘The Duomo’ (Dome of the Cathedral of Florence)?
Filippo Brunelleschi.
Which architect designed ‘Ospedale Degli Innocenti’ (Foundling Hospital)?
Filippo Brunelleschi.
What is a Tondo?
A round arch where the space between columns forms a perfect square.
What is a Loggia?
An arcading that opens to one side.
Which building was built under Cosimo de Medici and later bought by the Riccardi family?
Palazzo Medici-Riccardi.
What are Kneeling Windows?
Windows designed with protruding brackets, commonly seen in Renaissance palaces.
Which Renaissance palace had three levels with different classical orders?
Palazzo Rucellai by Leon Battista Alberti.
Which palace is the largest in Italy aside from the Vatican?
Palazzo Pitti by Luca Pitti.
