Early Renaissance in Italy: 15th C.

1400-1500Italian city-states: Ferrara, Florence,

Mantua, Naples, Rome, Venice

Key Ideas• Fine arts is impacted by the revitalization of

literature, history, and philosophy.• Renaissance courts are impacted by humanism and

secularism.• Artists create realistic 3-D paintings based on new

theories of linear perspective.• Italian Renaissance sculpture is marked by a greater

understanding of human anatomy.• Revival of large scale nude works.• Architecture emphasizes open light spaces, balance,

and symmetry.

Linear perspective

Historical Background• Wealthy families ruled the Italian city-states,

controlling politics, economics, and directing art.• All of the cutting edge artist movements were

coming from Italy- artists were commissioned for paintings, to build great architectural feats, etc.

• Humanism- exploring the human aspect of life (specifically, studying the classic ideas from Greek and Roman philosophy, like law, logic, natural philosophy, medicine, etc.)

• Exploration of the world becomes a European theme, introducing new themes in science, materials, and the arts.

Patronage and Artistic Life

• Wealthy families typically paid to have private chapels built in local churches for their own personal use (decorated lavishly, of course).

• Paintings are often identified by the patron’s chapels (Ex: Masaccio painted Tribute Money for the Brancacci Chapel in Santa Maria del Carmine)

Innovations in Architecture

• Greatest Technological Achievement of the period: The Florence Cathedral Dome, by Brunelleschi– Waited over 100 years for the technology to be

developed.– Ogival arch that revolves into a dome– 2 domes, one within the other, to maximize

strength and stability (interior dome supports, exterior dome is pretty)

– A lantern on top anchors the domes together

Characteristics of 15th C. Italian Architecture

• Focus is on order, clarity, and light (as opposed to Gothic cathedrals and their dark, mysterious, and creepy vibe)

• Wide open window spaces (not stained glass) and vivid wall paintings.

• Stress geometric designs and Ideal proportions (thank you, Romans)

• Unvaulted naves, coffered ceilings• Crossing is 2X the size of nave bays, nave 2X the

width of side aisles, arches and columns make up 2/3 the height of the nave, etc.

Dome of Florence Cathedral• Filippo Brunelleschi• 1420-1436• Florence

Pazzi Chapel• Filippo

Brunelleschi• 1423

(designed)• 1442-1465

(built)• Florence

Palazzo Medici-Riccardi

• Michelozzo• 1444• Florence

Palazzo Rucellai• Leon Battista Alberti• 1452-1470• Florence

Sant’ Andrea

• Leon Battista Alberti• 1470• Mantua, Italy

Innovations in Painting and Sculpture

• Development most characteristic of Italian Renaissance painting- linear perspective– Credit goes to Brunelleschi for bringing it back!

• Object and people are draw proportionate to each other (medieval art depicted people dominating objects on the page)

• Perspective is also used to fool the eye (tromp l’oeil technique) and is used in sculpture for relief castings and carving.

Characteristics of Early Renaissance Italian Painting

• Religious paintings during early 15th C., then portrait and mythological scenes (reflecting humanism)

• Nudes become common again

Adoration of the Magi• Gentile da

Fabriano• 1423• Tempera on

panel• Uffizi, Florence,

Italy

Detail of Adoration of the Magi

Holy Trinity

• Masaccio• 1427• Fresco• Santa Maria Novella,

Florence

Detail of Holy Trinity

Tribute Money• Masaccio• 1425• Fresco• Santa Maria del Carmine,

Florence

Battle of San Romano• Paolo Uccello• 1455• Tempera on wood

The Last Supper • Andrea del Castagno• 1447• Sant’ Apollonia, Florence

Battle of Ten Naked Men• Antonio del

Pollaiuolo• 1465-1470• engraving

Room of the Newlyweds• Andrea Mantegna• 1465-1474• Fresco• Ducal Palace, Mantua, Italy

Christ Delivering the Keys of the Kingdom to Saint Peter

• Pietro Perugino

• 1482• Fresco• Sistine

Chapel, Rome

Birth of Venus• Sandra Botticelli• 1485• Tempera on canvas• Uffizi, Florence

Spring• Sandro Botticelli• 1482• Tempera on wood• Uffizi, Florence

Damned Cast into Hell

• Luca Signorelli

• 1499-1504• Fresco• Orvieto

Cathedral, Orvieto, Italy

Characteristics of Early Renaissance Italian Sculpture

• Interest in humanism leads to a rebirth of classic Greek and Roman sculptures.

• Nudity– Revival or large scale nude sculptures (starting with

Donatello’s David)– Increased study of human anatomy– “heroic” bodies– Often depict intense physical interaction (twisting

forms, straining muscles- similar to Hellenistic Greek sculpture.

Sacrifice of Isaac

• Lorenzo Ghiberti• 1401-1403• Gilt bronze

Sacrifice of Isaac

• Filippo Brunelleschi• 1401-1403• bronze

Gates of Paradise• Lorenzo

Ghiberti• 1425-1452• Gilt bronze

Four Crowned Saints• Nanni di Banco• 1409-1417• Marble• Or San Michele, Florence

David• Donatello• Bronze• 1420’s-1460’s

Mary Magdalene• Donatello• 1430-1450• Wood

Madonna and Child• Luca della Robbia• 1455-1460• Terra cotta• Or San Michele,

Florence

Colleoni• Andrea del Verrocchio• 1481-1496• bronze