Early Renaissance in 15th c. Italy

• Intellectuals in 15th c. Italy thought of

themselves as living in a NEW AGE.

• Believed they could improve their

culture by reviving the best features of

antiquity…Greek and Roman culture.

• Rebirth of classical learning, literature

and art.

Causes:

• Study of texts from Greece and Rome for

moral content and style (medieval

university—prized theology) but

Renaissance humanism aimed for

practical use—for lawyers, bureaucrats,

politicians, diplomats and merchants

• Humanists’ analytical approach and

empirical observations inspired new

thinking in many fields

Political power/artistic patronage

• Florence Medici

• Urbino Montefeltro

• Mantua Gonzaga

• Milan Sforza and Visconti

• Ferrara Este

15th c. Republic of Florence (ala Roman Republic)

• Signoria—governing council—officials

elected from members of the guilds and

mercantile families.

• Milan threatened to invade in

1401…Florence was able to defy Milan…a

comparison was made between Athens

defeat of the Persians…praised for piety

and devotion…Renaissance humanists

wished to reconcile the lessons of antiquity

with their Christian faith.

The Cathedral of Florence was begun in 1298. Santa Maria del Fiore

(our Lady of the Flower, the lily was a symbol of Florence) was the

third cathedral built on the site. A hundred years later, the cathedral was still

unfinished. The plan had space for a dome the size of the Pantheon's, and no one

in Italy had any idea how to actually build it.

Across the piazza from the Cathedral was the baptistery. It was decided that the

baptistery needed new doors.

The city fathers of Florence held a competition to solicit plans for the dome's

completion and for door designs in bronze.

Florence Baptistery Competition

Across the piazza from

the Cathedral's facade

was the baptistery. (the

white octagonal roof)

Every child born in

Florence (heathens

excepted) was baptized

into the Church there. It

was decided that the

baptistery needed new

doors.

Guild-sponsored competition in 1401 for the east

doors of the city’s baptistery.

Ghiberti. Sacrifice of Isaac

1401Bronze relief

competition panel for east

doors, baptistery of Florence

Cathedral 1401-02

Brunelleschi. Sacrifice of Isaac.

Competition panel for east doors,

baptistery of Florence.

Andrea Pisano, south

doors, Florence Baptistry,

1350-36, bronze

detail

Pisano (top) Ghiberti

These gilded bronze

doors consist of

twenty-eight panels,

with twenty panels

depicting the life of

Christ from the New

Testament.

The Annunciation

The Annunciation

Ghiberti's Annunciation scene

is related to a number of Late

Gothic Annunciation in

Florentine art, particularly

those by Lorenzo Monaco. In

these, Gabriel flies into the

scene - a visionary angel with

clouds streaming from his feet,

his wings beating, still airborne

at the command of God the

Father, who sends down the

dove of the Holy Spirit.

The Glagellation panel (flagellation panel)

Flagellation 1403-24

Lorenzo Ghiberti

Technique developed over

20yrs

Figures burst from frame

- sweeping arm

Development of

classical, muscled torso

Compare to earlier

annunciation - scene

framed distinctively

Christ among the Doctors panel

Finding of Christ in the Temple, north door, c.1416

Mary say to her 12 yr. old son, missing for 3 days,

“Why have you treated us like this?”

North door and Gates

of Paradise door self-

portraits