The Renaissance Rebirth and Renewal

The RenaissanceRebirth and Renewal

Why “Rebirth”?• 1400’s = re-discovery of Greek and Roman literature and art.

• Scientific study of the body (anatomy) and natural world became popular.

• Exploration, and scientific research took off.

• All of this means that art skills increased and became popular. The “re-birth” of classical (i.e. Greek/ Roman) studies and art.

Oil on canvas became medium of choice

Use of perspective- showing depth in on a 2-D surface

Use of light and shadow (chiaroscuro)

Pyramid composition

4 Important Breakthroughs:

Why Oil Paints?

• More vibrant colors• Less time consuming (tempera is a labor-intensive technique)• Paints dry over long-periods = able to go back and work over days instead needing to finish a section in one day.

Tempera cross hatching vs. smoothness of oil

The Birth of Perspective

“Miracle of Augustine Saving the Child FallingFrom the Window” Simone Martini, tempera

From this:

To this:

“The Tribute Money” by Masaccio, fresco

Chiaroscuro: Use of light and shadow for realism

“Virgin of the Rocks”, Leonardo da Vinci

Balancing Compositions with Triangles

What made the Early Renaissance the Early Renaissance*Why was it so successful?

THE MEDICI FAMILY• Super-wealthy family (bankers) who lived in Florence and LOVED the arts.

• Paid and sponsored many artists & architects to decorate Florence to their tastes. People loved them for it.

• They were the “unofficial” rulers of Florence (the true ruler was the pope).

• Because artists knew the Medici were wiling to pay for work, artists flocked to Florence and the Renaissance began.

Began in Florence, Italy in 1400’s Three major artists

◦Masaccio First artist since the Giotto to paint humans in naturalistic

form, not stiff straight columns. Master of perspective, and painting natural shadows.

◦Donatello Known for naturalistic nude sculpture in the round. The

“Masaccio” of sculpture. ◦Botticelli

Known for rebirth of Classical mythology- no longer religious painting.

Early Renaissance

Masaccio’s “Expulsion from the Garden”

Donatello’s, “David”

Botticelli’s, “Birth of Venus”